Longhorn Network
Encyclopedia
The Longhorn Network is an American regional sports network
focusing on sports-related programming for The University of Texas at Austin. The network, which launched on August 26, 2011, is a partnership between UT Austin, ESPN
, and IMG College, and is operated by ESPN.
The Longhorn Network, whose name and logo was revealed during the Texas Longhorns'
spring football game on April 3, 2011, features events from 20 different sports involving the Texas Longhorns athletics department, along with original and historical programming. The network also features academic and cultural content from the UT Austin campus.
launched the channel systemwide on September 1, 2011. In Texas, Consolidated Communications, Bay City Cablevision, Mid-Coast Cablevision, and Texas Mid-Gulf Cablevision launched the network on August 26, 2011; while En-Touch Systems and E-Tex Communications launched it on September 1, 2011. In a last minute deal reached September 2, the UT Austin's campus cable system Grande Communications
picked up the Longhorn Network just in time for the Rice vs Texas game the following day.
The channel has yet to reach agreements with the major providers in Texas: Time Warner Cable
, Comcast
, Charter Communications
, AT&T U-verse, DirecTV
and Dish Network
. Time Warner Cable has declined to officially comment on carriage talks, but sources familiar with the negotiations said the parties remain far apart. It is unknown where Comcast and Dish Network are at in negotiations.
When asked whether they'll carry the channel, DirecTV
issued the following statement: "We've had discussions with ESPN about Longhorn Network, but we have no plans right now to carry it. We understand Longhorn has other programming that may be of value to a small segment of our customers, but two UT football games do not constitute a network. We're happy to carry those two games under the considerable fees we already pay ESPN for programming that includes the Big 12. Given the dynamic situation in college football conferences today, we'll wait and see how it all shakes out before we decide what we will or won't carry."
season opener against Pepperdine
, which came on the launch date of the network. The first live football game on the network took place on September 3, 2011, against the Rice Owls
. Longhorn Network expanded their sports coverage from the UT campus by adding five UTSA Roadrunners football
games to their schedule (UTSA being in its inaugural football season in 2011), the first of which was September 10, 2011.
for permission to broadcast their November 5th game against the Longhorns on the network. ESPN told the university that the game would most likely not be carried on any of the ESPN family of networks, leaving a broadcast on the LHN as its only option. In return, ESPN promised to televise two non-conference football games over the next four seasons, broadcast some other non-football programming, $5 million cash, and help from the network to try to arrange a home-and-home series against a top BCS conference school. Texas Tech passed on the offer. ESPN reportedly has moved on to contacting Oklahoma State
about a broadcast on the network. Texas Athletics has since announced that the Kansas Jayhawks
have agreed to let their game against the Longhorns on October 29 be shown on the network. The agreement allows the Longhorn Network to be the national carrier of the game except for in the state of Kansas, where the game will be televised on a to-be-determined over-the-air channel
.
, bloggers
, and journalists
that ESPN's financial stake in the Longhorn Network creates a potential conflict of interest
. Some fear that ESPN's involvement in the network will inhibit journalistic integrity
as ESPN has a financial interest in the success of the athletic programs at the University of Texas. Sports Illustrated's
Richard Deitsch wrote: "The network's existence... creates an impossible situation for ESPN's college football producers and reporters (plenty of whom care about reporting). For every story ESPN does on Texas and its opponents, they'll be skeptics wondering what the motivation was for the story."
Additionally, some have questioned the stipulation included in the network's founding agreement that gives Texas the right to dismiss LHN announcers that don't "reflect the quality and reputation of UT." An ESPN spokesperson addressed the situation by stating: "This is not common in ESPN agreements because this UT network is so unique/new for us ...The provision does not allow for random replacement of commentators or reaction to critical comments... it's more about potential situations where a commentator makes completely inappropriate comments or gets involved in inappropriate actions."
