Should PACN drop the regional networks?

[Highlander]

I enjoy myself a legacy Buff game from time to time. 6 channels of it 24x7 where it is only a 50/50 chance that content is CU and not Utah? Yeah, no. Doesn't work.

Set up an app and set up that **** as streaming content and then have one main broadcast channel along with overrun broadcast channels as needed.

 

[BuffWarHog]

They should really look at the HBONow model as well. For those with just basic cable, or no cable, you just get the app and then pay for the content as a stand-alone. $15/month, $xxx/football season, $yyy/year, and etc. and again, this could be on any media box or PED.

 

[MiamiBuffs]

They should really look at the HBONow model as well. For those with just basic cable, or no cable, you just get the app and then pay for the content as a stand-alone. $15/month, $xxx/football season, $yyy/year, and etc. and again, this could be on any media box or PED.

Then you'd probably only get alums.
Most of your users would only be within your footprint.
You lose the ability to showcase the schools in the conference nationally. Which is why I think they want to be in the same basic tiers as SEC and B1G channels.
I dont think its just about money.

The future is more bandwith, not less. So dropping the regional channels isnt that big a deal.

Maybe the goal should be to get the National only Satellite and Cable. Then you use your credentials to log in on your AppleTV to see the regionals.

 

[Highlander]

One other thing:

As long as Larry Scott is in charge, I don't anticipate any changes. This was his brain child, and he won't want to come clean and admit to it being more of a brain fart. I would expect the President's would either need to strong arm him or replace him to switch to an OTT streaming plus one broadcast channel (or any other significant changes) direction.

 

[BuffWarHog]

Then you'd probably only get alums.
Most of your users would only be within your footprint.
You lose the ability to showcase the schools in the conference nationally. Which is why I think they want to be in the same basic tiers as SEC and B1G channels.
I dont think its just about money.

The future is more bandwith, not less. So dropping the regional channels isnt that big a deal.

Maybe the goal should be to get the National only Satellite and Cable. Then you use your credentials to log in on your AppleTV to see the regionals.

No - you still have the National Channel. Like you would still have regular HBO with cable and all the associated channels, for those that live in an area that supports them. But for those that don't live in a area that supports either the Pac-12 Network or you're renting a house where they won't let you put up a satellite antenna or those crazy cord cutting bastards - a PAC-12 Now would be the perfect way to reach them. I.e. - Tampa didn't have any cable providers that carried the Pac-12 network when I lived there a few years ago. Cox cable in VABeach ONLY has the national channel; none of the regionals.
If you have cable with the Pac-12 network, then you would be able to download the Pac-12 Go app for Apple TV/Roku, etc and use your credentials to sign on (which would be beneficial to me).

 

[CarmelBuff]

Very odd you post this now. I have Spectrum, used to be Brighthouse, and even though I cant watch the rest of the Pac channels they all display on the cable menu. Tonight I tuned in and the Pac channel is still there but I now have ESPN College Sports Extra 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 instead of the rest of the Pac networks

 

[onealcd]

My question is when streaming becomes economical and efficient if bars start going that route rather than satellite. Once that happens directv will become obsolete and the leverage comes back to the pac 12.

 

[BuffWarHog]

Very odd you post this now. I have Spectrum, used to be Brighthouse, and even though I cant watch the rest of the Pac channels they all display on the cable menu. Tonight I tuned in and the Pac channel is still there but I now have ESPN College Sports Extra 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 instead of the rest of the Pac networks

I think you're making my argument for me...

 

[skibum]

My question is when streaming becomes economical and efficient if bars start going that route rather than satellite. Once that happens directv will become obsolete and the leverage comes back to the pac 12.

It's not just bandwidth and cost: the required licenses are much different (and more expensive) for a commercial operation than a residence - and, to my knowledge, the streaming providers don't even have a commercial option available right now.

 

[BuffWarHog]

PAC-12 Network is such a failure. They just had a commercial that said "Buffs battle the Bears in the first conference matchup of the season." SMFH

 

[ahoelsken]

PAC-12 Network is such a failure. They just had a commercial that said "Buffs battle the Bears in the first conference matchup of the season." SMFH

I don't love the product, either, but these two games arent on TV if not for it. I like the regional networks, and here's why. Had our game run late today, UCLA fans would have been able to flip to Pac 12 LA for the start of their game. Make it easy on people to find their games when others run late.

 

[C-DubBuff93]

Today was so terribly called, so many mistakes terrible to listen to

 

[BuffWarHog]

I don't love the product, either, but these two games arent on TV if not for it. I like the regional networks, and here's why. Had our game run late today, UCLA fans would have been able to flip to Pac 12 LA for the start of their game. Make it easy on people to find their games when others run late.

I am full agreement that we need the Pac-12 Network and we need other "regional" capabilities. However, for example, I don't have the regionals on my cable and there is no organic way to watch them on my TV. If I have to watch something on Pac-12 Mountain or whatever, i have to with just watch it on my iPhone or steam it from my phone to my apple tv. So ghetto. I'm just wondering why the Pac-12 can't have an app like ESPN, SEC, ACC, etc have. THEN, i'm also wondering that with all the cord cutters out there and people in areas where their cable doesn't support Pac-12 Networks, and the Pac-12 is so concerned about expanding its brand - why don't they have an a la cart method to consume their product.

