Longhorn Network: football advantage??

[Left Seater]

I just don't see this huge advantage for the football program. I have heard all kinds of things regarding this but most just don't carry any water IMO. So let's discuss the biggest things I hear as complaints around Houston and San Antonio.

Money -- The $15 Million Texas will get per year is unfair.

Yes Texas will have more money for their overall athletic program, but they already have the highest or one of the top 5 athletic department budgets of any NCAA program. All of their programs have great facilities and also have ongoing master plans. So this new money doesn't get them new facilities. They travel better than some pro teams across all of their sports. Hell, 18 months ago they commissioned a study to see if purchasing their own plane would make sense. (Note: this is close to completion, and will work for all sports but football.) So this new money isn't getting them better travel. For 6 of the last 8 years Texas has been number one among the collegiate licensing group. This new money doesn't change that. So again, yes they will have more money, but to do what with? Endowing more scholarships or chairs within the university, which they already do?


Recruiting Advantage -- The coverage will give the football team an unfair recruiting advantage.

First off, the NCAA has already ruled that there will be no live HS games on the network. Second if the network does show HS highlights it will be another program of at least 10 that are distributed statewide, and 50 or more that are available in some portion of the state. Most local news on Friday nights has at least a 30 minute program after the local news to discuss HS football. FoxSports does an hour and a half show live at midnight. One more program isn't going to make any difference.

The second big point is that the LHN isn't going to add any more live longhorn football broadcasts. Texas has already played every game since 2004 on live TV. The new network will just show games that might otherwise be the 11:30 fox sports game or the 7:00 versus game. Texas is already on TV for every game, the new network just changes where you can see it.

Now if you want to make the argument that this network will help recruiting in the other sports I will agree with you. Yes, having all the volleyball and soccer games on does give those programs more exposure, but does anyone care?


Bad news will be covered up -- ESPN will not report on anything bad about Texas.

Even if that was true, which I don't agree with, there are plenty of others who will take that ball and run with it. Hell there are plenty of "Huskers" that can't wait to see Texas go down. If something is wrong, we will all know.


The network is unfair and will ruin college football.

How many times have we heard this line and what do you know, college football is doing great.

1983 The supreme court rules on the case brought by OU and Georgia against the NCAA. Previously the NCAA controlled all TV schedules and teams were limited in the number of times they could appear on TV. OU and others formed the CFA to negotiate with NBC, ABC held the NCAA contract at the time, to show games. Once an agreement was formed lawsuit on. As we know the SC ruled in OU and Georgia's favor and now we have more games than we can watch on TV.

1991 ND goes outside the CFA and negotiates their own tv deal with NBC. Now all ND home games were to be covered on NBC and selected away/neutral games. People are upset and think ND is going to be able to win multiple NC's due to the exposure. Oops didn't happen, and ND and NBC are still going strong.

2007 The Big Ten network signs on the air and shows more Olympic coverage than ever before. Live football and basketball are part of the network lineup.

Just a few of the prior examples in which schools were thought to have an unfair advantage that turned out to be nothing. The Longhorn network is just the next step in this evolution.

[Screw_Michigan]

Bad news will be covered up -- ESPN will not report on anything bad about Texas.

Even if that was true, which I don't agree with, there are plenty of others who will take that ball and run with it. Hell there are plenty of "Huskers" that can't wait to see Texas go down. If something is wrong, we will all know.

Give me a break. Like ESPN, which is already in bed with the high-profile BTPCFB programs, wouldn't cover up or minimize bad news coming out of Austin regarding the football program. Their starting quarterback could gun down his teammates on the field and ESPN would bury the story under NBA labor strife and Yankees-Red Sux.

[indyfrisco]

Lefty,

I know you are a closet t.u. fan and all, but leave it at the door. Deep down you know all the advantages you attempted to rip apart here are true.

[Left Seater]

Indy,

I will bet you a round of golf at the course of your choice in the US or Mexico that in 10 years we don't see Texas win another NC in football. I see Texas as still having much success over the next decade, but nothing like their last decade. I also think that in 10 years this Network will just be another in the list of my last point above.

[King Crimson]

Indy,

I will bet you a round of golf at the course of your choice in the US or Mexico that in 10 years we don't see Texas win another NC in football. I see Texas as still having much success over the next decade, but nothing like their last decade. I also think that in 10 years this Network will just be another in the list of my last point above.

statistically, that's not much of a gamble. UT has one NC in the last 40 years. but, if you can hornswaggle Indy into betting "for" a UT NC.....hey hey....that's some ugly business.

[Left Seater]

Well you made my point. If this new network isn't bringing Texas another title, why all the fuss? Isn't it so unfair that Texas will have advantages no one else has?

Plus, I wouldn't mind playing a round with Indy.

[indyfrisco]

Well you made my point. If this new network isn't bringing Texas another title, why all the fuss? Isn't it so unfair that Texas will have advantages no one else has?

I'm not fussing. At the same time, I'm not fussing about our move to the SEC. As I said in the other thread, my motives are selfish in that I get to see more A&M sports in person and on TV. We'll see how having the Texas market in the SEC pays off for A&M. The reward far outweighs the risk of staying in the XII with OU and t.u.

Plus, I wouldn't mind playing a round with Indy.

Concur, my man. You're one of the few I would allow to hit their second shot 50 yards behind my first. Of course, get me around the green and it is coon-city. ;)

[Left Seater]

Wasn't trying to suggest that you were fussing. I was just responding to what I am hearing around Houston and San Antonio since that is where I hear talk radio and water cooler conversations.