Regional sports network
In the United States of America and Canada, a regional sports network, or RSN, is a cable television station that presents sports programming to a local market. The most important programming on an RSN consists of live broadcasts of professional and college sporting events, as those games generate...
focusing on sports-related programming for The University of Texas at Austin. The network, which launched on August 26, 2011, is a partnership between UT Austin, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, and IMG College, and is operated by ESPN.
The Longhorn Network, whose name and logo was revealed during the Texas Longhorns'
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
spring football game on April 3, 2011, features events from 20 different sports involving the Texas Longhorns athletics department, along with original and historical programming. The network also features academic and cultural content from the UT Austin campus.
Carriage
Verizon FiOSVerizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS is a bundled Internet access, telephone, and television service which operates over a fiber-optic communications network. It is offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon Communications. Verizon was one of the first major U.S...
launched the channel systemwide on September 1, 2011. In Texas, Consolidated Communications, Bay City Cablevision, Mid-Coast Cablevision, and Texas Mid-Gulf Cablevision launched the network on August 26, 2011; while En-Touch Systems and E-Tex Communications launched it on September 1, 2011. In a last minute deal reached September 2, the UT Austin's campus cable system Grande Communications
Grande Communications
Grande Communications is a United States telecommunications firm, based in San Marcos, Texas, that uses a fiber optic network for broadband services. In 1999, the company was established when the largest single round of venture capital funding in Texas was raised, in turn starting the first-ever...
picked up the Longhorn Network just in time for the Rice vs Texas game the following day.
The channel has yet to reach agreements with the major providers in Texas: Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
, Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, Charter Communications
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
, AT&T U-verse, DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
and Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
. Time Warner Cable has declined to officially comment on carriage talks, but sources familiar with the negotiations said the parties remain far apart. It is unknown where Comcast and Dish Network are at in negotiations.
When asked whether they'll carry the channel, DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
issued the following statement: "We've had discussions with ESPN about Longhorn Network, but we have no plans right now to carry it. We understand Longhorn has other programming that may be of value to a small segment of our customers, but two UT football games do not constitute a network. We're happy to carry those two games under the considerable fees we already pay ESPN for programming that includes the Big 12. Given the dynamic situation in college football conferences today, we'll wait and see how it all shakes out before we decide what we will or won't carry."
Regular programming
The following programs are planned for the network's schedule:- Longhorn Extra: A weekday broadcast covering news of the 20 university varsity teams.
- Rewind with Mack Brown: A Monday broadcast program featuring analysis from the football coach of the past weekend's game.
- Texas All Access: A weekly insider show to the Longhorns sports teams, focusing on the football team during the fall months.
- Game Plan with Mack Brown: A Thursday night preview show to the upcoming weekend's football game.
- Texas GameDay: A 2-hour pre-game show, similar in format to ESPN's College GameDay, on site at Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium for home games and the Austin-based network studio for away games.
- Texas GameDay Final: A 90 Minute post-game show, similar in format to ESPN's College Football FinalCollege Football FinalCollege Football Final is a one hour program totally devoted to college football and airs every Saturday night during the college football season. The official name is College Football Final driven by Pontiac. It was previously named College Gameday Final until 2006...
, on site at Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium for home games and the Austin-based network studio for away games. - Longhorn Legends: A roundtable discussion program with football coach Mack Brown and a rotating selection of former players.
- The Season: 2005 Texas Longhorns: An in-depth review of the team that brought a fourth national championship to the university.
- Texas' Greatest Games: A Top 10 countdown of what is considered to be the program's best football games.
- Texas' Greatest Athletes: A program covering those who are considered to be the best athletes (across all sports) the school has produced.
- Traditions: A look into how some of the university's historical sporting traditions started.