Today was so terribly called, so many mistakes terrible to listen to

HOWEVER - they way they execute this product is horrible. Like C-Dub mentioned, so may mistakes by the announcers, who by the way (an I love Bloom to death) sound like high school or public radio announcers. All of them. Then they comment over the ref's calls. The production team consistently comes back to live action from commercials late - can't count how many times a play has already been run when coming back from commercials. Or cutting to commercials before it's time. The audio is atrocious, and often times there is some sort of crackle or his that sounds like it's going to blow my speakers. I have to change channels just to make sure it's the Pac-12 channel and not my stereo.
And don't ever get me started on the app. That thing freezes like the app designers were like "what's more important, smoothly streaming the content, or making this the most annoying, buggy, ****ty, app in the entire App Store? I think the latter. Let's go with that."

But they've got me by the balls. There's no other option. F you Adam Smith.

 

[tante]

My question is when streaming becomes economical and efficient if bars start going that route rather than satellite. Once that happens directv will become obsolete and the leverage comes back to the pac 12.

I can't see that happening for a really long time. Bars pay for cable/satellite because the tech works. Can you imagine a huge playoff game and the picture doesn't work, the app company will blame the broadband and broadband will blame the app all while the bar watches their customers leave.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

I can't see that happening for a really long time. Bars pay for cable/satellite because the tech works. Can you imagine a huge playoff game and the picture doesn't work, the app company will blame the broadband and broadband will blame the app all while the bar watches their customers leave.

Yeah, streaming will have to become the standard method of live sports viewing everywhere before bars adopt it.

 

[Buffnik]

Yeah, streaming will have to become the standard method of live sports viewing everywhere before bars adopt it.

Eventually that's where the technology will lead. How long it takes is anyone's guess.

It's amazing to think that in my lifetime that we've gone from having 3-5 tv channels coming in via antenna, no cable, no Internet, and satellite being a new thing that required a dish the size of what SETI uses these days... to being able to watch just about anything from just about anywhere on my wireless telephone device.

 

[BuffWarHog]

I can't see that happening for a really long time. Bars pay for cable/satellite because the tech works. Can you imagine a huge playoff game and the picture doesn't work, the app company will blame the broadband and broadband will blame the app all while the bar watches their customers leave.

This is why I cancelled my 14 day Sling trial after 6 days. Jittery, no 5.1 surround, prone to freezing.
But I still stand by my Pac-12Go and Pac-12Now theories for streaming boxes for when there's now other option.
Straight up cable for football in HD and 5.1 surround is the best way to go.

 

[onealcd]

Yeah, streaming will have to become the standard method of live sports viewing everywhere before bars adopt it.

Maybe, it just seems like it would be a big money saver for bars if they could just purchase sports channels. They are the ones who would love al la carter more than anyone.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

Maybe, it just seems like it would be a big money saver for bars if they could just purchase sports channels. They are the ones who would love al la carter more than anyone.

I completely agree, but I don't think any of them are going to take a chance on a choppy internet feed, or poor streaming quality until the tech has gotten to the point of satellite/cable reliability. Imagine a place like Buffalo Wild Wings having streaming issues on an NFL Sunday or a UFC Fight Night, which are their biggest money makers for them all year. People would stop going after the first time.

 

[onealcd]

I completely agree, but I don't think any of them are going to take a chance on a choppy internet feed, or poor streaming quality until the tech has gotten to the point of satellite/cable reliability. Imagine a place like Buffalo Wild Wings having streaming issues on an NFL Sunday or a UFC Fight Night, which are their biggest money makers for them all year. People would stop going after the first time.

So basically what we are saying is it is all about the networks themselves right? Bars stream games on espn 3 all the time so if the PAC just made their own streaming service available through the internet they could do that in in bars immediately? Unless one of these big companies like Apple TV comes through with a set of channels streaming is always going to be a little scetch.

 

[ahoelsken]

I am full agreement that we need the Pac-12 Network and we need other "regional" capabilities. However, for example, I don't have the regionals on my cable and there is no organic way to watch them on my TV. If I have to watch something on Pac-12 Mountain or whatever, i have to with just watch it on my iPhone or steam it from my phone to my apple tv. So ghetto. I'm just wondering why the Pac-12 can't have an app like ESPN, SEC, ACC, etc have. THEN, i'm also wondering that with all the cord cutters out there and people in areas where their cable doesn't support Pac-12 Networks, and the Pac-12 is so concerned about expanding its brand - why don't they have an a la cart method to consume their product.

HOWEVER - they way they execute this product is horrible. Like C-Dub mentioned, so may mistakes by the announcers, who by the way (an I love Bloom to death) sound like high school or public radio announcers. All of them. Then they comment over the ref's calls. The production team consistently comes back to live action from commercials late - can't count how many times a play has already been run when coming back from commercials. Or cutting to commercials before it's time. The audio is atrocious, and often times there is some sort of crackle or his that sounds like it's going to blow my speakers. I have to change channels just to make sure it's the Pac-12 channel and not my stereo.
And don't ever get me started on the app. That thing freezes like the app designers were like "what's more important, smoothly streaming the content, or making this the most annoying, buggy, ****ty, app in the entire App Store? I think the latter. Let's go with that."

