In L.A., Chris Dufresne noted "despite the fact his league has yet to reach a deal with carrier DirecTV," Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said the first year of the Pac-12 Networks was “hugely successful." Scott said that the Pac-12 Networks made a "profit in its inaugural year and will increase the number of live televised events next year from 550 to 750." The Pac-12, unlike "other major conferences, does not release how much broadcast revenue money it distributes to each school." Scott said that he did "not know if a deal can be reached with DirecTV before the start of next football season." Scott: “It’s hard for me to handicap it. …They’ve said they don’t want to do a deal on the same terms everyone else has. We’re as frustrated as our fans are. We hope DirecTV will listen to their customers" (LATIMES.com, 6/3).
AIN'T NO VALLEY LOW: In Des Moines, Andrew Logue wrote the Missouri Valley Conference "found a bargain" as its football games will "air on Mediacom this fall" via one of the MSOs locally originated channels. The MVC provides "on-air talent and pays for the production." Mediacom keeps the "commercial inventory (allowing it to sell advertising), and then distributes the games on their family of networks, and shares the games with ESPN3." MVC Associate Commissioner Mike Kern estimates that 75% of the league's football games "will be on some sort of television in 2013, including those produced and aired individually by the schools" (DESMOINESREGISTER.com, 6/3).
GOING OLD SCHOOL: In Daytona Beach, Ken Willis noted Golf Channel, with ratings "steadily rising, may have stumbled onto another winner this past week with the real-time TV replay of the final round of the 1971 U.S. Open." Late broadcaster Chris Schenkel and late Golf HOFer Byron Nelson were "in the booth at 18." With broadcasters Frank Gifford, Bill Flemming and Henry Longhurst "manning other booths, the old graphics (including hand-made models of each hole rather than overhead views) -- it was a very enjoyable throwback" (NEWS-JOURNALONLINE.com, 5/31).
