Had a nice long conversation with our TV writer Matt Buckler and we went over the SNY deal. The Huskies get a ton of original programming and branding, but as far as men's basketball, all the local games were on SNY anyway but blacked out locally. So, the amount of additional games for football and men's basketball won't increase by much.
This helps UConn immensely with original programming and the branding and breaking into the NYC market like this is a coup for UConn. In sheer number of people watching a local game, it will actually decrease the number of sets coming off a broadcast network. Now, the exposure is much greater -- they became a feature team -- but for live games, less people will actually be watching (no free TV will show the game).
In the Manchester, Conn. and Enfield areas the dominant cable provider is Cox, and right now there is no deal. So, what could UConn fans miss on the football side if Cox doesn't carry SNY?
09/04/10 at Michigan TV Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Mich. 3:30 p.m. ET
09/11/10 vs. Texas Southern TV Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Conn. 12:00 p.m. ET
09/18/10 at Temple TV Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pa. 12:00 p.m. ET
09/25/10 vs. Buffalo Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Conn. TBA
10/02/10 vs. Vanderbilt Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Conn. TBA
10/08/10 at Rutgers * TV Rutgers Stadium, New Brunswick, N.J. 7:30 p.m. ET
10/23/10 at Louisville * Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Louisville, Kent. TBA
10/29/10 vs. West Virginia * TV Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Conn. 8:00 p.m. ET
11/11/10 vs. Pittsburgh * TV Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Conn. 7:30 p.m. ET
11/20/10 at Syracuse * Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y. TBA
11/27/10 vs. Cincinnati * Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Conn. TBA
12/04/10 at USF * TV Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla. TBA
Two games are locked into SNY -- Texas Southern and Temple. There are 4 other potential games on the schedule that could be on SNY.
Now, this decision will be made 12 days before the telecast. ESPN has the option to take any of these games and put them on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU. I am not sure of ESPN3 internet broadcasting.
Sept. 25 against Buffalo likely isn't going to be picked up as an ESPN, 2/U game. This one is a good candidate for BE Game of the Week which would put it on SNY.
Oct. 2 against Vanderbilt could also be on SNY. But, the SEC/Big East matchup makes me think we will see this one on ESPNU at a minimum.
Oct. 23 against Louisville looks like another ESPNU game.
Nov. 20 against Syracuse. This game has traditionally been a BE game of the Week, and I would think unless both teams are contenders (not expecting Cuse to be there) that this one would be on SNY as a Game of the Week.
Nov. 27 Cincinnati. I imagine this one will be on ESPNU at a minimum.
So, if your cable outlet has ESPNU and SNY, you are going to be in heaven.
If you are in a Cox household you might want to start calling the company. The JIs office is in Manchester and we don't get SNY here. Jeff Hathaway has Cox Cable at home, and he doesn't get SNY either.
As my friend Matt Buckler -- best TV writer in the state -- has pointed out these are going to be contentious hearings. First off, in Enfield's Cox system, they don't carry the YES Network that has made Yankee fans irate. So, now, Cox is going to offer Mets game, but not Yankees games?
If Cox says no, and won't put SNY on a expanded basic (doubt SNY would accept being in the sports tier), then it looks like UConn fans in these areas could be shutout of a maximum of 6 UConn games, and asurredly already 2.
Basketball season would be a disaster for these communities as 13 games would be unavailable. Can Cox Communications really shut out the Manchester and Enfield areas from UConn men's basketball and football games?
It could happen. If Cablevision can take Yankees out of NYC, then anything can happen. Perhaps, people should start looking into ATT U-Verse or a dish.
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