NCAA: No High School Games on School Networks

by Jon Johnston on Aug 12, 2011 8:28 AM CDT in College Football - National

Yesterday the NCAA ruled that there will be no televising high school games on school or conference networks, a ruling obviously made because of the Longhorn Network.

We're only a 20 days away from the start of college football season, and the ‘Horn Network still isn't available on Dish, DirecTV, or any cable providers that you can find. Perhaps it'll die before it gets off the ground (wouldn't that be fun?).

Over at BON, they're whining up a storm about lawsuits and the big, bad, over-regulating NCAA and have no idea why showing high school games on college-affiliated networks might be a bad thing, and why they can't just do whatever they want, sniff, sniff, sniff.

One affect this might have is to stabilize the Big 12.... for now, anyway, until Texas decides to pull some other "we own the world" scheme mostly because they can't help themselves. It does take away Texas A&M's chief complaint of an unfair advantage (until the Aggies come up with another reason to be pissed off, which should take about... oh...probably 15 minutes after you read this), and perhaps the conference expansion talk will settle down (hahahahahahahahaaha bwwwaahahaahah, really?).

As far as the ruling goes - it is a good thing. There's enough emphasis on recruiting already, and if ESPN or Fox Sports or any other network (as long as it's not affiliated with a school or conference) wants to show high school football games, they're perfectly capable of doing so.

Tweet Comment 5 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Does the NCAA really have jurisdiction here?

LHN is an ESPN owned network. Does this mean that no ESPN network can carry high school sports? I think not.

I don’t believe the NCAA’s decision will stand up if ESPN chooses to challenge it. They may not since ESPN may not want to strain the relationship between the two entities, not because the NCAA has jurisdiction here.

by Husker Mike on Aug 12, 2011 8:47 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

Isn't that where the

“school- or conference-affiliated networks” part comes in? There’s no regulation for ESPN showing HS games on their main channel, or ESPN2, or (as they often do) ESPNU. Most recruits aren’t going to watch themselves and think “Oh, ESPN owns the first-tier rights for the Big 12, and Texas is part of the Big 12, so I’m gonna go to Texas!” like they might if they see themselves sprinting down the sideline for a touchdown at the end of the 4th quarter with a Longhorn logo appearing 5 or 10 minutes later.

by Skerz90 on Aug 12, 2011 2:41 PM CDT up reply actions

But what control does the NCAA have over the LHN?

It’s not like the NCAA can take scholarships away from LHN or make them forfeit games. The NCAA can punish Texas, but a lawsuit would indicate that the agreement that Texas has with ESPN for LHN isn’t all that much different than the Big XII’s agreement with FSN.

by Husker Mike on Aug 12, 2011 10:18 PM CDT up reply actions

yes

but as such LHN would be a separate legal entity. The NCAA probably would cover it in that regard, not that because it’s a television network, but that school is restricted from participating in the activity…. and honestly, I’m not coming up with a good analogy for that.

Strained relationships…. there’s a point here… Texas has basically walked around pissing on everyone else’s shoes, then acted like they’re shocked when others get upset with them. What I found amazing about BON’s thread was this idea that legal action could make it so this was a win for “Texas”, and honestly, there’s not a lot of win for Texas in the LHN anymore. And their fans apparently don’t see that. That part continues to amaze me.

Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
Corn Nation!
Twitter!
cornnation@gmail.com

by Jon Johnston on Aug 12, 2011 3:52 PM CDT up reply actions