so, how's that SEC Network thing working out so far?

[Blake]

I'm interested what the tipping point is for sports/regional networks period and their disproportionate representation on the average person's cable bill. A La Carte is coming, slowly.

If it wasn't for football and the Spurs, I wouldn't have cable at all.

I have no need for Big 10, Pac12, LHN, or SEC networks.....just ESPN family and Fox Sports networks.

A la carte can't get here fast enough.

[DesignatedT]

A la carte can't get here fast enough.

Definitely agree with this. Cable is such a fn rip.

Anyway, the SEC Network is being operated by ESPN so they will protect their investment. Unlike the LHN it will be a lot easier to sell 14 teams and a guaranteed three football games every Saturday compared to 1 team and 2 games a year or whatever. ESPN is asking a lot right now ($1.30 per subscriber) to carry the network so it's your typical who will budge first scenario. I expect DirecTV and Comcast to have it soon.

[Blake]

I'm thinking ESPN is flexible on that $1.30.

Even at $1 - $1.10, that'd be big money.

[Blake]

Agree 100% I'd pay a separate charge to get the LHN I'd prefer not to pay for big 10 network or other conference networks.

ESPN has to be losing money or at best, breaking even on the LHN, right?

At what point are they going to beg UT to get out and negotiate a deal 4-5 years down the road for a big 12 network?

And they'd better hurry too before the other schools become content with their own current tier 3 deals.

[Vito Corleone]

ESPN has to be losing money or at best, breaking even on the LHN, right?

At what point are they going to beg UT to get out and negotiate a deal 4-5 years down the road for a big 12 network?

And they'd better hurry too before the other schools become content with their own current tier 3 deals.

The LHN has been around now for two seasons going on three. And this coming year they have distribution with dish, AT&T, Time Warner, and host other smaller providers. I'm pretty sure it's making money by now. I can now live pretty much anywhere and get the LHN. As far as availability, I can get it anywhere. Not sure where the merger is between Time Warner and comcast but if it goes through I'm pretty sure the LHN will be carried over.

And lets not confuse facts, the LHN was designed for tier 3 sports not for Tier 1 or 2. Getting a couple of football games on there is just to drive subscriptions, generally speaking every football game is aired on ESPN, ABC or Fox. Since the start of the Big 12, I can't remember not being able to see a Longhorn football game. Now that we have the LHN and it has excellent distribution I couldn't care less how many football games are on it. Once the stupid rule on high school games is lifted that will also drive viewership way up.

And I don't see why the big 12 can't have both it's own network and the LHN. Especially if both are owned by ESPN.

[Blake]

And I don't see why the big 12 can't have both it's own network and the LHN. Especially if both are owned by ESPN.

Football wise, that would make no sense. You'd never have the longhorns play on the big 12 network.

[Blake]

ESPN is barely making ends meet on the deal is the way I'm reading this:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrissmi...carriage-deal/

[Pelicans78]

I think it sucks for the fans since the SEC Network will be a showing a ton of football games and alot of people won't be able to watch it.

[Vito Corleone]

Football wise, that would make no sense. You'd never have the longhorns play on the big 12 network.

Why? Home team gets to air the game. In Austin, Texas gets to air the game on the LHN, in any other venue the game will be on the Big 12 network.

I still think the LHN is going to morph into a channel that will air other sporting events. Maybe a BYU football game or UTSA and UTEP. ESPN was really hindered by the NCAA ruling about airing high school games.

[Blake]

Why? Home team gets to air the game. In Austin, Texas gets to air the game on the LHN, in any other venue the game will be on the Big 12 network.

Tech won't ever play a game on the LHN.

[Vito Corleone]

Tech won't ever play a game on the LHN.

It would become a non-issue if Tech knew it had it's own Big 12 network it could use to show their games against the Horns when they were home. Also it is a non-issue in baseball and basketball as Tech has been on the LHN in both sports.

Besides, a football game between Tech and Texas when Texas is home is generally on Turkey day (for now).

[Blake]

Neh, terrible idea that'll never happen.

[rjv]

it may very well be that the SEC network gets limited coverage for most of the first season as the cable companies will negotiate carefully. often, the cable companies often want to attach the channel to a special tier (e.g., sports) so that it can be an a la carte choice whereas the networks often want the channel to be a part of the standard programming so that everyone has to pay for it. this is how it went down with the NFL network and the longhorn network before they finally relented. personally, i'll side with the cable companies as sports should be an option and not a mandated part of standard programming. time warner, for all its lack of customer service, usually sides on the consumer on these negotiations. at&t can afford to play hard ball and comcast has no clue as to what it's doing (see rockets and astros channels).

[DesignatedT]

AT&T already picked it up. Comcast is reported to have agreed as well. I think DirecTV will end up getting it soon from everything I have read. Time Warner has been pretty mum regarding the issue.

[DesignatedT]

Comcast has officially picked up the SEC Network. DirecTV is reportedly close to a deal and is expected to be next. No word on Time Warner.

[Blake]

I wonder if they got the $1.30 per channel they wanted.

[DesignatedT]

I wonder if they got the $1.30 per channel they wanted.

Actually reported they agreed to $1.40 per subscriber. Seems ESPN and the SEC are asking more than previously reported.

[Blake]

Actually reported they agreed to $1.40 per subscriber. Seems ESPN and the SEC are asking more than previously reported.

Link?

[DesignatedT]

Link?

SEC Network landed its biggest fish Friday, announcing a long-term carriage deal with the country's biggest distributor. Comcast will carry the channel at its Aug. 14 launch on its expanded basic tier within SEC territory and digital basic outside of it. Sources say the channel's rate card is at $1.40 per subscriber per month within the SEC's 11-state footprint

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/D...C-Network.aspx

[Blake]

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/D...C-Network.aspx

That's a very weak "sources say" line about the $1.40.

At the end of the paragraph, they quote and link the Fox Sports article that says they started at $1.30 and possibly had to negotiate down to $1.10.

[DesignatedT]

Lol ok. I'm just going by what everyone else is going by.

[Blake]

I know. I think some of these news outlets have gotten extremely lazy

[Sisk]

Want to make a bet that Comcast carries the SECN this season?

Looks like DMX made the right choice.

[Vito Corleone]

Is Comcast in Texas? I know I had them when I lived in Utah but not sure if they are in Texas. If not then it's no big deal as the rest of the SEC footprint isn't very big with only Atlanta as being a huge city.

[leemajors]

Comcast is Houston's largest cable provider, i believe