There were 9,297 people on hand last year when the down-on-their-luck Runnin’ Utes turned the MWC upside-down with a stunning defeat of No. 13 Air Force. Thanks to two prideful companies, maybe a handful more people watched the magic on the tube.
Thankfully, the lack of exposure is no more. After all the crying and shouting, The Mtn. has finally agreed to terms with DirecTV to allow its channel to truly be broadcasted to a nation-wide audience.
I know I speak for the vast majority — at least in Utah — when I say that it is about damn time.
I’m not a lawyer, and I don’t know all of the fundamental elements of big business. What I do know is that it shouldn’t take nearly two years for the vast majority of a conference’s fans to be able to watch its games.
Over the last two years, we’ve seen a great deal of things. We’ve seen Mitchell reports, a historic Super Bowl upset and Britney Spears’ meteoric fall from grace. We’ve also seen Spygate, Bondsgate and just about every other type of gate imaginable.
But unless you were at the games or had Comcast, you haven’t been able to see your alma mater take on their rivals. Many Utah fans didn’t get to see the Runnin’ Utes pull off their improbable upset of the Falcons. Some BYU fans didn’t get to see ‘Fourth-and-28.’ Many Colorado State fans didn’t get to see the time when?umm?well, they really haven’t missed much, but you get the point.
With a deal finally struck between the two entities, many MWC fans can actually watch the games they’ve heard so much about.
No longer do we have to watch those mtn. plugs that encouraged fans to “pick up the phone and call your satellite provider and demand they pick up The Mtn. today!”
They have finally reached an agreement. The Mtn. and DirecTV probably had to give in and settle on a deal that they didn’t necessarily want in order for it work, but I’m glad they finally decided to swallow their pride and settle it.
I’m sure that Mountain West Conference Commissioner Craig Thompson was breathing a sigh of relief last weekend when the deal was announced. Thompson — and probably every athletic director in the conference — thought a national audience would be able to see MWC games shortly after they signed the contract giving The Mtn. exclusive rights to broadcast.
But it didn’t happen. It took an unnecessary amount of time and an unnecessary amount of bitching and moaning before something was done.
I’ve heard Utah athletic director Chris Hill say that when the conference’s contract with ESPN ran out a few years ago, MWC schools could either bite the bullet and take a lowball contract from ESPN that would televise minimal games or find an alternative.
They chose the latter.
Now almost two years down the line, Thompson, Hill and the rest involved can rest easy. I’m sure they would agree that it’s about damn time.