Texas Tech and ESPN announced Monday the Red Raiders’ Sept. 8 game against Texas State will air on the internet at ESPN3.
The game had been subject of a rumor that had it being broadcast on the University of Texas’ Longhorn Network. But as soon as that became a possibility, Tech administrators threatened to cancel the game and pay whatever buyout would have been required rather than play on a Big 12 Conference rival’s network.
ESPN and the Western Athletic Conference, which hold broadcast rights to the game, said Friday the game would not be on the Longhorn Network.
Comments (6)
Add commentKudos Tech
Way to take a stand for your principles!
ESPN Stinks
The sports world has given the mothership a pass. ESPN should take most of the blame for the deal with UT and the Longhorn Network. If principles are good for anything, they should at least cause us to reject the soul-less "shareholder return" profit focus only world that ESPN represents. Texas Tech and A&M should pull out all stops to reject anything having to do with ESPN.
Someone needs to separate college football from its growing relationship with the bottom line. If not, it won't be long before revenue needs allow corporate hacks in Connecticut control over all aspects of Texas football from junior high on up, and from 7 on 7 summertimes through off seasons for year around professional, money generating football with money generating minded kids learning only one lesson in life. Selling out is OK if the price is right.
As for UT, they sold their logo for ESPN to run across its screen 24/7. Why not an infommercial asking all to buy UT products or a Longhorns Gone Wild video selling girls. Heck, put a resort hotel on the campus and have foreigners climb the tower to video themselves holding a rifle. It's all about the bling bling isn't it?
ESPN
Problem with ESPN is that it's "their ball" and they can take it home.
They make mistakes, provide slanted coverage, overstate appeal of some programs--the list is long. At least when they erred by accepting as the gospel information funneled to them by Kent Hance and his Band of Undesirables, their ombudsman categorically reported that what ESPN did was simply "wrong."
ESPN's source for what was later revealed to be contrived information, was the same certain school leader who claimed the former coach yelled: "Go (expletive) yourself." Used it to claim insubordination. Yet nobody but the conspirators claimed to have heard such a thing.
You have to get along with ESPN--unless ESPN has damaged you. Then you have to make them pay.
Finally
An honorable stand by some pretty dishonorable people. It doesn't take away the kamikaze nose dive our football program unnecessarily took or the kick in the groin to the fan base but it doesn't make it worse either. Even those few who support administration and are happier when we lose (not unlike ut fans) are probably behind this decision with the majority of real fans who think its better for the school when we are winning and the fan base is united.
Sadly
Sadly, well put LODOTX.
@lodotx
You know as well as I do, if Tech was a top tier football program like UT, they would do the same thing in a heartbeat. Wrong, I'm not a UT fan in any way.