The Longhorn Network has a home
Two weeks ago we told you that the controversial Longhorn Network was
yet to find a carrier even though it was set to launch on August 26th. It was a situation that wasn't all that odd for a new network as it negotiated with cable providers to find a home, and I said in the post that I would be shocked if the network hadn't worked out a deal somewhere before it launched.
Well, there's no need for me to be shocked. It was announced on Thursday that
the Longhorn Network had struck a deal with Verizon FIOS.
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Now this doesn't mean that everybody in the state of Texas will now be able to see the network, as FIOS is only available in northern Texas at the moment. Still, its market in the state does include Dallas and Fort Worth, which is a pretty nice start. The problem is that even though the network officially launched on Friday August 26th, FIOS will not begin carrying it until September 1st, two days before
Texas' season opener against
Rice is to be shown on the station.
As for other cable providers and homes throughout the rest of Texas, odds are that new deals will be agreed upon in the coming days. Television negoatiations work a bit like a domino effect, and now that one provider has agreed to a deal and groundwork has been laid, others should follow suit in the coming days.
Cont'd ...