SB Nation Denver - Pac-12 Network: Deal Not Likely To Be Struck With DirecTV By Opening Weekend

Pac-12 Sends Out Open Letter Urging Fans To Switch From DirecTV

2012-08-30T15:11:39Z

Barring a major miracle the Pac-12 Network will not be on DirecTV when they begin broadcasting live games this evening at 5:15 p.m. time when Utah takes on Northern Colorado. The latest move in gamesmanship came on the side of the Pac-12 who sent out an open letter urging fans to switch away from the satellite provider:

We've heard from thousands of DirecTV subscribers who don't receive Pac-12 Networks and wonder whether they'll miss out on their teams' most important games of the football season. We have worked around the clock to make sure that doesn't happen, but with only a few hours remaining before the kickoff of the season, we're writing to inform our fans that we do not have a distribution agreement with DirecTV.

This means Pac-12 fans who subscribe to DirecTV are in jeopardy of missing all 35 football games scheduled for broadcast on Pac-12 Networks, beginning Thursday night.

[...]

If you're one of the fans who won't be satisfied without Pac-12 football, or our more than 135 men's basketball games and hundreds of other live events, we recommend finding Pac-12 Networks with another television provider.

The good news is that most Pac-12 fans have options. These fans can switch their television service to one of the more than 30 distributors that offer Pac-12 Networks, including Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cox. These providers offer Pac-12 Networks' full season lineup, including some of the most thrilling games of the season and TV Everywhere viewing online, on the iPad and on smartphones later in the season.

In just the first four weeks, Pac-12 Networks will feature all 12 schools, including appearances by #1 USC and two appearances by both #5 Oregon and #21 Stanford. Every weekend thereafter we will have at least two premiere conference matchups, all of which will have postseason implications.

DirecTV spokesman Robert Mercer argued that the best games can be seen on the other networks that carry Pc-12 football:

"The vast majority of Pac-12 football games featuring the most popular teams with national-title implications remain available to all DirecTV customers through the ESPN family of networks and ABC Sports, Fox Sports and FSN, FX, CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network, NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network and several other regional services."

Safe to say that Mr. Mercer is not a college football fan because there are zero Pac-12 games on CBS or NBC Sports, and the game that are on CBS Sports are road games against Conference USA and Mountain West teams which account for just two of their games.

So for those who have DirecTV will have to find an alternate way to watch this weekends Pac-12 football games.

DirecTV May Opt To Carry Just The Pac-12 National Network

2012-08-27T14:32:33Z

The reports surrounding every aspect of the Pac-12 Network and DirecTV are all across the board with no real answer. John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal provided some insight to about a potential DirecTV, and it does not look good for DirecTV subscribers.

@raiderdan11 If DTV comes to a deal, it will be right before or right after the first weekend of live games and it will only be for 1 net.
— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) August 27, 2012

After that tweet, Ourand even admits that this information was his guess. Guesses and speculation is what has been tossed around the past week, but the reality is that no one knows for sure what is going on inside the negotiations between DirecTV and the Pac-12.

If the network is not live this weekend then fans will miss five college football games that are to be broadcast on the Pac-12 National Network, including Northern Colorado vs. Utah on Thursday night.

While getting just the national network would be fine for most fans since it would host the important football and basketball games, but the Pac-12 prides itself as being the conference of champions. Most of the Olympic sports are to be on the regional networks, and once again would get lost if DirecTV does not have a package to let the fans decide if they want one or all of the regional networks.

So far everything is just a guess for when or in what capacity the Pac-12 Network(s) will be on DirecTV.

For more on the Pac-12 go check out Pacific Takes.

Pac-12 Network: A Deal With DirecTV Is Not 'Imminent'

2012-08-27T14:05:10Z

The reports about DirecTV and the Pac-12 Network have varied across the board from saying a deal is not close, to a deal could be done by Wednesday of this week, the network would be on a subscription-based channel and now back to where the story started by saying a deal may not be close.

