Post by cviller on Aug 27, 2007 8:30:33 GMT -5
Mountaineers will keep an eye on Big Ten Network
by Mike Casazza
Daily Mail sportswriter
MORGANTOWN -- The Big Ten Network launches Thursday.
And there will be lots of eyes, beyond those belonging to subscribers paying a little more than $1 per month, watching to see if this telecast thing will take off or take on water.
Count West Virginia University Deputy Director of Athletics Mike Parsons among those interested in where this concept goes from here.
"Personally," he said, "I'm curious to see what they have planned."
There are many who believe this is destined to succeed. Dave Revsine left ESPN to be the network's voice. Thom Brennaman signed on as a play-by-play personality.
Sounds like a good start.
Then, Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg resigned to work as a BTN executive, giving the network the eyebrow-raising acquisition it needed to legitimize itself.
In truth, it was really only a matter of time until a conference realized it could fill 24 hours a day for 365 days a year with original programming. There are too many wrestling matches, baseball games, press conferences, highlight shows and subsequent replays available to not think this was possible.
Of course, the BTN also will have football games from its first weekend forward. Why, it's even featuring Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State, among the big 11.
Then again, the opponents are Youngstown State, Appalachian State and Florida International.
That's the Big Ten, though, and this conference would have been a wise guess for which league would take the initiative.
But the Southeastern Conference with its wide array of sports and powers, to say nothing of the SEC's fervent fan base, might be watching the BTN closely.
The Big East, however, is not interested. Commissioner Mike Tranghese, who won't be resigning to join the ACC Network anytime soon, said his league has its own network -- ESPN.
We wonder, though, how far we are from seeing a school establish its own network. Could Notre Dame, Michigan, Southern California or someone with a successful, all-inclusive athletics program and a spread-out alumni base establish its own channel?
Parsons believes it's just a matter of time.
"It's not unrealistic, particularly when you look at the Internet and all the possibilities there," Parsons said. "It might not be traditional television, but it's effective. I don't think we're too far off from seeing that, where you see a school start going to more video on demand."
Naturally, the future may indeed rest in the Internet and its limitless potential. Parsons says WVU has "absolutely" examined the possibilities, either in a pay-per-view or subscription format.
"To be honest," Parsons said, "we're working on some things that may come into play this year. I think in a couple of weeks we'll be able to share a little more."
A tantalizing tease, to be sure. Football is a virtual impossibility because of conference network rights, particularly for a school like WVU that has so many games televised. The story might be different for, say, Western Michigan.
Yet in basketball, with more than 30 games and maybe a third on television, it's possible, if not likely -- this year.
"We can look at a non-conference game at home that's not on TV and we could stream that on the Internet," Parsons said.
This is the way of the future, particularly in the so-called Olympic (non-revenue) sports, which could hold the key to unlocking larger possibilities for football.
There are too many colleges around the country with elite programs that lack exposure.
Yet, in today's world where recruiting is a business, popularity is a weapon and exposure facilitates both, a school is almost obligated to do whatever it can to make sure every team has its time in some type of spotlight.
"People look at it as enhancing a particular sport that they have, whether it's soccer, volleyball or baseball," Parsons said. "It might be a niche market, but it's programming."
by Mike Casazza
Daily Mail sportswriter
MORGANTOWN -- The Big Ten Network launches Thursday.
And there will be lots of eyes, beyond those belonging to subscribers paying a little more than $1 per month, watching to see if this telecast thing will take off or take on water.
Count West Virginia University Deputy Director of Athletics Mike Parsons among those interested in where this concept goes from here.
"Personally," he said, "I'm curious to see what they have planned."
There are many who believe this is destined to succeed. Dave Revsine left ESPN to be the network's voice. Thom Brennaman signed on as a play-by-play personality.
Sounds like a good start.
Then, Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg resigned to work as a BTN executive, giving the network the eyebrow-raising acquisition it needed to legitimize itself.
In truth, it was really only a matter of time until a conference realized it could fill 24 hours a day for 365 days a year with original programming. There are too many wrestling matches, baseball games, press conferences, highlight shows and subsequent replays available to not think this was possible.
Of course, the BTN also will have football games from its first weekend forward. Why, it's even featuring Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State, among the big 11.
Then again, the opponents are Youngstown State, Appalachian State and Florida International.
That's the Big Ten, though, and this conference would have been a wise guess for which league would take the initiative.
But the Southeastern Conference with its wide array of sports and powers, to say nothing of the SEC's fervent fan base, might be watching the BTN closely.
The Big East, however, is not interested. Commissioner Mike Tranghese, who won't be resigning to join the ACC Network anytime soon, said his league has its own network -- ESPN.
We wonder, though, how far we are from seeing a school establish its own network. Could Notre Dame, Michigan, Southern California or someone with a successful, all-inclusive athletics program and a spread-out alumni base establish its own channel?
Parsons believes it's just a matter of time.
"It's not unrealistic, particularly when you look at the Internet and all the possibilities there," Parsons said. "It might not be traditional television, but it's effective. I don't think we're too far off from seeing that, where you see a school start going to more video on demand."
Naturally, the future may indeed rest in the Internet and its limitless potential. Parsons says WVU has "absolutely" examined the possibilities, either in a pay-per-view or subscription format.
"To be honest," Parsons said, "we're working on some things that may come into play this year. I think in a couple of weeks we'll be able to share a little more."
A tantalizing tease, to be sure. Football is a virtual impossibility because of conference network rights, particularly for a school like WVU that has so many games televised. The story might be different for, say, Western Michigan.
Yet in basketball, with more than 30 games and maybe a third on television, it's possible, if not likely -- this year.
"We can look at a non-conference game at home that's not on TV and we could stream that on the Internet," Parsons said.
This is the way of the future, particularly in the so-called Olympic (non-revenue) sports, which could hold the key to unlocking larger possibilities for football.
There are too many colleges around the country with elite programs that lack exposure.
Yet, in today's world where recruiting is a business, popularity is a weapon and exposure facilitates both, a school is almost obligated to do whatever it can to make sure every team has its time in some type of spotlight.
"People look at it as enhancing a particular sport that they have, whether it's soccer, volleyball or baseball," Parsons said. "It might be a niche market, but it's programming."
