Two programming elements for the Longhorn Network are on hold because of concerns that have been raised by the Univ. of Texas’ brethren in the Big 12 Conference. The ESPN-owned network had planned to broadcast a Big 12 game involving the Longhorns and a conference opponent this season, but league Commissioner Dan Beebe said those plans are on hold. The net also had intentions of broadcasting a high school football game of the week in Texas, but the NCAA has put that on hold. Nowhere in the NCAA’s vast rulebook is there a rule that addresses permissible sports programming for a university-branded network. UT men's AD DeLoss Dodds indicated yesterday that the NCAA is assembling a panel to determine whether it is okay for the Longhorn Net to broadcast a high school game and if UT would gain a recruiting advantage from it. “This is all new and we’re working through it,” Dodds said. “NCAA rules don’t cover it right now.” There are clear rules that prohibit universities and their coaches from publicly promoting high school teams or its athletes. The NCAA must determine if there’s a line to be drawn for a university-branded network, even though the school doesn’t own it. Dodds said delivering high school content was not part of the school’s 20-year, $300M contract with ESPN, so there is not a financial tie to the NCAA’s decision. “They’re our partner and they want to do it,” Dodds said of ESPN. “But we won’t move forward until we know what we’re permitted to do” (Michael Smith, SportsBusiness Journal). Dodds added that the net is a "pioneering project and the NCAA doesn't have rules covering how it would select and broadcast high schools games that could include Texas recruits." He noted that school officials "have asked the NCAA for guidelines." Dodds: "We're in a bold new world. And we're walking through it" (AP, 7/20).
HIGH ANXIETY: Beebe said Longhorn Net will not air high school games "until and unless the conference can make it happen with benefit to all and detriment to none.” In Dallas, Chuck Carlton notes "anxiety skyrocketed" among other Big 12 schools in June when ESPN VP/Programming & Acquisition Dave Brown said that the net would show 18 high school games. Brown specifically mentioned RB Johnathan Gray, "who has orally committed to Texas but not signed a letter of intent," and "suggested another Texas commitment, Arizona QB Connor Brewer, could get the spotlight treatment" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/21). Beebe said that Brown's comments were "problematic and said the issue of high school games was unresolved." Beebe: "I think there is (concern) from my colleagues in other leagues. We would have concern if conference networks were doing that maybe in an effort to win favor with certain high schools" (USA TODAY, 7/21). Dodds said that he has heard concerns from every one of the ADs in the Big 12 about the recruiting advantage the Longhorns would enjoy if the ESPN-owned network televised high school sports. “I’ve talked to every AD in the Big 12 and there’s a concern there,” Dodds said. “This is kind of a thing where we don’t want to gain a recruiting advantage, we don’t want to be doing anything that’s working in the gray area. We’re making sure with the NCAA that everything is done appropriately.” The Texas A&M Board of Regents reportedly planned to meet today to discuss the network and whether the school should take further action to oppose programming (Smith). In Oklahoma City, Jenni Carlson asked, "How can a network branded by a university broadcast the games of high school recruits without committing some serious violations? How can it do that while other schools can't even mention recruits' names until they're signed without committing a violation? How can that be allowable?" (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 7/21).
HOLES IN THE SCHEDULE: All of the uncertainty a month from launch leaves ESPN with some programming holes, but ESPN Senior VP/College Sports Programming Burke Magnus said the loss of high school games would not put a huge dent in the programming plans. “It’s not significant if we can’t do it,” Magnus said. “We’d like it to be a regular part of the mix, with a game of the week concept and there is considerable coordination required because those games have to be scheduled for Thursdays or Saturdays. But if we can’t, it doesn’t leave us with a vast hole.” Dodds said the university would do whatever it could to avoid the appearance of recruiting advantages that could come from Longhorn Net programming. He said the school would not have a say in picking the teams that would appear on the network. “We’re partners with university and they are the compliance experts,” Magnus said. “Of course we’d never do anything to compromise their standing relative to NCAA rules. But the way we look at high school content is that it’s a critical piece for many people in the state of Texas. If the network reflects the experience of the people of Texas, high school football should be part of that, to the extent it can be" (Smith).
LOSS OF GAME HURTS DISTRIBUTION EFFORT? The Longhorn Network already has announced that UT's season opener against Rice on Sept. 3 will be televised, and recently the network said it had gained the rights to a Big 12 game involving the Longhorns and a conference rival to be determined later. The conference, however, has said that second game is on hold and it is uncertain whether the net will be able to televise a UT game against a conference team. Live content is considered critical to the Longhorn Net’s leverage to gain clearance with cable operators. It currently does not have any distribution, although ESPN executives have expressed optimism from the talks it is having with Time Warner Cable and other operators. One option: ESPN could offer a Texas opponent additional TV appearances in exchange for playing a football game against Texas on the Longhorn Network. But that school would theoretically face considerable pressure from conference peers not to play on the network (Smith).
NEED TO BE ON THE OFFENSIVE: In Ft. Worth, Mac Engel writes Texas A&M should "be creating AggieVision right now" instead of "whining about the Longhorn Network." Engel: "With Fox, CBS, NBC/Versus/Comcast all pouring money into college sports, there are enough eyeballs to support AggieVision." Former Texas A&M RB Greg Hill: "Texas is smarter than we are. It's not really about anything other than promoting their school. ... They're going to put on everything great about the University of Texas and kids are going to want to be a part of that" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 7/21).
