Xbox Teams with ESPN on NFL and NCAA Downloads

Sports fans who own an Xbox 360 are in for a treat. Microsoft has announced that, starting today, it will bring select ESPN programming to the Xbox Live network, including NCAA games and sports-centric reality shows.

Confirmed programming includes full-length NCAA basketball and football games, X Games competitions, and even "Madden Nation," which pits the best Madden NFL gamers against one another, according to a story posted to ESPN . News wire service Reuters reports "World Series of Poker" and the reality boxing competition, "The Contender" to the list.

Xbox 360 owners can purchase the programs in either standard- or high-definition formats. Commercial-free NCAA games, to be available within 48 hours of the game's conclusion, will go for $3 in standard-definition and $4.50 in hi-def. The other ESPN shows will go for a bit less: $2 for SD, $3 for HD.

For some time now Microsoft has offered programing for download through Xbox.

The first ESPN Xbox Live offering will be a replay of Saturday's USC vs. Oregon State college football game.