Texas Longhorns (big hat, no cattle; please don’t Horns Down us)

[alexhortdog95]

ESPN gave Beebe the 'finger'. Actually, they gave him the 'Shocker'

That's what happens when you make deals with the devil.

In fact...

"Haste is of the Devil." St. Jerome

"If you make money your god, it will plague you like the devil." - Henry Fielding

"Once you are dancing with the devil, the prettiest capers won't help you." E.T.A. Hoffmann

"Pride is the master sin of the devil, and the devil is the father of lies."
Edwin Hubbel Chapin

And my Favorite:

"Talk of the devil, and his horns appear." Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Hmmm....horns.....app...AHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

 

[Ryan36_1]

http://www.cornnation.com/2011/8/4/...ms-a-signal-in-a-forest-and-no-one-carries-it

Like the author, I have no idea if this is normal or not. And I'm sure all will be worked out by the channel's debut . But nonetheless, it never hurts to laugh anyway.

 

[Buckeye Maniac]

I would absolutely LOVE it if no one was able to get TLN by the time its "debut" rolled around.

If memory serves, I remember a fair number of providers had already picked up the BTN by June or July of 2007, and I remember being absolutely furious that Time Warner was not following suit.

 

[alexhortdog95]

I would absolutely LOVE it if no one was able to get TLN by the time its "debut" rolled around.

If memory serves, I remember a fair number of providers had already picked up the BTN by June or July of 2007, and I remember being absolutely furious that Time Warner was not following suit.

I just tried 5 Texas zip codes including 3 in AUSTIN....

No dice, ROFLOL...

 

[IronBuckI]

I would absolutely LOVE it if no one was able to get TLN by the time its "debut" rolled around.

If memory serves, I remember a fair number of providers had already picked up the BTN by June or July of 2007, and I remember being absolutely furious that Time Warner was not following suit.

Direct TV was the only major provider that carried the YSU game. AT&T U-verse carried it, but wasn't nearly as big as it is now. Insight cable had the YSU game, but didn't sign until a couple of days before the YSU game. Those are the only carriers that I can remember carrying BTN early on. Dish Network picked up BTN in time to air the Akron game, but a lot of cable companies held out for most, if not all, of the football season.

 

[alexhortdog95]

"I have continued to have concerns about the Longhorn Network since the original announcement by ESPN and Texas. Since last summer, the Big 12 member institutions have committed to work together in a spirit of unity and equality. Recent news reports concerning this network; however, have created a considerable amount of uncertainty.

"We had an agreement in place that Big 12 members would have the right to one non-conference football game and four to six basketball games for third tier, or institutional rights. The concept of the Longhorn Network broadcasting two live football games - with one of these being a conference game - had not been discussed among the Big 12 athletic directors.

"Our concerns were heightened further when news reports surfaced that the Longhorn Network would be broadcasting high school football games featuring Texas high school recruits, including recruits living outside the state of Texas. Knowing how restrictive NCAA rules are regarding any collegiate representative contacting prospects, we contacted the NCAA for an interpretation. We are still waiting for the NCAA's response.

"I have continued to communicate our concerns to the conference office and my fellow athletic directors. We are pleased that the commissioner has started to address these concerns, but many questions remain. These are significant issues for all of collegiate athletics as they relate to broadcast rights, revenue distribution and the recruitment of student-athletes."

Bill Byrne,
Texas A&M Athletic Director,
Former University of Nebraska Athletic Director

That's him saying, "If Texas pulls this shiat off, we're bouncin, dawgs."

 

[Buckeye Maniac]

Direct TV was the only major provider that carried the YSU game. AT&T U-verse carried it, but wasn't nearly as big as it is now. Insight cable had the YSU game, but didn't sign until a couple of days before the YSU game. Those are the only carriers that I can remember carrying BTN early on. Dish Network picked up BTN in time to air the Akron game, but a lot of cable companies held out for most, if not all, of the football season.

At least there were three for the BTN

Any idea when Direct TV and U-Verse picked up the BTN? I'm intrigued now, whether the BTN was having the same trouble as TLN.

 

[BB73]

At least there were three for the BTN

Any idea when Direct TV and U-Verse picked up the BTN? I'm intrigued now, whether the BTN was having the same trouble as TLN.

Looks like UVerse had the BTN from the beginning.

