 |
Dodds Feels Individual Schools Will
Be Able To Launch TV Nets In Future |
While several college conferences are starting or considering their own networks, some universities believe a channel “devoted only to their own games might be even more profitable and practical,” according to Tim Griffin of the SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS. Univ. of Texas (UT) AD DeLoss Dodds believes the idea can work “in several years when technology has made a few more advances to make such a concept even more financially practical.” Dodds said, “I don’t think it’s such a good idea just for a conference. But Texas people want to see their own school rather than conference sports. ... I think that’s where the future may really be.” Griffin noted UT has an on-demand channel called Bevo-D available to Time Warner Cable digital subs in Austin and San Antonio, but Dodds “would like to see more live programming featured” on the channel. Dodds: “I’d like to enhance this and really get after it. ... We’d like to really study it and see if there is a market for it.” FSN Southwest Senior VP & GM Jon Heidtke said, “If you look in the future, distribution will grow. ... The question is whether that niche audience is big enough to support the appropriate economics to make something like a school-specific network work” (
SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 5/12).
