CBSSPORTS.com's Jeremy Fowler reported the SEC, Pac-12 and Big 12 acknowledged that they are "open to more weeknight games beyond" '13. With a "new 24-hour, ESPN-run channel looming in 2014, even the SEC could expand its current agreement of two Thursday night games." Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said that he "suspects ESPN would like his conference in more Friday night games." A Pac-12 source confirmed that the league "could increase its slate of eight weeknight games per year" (CBSSPORTS.com, 6/28).
BUILDING A NEW BRAND: AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco said one of the keys to building the league is "the TV exposure we are going to get." He added, "It is especially significant for schools coming into the league that didn't get exposure before. ... If they win and play competitively on that large stage, because they are getting exposure on TV, not only will they build their brand, the league will build its brand." Aresco: "We have a strong promotional plan with ESPN, which has promised significant support. We ourselves with new media, social media, that's important. ... We have to do our share as a conference to make sure we are relevant. And we will be" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 6/30).
DIGITAL REVOLUTION: In Ft. Lauderdale, Dieter Kurtenbach noted the FAU football program has "made a clear push to promote its brand on social media ahead of the 2013 season." The digital push has been "evident in two places: Twitter and YouTube." Every FAU coach and a "good deal of the staff have joined or ramped up their profile on the microblogging service, while the FAURecruiting YouTube page has fed football-starved FAU fans" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 6/28).
THE MISSING LINK: In Austin, Kirk Bohls noted Texas still "hasn't announced a third football game to be shown on the Longhorn Network this fall." UT men's AD DeLoss Dodds, asked if Kansas is still the targeted game, said, "There's conversations" (STATESMAN.com, 6/30).
