The Univ. of Oklahoma and Fox Sports yesterday announced the "creation of 'Sooner Sports TV,' blocks of OU sports programming totalling at least 1,000 hours annually across various Fox Sports outlets, including Fox Sports Oklahoma/Fox Sports Southwest, Fox College Sports and Fox Sports Plus," according to Jason Kersey of the OKLAHOMAN. The 10-year deal means the programming "is immediately available to 9 million homes in the Oklahoma-Texas-Arkansas-Louisiana region." Select programming from Sooner Sports TV "will be made available nationally, on Fox College Sports through cable providers or via satellite on outer market regional sports packages." The initiative launched Sept. 1, and includes "an online, 'all-access' component featuring more, untelevised content, such as live streaming and archived games." Financial terms of the partnership "were not disclosed." OU AD Joe Castiglione said, "We know it's enough to make Sooner Sports TV sustainable for the forseeable future." He added, "We did have a chance to examine several different options, including [a] stand alone, 24/7 type of channel. But this really gives us the best of all possible worlds. ... We thought this approach would serve our fans the best way possible" (OKLAHOMAN, 9/13).
CONTENT PROVIDED BY SOONER VISION: In Tulsa, Eric Bailey cited a source as estimating that the partnership's value is "at about $5 million annually." Nearly all of the content "will be produced by the Sooner Vision production unit, which has expanded to a staff of 95 over the past five years." Sports events "to be shown include encore presentations of OU football games originally televised on Fox and other networks and the spring game; approximately eight exclusive basketball games and select encores; select exclusive women's basketball games plus encores; and exclusive events and encores of Olympic sports." Sooner Sports TV programming blocks also will "showcase a variety of original programming and studio shows, including coaches' shows, weekly magazine shows and press conferences." In addition, the school will "showcase historical archives and give fans the opportunity to relive moments in OU history" (TULSA WORLD, 9/13).
TEXAS TECH SIGNS DEAL: Fox Sports and Learfield Sports, Texas Tech's athletic multimedia rights holder, today announced a multiyear agreement to televise one Texas Tech football game per year on a Fox Sports channel. FS Southwest, FS Southwest Plus, and Fox College Sports are among the possible channels. Texas Tech’s Sept. 1 home opener against Northwestern State on FS Southwest Plus officially began the partnership. Fox Sports channels will also televise all available men’s basketball games, up to 20 Olympic sports, and additional non-game programming selected by Fox Sports and Texas Tech (Fox Sports).
