re: So.. about that Longhorn Network, hows that doing again?

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I think its hilarious that aTm is making out better while the LHN can't even get traction. The worm has turned.

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Has it? The LHN has only been around a short time and is picked up by ESPN for future programming. From what I've read it's a long term project and one other schools would love to have but don't have the stroke to pull it off.

Even w/o going to a bowl last year, here are the $$$$ for UT's football.

Current Value: $129 million
Two-Year Change in Value: 8%
Football Profit: $71 million

....more than any other program; period.

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WikiTiger

Is this thread about the Longhorn network or about announcers?

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It is about the godless marriage between Texas and ESPN... GO!

FWIW, I like Gary as a commentator and tho I used to be annoyed as hell by Verne a part of me now laughs about him yelling "WHAT ARE THEY DOING?!?!?" (at the end of that LSU/Ole Miss game a couple years ago) every time I see him on television.

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That's what I hate about all these fights over carrying networks, like Viacom and DirecTV, AMC and Dish, etc. etc. etc..

"Contact your cable provider and tell them that you want......."

They don't tell you the whole story. The cable network is often at fault or at least carry at least as much of the responsibility.

To use the Viacom example, they should tell the viewers to "Contact your cable provider and tell them you want your rates to go up 3 or 4 dollars a month just so that we can have a dozen more channels on your cable system that you're not even going to watch anyway."

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soon I hope there will be a consumer option for a la carte subscription - that would mean more of a real evaluation of value for individual networks

for now it seems like both the major networks and the service providers want to use the old "packages" model but I'm hoping that changes eventually

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Gary is ok. Verne takes Swedish porno to a whole new level. He sucks more SEC cock than an Auburn hostess.

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He does broadcast SEC games what is he suppose to do talk about how awesome USC and the PAC 12 is

Let me reiterate, to simplify it for you, people outside of central Texas:

but the money Texas makes on this deal spends just the same

I dont see how UT looks bad with this,, in fact it might limit the type of deal ESPN would do with anyone else but UT still banks

its a win for the horns no matter how you look at it maybe not as bug of a win as it couold have been but a win is a win

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Gary is ok. Verne takes Swedish porno to a whole new level. He sucks more SEC cock than an Auburn hostess.










He does broadcast SEC games what is he suppose to do talk about how awesome USC and the PAC 12 is

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Temperance does not exist on cbs. Only the best hi-def picture.

Gary is the worst.

"Gary Danielson will drive you nuts with his SEC pom-poms" - Sports Illustrated

From 2010:

"I wish Gary Danielson was an AP voter so we could see his ballot. 1) Auburn, 2) LSU, 3) Bama, 4) Arkansas .... 12) Vandy, 13) Oregon" - Stewart Mandel CNNSI

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Gary is the worst.

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Ok. I change my position.

Gary is the second worst.

Behind Verne (the lovable old Swedish cursing senile frick).

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ESPN might take a long term monetary loss - frankly, that might have been the expectation all along and the price of "directing" conference realignment a couple years ago. The money ESPN is paying is couch change for Disney...seriously, couch change.

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I'll counter that with the fact that, by putting conference games on the Longhorn Network (see Kansas game last year), you take away the ability to negotiate a better deal for the Big 12 Conference.

Nationally, the Big 12 is quickly plummeting in terms of conference prestige for a couple of reasons:

1. Its television deal: The TV deal the Big 12 has is, by far, the WORST of all the BCS conferences. Not only that, but with Comcast no longer carrying FSN college football broadcasts, at least 50% of its conference games are no longer viewable by Comcast subscribers.

2. The Big 12 only has regional appeal. All but two schools generate minimal interest outside of their state and maybe 1 or 2 neighboring states. At least half of the conference doesn't even generate interest outside the COUNTY in which the school is located in.

3. It has moved AWAY from a conference championship game model while other conference have moved TOWARDS it.

4. Geographically unsound. By adding West Virginia, it has now put itself in the same category as the WAC and Big East in terms of conferences with ridiculous geographic outliers.

What the Longhorn Network does is:

a. Ensures that Texas is stuck in the Big 12, as no major conference will accept that network in its current capacity.

b. Ensure that at least 2-3 of its games are not viewable by over 90% of its fanbase.

c. Ensure that its TV audience will shrink rather than grow.

d. Undermine ESPN in its future negotiations with cable and satellite providers, which in turn will decrease the likelihood of the network getting picked up. (If TWC didn't pick up the NFL Network, what makes you think they'll pick up the Longhorn Network?)