October 01, 2002
Why isn't this game on television? Why isn't the game offered on pay-per-view? Why has one school been on TV every week while mine has been on just once? All are common questions, and all can be answered by a closer examination of the Big 12's television agreement, which through the networks governs how league games get on the tube. Big 12 games will be broadcast on one of three outlets: ABC, FOX Sports Net, and TBS Superstation. The Big 12 television agreement covers Big 12 home games only. League schools will appear only on ABC, FSN or TBS when they are playing at home as per the agreement. So, if you see a game on any other network, it is a road game and part of the opposing team's league TV package. An example: Texas A&M's game at Pittsburgh this season was on ESPN, who televises Big East football. The networks (ABC, FOX Sports Net/TBS, FOX Sports Net) select games for broadcast 12 days prior to kickoff. ABC gets the first selection(s), followed by FOX Sports Net/TBS (whoever has the game that week), and then FOX Sports Net will select their regionally televised game. Another network cannot pick up a game not selected for broadcast by Big 12-affiliated networks. It is not allowed per the agreement. CBS or ESPN, for example, cannot pick up a game that wasn't chosen for broadcast because it is not allowed by the Big 12 television agreement. Most other leagues have similar agreements with their networks. Now, if it seems that one team has been on TV a lot in the non-conference season, take a look at its schedule and see where the games are being played. Colorado, for example, played Colorado State in Denver to open the season. The game, technically a CSU home game, was picked up by ESPN2 as part of their Mountain West Conference package. When the Buffaloes played at UCLA, ABC did televise the game, but that was as part of its Pac-10 package. This allowed Texas A&M's home game with Virginia Tech to be shown on ABC as well but not in the same markets. League officials also discourage Big 12 teams from playing Friday night home games, because of the crossover effect it causes with high school football. For example, both Oklahoma and Texas Tech have played Friday night games this season but both were on the road. Here's a more detailed breakdown of how television selection works. ABC The game selected for ABC will then kickoff at 2:30 p.m. (Central) and will be televised regionally on local affiliates nationwide. ABC usually airs four games each week in that time slot, with coverage area set by the network, depending on the teams selected. ABC can and will utilize what's known as a "six-day window" two to three times each year. In that instance, ABC will announce they will show either game "A" or game "B", and will decide which six days prior to kickoff. This gives them a shot at the best match-up possible and eliminates the issue of a team losing between initial selection and broadcast (as can happen with a 12-day window), thus downplaying the previously selected match-up. FOX Sports Net/TBS will then announce they will pick up whichever game ABC doesn't select. On occasion, ABC will televise Big 12 "doubleheaders", showing games at both 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.. Sometimes this includes a night game as well. This, again, is ABC's decision and there is no limit to the amount of times the network may do this. ABC and the rest of the networks will usually make its picks for the first three weeks of the season sometime in June or early July. Therefore, the 12-day window usually doesn't come into effect until the games of mid-September. FOX SPORTS NET/TBS After ABC picks its game for broadcast, TBS and FOX network officials confer and decide which game they want to air. The networks ideally try to get all league teams one home game on television in either the 11:30 a.m. or 6 p.m. time slot, but that is not required. TBS will carry either five or six of the 11 games, with FOX Sports Net airing the remaining contests. If the game is on TBS, it will be aired nationally and carried on virtually every cable outlet. If the game is carried by FSN, most all of the over 20 regional affiliates of FOX Sports Net will air the game, barring conflict with a local professional sporting event or the like. FOX SPORTS NET This time slot was, in the past, the one occupied by the Big 12 Television Network, a group of over-the-air stations (non-cable) around the country that would carry the 11:30 game. The 2002 season marks the first time the 11:30 game will be carried by FOX Sports Net affiliates, and greatly increases the viewing area able to watch the contest. As mentioned before, the network ideally tries to get all league teams one home game on television at either 11:30 a.m. or 6 p.m., but that is not required. FOX Sports Net will carry nine weeks of Big 12 football in the 11:30 a.m. time slot. PAY-PER-VIEW After the networks have selected the games to be shown in a specific week, the final possible option is pay-per-view. The decision to offer a football game on a pay-per-view basis lies with the home team, although several restrictions do apply. First and foremost, the visiting team must agree to allow the game to be offered on a pay-per-view basis, which usually isn't an issue. Secondly, a PPV cannot conflict with an ABC over-the-air broadcast of a Big 12 game. For instance, a game scheduled to kick at 1 p.m. cannot be offered on a pay-per-view basis because it would overlap with ABC's usual 2:30 time slot. Now, if ABC is not offering a 2:30 game that week, for whatever reason, the overlap would not be an issue. Fans may remember A&M's games at Colorado and at Texas Tech in 2001 offered on a pay-per-view basis, with kickoffs around 1 p.m. local time. That was an option for one simple reason-ABC didn't air a Big 12 game either of those weeks. Finally, FOX Sports Net has to approve all pay-per-views. Since FOX is usually the entity producing the PPV, as was the case in last weekend's A&M/Louisiana Tech contest, this is usually not an issue either. One thing to remember about pay-per-view broadcasts is that the revenue generated after production costs that makes its way back to the participating schools is usually very minimal. |
As the anchor of the Big 12's TV agreement, ABC gets the first selection every week. Network executives will sit down with the league schedule, decide which match-up will create the most interest, and pick it for broadcast. 
The newest member of the Big 12 television family is TBS Superstation, which will team with FOX Sports Net to carry 11 weeks of Big 12 Conference football on national television in the 6 p.m. time slot.
FOX Sports Net gets the final pick of the three, and this game will be shown on some of the FOX Sports Net affiliates at 11:30 a.m.