Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[Dryden]

I wonder how many people would be forced to pay for streaming if they pulled ESPN, FS1, BTN, etc. off of cable and went streaming only? I have ESPN on Sling, but I'm not willing to pay extra to get BTN in HD so I just watch it in SD from my Internet company since they don't filter out basic cable. I really only care about tOSU football so I would only need to sign up for those services for 4-5 months. If I want to watch Indians or Cavs games they are in SD. The only real reason I pay for Sling is a few live sports and my wife's viewing habits. Kids only watch Netflix and Disney+

Hulu+ Live TV is a good package for sports fans. Includes BTN, ACCN, SEC, NFL Network, all the ESPNs (plus ESPNU), and FS1 & FS2. Half these channels weren't in my 200-channel Uverse package that cost more than twice as much.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

YouTube TV isn't bad. It's got everything I need except history channel. And I'll probably be a sucker and pay the 9.99 extra during the season to be able to watch the Buckeyes in 4k on Fox

This is where I’m at

I cut the cord years ago, and the only thing that I felt like I was missing was when they started broadcasting games in 4K, but that wasn’t enough to make me go back

Starting tomorrow, my football will be in 4K and I’ll be missing nothing at all

 

[zbuck]

I realize this most likely belongs in the Cutting the Cord thread but ....

I'm going through a change from Direct Tv to streaming services. Some of my older smart TV's don't have the Youtube TV app available. What's the best way to get around this issue other than buying newer gear ?

 

[BigWoof31]

YouTube TV isn't bad. It's got everything I need except history channel. And I'll probably be a sucker and pay the 9.99 extra during the season to be able to watch the Buckeyes in 4k on Fox

I love YTTV - for those of you who like to go back and rewatch games, it comes with an Unlimited DVR!

 

[BigWoof31]

Consequences suck, both short and long term. The playoff expansion that SEC/ESPN was counting on now seems extremely unlikely. Long term the (self-proclaimed) worldwide leader in sports has intentionally painted themselves into a regional corner of the country. More and more people across the country who have only kept cable for ESPN and college football will be cutting the cord, which will lead to larger losses and will ultimately accelerate that death spiral that ESPN has been in for a few years now.

The PAC12 will break from the Alliance and vote for expansion. They just want a bigger say on TV rights, which is perfectly fine.
Or if they don't they can stay at home and get ready for Water Polo and Archery season in the spring. We can wait them out.

 

[FCollinsBuckeye]

I realize this most likely belongs in the Cutting the Cord thread but ....

I'm going through a change from Direct Tv to streaming services. Some of my older smart TV's don't have the Youtube TV app available. What's the best way to get around this issue other than buying newer gear ?

Does your TV have HDMI input? If so, maybe get a Firestick or Chromecast?

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

Does your TV have HDMI input? If so, maybe get a Firestick or Chromecast?

Or Roku etc. Or, if you have a computer that you can position near the tv on a permanent basis, you could use that for streaming.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

The PAC12 will break from the Alliance and vote for expansion. They just want a bigger say on TV rights, which is perfectly fine.
Or if they don't they can stay at home and get ready for Water Polo and Archery season in the spring. We can wait them out.

Ever since @BB73 proposed this alliance and long before the powers that be decided to follow his sage advice I've been saying that this approach would have me on pins and needles because it was obviously not something that they would put in writing (they have said so plainly) and because it would only hold together as long as they were all of the same mind. Our main concern for breaking the alliance has been the ACC, but you bring up a good point about the Pac-12 and their recent inability to get into the playoff in the current format.

But with the Big 12 gone, there are now 4 power conferences. There are multiple paths forward that give the SEC/ESPN alliance less (or none) of what they want while ensuring that each remaining power conference gets at least one team in the playoff.

This alliance will not live long, whatever happens. It will either implode as the various members pursue their own agendas, or it will eventually allow the prince of darkness to have a seat at the table and it will then replace the NCAA, at least for the Power 4 conferences, the remains of the NCAA thus forming a de facto lower division.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

I love YTTV - for those of you who like to go back and rewatch games, it comes with an Unlimited DVR!

@jwinslow has already mentioned this (I believe in the cord-cutting thread), but if one were to select an Ohio State game to record, it will ask if you want to record:

• all football
• all FBS football
• all B1G football
• all Ohio State football

It does not yet ask if you would like to limit it to only 4K football; I hope that's coming.

 

[jwinslow]

I realize this most likely belongs in the Cutting the Cord thread but ....

I'm going through a change from Direct Tv to streaming services. Some of my older smart TV's don't have the Youtube TV app available. What's the best way to get around this issue other than buying newer gear ?

There is no solution for the cord cutting wars and the contract or competition based blind spots between devices. The solution is to get a different flavor of standalone box (roku, chromecast, etc) that does support it. None of them support all services (or at least they didn't a year ago). Also, depending on how old your smart TV is, you may find out just how bad the interface was. Some of them are ok, some of them make you want to run through a wall they are so slow.

@jwinslow has already mentioned this (I believe in the cord-cutting thread), but if one were to select an Ohio State game to record, it will ask if you want to record:

• all football
• all FBS football
• all B1G football
• all Ohio State football

It does not yet ask if you would like to limit it to only 4K football; I hope that's coming.

Yep, when I first get the device, I tell it that I like college football, college basketball, etc. and they're ALL available on demand after they happen, and are that way until a year passes.

I never have to remember to record, or guess how much extra time I need.

Or magically know that Penn State-Indiana will be one of the most entertaining B1G games of the year.

 

[zbuck]

Does your TV have HDMI input? If so, maybe get a Firestick or Chromecast?

Yes they all HDMI. I'm leaning towards the Chromecast units.

 

[gmen6981]

Or Roku etc. Or, if you have a computer that you can position near the tv on a permanent basis, you could use that for streaming.

Roku and Youtube have been in a pissing contest for several months now. YTTV currently isn't available on Roku.

 

[jwinslow]

Roku and Youtube have been in a pissing contest for several months now. YTTV currently isn't available on Roku.

Which was an escalation from a year ago, when they played nice but Roku had a different blind spot. This kind of thing will probably persist until someone innovates and brings all of the channels into one bundled "Cable"

 

[FCollinsBuckeye]

This kind of thing will probably persist until someone innovates and brings all of the channels into one bundled "Cable"

I was joking about this very thing recently. With the splintering of all these various streaming services, wouldn't a bundled service combining all of these be great?!?

 

[wolves2002]

On the Roku YouTube app there is a link to YouTube TV. Bottom left corner.