Southern University Inks Historic Media Deal Amid Marshall Faulk Hire

New partnership with local ABC affiliate WBRZ to cover Jaguar Athletics

Mar. 28, 2026 at 9:06pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Southern University has announced a historic media partnership with local ABC affiliate WBRZ, making the station the official television home of Jaguar Athletics. The deal comes amid the hiring of NFL Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk as the new head football coach. The partnership will provide extensive coverage of Southern's sports teams and also invest in the university's mass communications program.

Why it matters

This media deal represents a significant boost in visibility and resources for Southern University's athletic department, which competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). It also demonstrates the university's commitment to supporting local media and investing in its own communications program. The partnership with WBRZ, a locally owned and operated station, is seen as a more beneficial arrangement than deals with larger corporate media entities.

The details

Under the new partnership, WBRZ will air several local shows covering Southern University's sports teams, as well as behind-the-scenes features. The deal is similar to the media partnership WBRZ already has in place with LSU Athletics. Additionally, the agreement will include an investment from WBRZ into Southern's mass communications program, providing students with valuable real-world experience.

  • The media partnership was announced on March 28, 2026 during the Jag-A-Thon annual fundraising event.

The players

WBRZ

The local ABC affiliate station in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that has now become the official television station of Jaguar Athletics.

Ralph Bender

The CEO of WBRZ who announced the historic media partnership with Southern University.

Marshall Faulk

The NFL Hall of Famer who was recently hired as the new head football coach of Southern University.

Chris Powers

The voice of Southern University Athletics who spoke about the significance of the media deal with the locally-owned WBRZ station.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“There are two major universities in this town, and we are the only locally owned and locally operated TV station in southern Louisiana, and it's important to support the community. It's not just about airing stories; it's about putting back the good fortune we had with dollars into our local community to allow the local community to continue to grow.”

— Ralph Bender, CEO, WBRZ

“I'll tell you why this is important to be a locally owned and operated station like they are. So the other ones that are, and I'm not bashing...but the other ones...for instance, we got a new story, we wanna put it...or we got a program that we want to put on. They gotta go through whatever their corporate office is. Or whether it's in Dallas, Atlanta or whatever. Here at WBRZ Channel 2, the corporate office is right here. So these are the guys that make the decision that we want it on. This involves our community of Baton Rouge. Those guys in Atlanta, those guys in Dallas or wherever their headquarters are, they don't know how to peel crawfish and suck the heads.”

— Chris Powers, Voice of Southern University Athletics

What’s next

The new media partnership is expected to provide increased exposure and resources for Southern University's athletic programs, especially with the arrival of new head football coach Marshall Faulk. The investment in the university's mass communications program will also help develop the next generation of sports media talent in the Baton Rouge area.

The takeaway

This historic media deal between Southern University and local ABC affiliate WBRZ represents a significant win-win for both parties. It allows Southern to elevate its athletic brand and invest in its academic programs, while giving WBRZ the opportunity to deepen its ties to the Baton Rouge community through comprehensive coverage of the Jaguars. The partnership's focus on local ownership and control underscores the value of supporting homegrown media entities that truly understand their markets.