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SpeedRacerXXX · 05-29-2012, 08:30 AM

For whatever reason, sports do not seem to be a hot topic on this website.

I was just wondering what others feel about the Longhorn Network. When it was first announced, I didn't think a great many UT sports fans would subscribe to a network, at whatever cost, in order to watch 1 football, game, a few basketball games, and then LOTS of volleyball, baseball, softball, etc.

So far the major cable companies such as Time Warner have not picked up the LHN. I assume that they do not feel it will be a money-making proposition.

Anybody have any feeling, positive or negative, on the LHN that they would like to share?

ss4699 · 05-29-2012, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpeedRacerXXX

For whatever reason, sports do not seem to be a hot topic on this website.

I was just wondering what others feel about the Longhorn Network. When it was first announced, I didn't think a great many UT sports fans would subscribe to a network, at whatever cost, in order to watch 1 football, game, a few basketball games, and then LOTS of volleyball, baseball, softball, etc.

So far the major cable companies such as Time Warner have not picked up the LHN. I assume that they do not feel it will be a money-making proposition.

Anybody have any feeling, positive or negative, on the LHN that they would like to share?

Is it making the school rich? IF so good deal. IF not, it is punishing the fans for no good reason!

So do the horns do track and field?

SpeedRacerXXX · 05-29-2012, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newtotown

Is it making the school rich? IF so good deal. IF not, it is punishing the fans for no good reason!

So do the horns do track and field?

Well, ESPN paid UT many millions of dollars, I assume for the right to sell UT sports coverage to providers such as TWC, Dish Network and DirecTV.
So good deal for the school. I wonder what ESPN thinks about the deal?

I don't think UT fans are being punished. It gives the fans an option to seeing the games live.With only 1 football game and a handful of basketball games carried over the LHN, there is hardly an impact there.

BigGerman · 05-29-2012, 01:35 PM

ESPN vastly over-estimated the love of UT sports. They forgot that their rabid fan base has a boatload of t-shirt fans that are too cheap to pony up and pay the subscription service. Notre Dame managed to make it work because they are independent, they have a very large and devoted fan base, and their contract was struck when Notre Dame was hot. There's no way it would happen now.

Couple this with the resentment of the rest of the conference for UT not sharing the revenues, and you have a very unpopular network that no one wants.

txtorn8do · 05-29-2012, 03:47 PM

If it was available on my cable provider I would buy it. Not having the option to purchase it is the frustrating part. I like to watch baseball, softball and could learn to love volleyball if it was available. Skulling, curling and lacrosse, not so much.

sixxbach · 05-29-2012, 04:04 PM

Give the station some time. I have Grande and like the channel. I actually like watching basketball, baseball, and softball as well. I would rather watch those sports than most NBA games sans the playoff games.

I would think patience is a virtue with the LHN

sixx

adudeinaustin · 05-29-2012, 04:24 PM

The problem is that it is all ESPN. They want to charge quite a bit for the channel. From my understanding, they were trying to charge the cable operators the same cost as HBO, but they also wanted it on standard packages-not in a premium tier.

The problem is that nationwide the LHN is a niche product. True, there are fans all over the US, but not enough for ESPN to try to get premium price. As you can see, the only ones to really pick it up are regional players like Grande, and Verizon FIOS has it. I think Verizon has it b/c of the deal they made last time they had to renew with ESPN.

kalel030 · 05-29-2012, 04:28 PM

I went to UT and I am lucky enough to work their also. The sad thing with the Longhorn Network is that the Big 12 looks at it as a recruiting tool. Is it? Depends on who you cheer for. I see it as tool to recruit players, and soon the Big 12 will no longer be around because of the complaints. The Longhorn Network is only going to make roughly 8.4 million dollars this year, but they are predicting that in 2015 a 20.8 million. I wish I had the link where I read this, but I love to read between the lines, and I believe with an increase like that Texas is leaning to become independent.