Sports
The first live sporting event was the women's volleyball teamTexas Longhorns volleyball
Texas maintains a successful women's volleyball program, as witnessed by two national championships - one AIAW in 1981 and one NCAA in 1988, in addition to 25 NCAA tournament appearances out of 28 possible years....
season opener against Pepperdine
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
, which came on the launch date of the network. The first live football game on the network took place on September 3, 2011, against the Rice Owls
Rice Owls football
The Rice Owls football team represents Rice University in NCAA Division I college football. The Owls have competed in Conference USA's Western Division since 2005. Rice Stadium, built in 1950, hosts the Owls' home football games.-Venue:...
. Longhorn Network expanded their sports coverage from the UT campus by adding five UTSA Roadrunners football
UTSA Roadrunners football
UTSA Roadrunners Football is an American football program that represents the University of Texas at San Antonio. The team is coached by former Miami Hurricanes head coach, Larry Coker. UTSA began practicing in August 2010, and began competing as an NCAA Division I FCS independent on September...
games to their schedule (UTSA being in its inaugural football season in 2011), the first of which was September 10, 2011.
High school football
From the initial announcement of the Longhorn Network, ESPN had made it known that they desired to broadcast up to 18 high school football games per season. The idea caused quite an uproar among the other conference schools due to possible ethical and recruiting violations. From a meeting that took place on August 1, 2011 between all of the Big 12 athletic directors, it was decided that the issue of broadcasting high school football games on the network would be postponed for one year. This would allow time for the NCAA to rule on the matter. From an August 11, 2011 meeting, the NCAA ruled that any school or conference network would not be permitted to broadcast high school sports nor any other high school programming.Big 12 Conference football
In addition to a non-conference game each season, ESPN desired to place a Big 12 Conference game on the Longhorn Network. At the same Big 12 meeting discussing high school football broadcasts, it was agreed upon that a conference game would be acceptable as long as both schools and the conference office approved the broadcast. It was reported that ESPN asked Texas TechTexas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
for permission to broadcast their November 5th game against the Longhorns on the network. ESPN told the university that the game would most likely not be carried on any of the ESPN family of networks, leaving a broadcast on the LHN as its only option. In return, ESPN promised to televise two non-conference football games over the next four seasons, broadcast some other non-football programming, $5 million cash, and help from the network to try to arrange a home-and-home series against a top BCS conference school. Texas Tech passed on the offer. ESPN reportedly has moved on to contacting Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State Cowboys football
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
about a broadcast on the network. Texas Athletics has since announced that the Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
have agreed to let their game against the Longhorns on October 29 be shown on the network. The agreement allows the Longhorn Network to be the national carrier of the game except for in the state of Kansas, where the game will be televised on a to-be-determined over-the-air channel
Terrestrial television
Terrestrial television is a mode of television broadcasting which does not involve satellite transmission or cables — typically using radio waves through transmitting and receiving antennas or television antenna aerials...
.
Potential conflict of interest
Concerns have been raised by some fansFan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
, bloggers
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
, and journalists
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
that ESPN's financial stake in the Longhorn Network creates a potential conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
. Some fear that ESPN's involvement in the network will inhibit journalistic integrity
Journalism ethics and standards
Journalism ethics and standards comprise principles of ethics and of good practice as applicable to the specific challenges faced by journalists. Historically and currently, this subset of media ethics is widely known to journalists as their professional "code of ethics" or the "canons of journalism"...
as ESPN has a financial interest in the success of the athletic programs at the University of Texas. Sports Illustrated's
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
Richard Deitsch wrote: "The network's existence... creates an impossible situation for ESPN's college football producers and reporters (plenty of whom care about reporting). For every story ESPN does on Texas and its opponents, they'll be skeptics wondering what the motivation was for the story."
Additionally, some have questioned the stipulation included in the network's founding agreement that gives Texas the right to dismiss LHN announcers that don't "reflect the quality and reputation of UT." An ESPN spokesperson addressed the situation by stating: "This is not common in ESPN agreements because this UT network is so unique/new for us ...The provision does not allow for random replacement of commentators or reaction to critical comments... it's more about potential situations where a commentator makes completely inappropriate comments or gets involved in inappropriate actions."