ATT.2007.Press.release

AT&T U-verse TV Scores Football Programming Touchdown

Football Fans Can Enjoy Access to Big Ten Network Starting Aug. 30 With U-verse TV

San Antonio, Texas, August 27, 2007
When it comes to catching the excitement of Big Ten football, AT&T U-verse TV customers won't be left on the sidelines. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) today announced the availability of the Big Ten Network across all U-verse markets in the most popular U-verse TV programming packages.

Starting Aug. 30, the Big Ten Network will showcase more than 400 live events, original programming and conference football games in standard and High Definition (HD). U-verse TV customers can enjoy access to the Big Ten Network in the U100 programming package and above, which starts as low as $44 a month. With an HD service subscription for $10 more a month, U-verse customers can watch the Big Ten Network in spectacular HD. Available games will be aired on channels 650 in standard definition and 1250 in High Definition.

DirecTV also had the BTN on the August 30, 2007 launch date. Dish Network agreed about a week after that.

 

[Muck]

That's him saying, "If Texas pulls this shiat off, we're bouncin, dawgs."

Which is all well & good except they likely don't have anywhere to go.

 

[alexhortdog95]

Have you guys seen this article?

Well, thanks to The Midnight Yell, the full contract between Texas and ESPN has emerged, and there's a bit more in the deal that could be problematic for the Big 12.

Here are some highlights of the deal:

- ESPN has exclusive negotiating rights with Texas should the school no longer be a member of the Big 12. "In the event that UT determines not to participate in any athletics conference in one or more sports, UT agrees to provide ESPN a right of first negotiation of 60 days with respect to its television telecast rights.." ESPN also has 48 hours to match any offer Texas may get from somewhere else.

In other words, if the Big 12 does dissolve, Texas can still have its own network as an independent. It's also possible that Texas can just go independent in football and remain in the Big 12 for other sports.

- Texas will get about $11,000,000 a year from the network. And that number will increase by 3% annually until ESPN gets its money back from the original investment, at which point Texas' revenues from the network will rise significantly.

- If the Big 12 created its own network, Texas couldn't be a part of it. "Neither IMG nor UT will during the Term and within the Territory i. participate in or permit the development of another "Longhorns Network" or similar network enterprise (regardless of name) related to UT" The terms of the deal are for 20 years, and the territory referred to his Texas. So if the Big 12 wants its own network and would want to feature Texas games, it's going to have to wait until 2031 to do so.

- ESPN will try to get rights to Texas high school state championship games. Obviously, this is part of the high school games deal that the Big 12 has decided to ignore for a year, but the contract states that ESPN agrees to try and get the rights for these games. Whether it will ever be allowed by the NCAA remains to be seen, but it's obvious that the Longhorn Network would love to televise these games.

Now, if you go over the contract in its entirety, a lot of what Texas wants to do makes sense. These are good business decisions for the school, and Texas has always been a school that knows how to get money out of its athletic department. Still, when going over the deal and looking at it from the perspective of another Big 12 school, it's easy to see why schools like Texas A&M aren't exactly thrilled with it.

It's essentially a lot of words and numbers that can be paraphrased with "We're Texas, and we're more important than the rest of you."

More info at: http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/31192274

 

[BB73]

That's a damn shame that when ESPN enters into contracts with public universities that those contracts are subject to FOIA requests.

 

[alexhortdog95]

That's a damn shame that when ESPN enters into contracts with public universities that those contracts are subject to FOIA requests.

Hmm...the University of Nebraska didn't make a good choice moving to the Big 10, oh no no.

They should have stayed. Yep.

 

[BB73]

Here's a contract blurb from that link.

Texas has the right to have ESPN remove individuals from TLN broadcasts if they do not "reflect the quality and reputation desired by UT" .

Hey, nothing guarantees objective journalism like the knowledge that if you tick off the folks in Austin you can be shown the door by your employers at ESPN.

​

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

At one point most people I knew considered me cynical. Even I did not believe (until recently anyway) that a network would literally sell their objectivity.

I once was a cynic; but now I'm naive. I didn't change; but our culture most certainly did.

EDIT: Upon further reflection; it was not their objectivity that they sold. It was the last remaining shred of a shadow of a glimmer of a claim to objectivity that they sold.

 

[knapplc]

What bothers me most about this isn't the stipulations of the contract - both Texas and ESPN are doing what's best for their own interests. What bothers me is that, even after this all comes to light, ESPN still won't have jumped the shark for the majority of fans out there. They will still be the go-to place for news and all information about their sports, regardless of the abject lack of objectivity displayed over and over.

Whatever. I've long since given up on the idea that people will get over the flashy lights and sounds of their shows.

ESPN is the mobile hanging over the crib of the American Sports Fan's mind.