ESPN buys the Texas Longhorns

Anyone else think ESPN wanted Auburn, but then Cam Newton decided to declare for the NFL draft?

 

And Notre Dame

And, possibly, Michigan and Ohio State

 

Oklahoma wants to create it own network. KU is looking into one. Obviously, Texas will fetch far more than anyone else, but the other nine will be fine.

Also, if you think trying to keep up with Texas is bad, just wait until Notre Dame and BYU anchor the Big 12 North in 2016, using the Texas blueprint to maximize their money and independent TV deals while still belonging to a conference. If the Big 12 succeeds in landing those two, I would dare say that's an upgrade from Nebraska and Colorado.

 

It works like that. You still can't get the TBN on cable in the heart of SEC country....

 

Thought part of keeping the Big XII together was that each school could pursue its own network.

There's good humor to be had from a Missouri or a Kansas saying "well hell YES! We'll start a network too!!!!" There is no other school in that conference that compares to Texas in national following or overall on-field glory across the board. Maybe Oklahoma in football, Kansas in basketball (and nothing else). But for the most part, the other schools' "networks" would be laughable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Big_12_Conference_champions

 

They're locked up pretty tight for the next 14 years or so with CBS/ESPN. That is a 15 year deal worth $2.25 billion, which averages out to about $12.4 million per year per school.

Edit: Sorry, my bad, that was just ESPN's part of the deal. CBS's is an additional $55 million per year over 15 years, so make that $17 million per year per school on average.

 

Dan Wetzel had a very funny column yesterday about the Texas Network lineup. Here are some snippets:

Midnight Replay of the 2006 Rose Bowl

7:30 Did you know Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley were roommates? (Hosted by Brent Musburger)

8:00 Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? Live from College Station

9:00 Replay of the 2006 Rose Bowl

Noon Jersey Shore: Galveston: Sammi screams at Ronnie behind the oil refinery

2:00 The Rick Barnes Show

2:01 The Mack Brown Show

4:00 Replay of the 2006 Rose Bowl


http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/slant/201101/longhorn-network-programming-schedule#

 

How to relax with Ricky Williams - This week's guests: Roger Clemens and Vince Young.