Does Big East Hold Key To WAC Expansion

[wardly]

Good thoughts, but why is everyone assuming the Big 12 holds? It seems like just a matter of time before Texas goes independent (as seen by the recent TV exclusive conference game broadcast announcement) and TAMU and possibly OU bolt for the SEC. Without them, what keeps that conference from being picked off and absorbed into super conferences?

what would texas do with their other sports? i think that at some point the "haves "[ $texas] will create super conferences based upon athletic budgets and the" have nots"[$north texas] will have to fend for themselves.its all aout $.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Texas has also recruited players from every region of the country. That's how they've gotten some of their most heralded recruits--Ricky Williams from California, Chris Simms from New Jersey, and now Jordan Hicks from Ohio. If you want to say that the vast majority of their roster are from Texas, that's true. But the same is true of OU--typically around 90% of their roster are from Texas. While they have had some success recruiting in other states, the lifeblood of their recruiting is undeniably Texas recruiting.

It's not 90%. Also, you're not even arguing the same point. OU recruited Texas, and the nation, long before power conference and big television deals. The TV won't change anything.

Texas can still only sign up to 25 players per year, with 85 allowed on scholarship at a time. To believe having a network that, realistically, only their most hard up fans will subscribe to will effect OU's recruiting in Texas or anywhere else is patently absurd.

Under Stoops, OU players from states other than Texas and Oklahoma:

California - 12

Kansas - 10

Florida - 9

Georgia - 9

Missouri - 8

Louisiana - 6

Colorado - 5

Nevada - 5

North Carolina - 3

Illinois - 3

South Dakota - 2

Tennessee - 2

Arkansas - 2

Arizona - 2

Ohio - 2

South Carolina - 2

New Jersey - 2

Michigan - 2

Utah - 1

Virginia - 1

New Mexico - 1

Maryland - 1

Nebraska - 1

Oregon - 1

Pennsylvania - 1

Iowa - 1

That's 94 players in 13 signing classes for Stoops...about 7 a year not from Texas or Oklahoma. And, from coast to coast, in every time zone. I'd say OU is fine. Stoops is pulling them in from all over just like the Sooners have always done.

The Longhorn Network won't change that. If Gary Gibbs, Howard Schnellenberger, and John Blake couldn't kill OU's nation recruiting, a TV station subscribed to by Longhorns fans isn't going to touch it.

I mean, I guess Texas fans and their administrators can dream...

Before Stoops, OU had All-Americans from Arkansas (3), Louisiana, Florida, Missouri, Colorado, New Mexico (3), North Carolina, Kansas, and Michigan. They're from every decade beginning with the 40s. OU has been pulling in players from all over the country since WWII.

To count the All-Conference players OU's has had over the decades would be ridiculous. They've had dozens come from states other than Texas and Oklahoma.

I understand that Texas people think this network will springboard them to some other plane. But, look...they already had more money and facilities than anyone in the country in 2010, and they went 5-7.

Again, money doesn't life weights, run bleachers, suit up and play, or coach. With scholarship limits all being equal, whatever Texas money has now means nothing. They're already a Top 20 program facility-wise.

Whats it going to mean? Are they going to build tow or three more weightlifting facilities? Whether you lift in one or three facilities, you're still not doing anymore than guys at OU, Alabama, Florida, etc. are doing no matter how many places you do it.

Texas already had the top of the line in everything, and they only checked in for a total of three Big 12 titles in, what...14 or 15 years?

Their 85 still have to line up against the 85 from A&M, OU, Tech, etc. The money means nothing when you already have more than everyone else. Unless they can change the rules about how many scholarships they can give or can change NCAA rules so that every Texas high school player has to sign with a Texas school, then it means nothing.

Screw Texas. Let their jackoff fan base have their TV station. It's good for the rest of society because it keeps them off the streets.

[golfingomez]

I mean, I'd go from 6 to midnight if a mean green network was announced.

this by itself deserves a +5

[TIgreen01]

Are we sure that the 'Longhorn Network' is a subscription only service in that it won't just be bundled with basic cable/HD packages? The Big 10 network is just bundled in with a generic package by most providers. Granted, it's not "free-over the air", but neither is ESPN or any cable channel for that matter. We pay a "subscription" fee just by signing up for a contract to specific packages with each provider.

