Big 12 implosion again? A&M and Oklahoma looking at the SEC

[Zardoz]

If either Texas or OU decides to leave the Big 12 is done. The league then becomes the Big One and whoever is left. Can't sell that television package to any network.

[DoubleJayAlum]

Big 12 wants BYU. Maybe for football only. They should join the MVC for hoops and other sports.

They probably had that option when they decided to go with the WCC. I don't see them changing to the MVC at this point.

BYU's unwillingness to play any games on Sundays creates quite a few scheduling issues. We play a lot of basketball games on Sundays in the MVC, not to mention other sports like baseball.

[uniftw]

If either Texas or OU decides to leave the Big 12 is done. The league then becomes the Big One and whoever is left. Can't sell that television package to any network.

The only place Texas can go is Independant, which is why they are fighting so hard to keep the B12 together.

The SEC, PAC12, and B10 won't let them bring their network along.

[bigdawg]

Texas has an open invitation to join the Pac 12 and bring their network with them. I'd bet they'll be there before long.

[MoValley John]

If either Texas or OU decides to leave the Big 12 is done. The league then becomes the Big One and whoever is left. Can't sell that television package to any network.

The only place Texas can go is Independant, which is why they are fighting so hard to keep the B12 together.

The SEC, PAC12, and B10 won't let them bring their network along.

You are right, Texas going independent is absolutely the last thing Texas wants. And Texas also needs to keep the Big XII together to keep their football network. The Longhorn Network, while being a goldmine to Texas, so far has been a financial disaster for ESPN. ESPN would like for nothing else than Texas to go independent, allowing them to renegotiate. And while ESPN won't admit it, they grossly overvalued the network, paid too much and are having great difficulty in selling it to cable providers even within the state of Texas.

Early on, Deloss Dodds told people that it was normal for cable negotiations to drag out, but that they expected everything to be in place before the opening kickoff. As it is now, kickoff against Rice is tomorrow and few people in Texas can even get the channel. A statement has been released by the University for fans to call their cable providers and pressure them to carry the channel. With ESPN asking a carrier fee of close to $.40 per household, cable providers aren't giving in. Eventually, this will all work out and The Longhorn Network will be carried across Texas, but ESPN is going to have to cut their fees, something that is almost prohibitive since they are giving Texas $300,000,000 over 20 years. With such a huge payout to Texas, ESPN dropping fees much will put them in the red. Both the Dish Network and Direct TV have stated that they will not carry it.

This thread on Orangebloods tells you all you need to know: http://texas.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=61&tid=162170079&mid=162170079&sid=902&style=2

Texas won the big TV contract, but to what expense?

[MoValley John]

Texas has an open invitation to join the Pac 12 and bring their network with them. I'd bet they'll be there before long.

This is half true. Texas can go to the Pac, but the network would be spun into a regional Pac network, a win for the Pac, a win for ESPN and Texas would have to split up the contract with three other schools.

[Khan4Cats]

If either Texas or OU decides to leave the Big 12 is done. The league then becomes the Big One and whoever is left. Can't sell that television package to any network.

The only place Texas can go is Independant, which is why they are fighting so hard to keep the B12 together.

The SEC, PAC12, and B10 won't let them bring their network along.

You are right, Texas going independent is absolutely the last thing Texas wants. And Texas also needs to keep the Big XII together to keep their football network. The Longhorn Network, while being a goldmine to Texas, so far has been a financial disaster for ESPN. ESPN would like for nothing else than Texas to go independent, allowing them to renegotiate. And while ESPN won't admit it, they grossly overvalued the network, paid too much and are having great difficulty in selling it to cable providers even within the state of Texas.

Early on, Deloss Dodds told people that it was normal for cable negotiations to drag out, but that they expected everything to be in place before the opening kickoff. As it is now, kickoff against Rice is tomorrow and few people in Texas can even get the channel. A statement has been released by the University for fans to call their cable providers and pressure them to carry the channel. With ESPN asking a carrier fee of close to $.40 per household, cable providers aren't giving in. Eventually, this will all work out and The Longhorn Network will be carried across Texas, but ESPN is going to have to cut their fees, something that is almost prohibitive since they are giving Texas $300,000,000 over 20 years. With such a huge payout to Texas, ESPN dropping fees much will put them in the red. Both the Dish Network and Direct TV have stated that they will not carry it.

This thread on Orangebloods tells you all you need to know: http://texas.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=61&tid=162170079&mid=162170079&sid=902&style=2

Texas won the big TV contract, but to what expense?

Interesting that Dish and Direct TV aren't carrying it. The Big Ten Network wasn't carried widely in Iowa until maybe the third year of its existence because the main carrier in Iowa wouldn't budge on the fees, but the satellite nets did pick it up from the start, or at least Dish did.

[MoValley John]

The Big Ten Network was a first of its kind deal. It took time to work out kinks and figure out value. The Big Ten also partnered in the risk. Figuring out rates takes time, figuring out the most you can charge a carrier and have them pick up your channel is tricky. The Longhorn Network, on the other hand, is a bad deal. Whomever at ESPN put that together should have been shot, and the exec that signed off on it should have been fired, shot and then set on fire.

ESPN is giving Texas $15,000,000 a year. Giving it to them! Then they built studios and production facilities and hired a staff. This is all before they even put together a programming lineup. Texas's share of the risk is exactly zero. Nada. If ESPN bleeds to death on this thing, it's no skin off of UT's back. ESPN needs to start generating revenue on this deal and they are stuck with a product that demands too high of fee for providers to carry. Unlike the Big Ten Network, the Longhorn Network has a $15,000,000 payment due to the university before any carrier fees were collected or commercials sold. Tough to drop fees when your pie is limited and you are starting out in a huge hole.