LHN stautus as a network?

Duck Dodgers

Duck Dodgers

1,000+ Posts
I don't have cable, so have never kept up with the ins and outs of the LHN saga. Couple of questions about it though based on statements I've seen here from others:
  • Was the UTEP game blacked out in the Austin / San Antonio area, as a poster thought it was going to be?
  • Is it true that 75% of the country can't get the network?
  • In the areas you can, do you have to go with one particular cable carrier to get it?
  • Is ESPN still sending 10 million bucks a year to UT for it, or has that been re-negotiated down?
 
I get it here in the suburbs of northeastern Illinois. Either Uverse or Direct TV. Must buy the most premium sports package to have it here. I called a few weeks ago to cancel it since I'm sick of the non-sports programming they show from time to time and the same, for the most part, 8 old games. The Longhorn Legend spots now basically feature anyone who went to UT and made a ton of $. Great for them, but how does that make that person a Legend when no one has heard of many of them outside of these spots? I still have LHN because the lowered my rates significantly anyway. I just haven't tuned in in a couple weeks or so.

Not sure why I would tune in, and why prospective recruits in any sport or people thinking of attending UT would be swayed by the non-sports programming. I am being very careful in how I say all this since this is an On The Filed thread, but I felt this way for the last few years, but it has come to a head as of late. I figure most prospective students or athletes apply and attend because of their chosen Major or field or sport in which they want to play. Maybe I am wrong and these people decide where to go to college based on a TV network.

If you enjoy seeing the coach's pressers literally back to back for about 2 days, the replay of the last ball game the same way, the Rewind show, and on and on, in succession for hours and hours, then this is the network for you.

On the positive side, the Texas Gameday pre and post game shows are good. Not sure how it was last night since I didn't watch. But, in the past, while they are all Texas homers, they don't sugar coat the team's performance, which is refreshing.

Not sure what UT gets from each cable subscription, share of ad revenue, or whatever.
 
I disagree, HIC. I think the non-sports programming is very important to show that the University of Texas is not just a sports factory. I think that many of the packages shown that don’t relate to sports might be of interest to potential recruits, or at least the potential recruits’ parents. I find a great deal of the non-sports programming interesting, particularly the film showcase. I like seeing what UT film students are creating. Cactus Cafe also offers some fine entertainment.

You remind me of the Sopranos viewers who hated any episode that didn’t include somebody getting whacked.
 
@Texanne, you like the programming because it goes along with most of your beliefs, and that is fine. Again, trying to be careful here on that. Not meaning to star a debate on that. :)

I can see your point on some of the other programming. Would you not agree, however, that you would be an outlier tuning in to see concerts or other programming besides sports? If those are ever on my TV, it's pretty much because the TV is just on in the background and I'm not paying attention.

It is "Longhorn" network, not "University of Texas" network. I would respectfully say most people tune in to a sports network for sports, not other things. I have Direct TV. LHN is within the sports channels area of "the dial", not elsewhere.

Again, I think the people coming to UT are initially attracted to it as kids because for eh sports. They then can decide if the academic programs suit their needs. I mean, it is a university of the first class, is it not? Why would anyone have to watch LHN to figure that out?
 
They don’t watch non-sports programming to find out that Texas is a university of the first class. They watch to see examples of why. Surely you understand the difference?
 
If I were to have LHN, I would want it for Longhorn sports and nothing else. Non sports content would not be of interest to me. Whether or not I agreed with the message of that content would be wholly irrelevant.

With regards to the sports, all I know is the free trial didn't convince me that I would want to pay for it. Not sure if it's Sling's fault or LHN's, but with a baby at home, watching a game I'm not allowed to pause isn't worth even a cheap rate.
 
75% of the country?? I say no way.
Uverse
DirectTV
ATTNow
GVTC
Fios
Sling
Vidgo
And probably a number I don't know of. But anyone with WiFi can get Sling or Vidgo so I bet 95% of the country can get it if they want it.
 
To hic's point LHN was conceived and produced by a what? SPORTS network.
Surely if the University wanted a network of non sports related content they could produce their own.

However it must be tough to fill so much airtime. I remember in the early days they didn't seem to have any problem
But everything has changed
 
24 hours a day times 7 days a week is a lot of airtime. Like the Simpson's Spinoff episode where Troy said "the Fox network asked the Simpsons' creators to fill a few holes in the schedule", which had about 26 X's on it except for the Simpsons and 90210.

I can't believe the original plan from ESPN was to pay ten mill a year to fund a show that has contents from the Radio Television Film school and highlights from Ester's Follies, but matter spreads out to fill any vacuum, just with a very low density.

So was the game blacked out in Austin?
 
Texanne said:
They don’t watch non-sports programming to find out that Texas is a university of the first class. They watch to see examples of why. Surely you understand the difference?
Click to expand...
Nope. Agree to disagree and you keep enjoying watching all of the non-sports programming.
 
Texanne said:
They don’t watch non-sports programming to find out that Texas is a university of the first class. They watch to see examples of why. Surely you understand the difference?
Click to expand...
To me this is a strange take. The LHN is a sports network, owned by the largest sports network. People tune in to watch sports. Other content is selected to fill time.

My guess is that the number of people who watch “to see examples of why” is a tiny subset of a tiny subset.
 
Uhh yeah, I would be interested to find out who, anyone, who was thinking of going to Texas on an athletic scholarship, was on the fence, watched some RTF show on LHN, and then inked the deal after that.
 
Statalyzer, what do you mean you can’t pause on LHN? I pause the game whenever I need to with no problem.

And just for the record, guys, there are people who love the University of Texas for more than just its athletic product.
 
LHN is on sling so it’s pretty easy to get. It’s great for baseball, softball, women’s basketball, volleyball and other winter/spring sports that wouldn’t otherwise be televised, for football not so much. LHN is directly responsible for the exodus in 2010-2011 and when the Big XII finally does die it will be LHN that was major reason.
 
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Don’t get it on Xfinity and got tired of the ‘call your provider’ message. Yeah so if I paid for another service I could get it but what can I say, I pay enough already, should be on it.
 
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