Apparently isn't a matter of if, but when. ESPN and an SEC Network Here's the beginning of the article
Bill, tongue-in-cheek alert. I'm pretty sure Gip's comment was directed at another Gator fan whose name is not Bill or Wendy. :wink:
Actually the history of college football television goes back to the 70's. Back then ABC had a contract with the NCAA and televised a game every week. You were fortunate if your team was on TV once a year. Then two programs, Ga. and Ok. sued demanding that they have control over their own team broadcasts. ND joined with the other schools in defending the ABC contract. When Ga. and Ok were successful, the other networks began jockying to get into position to televise college games. ABC signed with the Big 10 and Pac 10. ND seeing the handwriting on the wall, signed a contract with NBC. And who was one of the most vocal critics of the ND contract? Who called ND greedy? Why Vince Dooley of course, Ga's own AD who was behind the lawsuit that made the ND contract possible. So when Ga. and the SEC sign contracts, my first response is "greedy." Excuse me.
Gipper, Well recalled. I've actually heard Auburn fans (more than my ex-wife) claim with pride that they were a part of all that TV contract lawsuit, but I don't remember it that. Then again, I was pretty young when that happened. Still, if I cared enough to look it up I would. I just don't. I do think it's funny how the networks tend to rip 'greedy' Notre Dame while ignoring their own hypocrisy. People are like that though.. They break bad, but then turn around and curse the person or entity who plays the game better than they do even though it's their game.
Way to go, Gip! I had forgotten about the claims of ND being greedy because it was all white noise to me. I now see the point of your "greedy" comment.
Well guys I think that I am glad that lawsuit was filed and won. That one game a week thing sucked. But you Notre Dame guys have long memories so have fun with this topic turned Notre Dame topic. OK
Well at least nobody is calling the Longhorns greedy for the Longhorn Network...well except Texas A&M and Missouri! It's the wave of the future. I noticed that Oklahoma recently signed with Fox Sports Net to run an "Oklahoma Network" on one of the Fox Sports Channels. I think at ND the AD has said they would be looking to do something online in the future since we don't really have a "region" to target like the SEC. As bandwidth expands and more people have a high enough speed to watch video streamed from the net that becomes very attractive for the Irish to reach a national fan base and retain control of content. Already we stream some things on our Web Portal. Certainly many people, including myself, stream HD movies from the net with our new Internet Enabled TV's. That will only grow and I hear all the time about so much content being available on the net that people are starting to cut the cable and get all of their content from the internet.
Actually, it wasn't all that long ago. If memory serves (which is questionable), we didn't sign our first NBC contract until the early 90s. If I'm wrong, perhaps someone can correct me. Bill, I know you're not happy that the topic was hijacked, but given the stink and the negative comments at the time about ND's contract with NBC, the "longer" memories among the ND folks, which were triggered by this topic, are justified.
Sid, the early 90's was 20 years ago. I recall MCG getting a lot of criticism for recalling things that have happened since then. But no problem fell free to keep discussing it, I'm looking other places on the net for other stories including the current race for President.
Aww Bill, every other thread seems to get "Gator'ed' without much fuss. That being said... back on topic.. I'm not sure how I feel about an SEC Network. Who would be pulling the strings? Is Vandy really going to get the same airtime as Alabama or Florida? Have all the various contracts with distributors been worked out? I know the Pac12 is furious with DirectTV right now because, I believe, they are not carrying it. If they are, it's very limited in availability. I believe DirectTV made some statement to the effect that there is 'not enough interest' in pac12 sports for it to be distributed nationally. Naturally, the new P12 commissioner just lost his mind on DirectTV, citing the nationwide availability of the B1G network. Has the SEC already dotted their I's in regards to that?
Corey, all I know is what is in that article. However I think this article is new today with some of the same info but also putting an Aug 2014 launch. No doubt a lot has to be worked out but my bet is that it happens. More SEC Network
If any conference will do it right, I have faith in the SEC. They are quite savvy when it comes to contract negotiations.
Corey, reading your comments make me feel like I may have been teleported to an alternate universe. I agree with you by the way and the above is not an insult.