An SEC Network? Yes please!

College football spring meetings aren't always the most exciting events, though they can help bridge the void between spring practice and summer workouts. This year's SEC meetings, however have provided fans of the conference with something to think about regarding television coverage. That's right, they might be able to enjoy their very own TV network.

The league's contracts with its network partners expire in the next year, prompting SEC leadership to start preliminary negotiations as to whether to extend those deals or create a new plan for SEC sports on television.

"All that stuff is very much on the table right now," UF Athletic Director Jeremy Foley said. "Where it stands, how viable it is, time will tell."

League officials continue to study the feasibility of an SEC Network, which could launch as soon as the fall of 2009. The channel could be modeled upon similar endeavors by the NFL, the Big Ten and the Mountain West Conference.

Raycom Sports executive producer Jimmy Rayburn said Tuesday he expects the league to decide on a channel by the end of this calendar year. Regardless of that decision, Rayburn said he expects the SEC to maintain working deals with major national networks, likely CBS and ESPN. If an SEC Network becomes reality, Raycom could help produce and distribute games, as it does now for the league.

Obviously, making the decision on having the channel at all is a big first step, but that would surely be followed with lengthy discussions on how it's going to be carried. So far, the Big 10 Network hasn't had the easiest time with respect to carriage rights. Though, the SEC is probably a more widely popular conference, and would likely have an easier time being priced reasonably on a variety of broadcast companies' tiers. Or maybe the Big 10 has had a problem because their commissioner, Jim Delaney, is a jerk. Whatever the case may be, having a network fully devoted to SEC sports would be an awesome thing. Though, the cost of replacing TV's because of the channel's awesomeness destroying them could get up there.


SEC Network set to launch in 3...2...1...

The Orlando Magic Pull A Vanishing Act

Usually, a sports franchise is always trying to find new ways to build its fanbase. Whether it's hiring popular coaches(whoops!), signing valuable(riiight...) free agents or playing exhibition games overseas, maximizing your team's visibility and popularity is vital for its longterm success. Which is what makes this Orlando Magic TV so odd.

This summer, the Magic sold the rights to 35 of their games, including 14 of the first 18, to Fox Sports Network/Florida, even though the channel is not offered by Central Florida's largest cable provider, Bright House Networks. Tonight's game is one of the 42 that will be available to Bright House customers on Sun Sports.

Awesome! So, you want to maximize your fanbase, but end up selling the TV rights to almost half of them to a network that many fans, and potential fans, don't receive. And exactly how did this happen?

FSN/Florida has been trying to crack Bright House's local lineup for years and figured snagging the Magic games would mean a spot on Bright House. The Magic assumed that the two sides would be able to reach a deal. But so far, Bright House and FSN/Florida have not come to terms. The biggest hurdle has been the placement of FSN/Florida in Bright House's offerings. FSN/Florida wants its channel included in Bright House's expanded basic cable package while Bright House thinks it belongs in its digital package, which is about $8 more per month.

So, basically the Magic sold their rights without too much consideration as to who would actually be able to view the games if the present structure stayed intact(which it has). And approximately how many viewers are being left in the dark?

Chris Fenger, the president of Bright House Network's Central Florida division, said the Magic created the situation by choosing to air the games on a station they knew wasn't available to 850,000 customers.

Obviously, not all 850k of those customers are Magic fans, but there is probably a decent amount within that segment. I'm sure that whatever the number is they're all thrilled that their favorite NBA team recklessly sold the TV rights and screwed them in the process. With this TV deal in place it's almost as if the Magic have swapped out the N and A for an M and L.