New website rolled out yesterday I believe. The next move in ESPN ramping up Sooner sports coverage.

http://espn.go.com/colleges/oklahoma/

Just a matter of time before the Sooner Nation gets its own Sooner Network! ESPN likes what it sees in Oklahoma and since NBC has Notre Dame, it will be no surprise when they (ESPN) offers the University of Oklahoma something comparable to the Texas Longhorn Network. ESPN will be doing this with several major universities.

ESPN ALL ACCESS was a preview and a hit showcasing summer preparation for Sooner football.

Does the Longhorn Network really exist if no one can watch it? Verizon FiOS is still the only system to come to an agreement with them. If they don't come to an agreement with Time Warner Cable before the Rice game on Saturday there are going to be a bunch of upset Whorn fans since there are only a few suburban communities that have Verizon FiOS. Time Warner Cable is the primary provider for the City of Austin, AT&T U-Verse and Directv/Dish are the only other options, Verizon FiOS isn't an option.

I think that the Longhorn Network will ultimately be a failure and the "school networks" will become an idea that fades away, only $25 million of the $300 million contract is guaranteed and I would bet there are plenty of escape clauses for both sides if it is a bust. Ultimately I think NCAA rulings will effectively kill it off.

The K-State "online network" makes much more sense, it isn't reliant on cable/satellite providers to pay for it. Not as much money but will pretty much have the same type of programming that the LHN will have.

Wouldn't it be funny if the thing that destroyed the Big 12, and some school associations that date back over a hundred years, is a crappy network that falls flat on it's face?

Oh wait... that would not be funny at all. Texas is stupid.

2 days!!!! Woooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

What is the difference between this and the page they already had for OU football; is it more reporting, just a reskin and/or something else?

http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/201/oklahoma-sooners

It looks like reality is slapping ut and ESPN in the face. Although its still very early in the game (since it only launched a month ago), I don't think either ESPN or ut anticipated the difficulty in lining up cable and sat providers to carry the LHN (AKA, espnMOO). I suspect ESPN is secretly hoping OU and ut end up jumping to the PAC12, as it would give them an out to renegotiate a more realistic contract, and regionalize the coverage to include Texas Tech. I think they all (including aTm) overestimated the market appeal of a ut network carrying 1 or 2 blowout football games and little else.

What is the difference between this and the page they already had for OU football; is it more reporting, just a reskin and/or something else?

http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/201/oklahoma-sooners

The intent is to cover more OU sports than football. (Disclosure. Even though I'm an OU alumnus and do watch a game or too, I'm mainly following this because I have a friend who writes for this new page.)