Bearcat Network under paywall after Northwest Conference sells media rights to FloSports

Willamette students watching Bearcat sports. Art by Adrian Axtell.

Disclaimer: Ruby Hampton is a member of the Willamette lacrosse team

All of the Northwest Conference (NWC) media platforms, including Willamette’s Bearcat Network, are undergoing a facelift this year. As of the fall of 2025, Willamette and nine other schools across Oregon and Washington have entered into an exclusive five-year media rights agreement with FloSports.

FloSports has a $19.99 monthly subscription fee for non-students and $9.99 for anyone with a “.edu” email address, which is a drastic change from the formerly free-to-watch Bearcat Network. 

Founded in 2006, FloSports is a global sports media company for live event coverage as well as “comprehensive sports data solutions for passionate and underserved sports fans,” says the NWC FAQ page. According to a Bearcat Athletics press release, this partnership intends to improve visibility and lessen the cost for Willamette in terms of filming and producing sports film. 

Presidents of the nine NWC schools, including Willamette’s President Steve Thorsett, voted on whether to move to FloSports decision back in July 2025.

According to the same Bearcat Athletics press release, Shana Levine, commissioner of the NWC, said of the change, "Partnering with FloSports marks an exciting step forward for the Northwest Conference as we expand our reach and elevate the visibility of our student-athletes. This collaboration allows us to share compelling stories that reflect our core values of academic centrality, unity, and competitive excellence — while ensuring the NWC is well-prepared for the ever-evolving landscape of college athletics."

When asked about how FloSports may affect Willamette's coaches and student-athletes, Director of Athletic Communications Chris Sabato said, “It’s hard to say. Obviously, it’s a change, and for parents who are used to watching games for free, there is now a charge. For incoming freshmen, it’s probably not going to be as big of a deal because their families have been having to pay to watch them play forever.”

Sabato also explained that by selling its media rights, Willamette saves money. Broadcasting is not cheap — it’s an expensive process that involves the purchase and maintenance of high-tech equipment, including cameras, computers and sound equipment. It isn’t a process that pays for itself.

FloSports streaming allows schools to invest in their broadcasting programs, sanctioning money that could possibly be poured into departments that support rights fees, production, product technology and marketing. It’s important to note that 18 other NCAA conferences are currently available on Flosports, making it a highly-exposed platform for viewership. According to Sabato, in order for Willamette to continue producing high-level quality broadcasting, it must benefit from a more lucrative form of revenue. 

The former Bearcat Network was a free-to-watch resource that broadcasted live feeds of all matches, games and meets of Willamette’s varsity sports, including away games — provided that their host had adequate streaming equipment.

As might have been expected, some Bearcat families are dissatisfied with the change — and the $19.99 monthly price tag. 

Avid Willamette women’s lacrosse watcher Lisa Owens, an Idahoan mom of a second-year lacrosse player, said, “It’s a little unusual. Willamette is not an inexpensive school; tuition costs a lot. To make us pay to watch our kids play seems silly, especially because they don’t give out sports scholarships.” 

The free and beloved Bearcat Network will be missed, but the NWC has determined FloSports as Willamette’s new normal, and if Willamette athletics doesn’t keep up with the times and conference, the worry is that it will get left behind.