Expansion and obsolescence of TV networks

[BA96MA99]

Looks like there isn't a Big Ten Expansion thread started yet today, so here goes:

Just listened to the Black Heart Gold Pants podcast. They interviewed Missouri and Texas bloggers about Big Ten expansion. Texas guy said a very interesting thing--

You have to think about where technology is heading, and how football games are distributed. With the internet, television networks may be obsolete in a few years. The Big Ten may have gotten their network just in time to make a ton of money--other conferences may have missed the boat.

Hmmm. I'm not saying he's right, but it makes you wonder how this affects what Texas, Notre Dame, and the Big Ten presidents are thinking. Or if they even know where technology is right now.

 

[cuinknk]

I disagree. I just cannot see a group of people at bar, or a party at someone's house, where everybody is huddled around a computer monitor, rather than a large HDTV. At least not in the near future.

 

[BA96MA99]

Right. Again, I'm not saying he's right. I'm just saying it's an interesting take on it.

But you are missing the point too--we won't be huddled around a computer monitor. The large HDTVs will be hooked up straight to the Internet. Some of them already are. Forget DirecTV, Dish, Mediacom, etc. That's the point.

Anybody can set up their own network out of a garage. Or athletic office.

Texas could create their own "network" online tomorrow.

 

[Ozhawk]

I disagree. I just cannot see a group of people at bar, or a party at someone's house, where everybody is huddled around a computer monitor, rather than a large HDTV. At least not in the near future.

I totally agree. TO broadcast a game in any format you have to have TV cameras and commentators along with a huge production crew.

The comment about streaming webcasts of games makes it sound like a webcam will be stuck up in a stadium or somthing.

You still need a network to send out a signal to whatever device is going to display it.

 

[thetrza]

Are we talking about internet streams of TV Networks themselves? With commercials and everything else? Thats not exactly the obselescence of TV Networks.

 

[BA96MA99]

I totally agree. TO broadcast a game in any format you have to have TV cameras and commentators along with a huge production crew.

The comment about streaming webcasts of games makes it sound like a webcam will be stuck up in a stadium or somthing.

You still need a network to send out a signal to whatever device is going to display it.

I'm not talking about cheap webcams. You guys are so stuck in the 1990s.

Yes, real HD cameras, real crews, real everything... but not on cable. Not on DirecTV.

Take your current Internet speed and multiply it by ten in four years, pay the same amount of money. You'll get streaming, live, high quality HD video. And you won't have to subscribe to a cable carrier or satellite company.

And, yes, the University of Texas could set up their own network like this tomorrow.

 

[cuinknk]

I'm not talking about cheap webcams. You guys are so stuck in the 1990s.

Yes, real HD cameras, real crews, real everything... but not on cable. Not on DirecTV.

Take your current Internet speed and multiply it by ten in four years, pay the same amount of money. You'll get streaming, live, high quality HD video. And you won't have to subscribe to a cable carrier or satellite company.

And, yes, the University of Texas could set up their own network like this tomorrow.

With the Big 12's TV contract, they need to.