I'm really not sure how good of thing this will be. Its on our upper tiers in Pittsburgh. I guess its wait and see. This is the first I heard of it. But in the Pittsburgh area its on either 188 or 210. Hopefully I won't have to upgrade to watch this channel lol.

PS its Sunday programming from 11-7 and mostly On Demand stuff. Could be setting up for a full fledged Network down the road.


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10264/1089219-142.stm

This may seem small compared to similiar partnerships, but it is significant news for pitt.

Getting it started now will likely pay big dividends down the road, IMO. University based networks like this could be the beginning pillars of the oft-mentioned Big East Network...no doubt they will assisting in providing early programming, at the very least. Congrats to Pitt...sounds like a couple of others are getting them off the ground as well.

Excellent utilization of the "large" markets that many Big East schools "have" but may not "command." Getting these university networks on locally now will present a gateway for the BEN in a couple years.

(09-22-2010 10:23 AM)swash Wrote:  Getting it started now will likely pay big dividends down the road, IMO. University based networks like this could be the beginning pillars of the oft-mentioned Big East Network...

.. or set the stage to go independent or show value-strength in hopes of joining another conference (and we know who that would be).

It's clearly a good pro-active move by Pitt, not sure if it benefits the Big East (not that Pitt has any obligation to look out for anyone but themselves).

(09-22-2010 10:27 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(09-22-2010 10:23 AM)swash Wrote:  Getting it started now will likely pay big dividends down the road, IMO. University based networks like this could be the beginning pillars of the oft-mentioned Big East Network...

.. or set the stage to go independent or show value-strength in hopes of joining another conference (and we know who that would be).

It's clearly a good pro-active move by Pitt, not sure if it benefits the Big East (not that Pitt has any obligation to look out for anyone but themselves).

Yeah, this may be good for Pitt, but virtually kills any chance of a Big East Network being created in the near future (especially if Syracuse and UCONN are exploring their own networks). The very first step in creating a conference network is to ensure that the individual schools don't start their own networks at all (even if they are showing only mostly women's and Olympic sports in the beginning), so the fact that Pitt has moved forward with its channel means that there isn't a legitimate prospect of a Big East Network on the table.

When the Big Ten initially brought up the prospect of the Big Ten Network to its schools, the very first thing that it did was to make sure that Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State agreed to not start their own channels (as they all were looking at that heavily). It knew that once individual schools started their own networks up, it would virtually impossible to shut them down if they were successful in any manner (meaning that a conference-wide network could never get off the ground). At the same time, a conference network needs leverage with cable carriers in order to receive basic carriage, which is extremely difficult if individual schools have their own competing channels that take away eyeballs in various markets.

Simply put, individual school networks simply can't co-exist with conference networks.

(09-22-2010 11:13 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  [quote='quo vadis' pid='5746895' dateline='1285169272']
Simply put, individual school networks simply can't co-exist with conference networks.

Ok, you convinced me: this is bad for a potential Big East network.

As of right now this network isn't a full 24/7 Network so its not like the BYU Network. This is really no different than UConn, Syracuse, and Rutgers's deal with SNY. The only difference is this does have a chance to become a 24/7 Network if it is profitable.

(09-22-2010 11:37 AM)animus Wrote:  As of right now this network isn't a full 24/7 Network so its not like the BYU Network. This is really no different than UConn, Syracuse, and Rutgers's deal with SNY. The only difference is this does have a chance to become a 24/7 Network if it is profitable.

Or it could possibly be converted over to a BE network.

Thats the big difference between what SU, Uconn and Rutgers did with SNY. Their games are just being broadcasted on an existing channel along with other broadcasting from major league teams. It seems that Pitts channel is being created from scratch virtually, which makes it alot easier to convert to a BE network than trying to convince a network like SNY to broadcast all of the BE games.

Another possibility is for each school to have a similar setup, and then combine all of them into a conference network - with a local studio and crew on every campus within the conference...

(09-22-2010 11:13 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  Yeah, this may be good for Pitt, but virtually kills any chance of a Big East Network being created in the near future (especially if Syracuse and UCONN are exploring their own networks). The very first step in creating a conference network is to ensure that the individual schools don't start their own networks at all (even if they are showing only mostly women's and Olympic sports in the beginning), so the fact that Pitt has moved forward with its channel means that there isn't a legitimate prospect of a Big East Network on the table.

