Do You Want to Watch the PAC-12 on Versus?

by NeuroDawg on Apr 20, 2011 3:31 PM PDT

A very interesting article in today's Wall Street Journal talks about how NBC Universal is trying to move into more sports broadcasting and compete with ESPN/ABC. They just tied up the rights for the next 10 years of NHL games, and are vying for the PAC-12 TV rights. Are you prepared to watch PAC-12 football on Versus (or whatever the new name is)?

In Sports Push, NBCU Signs NHL Deal

I'm hoping for a bidding war between NBCU, ESPN/ABC, Time-Warner, and Fox, but I certainly wasn't impressed with the games I saw this past year on Versus. They'll have to upgrade their announcers when they re-brand the station.

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Yeah, I'd like to see NBCU win the bidding war.

Obviously getting the highest dollar amount is top priority. I don’t buy it when people say that the Pac 12 is better off taking a little less to be on ESPN for the extra exposure. We’ve already had enough dealings with ESPN to know that the Pac 12 outside of USC will always be second fiddle to the SEC.

If NBCU wins the Pac 12 rights, the Pac 12 will be one of their most prize possessions, and I expect that they will promote the hell out of it every chance they get. It might even help a bit with East Coast exposure. If they have an early 10am pst NHL game between say the Pens and Caps, or Bruins and Islanders, and during every single commercial break, they promote a big showdown between say Oregon and Stanford or whoever the top dogs are in the Pac that year, they might get a lot of people who never even think to watch the Pac 12 to stick around and watch the game.

Also they may have extra insentive during the Sunday night football game (which to me leaped over MNF several years ago) to highlight more former Pac 12 players, and again to promote upcoming games for the Pac 12.

I’m also hoping that NBCU makes a push to land the MLS as well. Espn gives the MLS little enough attention as it is, I’d like to see them land on a network where they might get a little more priority.

by Mind of no mind on Apr 20, 2011 4:23 PM PDT reply actions

Whoever wins the Pac-12 deal will have to televise all the games

so exposure is really a moot point. I’m kind of curious to see how this changeover to Root sports will affect things. With FSN becoming Root Sports up here, will the Fox deal carry over to Root? Is the Pac-12 going to negotiate to put games on there if it doesn’t? I don’t really care where we end up, as long as I can watch more than 2 Pac-10 games on a Saturday, I’m cool.

by B Money on Apr 21, 2011 6:56 AM PDT up reply actions

Root is a name change, nothing more

Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
@chrislandon

by Gekko Mojo on Apr 21, 2011 4:42 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

yes and no

The name change reflects the fact that those networks are no longer owned by Fox, and have been owned by DirecTV for the last 3 years.

by kirkd on Apr 21, 2011 5:02 PM PDT up reply actions

They are not owned by Fox

and they buy Fox programming. If Fox decides they don’t want Root to have Pac-12 games, they don’t have to give them any.

by B Money on Apr 21, 2011 5:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah that used to really burn me up...

…when there were no Pac-10 games on FSN but they had a Big 12 matchup.

Washington Husky Football-"Hear the bark, feel the bite!"

by dawgfan22 on Apr 21, 2011 7:16 AM PDT reply actions

NBC - Comcast

I am sure they would put together a package that most of us would like.

UW Dawg Pound - SBN Seattle

by John Berkowitz on Apr 21, 2011 3:36 PM PDT reply actions

I wouldn't like it unless they put games on NBC

which I don’t think is likely. They don’t have enough outlets for live sports to televise all the games, which means either no TV or relegated to Thursdays and/or ESPN 8.

by B Money on Apr 21, 2011 5:12 PM PDT up reply actions

Good question

To be honest, I don’t think I know enough to make a decision either way. Like B Money, I just want to be able to watch each and every UW game and as many PAC12 games as possible.

My Questions:

How wide spread is Versus? I know it’s a Comcast channel, but how many TV’s on the west coast get Versus? More importantly how many in California?

Would they upgrade the broadcast quality? It would be a must if they get something as big as the PAC12 TV rights.

Would there be any games on NBC? Putting a game of the week on NBC, combined with the rest of the games on Versus would be great!

If NBC wants to try and be a major player in sports, this could be a great way to do it. They provide a great product for Notre Dame games, adding the PAC12 as a major sports product could be pretty cool. Think about it, SEC on CBS, PAC12 on NBC, and Big 10 on ABC, it could make for great Saturday’s in the fall.

"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing."
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"

by Lear Pilot on Apr 21, 2011 3:53 PM PDT reply actions

Versus is nationwide

I can’t find specific numbers, but I’m pretty sure they’re available in more than 85M homes. ESPN by comparison is available in 98M. I can’t find anything on California other than I know Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner, Dish Network and DirecTV (after a standoff last year) all carry it.

Versus HD has fine broadcast quality, I’m an avid UFC fan and they production quality is great for those events, they have the capability.

They’ve talked about it, but they already have a guaranteed game each week with Notre Dame. I don’t see it as a very likely option because NBC also has weekend golf and NBA games.

by B Money on Apr 21, 2011 5:26 PM PDT up reply actions

Thanks

It’s good to hear they have the capability of high quality HD broadcast, they just need to hire a few real announcers (like Calabro).

NBC would be the real prize, if they can make room for at least one PAC12 game per week, it could be a very, very good arrangement.

"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing."
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"

by Lear Pilot on Apr 21, 2011 6:04 PM PDT up reply actions

We get at least one on ABC right now

I’m not sure one on NBC is anything major. Two would be nice, and provide a buffer until the P12 network gets going.

by B Money on Apr 22, 2011 10:02 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

Good point

Multiple games per week would be great. The good news, Thursday night games wouldn’t work, too much other programming. I’d love to see a Saturday double header, but not sure that could work with Notre Dame’s schedule.

"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing."
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"

by Lear Pilot on Apr 22, 2011 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions

Doesn't Notre Dame play a lot of early games?

Maybe not every week, but it seems like there are some weeks where Notre Dame kicks off at 9 or 10am. It might work out to have 2 Pac 12 games on those days.

by Mind of no mind on Apr 22, 2011 5:49 PM PDT up reply actions

NBC doesn't have the NBA.

Plus there are hardly any meaningful golf tournaments during football season. I’m sure NBC would have the room to broadcast at least one Pac12 game a week.

by brettb3 on Apr 22, 2011 12:31 AM PDT up reply actions

You're right

I just remember the theme song, that was the last time I cared to watch an nba game. I thought I saw one on there a few weeks ago, but it must have been something else.

by B Money on Apr 22, 2011 10:09 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions