Controversy Over Longhorn Network Not Over Yet

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Created on Saturday, 23 June 2012 16:15

Last Updated on Thursday, 16 May 2013 07:51

Written by Travis Pulver

It is not unusual for many college athletic conferences to have their own networks these days. They are a great tool for promoting all the sports of the member schools, and give fans and alumni all over the country a chance to enjoy seeing their favorite team in action.

From a marketing standpoint they are a genius idea. Alumni (that are sports fans) like nothing more than to be able to watch their old school play. At the least they want to be able to follow what’s going on with the team. Many schools never see national news coverage without a scandal taking place.

The Texas Longhorns obviously saw the benefit in having a network, hence the creation of the Longhorn Network in conjunction with ESPN. After being the source of a tremendous amount of controversy leading up to last college football season it appears that the trouble is ready to start again.

Officials with Texas Tech, upon learning that their game with the Texas State Bobcats on September 8 is scheduled to broadcast on the Longhorn Network, are considering cancelling the game.

"We are extremely disappointed," says a source. "Our hope is that the Texas State game will be played on a primary ESPN platform."

Since it is a home game for the Bobcats it is up to them to choose who the broadcast partner for the game will be. Being a small school, getting air time on an ESPN network, be it the Longhorn Network or otherwise, is a plus for the school.

Like many schools in the Big 12, the Red Raiders have made it pretty clear that they are not fond of the Longhorn Network and do not want to appear on it. Doing so would be to the benefit of one of their biggest rivals, even when they aren’t playing them (as is the case with the Texas State game).

ESPN wanted to air last season’s Longhorn/Red Raider game on the network, but Texas Tech declined.

Knowing that, it would seem that officials with the Bobcats would respect their opponents enough not to make the choice of broadcast partners an issue. However, should the Red Raiders back out the school will have to pay a cancellation fee to the Bobcats.

Playing the game is too important to the Bobcats to let what channel broadcasts it be an issue. The only logical reason for the school to resist is if they have another opponent in mind for that game.

Only time will tell how this drama plays out.