When the Big Ten initially brought up the prospect of the Big Ten Network to its schools, the very first thing that it did was to make sure that Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State agreed to not start their own channels (as they all were looking at that heavily). It knew that once individual schools started their own networks up, it would virtually impossible to shut them down if they were successful in any manner (meaning that a conference-wide network could never get off the ground). At the same time, a conference network needs leverage with cable carriers in order to receive basic carriage, which is extremely difficult if individual schools have their own competing channels that take away eyeballs in various markets.

Simply put, individual school networks simply can't co-exist with conference networks.

I don't know...wouldn't it depend on the model the Big East Network choses to use? There is always the possibility that the Panther Network (and others) could utilize Big East Network programming, and they could brand the station as "The Panther Channel on the Big East Network"...along the lines of what Fox Sports does regionally, yet on a much, much smaller scale. I mean, there's really no way the Panther Network...or any college based network outside of maybe Texas, Nebraska, ND, or Oklahoma...could generate programming or the revenue needed to air a successful 24/7 channel.

I do see what you are saying though...I just can't imagine that schools like Uconn, Pitt, etc. would be moving forward with something like this if there was any inkling that the hopes for a Big East Network would be adversely affected by it. That would potentially mean that either (A) They don't think a BEN will get off the ground in the first place or (B) They are not expecting to be around themselves for the Big East Network.

(09-22-2010 11:37 AM)animus Wrote:  As of right now this network isn't a full 24/7 Network so its not like the BYU Network. This is really no different than UConn, Syracuse, and Rutgers's deal with SNY. The only difference is this does have a chance to become a 24/7 Network if it is profitable.

It looks like it's more than that, though. The article says they're showing Olympic sports and men's basketball games that aren't part of the Big East TV contract, so this is beyond the SNY deals (which are centered upon some pre and postgame shows connected to the ESPN Plus syndicated games).

(09-22-2010 12:56 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  The article says they're showing Olympic sports and men's basketball games that aren't part of the Big East TV contract, so this is beyond the SNY deals (which are centered upon some pre and postgame shows connected to the ESPN Plus syndicated games).

I thought the BE hoops contract said that ALL BE men's conf games would be shown on one of the channels in the "family of networks", except for those couple shown on CBS. So I guess they are only talking about some of the few non-conf games that ESPN family doesn't pick up. How does this affect Fox Sports Pittsburgh which used to show a few of those early non-conf games?

(09-22-2010 12:47 PM)cuseroc Wrote:  

(09-22-2010 11:37 AM)animus Wrote:  As of right now this network isn't a full 24/7 Network so its not like the BYU Network. This is really no different than UConn, Syracuse, and Rutgers's deal with SNY. The only difference is this does have a chance to become a 24/7 Network if it is profitable.

Or it could possibly be converted over to a BE network.

Thats the big difference between what SU, Uconn and Rutgers did with SNY. Their games are just being broadcasted on an existing channel along with other broadcasting from major league teams. It seems that Pitts channel is being created from scratch virtually, which makes it alot easier to convert to a BE network than trying to convince a network like SNY to broadcast all of the BE games.

Actually, I believe it's the opposite of what you're thinking. The fact that Pitt is building this from scratch and creating its own equity means that it's much more difficult for the Big East to get Pitt to agree to give that all up for a conference network down the road. Contrary to what appears to be the common belief on this board, SU, UConn and Rutgers aren't receiving rights fees for the football and basketball games that are on SNY - those schools are paid out via the Big East TV revenue distribution formula in connection with the ESPN contract. (That is, ESPN is the one with contracts and getting paid to show those games on SNY. The SU/UConn/Rutgers deals are in connection with relatively inexpensive peripheral items such as pre/postgame shows and coaches' shows.) If the Big East were to create a network, it would simply not sell games to ESPN Regional anymore and take those in-house. (This is what the Big Ten Network did.) That's a simple and easy transaction once the current ESPN contract runs out.