Pac-12 Enterprises President Gary Stevenson offered an actual update about DirecTV:

"I wouldn't characterize it as close or imminent," Stevenson said, otherwise holding to his previous take that the content is appealing on the Networks, and "when fans want to have (good) content in today's television world, they get it."

That is not what Pac-12 fans want to hear as the network has been live for almost two weeks, and with the first football game coming up between the Utah Utes and Northern Colorado Bears on Thursday night people who want the channel are getting nervous.

This also could just be a ploy to get fans to keep the pressure on by calling DirecTV or going to I Want my Pac-12 Networks, and sending an email to request the channel (not that it really works).

With the many, many conflicting reports on DirecTV and the Pac-12 Networks it is still a mystery as to when, or what channels, DirecTV subscribers will be getting.

For more on the Pac-12 go check out Pacific Takes.

DirecTV May Offer Pac-12 Network As A Stand Alone Package

2012-08-26T20:17:16Z

The Pac-12 Network launched on Aug. 15 on many cable outlets, but DirecTV has still yet to agree to pick up the channel. The reports have been all over the place with the two sides no where near an agreement on Aug. 24, and then just one day later another report is saying a deal is possibly by Monday.

Now the latest on the DirecTV/Pac-12 Network deal is that the channel could be placed on it's on subscription based tier -- instead of the sports package or on of their many tiers -- similar to Fox Soccer Plus.

It has been reported that the Pac-12 Network costs 80 cents per subscriber, so not sure why DirecTV would be going for this high rate when Comcast, Time Warner and others are adding it to some sort of sports package or digital cable tier depending on where one lives.

However, the original source who mentioned that the Pac-12 Network would cost $14.99 per month could be interpreted as having access to all seven networks for that cost. That is the only way the price mentioned could even be considered by fans.

Avinash Kunnath of SB Nation's Pac-12 blog Pacific Takes, makes an educated guess of how the DirecTV deal could play out:

So in this case, I'd guess that the Pac-12 National Network would become available on the regular DirecTV Sports Pack, and then there would be an option to add the remaining Pac-12 regional networks in a separate plan that would cost somewhere $14.99 a month to access the six regional networks.

I cannot imagine the Pac-12 agreeing to terms that would not have the national network (and potentially the regional channels in the regional areas) available on the regular Sports Pack. Agreeing to have all the networks on a separate plan would be a lose-lose for just about everyone. The best possible solution is to have the national network on the Sports Pack and the This way the diehards can be appeased with the premium package and everyone who just wants the basic distribution to the big football and basketball matchups will also get what they want.

I disagree with some with Kunnath's take on that is the the best case scenario. The best case scenario would be for those who live within the regional foot print to have the Pac-12 National network as well as the assigned regional channel to be placed on the regional sports channel along side the various Fox Sports regional networks. Then if a person wants all of the regional networks they should have the option to buy the sports package.

If one lives outside of the conference footprint then the National channel should be on DirecTV Sports Package that costs $12.99 per month, as should the six regional networks.

If DirecTV is really considering making the Pac-12 Network channels into a stand alone package, then they will not have too many people sign up since the true marquee games are on the ESPN and Fox family of networks. The Pac-12 Network does get top billing a few weeks, so maybe there will be some pressure on DirecTV, and others, to make it on a reasonable package.

For more on the Pac-12 go check out Pacific Takes.

Pac-12 Network Is Live: What You'll See, If You Can See It

2012-08-16T01:40:30Z

As of 20 minutes ago, the Pac-12 Network is live and on the air. The question is: Can you, the fan, see it?

Before the Utah Utes kick off the first-ever game on the network against Northern Colorado Bears on Aug. 30, 2012, both Utes backers and fans of the Colorado Buffaloes should tune in for the preview shows. The preview show for both teams will air this Saturday, Aug. 18. The Colorado preview begins at 8 pm MT, with Utah following at 10:30 p.m. MT.

