June 23, 2006
SEC Channel could be a reality by 2009
SEC Commissioner Mike Slive has expressed interest in the league forming its own television network in 2009 when current contracts expire. Slive's comments were in response to the Big Ten announcing the formation of a network in 2007.
The league will enter negotiations for a new contract involving Lincoln Financial Sports (formerly known as Jefferson Pilot or JP, CBS and ESPN. The Big Ten's negotiations included DirecTV, ABC/ESPN and Fox. The Mountain West network starts this fall on CSTV.
Comments:
posted on June 23, 2006 2:03 PM — link — abuse?Jeff Quinton said:
I'm guessing every conference will be going for this with their next contract. None of the initial rumors about the new Big East deal mentioned anything like this but I'd bet the next round of rumors/talks will.
K Hat said:
posted on June 24, 2006 12:12 AM — 4.244.215.88 — link — abuse?
Something tells me this is the beginning of the end for college sports on the major networks. When these conference networks go nationwide in the next 10-12 years, the conferences will phase out the major network games. I'm sure the Notre Dame network is not too far off.
Jackie Menard said:
posted on June 24, 2006 12:19 PM — 68.229.130.189 — link — abuse?
I love SEC football. I would not care if I had to pay to watch a great LSU / Florida /alabama or Georgia game. I love all Ncaa college football I would pay what is the difference we pay for everything now . Why not pay for something you like . as long as the revenue would go to the schools not just for sports but education also. but this is my opinion and I think it would be great .
Regan said:
posted on June 25, 2006 4:38 PM — 152.163.100.196 — link — abuse?
schmed (#3):
Unfortunately, I think you're right. I am vehemently against Pay-Per-View as it is; any time PPV is brought into the scenerio, the powers-that-be watch the audiences' willingness-to-pay carefully.
It's like a toll road: someone charges you for something you've already paid for - completely un-American, yet somehow gets by anyway.
Just the idea of me having to pay to order specific games instead of being able to relax and browse the game channels makes me want to strangle a TV Exec or two.
If all the Conferences get their own channels in addition to what's already on, that's awesome. If my Autumn Saturdays require spending money on something other than Boddington's and a bucket of chicken, someone will be in serious danger :)
posted on June 26, 2006 4:04 PM — 69.73.43.95 — link — abuse?
I thought C-USA had a deal with CSTV as well...
The way this looks like it will work is ABC/ESPN will pay for the games they want, and the SEC/Big Ten/MWC networks will show the rest in the cable markets that pick them up. Currently ESPN pays for rights to show all games on gameplan, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
I think the SEC channle will actually benifit other sports more than it does football. One of the motivations for the network is to show smaller sports the conference has to offer. They are going to need year round scheduling, although friday night prime time football in spring would be nice, even if it was a replay.
Frank the Tank said:
posted on June 26, 2006 6:23 PM — 38.99.195.46 — link — abuse?
I would definitely expect that all of the BCS conferences will eventually move toward creating their own networks. The real question is whether any other conference has the leverage to get national Total Choice clearance (or the equivalent of nationwide basic cable) in the same manner as the Big Ten. For anyone that's interested, here are thoughts on the Big Ten Channel as an Illini fan:
http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/2006/06/22/beaming-up-the-big-ten-channel/
GA Boy said:
posted on June 28, 2006 10:02 PM — 66.110.197.20 — link — abuse?
I live in Atlanta and I get all the SEC football coverage I need anyway. Don't care if I see more of Vandy or Kentucky. Maybe this is better for the fans of the lower echelon of the SEC, but it could penalize those of us who get it free on the likes of CBS, WB, SPORTS SOUTH, etc.
Makes me sick!!! GO DAWGS!!bettyann osullivan said:
posted on July 6, 2006 12:54 PM — 192.44.136.103 — link — abuse?
Sign me up. I just hope that Directv carries it as we currently subscribe to the sunshine network - the only way to get Florida news here in Ohio/Big Ten country. Go Gators.
tebz1123 said:
posted on July 7, 2006 12:54 AM — 70.108.0.97 — link — abuse?
I sincerely doubt this concept will decrease the amount of college football on the major networks...conferences and schools would be stupid to only allow conference tilts to only be shown on the conference channel...there is way to much value in the national coverage of the big networks and the majority population would not subscribe to all conferences networks. This is very good news for the teams within a conference that generate little to no TV revenue (the Dukes, Baylors and Vanderbilts of the world) because it would likely guraruntee these schools desired TV exposure...and likely the total TV revenue for an entire conference goes up which means more money for everyone...standard practice is revenue share among all conference teams.
Tomcat said:
posted on July 8, 2006 2:49 PM — 69.153.83.199 — link — abuse?
I agree with post #20 however in the same regard it could possibly limit ticket sales for some schools.For example it was announced that the Baylor-TCU game was moved from Sat.to Sun for national T.V. Good for the schools to get some national exposure. We were planning on attending the game, Sat. noon, it was moved to Sun 4:30 pm kickoff, with about a three hour drive one way we have elected to watch it on T.V. We will probably attend some other games that are not televised.
Did you know that in 1988 Oklahoma State only had one game televised during the regular season. That was the year Barry Sanders had 2,628 yards rushing and 39 touchdowns.
Loved watching TCU and Texas Tech beat Oklahoma last year on T.V. You know if they weren't playing O.U. they probably wouldn't have been televised. Hookem-HornsK Hat said:
posted on July 14, 2006 1:13 AM — 4.244.215.162 — link — abuse?
After thinking more about it, I'm not sure how many cable providers in the East and Southeast will carry the PAC 10, or MWC Networks.
Also, I don't know how many cable providers in the West will carry the Big East, ACC, (etc) Networks.
I'm sure these Networks will be successful in the Conference regions, but outside of them will be another story.
rjr said:
posted on September 11, 2006 12:43 PM — 68.210.131.41 — link — abuse?
This is crazy. Yes, college sports will make alot of money off of an exclusive channel, but why marginalize yourself? Does anyone watch boxing anymore, since they took all of their broadcasts off of regular TV?
Thirty years from now, if this goes through, college football won't mean anything to the masses anymore. Great way of marginalizing the SEC. There is a reason why the NFL will never make the Super Bowl pay per view.
This is a STUPID idea.
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ColReb said:
posted on June 23, 2006 1:54 PM — 64.221.243.34 — link — abuse?With as much interest as there is for this conference in the South, I cannot believe that this wasn't done sooner. Its only a matter of time before all the conferences have their own channel.