Verizon and Time Warner (News - Alert) Cable have inked an agreement to provide access to additional Syracuse University football and men’s basketball games to Verizon’s FiOS TV customers living in upstate New York.

According to official sources SU football and men’s basketball games that are carried on Time Warner Cable Sports will now be made available to Verizon to provide it to its central New York FiOS (News - Alert) TV customers.  Also Syracuse football and men’s basketball games that air on Time Warner Cable SportsNet Buffalo will be available to FiOS TV subscribers in western New York. The games will be available on Channel 1 for FiOS TV customers, confirmed the sources.

Terry Denson, Verizon (News - Alert) vice president for content strategy and acquisition said in a release, “Our customers in upstate New York have asked for these games and programs, and we’re excited to provide them. We know how important SU sports are to this region.”

Verizon sources added that it has carried approximately 60 to 70 percent of SU football and men’s basketball games, including several Big East and marquee non-conference games, through its contracts with other network sports providers. The new agreement drawn with Time Warner Cable will give FiOS TV customers as much or more coverage of SU football and men’s basketball as customers of satellite TV providers.

The agreement also includes FiOS TV subscribers in western New York who will enjoy access to University at Buffalo football and men’s basketball games that air on Time Warner Cable SportsNet Buffalo.  

Also subscribers in central New York will receive University at Buffalo games that air on TWC Sports 26.  Besides other central New York and western New York Division I football and men’s basketball games that are carried by Time Warner Cable may be provided to FiOS TV’s central and western New York subscribers.

According to Verizon sources this new programming adds on to Verizon FiOS TV’s program list, which features over 520 all-digital channels with 130 HD channels in upstate New York and 18,000 monthly video-on-demand titles.  FiOS also provides next-generation interactive services that include an interactive media guide; social networking, news and entertainment widgets; remote DVR management via broadband or cell phone among others.