In addition to the three-game broadcast package the Black Bears have with a Bangor television station, the University of Maine’s football program will receive some regional TV exposure as well for a second straight season.

The Football Network will produce an eight-game slate of live Atlantic 10 Conference game broadcasts for Fox Sports Net New England. The package includes Maine’s 3:30 p.m. game at Northeastern on Oct. 18.

“This stuff really gives us the exposure you need to be successful in the recruiting battles you have in our region,” said Maine coach Jack Cosgrove. “It helps attract kids from all over New England to our program.”

The broadcast schedule kicks off on Sept. 27 with Rhode Island at Richmond. Other games may be added to the schedule after the season begins.

The broadcasts will air live on both TFN and FSNNE, giving the A-10 wide regional exposure since FSNNE alone reaches an estimated 3.6 million homes in all six New England states.

The Baton Rouge, La.-based TFN will become a 24-hour national cable network this fall. Currently, it is available on most satellite TV systems and some regional cable TV systems. The Atlantic 10 was the first conference to sign up with TFN, but others like the Southern, Big Sky, and Big South conferences have followed along with the Patriot and Pioneer leagues.

“These TFN telecasts will give the Atlantic 10 Football Conference additional exposure in an important market. We are looking forward to working with TFN and Fox Sports Net New England,” conference commissioner Linda Bruno said in a press release.

Last year, Maine appeared once on New England Sports Network.

Maine is also making a nationwide appearance as the first college football telecast by College Sports TV when it hosts Montana on Aug. 30.

“That first game we have is very exciting because it’s the first one they’ll do and it’s an exciting game for us to host,” said Cosgrove. “I think it’s a significant moment for our program.”

Black Bear football will also be heard on Bangor all-sports radio station WZON (620 AM) for the 13th consecutive season.

Former New York Giants kicker and CBS and Fox football announcer Pat Summerall has agreed to serve as the voice of the network while former NFL coach Jerry Glanville has signed on as a studio host. Neither a play-by-play announcer nor a color analyst have been hired for the college game broadcasts yet.

NESN cleans off SportsDesk

New England Sports Network has revamped SportsDesk, its rotating, 15-minute sportscast, this month.

Most of the changes involve graphics, with the addition of a “ticker” scoreboard running along the bottom of the screen during the entire show, as well as new animation and a redesigned studio. Viewers may also notice an increased focus on New England sports as announcers will be on the road more to report on Boston’s major pro franchises and New England college sports.

SportsDesk debuted in March 1991 as a weekday program and was expanded to seven days a week in 1993. The show’s regular anchors are former WVII-TV of Bangor sports director Eric Frede, Jayme Parker, and Mike Perlow.

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600, or aneff@bangordailynews.net