Pitt, on the other hand, is creating a channel that is broadcasting Olympic sports and men's basketball games that aren't under the Big East's ESPN contract, so this is a completely separate revenue stream. Are they just going to hand that over for a Big East Network for the benefit of Rutgers, USF, Cinncinnati, etc.? If they are willing to do so, how much are the other Big East schools going to be willing to pay to buy them out (because they're not just going to give up their capital investment for free)? It's MUCH more complicated now for the Big East to start a conference network. That's why I emphasized that the Big Ten pushed Michigan, OSU and PSU to sign onto the BTN proposal BEFORE they had a chance to start their own networks. If any of those schools had started their own networks, the proverbial genie would've been let out of the bottle and there never would've been a Big Ten Network. This is what's happening here.

(09-22-2010 01:01 PM)Yosemite Panther Wrote:  

(09-22-2010 12:56 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  The article says they're showing Olympic sports and men's basketball games that aren't part of the Big East TV contract, so this is beyond the SNY deals (which are centered upon some pre and postgame shows connected to the ESPN Plus syndicated games).

I thought the BE hoops contract said that ALL BE men's conf games would be shown on one of the channels in the "family of networks", except for those couple shown on CBS. So I guess they are only talking about some of the few non-conf games that ESPN family doesn't pick up. How does this affect Fox Sports Pittsburgh which used to show a few of those early non-conf games?

I'd presume that those Fox Sports Pittsburgh games are exactly the ones that would move to this new Pitt channel. You're correct that any BE conference games should be on the ESPN "family of networks" except for the handful of CBS games.

(09-22-2010 01:01 PM)Yosemite Panther Wrote:  

(09-22-2010 12:56 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  The article says they're showing Olympic sports and men's basketball games that aren't part of the Big East TV contract, so this is beyond the SNY deals (which are centered upon some pre and postgame shows connected to the ESPN Plus syndicated games).

I thought the BE hoops contract said that ALL BE men's conf games would be shown on one of the channels in the "family of networks", except for those couple shown on CBS. So I guess they are only talking about some of the few non-conf games that ESPN family doesn't pick up. How does this affect Fox Sports Pittsburgh which used to show a few of those early non-conf games?

FSN seems to get the 1st cut, but a few OOC games don't get televised because of conflicts with the Pens. It sounds like this new channel could fill that void. Going to back to the 2007-08 season, that might be 2-4 games. Nothing earthshattering. I suppose we'll have to see if everthing shifts over. I went ahead an sent an email to their media relations dept. We'll see how they respond.

Note that the original post mentions that the new network could get games after national networks and FSN Pittsburgh choose games.

Well, I guess if Pitt does have its own network, I guess they are not expansion bait for the B-10.

(09-22-2010 01:59 PM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  Well, I guess if Pitt does have its own network, I guess they are not expansion bait for the B-10.

Good point. Pitt may be protecting itself incase something happens to the Big East and is forced to go INDY. I'm just throwing that out there and may or may not be Pitt's intentions.

Per Pitt's media dept., FSN Pittsburgh will get the 1st selection of games not taken by Big East TV partners (ESPN and CBS) for men's basketball. Anything that FSN can't take due to prior commitments (ie. Penguins), Pitt Panther TV can pick up. Typically that will be 2-4 games per season.

I dont see this as excluding a BEN. The BEN would be broadcasted across all Big East markets would this Pitt channel have such reach? It doesnt its only in certain markets and its second tier offering 500 hours a year
We will have to see what happens in the future, since we dont have any idea how the BEN would work. Would it be a single channel like BTN or would it be marketed as an umbrella providing material to many different channels. We cant assume that it would be just like the BTN.

(09-22-2010 01:59 PM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  Well, I guess if Pitt does have its own network, I guess they are not expansion bait for the B-10.

I disagree. If the Pitt network is a success, it could convince the B10 that Pitt really would provide value-added to the conference, and Pitt would be willing to give it up in order to get folded into the B10's loving embrace.

Of course if it is a WILD success, meaning it brings in for Pitt even more money than the B10 Network would, then of course you would be correct, since Pitt would not want to give up the extra revenue to join the B10. Pitt would be in the enviable position of being too good for the B10.

But it would surprise everybody if the network was THAT successful.