But they've got me by the balls. There's no other option. F you Adam Smith.

One more thing-the regional networks are great during Basketball out of conference season.....especially when you often have more than one team playing paycheck games in a given night. If this conference wants to expand its brand, the TV deals it has have to improve. We are the only league in the sport with two teams in the top 6 in the coaches poll this week.....and we get 1-2 slots a week that aren't in the silly Pac-12 when everybody east of the Mississippi is asleep windows.

Two ideas to solve this-One, make a deal with ESPN, FOX or both for more access to the Thursday and Friday night windows. Having had several of those ourselves over the last few years, they're not the easiest to attend.....but they're great to watch, and would be a no brainer if the NFL's attempt at Thursday Night Football ends when their contract expires.

Two, add two MWC schools (NOT LITTLE BROTHER) so you can have access to CBSSN and better kick times there.

 

[Buffnik]

One more thing-the regional networks are great during Basketball out of conference season.....especially when you often have more than one team playing paycheck games in a given night. If this conference wants to expand its brand, the TV deals it has have to improve. We are the only league in the sport with two teams in the top 6 in the coaches poll this week.....and we get 1-2 slots a week that aren't in the silly Pac-12 when everybody east of the Mississippi is asleep windows.

Two ideas to solve this-One, make a deal with ESPN, FOX or both for more access to the Thursday and Friday night windows. Having had several of those ourselves over the last few years, they're not the easiest to attend.....but they're great to watch, and would be a no brainer if the NFL's attempt at Thursday Night Football ends when their contract expires.

Two, add two MWC schools (NOT LITTLE BROTHER) so you can have access to CBSSN and better kick times there.

Considering the size of the metros, it's probably UNLV and SDSU if the Pac-12 goes that direction. Becomes very viable with UNLV's new stadium. For SDSU, it all comes down to whether they win the battle for the Qualcomm site vs "Soccer City". If the city decides to go with the SDSU plan of selling that area to the university to create a west campus with a new stadium for them then they would be an easy take imho.

 

[Buffnik]

Money talks. As always.

First public comments I've seen from a member president about emphasizing PACN revenue. (Stefanie Loh is the Seattle Times writer who covers Wazzu.)

Could this mean a more streamlined network that runs more profitably and is packaged better for distribution? In other words, less production costs toward Olympic sports, no regional networks and bare bones streaming options being the way to see most Pac-12 sporting events? I hope so. Hell, I'd be happy if they dropped the regionals and had a PACN2 if they want to have a place for extra content. Many of us would buy it as a stream or app. Some cable & satellite providers would opt to include it on an upper tier sports package. Would be so much better than the current model.

 

[BerkeleyBuff]

Well thank god at least one of them said it.

 

[CUFan]

It's about time. If they don't have the minds in the PAC office to figure this out and get a little more creative, just call up Google or someone. With schools like CAL, Stanford, USC and CU there should be a few creative minds to do this better than other conferences. This network has not been a failure, but it is definitely underperforming relative to others.

 

[onealcd]

Seems like the AD's have been complaining a lot to the Presidents, which is a good thing. A move like this would go a long way towards a deal with DirecTV too.

 

[Buffnik]

Wilner weighed in and he thinks the comments are significant. He also suggests that selling equity is a possibility, which would definitely be a short-term money grab in addition to gaining a partner that has more leverage in carriage negotiations.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/10/...e-concern-about-the-revenue-why-that-matters/
The thing that isn't discussed enough is that the Pac-12 payouts per school are significantly lower despite the fact that the pie is split 12 ways instead of 14 on top of the network being owned 100% instead of 51%. In short, there's not just a significant gap. We're talking about B1GN easily more than doubling the performance of PACN.

 

[BerkeleyBuff]

Other sites that like to chit chat realignment have been increasingly chattering over the possibility of a joint TV rights contract with the PAC and B1G and possibly Big XII. Will be interesting to see what happens in the next few years. In theory, that a win all the way around (obvious on our end, but with the current success of the B1GN would also benefit the B1G if they think taking all those universities' rights to market at once increases the payout for everybody). And does so without having to bother with the mess of "real" realignment.

Do I think it'll happen? Nah. But would be interesting. I'm just glad some PAC officials are starting to complain. The conference can't sustain itself while pulling in $20 million per year less than SEC or B1G teams in TV rights, especially when the real discrepancy in our budgets is even much more due to differences in ticket sales and donations.

 

[jizzrag85]

I’d be all in on a $120 a year subscription, $10 a week. It would be $120 more than they made last year.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

I’d be all in on a $120 a year subscription, $10 a week. It would be $120 more than they made last year.

Maybe for people that have cut the cord and want to purchase it ala carte. For people who still have cable or dish and get P12N as part of a premium sports package, I say **** that noise.