...or will this be served like ESPN Gameplan or PPV events?

[KoldBeer]

Are we sure that the 'Longhorn Network' is a subscription only service in that it won't just be bundled with basic cable/HD packages? The Big 10 network is just bundled in with a generic package by most providers. Granted, it's not "free-over the air", but neither is ESPN or any cable channel for that matter. We pay a "subscription" fee just by signing up for a contract to specific packages with each provider.

...or will this be served like ESPN Gameplan or PPV events?

The Longhorn Network will be a cable channel like the Big 10 network. Now no provider has signed a deal for the channel yet so I don't know if it will be on a sports tier or basic.

[gangrene]

Are we sure that the 'Longhorn Network' is a subscription only service in that it won't just be bundled with basic cable/HD packages? The Big 10 network is just bundled in with a generic package by most providers. Granted, it's not "free-over the air", but neither is ESPN or any cable channel for that matter. We pay a "subscription" fee just by signing up for a contract to specific packages with each provider.

...or will this be served like ESPN Gameplan or PPV events?

I just reviewed a proposal with them this week. There is actually one cable system that has agreed to carry LHN. It's the sprawling metropolis of San Angelo, where they have 3,000 subs. The plan is to get LHN included on basic cable packages for all residents in Texas and the DBS providers would would offer it as part of their sports package, which would be available nationally (think FSN regional channels such as YESN). From a professional perspective, I have some serious concerns with their initial programming offerings: live practice broadcasts, three separate coaches shows each week and taped broadcasts of their current opponents previous game. In the TV ratings business, live ratings are preferred. Live sports tend to be resistant to DVRs, but that really only applies to the most popular sports. I don't believe most people will have any issues recording practice sessions and watching them at a later time. Research shows that up to 60% of commercials are skipped when time-shifted viewing occurs. For that reason alone, many advertisers are utilizing Nielsen's Live-only ratings system (vs, Live + same day, Live + 3 days or Live + 7 days). Why would an advertiser want to pay for a commercial that his audience is not going to watch? These are the issues LHN, OU's TBD network and any others will have to resolve if they are to be successful. LHN was wise to work with ESPN for both their experience and clout. ESPN can strong arm LHN into providers' lineups if they choose to do so. However, they can only shift so much of their prime programming over to LHN without compromising their own networks.

I won't discuss their plans to broadcast live HS games because that's been put on hold by the Big XII commissioner, Beebe, pending an NCAA ruling.

I think LHN will be on the majority of providers in Texas sometime in September. It may not be until after the UT vs. Rice game on 9/3, but I believe it will be prior to the still TBD Big XII game between Texas and Big XII opponent. In fact, I think there's a chance that game will be used as leverage and remain TBD until a pre-determined minimum of subs is achieved.

[Harry]

I just reviewed a proposal with them this week. There is actually one cable system that has agreed to carry LHN. It's the sprawling metropolis of San Angelo, where they have 3,000 subs. The plan is to get LHN included on basic cable packages for all residents in Texas and the DBS providers would would offer it as part of their sports package, which would be available nationally (think FSN regional channels such as YESN). From a professional perspective, I have some serious concerns with their initial programming offerings: live practice broadcasts, three separate coaches shows each week and taped broadcasts of their current opponents previous game. In the TV ratings business, live ratings are preferred. Live sports tend to be resistant to DVRs, but that really only applies to the most popular sports. I don't believe most people will have any issues recording practice sessions and watching them at a later time. Research shows that up to 60% of commercials are skipped when time-shifted viewing occurs. For that reason alone, many advertisers are utilizing Nielsen's Live-only ratings system (vs, Live + same day, Live + 3 days or Live + 7 days). Why would an advertiser want to pay for a commercial that his audience is not going to watch? These are the issues LHN, OU's TBD network and any others will have to resolve if they are to be successful. LHN was wise to work with ESPN for both their experience and clout. ESPN can strong arm LHN into providers' lineups if they choose to do so. However, they can only shift so much of their prime programming over to LHN without compromising their own networks.