The network will also show a series of "Football Classics," beginning with the 2009 double-overtime thriller between the Oregon Ducks and Arizona Wildcats, which airs Thursday night at 9:30 p.m. MT. The classic slated for Colorado fans is the 1991 Orange Bowl victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, while Utah fans will see the game against the TCU Horned Frogs from the Utes' magical 2008 season.

Colorado fans are new to this, but the stress of cable-network availability is a resurfacing nightmare for Utah fans, who experienced the "call your cable provider" movement of the now-defunct The Mtn. So far, Comcast is the biggest fish to sign on, while fans are still waiting for other providers to say yes.

But take courage, Buffaloes and Utes. If you haven't used this tool, the newly-relaunched Pac-12.com has a Channel Finder to see which providers in your area have you covered.

Pac-12 Football On TV: Colorado To Face Sacramento State On Pac-12 Network

2012-06-15T03:02:35Z

The Pac-12 has already released what football games will be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks with the Colorado Buffaloes landing one game at this time which will be against the Arizona St. Sun Devils.

The Pac-12 Network followed suit by releasing their first three weeks of games on their new national network.

Once again Colorado lands a single opponent during the announced games, and it is their Sept. 8 matchup against Sacramento State with a 5:15 p.m. MT start time. The rest of the television games will be announced either six or 12 days out from kickoff.

VIDEO: Pac-12 Network Releases Teaser Trailer

2012-06-13T16:37:33Z

The Pac-12 Networks is set to launch in a little over two months on Aug. 15, and they have decided to release a teaser trailer about the network. In typical Pac-12 fashion they did a great job with their trailer of the network to get everyone excited.

While there are still negotiations going on to get the network more available -- particularly on satellite carriers -- this new set of networks is going to change how much fans can watch their favorite Pac-12 team.

The video mentions TV Everywhere and the Pac-12 just teamed up with Ooyala to create apps and on-demand viewing:

Ooyala is currently developing custom TV apps for the PAC-12 that will deliver live and on-demand sporting events to connected viewers around the world, no matter which Pac-12 team they follow. These iOS and Android experiences will enable social sharing and commenting, with integrated Facebook and Twitter feeds featured right next to premium, broadcast-quality video. Connected viewers will also have access to stats, scores, press conferences and documentaries that enhance traditional TV programming.

DirecTV CEO On Pac-12 Network: 'We're Not Going To Have Seven Channels'

2012-06-04T16:54:14Z

The Pac-12 Network is set to launch on Aug. 15 and as of now only Comcast, Cox, Time Warner and Brighthouse cable are scheduled to carry the network. Negotiations have been going on behind the scenes to get other cable and satellite providers on board to carry the network, but so far there has been no new provider to say that they will carry the channels.

DirectTV CEO Michael White talked about how their service is pushing back against rising content fees and that they are not afraid to go dark on certain channels in order to achieve their goal.

White did mention about the future of the Pac-12 Network on DirecTV briefly and the outcome looks grim:

In looking to rein in content fees, White said DirecTV isn't sure what it will do with the Pac-12 Network group. "We're not going to have seven channels -- I can assure you of that," he said.

For those who have DirecTV they are not going to like that statement, but a lot of times in launching a new channel these deals are not done until the last minute. Also hearing that White does not know what to do with the Pac-12 Network is also concerning. It could just be that he does not want to carry all seven channels nationally.

It is easy to see why DirecTV does not want to carry all seven channels because costs would be high with that many channels. So seeing all seven networks on a basic tier is likely not going to happen, but it would make sense to have the national feed of the Pac-12 Network be on a tier that does not require the sports package.

Then have the regional networks set up where each one -- such as the Utah/Colorado channel -- would be available as a regional sports network similar to ROOT Sports. The other regional networks could be available on the sports package tier, but the way White is talking that seems unlikely since they are not sure what to do with the group of channels.

For those with DirecTV get ready to find an alternate way to watch games on the Pac-12 Network somewhere else than the comfort of your home.

For more on the Pac-12 go check out Pacific Takes.