Texas Tech REALLY Doesn't Want to Play on the Longhorn Network

Not that those aren’t legitimate reasons, I suppose. Just wondering if there is an angle I’m not seeing. Is it just that they don’t want to appear to be supporting the concept of the LHN? Or does the payout to them change if ratings are different?

Posturing aside, they’re a bubble team as it is. Seems foolish to actually cancel the game out of spite.

on any of their broadcast networks. Not even ESPNU. That’s the kind of crazy-talk you tend to hear from people in a bad negotiating position.

I don’t see Tech’s angle, except that their fanbase would be pissed if gametime rolls around and it’s on a fictional rival-branded network still a year away from being in the local cable rotation. Not hard to imagine lots of fans pissed at that. Oh yeah it wouldn’t be “televised” any other way, but I wouldn’t expect Red Raider fans to make such fine distinctions…they’d just see the listing and the letters “LHN” and start steaming out their earholes Yosemite-Sam-style.

So that’s why Tech management is being uppity. It’s a PR necessity. But that’s probably also why it’s a bluff. What kreiss said…winning is everything in football and I can’t see Tubs & Co sacrificing a likely win over TV issues. Especially when it’s a Div I road game, i.e., in a situation where they normally don’t have any say about TV at all.

But still, the optics ARE horrible for the TTU AD if nothing changes. Keep it up and TTU brass will have no choice but to follow through. This could get interesting.

but i would feel the same if i were in Tech’s boots. No way in hell I would play that game on the LHN.

Tech won’t cancel the game. A buyout of Texas State isn’t enough. I realize that it is highly unlikely that (1) Texas State will win 5-6 games in its first year in FBS and (2) Texas State would beat Tech, but it’s possible.

So Texas State is sitting on 5 wins (or 6 with an FCS win, whatever), and doesn’t get invited to a bowl because Tech cancelled their game?

I get that the perception of being on LHN might rile Tech fans, but whatever. The WAC and Texas St. have an opportunity to televise an additional game. Tech’s the road team. Suck it up.

Also, this isn’t a UT thing. It’s an ESPN and WAC thing. While UT certainly has strong influence over content involving UT, it’s basically getting a flat fee to hand the reins to ESPN. ESPN has rights to the WAC and a “regional” network to throw a game on that would not otherwise be televised. They aren’t concerned about rivalries. They are concerned about content. But you are right, Tech, DeLoss probably engineered this whole thing on a dare from John Skipper.

If I was a Tech fan, I’d rather have the option to PPV the game than have it on a network that I might have no access to whatsoever. That should be the AD’s angle - pushing back so they can preserve the right to PPV the game so that more Tech fans can actually see it.

With that said, obviously a lot of this is a grandstanding fit of pique which makes me laugh heartily in Tech’s direction. Without having access to the books for their athletic department, I’m willing to bet that out of their school colors there’s more red than black on that ledger. Go ahead and forgo 1/7th of your home revenue for the season, guys…go right on ahead.

which is why it can appear on the LHN. Texas State is part of the WAC and the LHN already has a deal to telecast UTSA home games.

Of course Tech is pissed. And once again it is being handled poorly - from a PR standpoint — by both sides.

So thinking Tech is loony for being upset, you would have no problem if the Texas-Wyoming game from Laramie was on the Sooner Network?

The real story is that the Zorros are having to go to San Marcos to play the school formerly known as Southwest Texas State.

As much crap as we give the Agro-Americans for having to play Louisiana Tech in Shreveport, this makes you shake your head even more.

The game is owned by the WAC and Texas State, and ESPN owns the rights. Tech isn’t involved here. If Texas State would prefer to do pay per view, then I understand. Tech doesn’t have any say in this matter whatsoever.

Anything good happen since you kicked us out in ’96?

Lets see, TEXAS Tech playing TEXAS St on the Longhorn network is like 2 brothers showing off for a girl who has her eye on their daddy.

on The Lobo Network? LHN the Dos.

The threat is totally understandable (why not try to get your way) but if they follow through, it’s just stupid. Keep in mind that this is the crew that fired Mike Leach, so they like a good pissing match. Rational behavior is not their strength.

I can see why they are irritated, however. When they couldn’t afford stamps to mail recruiting offers, UT was putting in mahogany lockers and aggie-tear bidets in the locker room for the basketball players on their pre-NBA min-camp. But I think they also realize deep down, that this isn’t going to change and refusing to play on LHN the Uno won’t change this.

UT is just a pawn. They took their Longhorn Network check & now they have to sit back & watch ESPN crash around like a bull in a china shop. I thought it seemed a little fishy when ESPN announced last month that they would carry Texas Tech/Texas State. In fact we made a joke about it being carried on ESPN 8 – The Ocho. The Longhorn Network is the real ESPN – The Ocho.

At some point ESPN is going to call this a bad investment & offer to sell the whole operation back to the school or better yet to the Big 12 who can turn it into The Big 12 Network.