Texas/ESPN deal. Wow!

I was so close. So freaking close. But nooooooo. Just when I think I am out, they drag me back in. I’m like an addict who hangs around people who enable him. Yes,  you Don Litzelman are at fault. You played enabler to my addict.

Here my last post was actually about games. And I was just about to blog again about the NFL playoffs this weekend. And now my head is about to explode. All from one little comment from Don. Yup. How about that UT/ESPN deal?  As they say in the Bud Light commercials, “Here we go!”.

The University of Texas and ESPN have completed a deal that will create a 24 hour UT network. The new network will broadcast about 200 Texas games a year. At least one football and eight basketball games will be shown live. The rest will be replays of games shown on other networks and various other sports.

Terms of the contract?  20 years for $300 million. Let me say that again. 20 years for $300 million. Hmm love of the conference kept Texas in the Big 12? No no no. Love of $15 million/year kept Texas in the Big 12 conference. When the Big 10 and Pac 10 came calling for Texas, they told the Longhorns that they wouldn’t allow them to have their own network. The Big 12, fighting off extinction, more than gladly told Texas it was fine with them. Of course it was.

This is unbelievable. I know that Notre Dame got their own network deal first, but this is taking things to another level. This is their very own network.  With the extra $15 million per year does Texas really need the Big 12? Might they just go independent? AD DeLoss Dodds says no. We will see.

Okay, right or wrong? I’m not sure it’s that simple. What is anything worth? What someone is willing to pay for it. I know I have covered this before but here’s a short recap on this subject. Don’t blame either Texas or ESPN for this contract. The fact is that there is enough interest in Texas sports to support this or it wouldn’t happen. If you don’t like this, and I don’t, the blame belongs with fans.  And blame might be a tough word. It’s a choice. Americans have chosen to make sports this kind of priority.

What does it mean for college sports? It changes the entire landscape. It gives Texas a resource that no other school has. And that won’t be acceptable for more than 30 seconds to Alabama or to Ohio State or to USC or to Florida or to ……….. fill in the blank.

Outcome obviously still to be determined but I don’t think college sports will ever look the same. We are looking at the creation of an elite division with only those few schools who can get deals like Texas just did. Hold on tight.