* tv network contract released

[Ruf/Nek7]

Ok so this is from an aggie, I know gag em, but its still quite informative and very interesting nonetheless. Enjoy

http://themidnightyell.blogspot.com/2011/08/documents-reveal-intention-behind.html?m=1

[ouflak]

Maybe the title could be a bit more descriptive, "Texas-ESPN TV network contract released". I had no idea what this was thread was about.

Anyway, I don't really think that there is very much in there at all that is all that alarming. The blogger's first interpretation is sketchy. Sure the contract states that both ESPN and UT would try to get 2 additional home games shown, but there is no stipulation that they must be Big XII games. They could be all of UT's OOC home schedule. Ofcourse realistically, especially with the new Big XII schedule, they are guaranteed to have at most two OOC home games a year, every alternating year. It doesn't take a genius to figure where that other home game is going to have to come from.

Also his question about whether I would mind having a Longhorn Network truck show up at one of our baseball/softball/some-other-sport events is perhaps a bit silly. I wouldn't mind at all! If the BYU network, and MWC network, and Big Ten network, and whoever else is willing pay the money, want to send their network truck to broadcast our events, they are all welcome as far as I'm concerned. The more exposure for these rather too-often overlooked collegiate sports, the better.

Otherwise, I really think it was a pretty much the typical kind of complex contract verbosity, with lots of winding ins and outs, that I would expect. It might be interesting to see some of the redacted stuff (freemasonry pledges?, extraterrestrial broadcast rights?, CIA cultural plot?), but probably not really that interesting, at least not for me.

[Ruf/Nek7]

Maybe the title could be a bit more descriptive, "Texas-ESPN TV network contract released". I had no idea what this was thread was about.

So i left out 4 letters, still rather obvious what this thread is about. Try reading the fine print stuff. Look past the aggie comments and read the actual contract. I would say this is very serious crap. They even have a section that is specifically designed to cover what would happen if or when the BIG XII were to fall apart. Try reading it again.

[ouflak]

So i left out 4 letters, still rather obvious what this thread is about. Try reading the fine print stuff. Look past the aggie comments and read the actual contract. I would say this is very serious crap. They even have a section that is specifically designed to cover what would happen if or when the BIG XII were to fall apart. Try reading it again.

Yeah I mean if you sign a big money speculation contract like that, you're going to probably give yourself as many outs as possible. I'm not so much defending it as understanding it from their point of view. Look, it's all about the money. That's it. It's all about the money.

[Ruf/Nek7]

Yeah I mean if you sign a big money speculation contract like that, you're going to probably give yourself as many outs as possible. I'm not so much defending it as understanding it from their point of view. Look, it's all about the money. That's it. It's all about the money.

Understood and agreed, but it also looks like the nail in the coffin. Funny thing is, BIG XII reps defend * when they know better. What really scares me is that everyone threw a fit about the network wanting to show Texas high school football games. Read the contract and that is merely scratching the surface. ESPN wants the rights to air Texas UIL high school championships. Why would * say no? Now they would be bringing in some of the best athletes from all sports to Austin....talk about recruiting!

[oudivesherpa]

With the terms of the * TV contract, no other major conference would take them. * alterantives are to stay in the BIG XII or go independent. In five years * will be an independent and OU, T A&M and OSU will be in another conference, most likely the SEC.

[badger]

A big loud "meh" to the Longhorn Network. Texas has always been a cash cow, hence their big ol' cash cow as a mascot.

Whatever happens will happen. They've been changing the BCS formula on OU for years (remember strength of schedule? remember quality wins?), the media has been trying to hammer down what exactly can keep OU out of the title games (is it another team with an equal record? how bout Mack Brown's live interview during the OSU game?). OU keeps winning as everything around them changes.

Tell us the rules before the season and what conference's schedule we should show up for. We'll kick MWC, SEC or Pac (12? 16? 20?) arse.

[Octavian]

The worst thing I can see is that ESPN/TX is stipulating that UT will never be allowed to appear on a conference network (if one ever came about)...while simultaneously bullying other conference members to appear on their network.


ESPN-UT's stance is -- we won't help the B12 but the B12 must help us...or else.

[Octavian]

also...buy doing that, they've severely undercut the value of any potential B12 Network. If the OU-TV scenario ends up being unworkable....a conference network with 9 members that spanned from Iowa to south Texas could be pretty valuable to FOX or NBC.


Without that obstacle, ESPN-TX will move to put all B12 tourneys and championship games on the ESPN-TX Network. Essentially, the rest of us (including OU....OU is no different in this than Baylor or ISU) will be the Big East and ESPN-TX will be Notre Dame.