I won't discuss their plans to broadcast live HS games because that's been put on hold by the Big XII commissioner, Beebe, pending an NCAA ruling.

I think LHN will be on the majority of providers in Texas sometime in September. It may not be until after the UT vs. Rice game on 9/3, but I believe it will be prior to the still TBD Big XII game between Texas and Big XII opponent. In fact, I think there's a chance that game will be used as leverage and remain TBD until a pre-determined minimum of subs is achieved.

Good insight Gangrene - thanks for sharing.

[tylermeangreen]

this...

I'd be really surprised if the Big 12 holds for 5 more years... even right now A&M fans are stirring up rumblings about bolting for the SEC, and UT is just biding its time with the Big 12 to make sure everything works before going independent

Hide and watch - A$M football will be second-level in the SEC (think Arkansas).

Oklahoma no; A$M, yes!

[KRAM1]

Hide and watch - A$M football will be second-level in the SEC (think Arkansas).

Oklahoma no; A$M, yes!

Good point, and I would add that Oklahoma is not going anywhere without Oklahoma State.

[MeanMag]

I'd go from 6 to midnight if a mean green network was announced.

If a Mean Green Network had the restrictions the Big 12 is putting on the Longhorn Network, you'd watch 6 to midnight for one night. Then, you'd have seen all the original programming for that week.

Finding original content to broadcast on a 24/7 Network for such a niche market is going to be tough as hell. Even the NFL network struggles with it sometimes.

[Eagle1855]

If a Mean Green Network had the restrictions the Big 12 is putting on the Longhorn Network, you'd watch 6 to midnight for one night. Then, you'd have seen all the original programming for that week.

Finding original content to broadcast on a 24/7 Network for such a niche market is going to be tough as hell. Even the NFL network struggles with it sometimes.

I'd still watch it.

[gangrene]

If a Mean Green Network had the restrictions the Big 12 is putting on the Longhorn Network, you'd watch 6 to midnight for one night. Then, you'd have seen all the original programming for that week.

Finding original content to broadcast on a 24/7 Network for such a niche market is going to be tough as hell. Even the NFL network struggles with it sometimes.

Exactly. People hear TV contract and automatically see $ signs. Where does the TV money come from? It mainly comes from advertisers and advertisers don't pay money to be in programs that no one watches. The TV marketplace is as competitive now as it's ever been. More and more new prime time programs on the major networks are being canceled after one season, and some don't even make it that long. The production costs of scripted programs aren't being offset by advertising revenue like the old days. Thus, we've been saturated with low-cost reality programs. The cost to produce sports broadcasts is also relatively low, but without ratings the advertisers will steer clear.

Speaking of the Mean Green Network, I saw that Mac Engel of the Star Telegram took an unsolicited shot at us in his story yesterday:

Mac Engel: TCU's Patterson keeps wary eye on Longhorn Network

It is one thing for Texas to start its own network; it will be quite another for North Texas to do so. Can't envision the people in Bristol calling the people in Denton aiming to launch Mean Green TV.

[MeanMag]

Exactly. People hear TV contract and automatically see $ signs. Where does the TV money come from? It mainly comes from advertisers and advertisers don't pay money to be in programs that no one watches. The TV marketplace is as competitive now as it's ever been. More and more new prime time programs on the major networks are being canceled after one season, and some don't even make it that long. The production costs of scripted programs aren't being offset by advertising revenue like the old days. Thus, we've been saturated with low-cost reality programs. The cost to produce sports broadcasts is also relatively low, but without ratings the advertisers will steer clear.

Speaking of the Mean Green Network, I saw that Mac Engel of the Star Telegram took an unsolicited shot at us in his story yesterday:

Mac Engel: TCU's Patterson keeps wary eye on Longhorn Network

I saw that too and couldn't decide whether it was a shot or not. In any case, I didn't exactly want to give him the pleasure of knowing that anyone reads what he writes.