ethanm Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 ESPN announced they are creating a new network set to launch next spring called ESPNU that will cover college sports including hockey. I'm guessing you'll see the opening round NCAA playoff games on this network. Hopefully, they'll also have a game of the week or something similar to give college hockey more national exposure during the regular season. ESPNU: College sports initiative to launch in March 2005 ESPN will launch a new multimedia college sports initiative in March 2005 that includes a new 24-hour television network and content from ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine. ESPNU will also include information from ESPN Radio, ESPN Mobile (wireless) and ESPN Broadband, George Bodenheimer, the president of ESPN and ABC Sports, said in making the announcement Tuesday. Tuesday was also the 25th anniversary of the launch of ESPN. "The college sports fan and ESPN have built a passionate bond that's 25 years strong," Bodenheimer said. "ESPNU will offer a broad variety of ESPN-branded college product across all of our entities, which will enhance our relationship with fans and colleges, and provide value to our affiliates and advertisers." The highest-profile facet of the new initiative will be the ESPNU television network, which will carry approximately 300 games live -- primarily Division I football and men's and women's basketball -- in the first year. The network will also cover baseball, softball, volleyball, lacrosse, hockey, wrestling, spring football and select high school football games. It will also carry regular-season and NCAA championships, along with replays of games on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and the company's regional networks. Also Tuesday, ESPN announced that ESPN2 HD, the company's second high-definition service, will launch in January. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakotadan Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 I have heard talk about this for a while but am glad to hear it is a go. I understand the emphasis on fb and bb but I hope they really don't forget about the other sports they have listed. It would be great to see some DII and DIII games of the week. If they are going to show high school, why not DII and DIII. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwing77 Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 Absolutely! You'll get to see more DI and add in DII and DIII basketball. PLUS, get this, big time prep hisgh school basketball!!! There will be the occasional bone thrown out to the lesser DIA and DIAA football games and perhaps DI baseball, but I expect DI hockey to be kept at a relatively uncommon occurrance outside of the playoffs or HEA on this network. Remember, ESPN stands for Eastern Sports Promotion Network. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#1siouxfan22 Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 I think this will be good if they actually play some hockey on there. Personally i think the sioux will get hosed an only be played on there during the finals like someone already said. but my question is will this channel be on basic cable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 I'm sure ESPNU will have better luck getting on to cable than CSTV has had. ESPN does have the name recognition and will be carrying more 'mayor' sports. But each of their "other" networks took a long time to get on most cable systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakotadan Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 I sure hope that it is on basic cable. I am not a huge fan of pro-sports. I would much rather watch a DIII college game than a pro. It woud be great if espnu and cstv are next to each other on the tube, I will spend the rest of my life switching between those two channels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisonfan1234 Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 Absolutely! You'll get to see more DI and add in DII and DIII basketball. PLUS, get this, big time prep hisgh school basketball!!! There will be the occasional bone thrown out to the lesser DIA and DIAA football games and perhaps DI baseball, but I expect DI hockey to be kept at a relatively uncommon occurrance outside of the playoffs or HEA on this network. Remember, ESPN stands for Eastern Sports Promotion Network. ESPN is in CT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwing77 Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 ESPN is in CT. Yes, Bristol, CT in fact. However, I value a channel that values all sports, giving equal time to all teams with the distinction of being #1. They gave the 'Canes time, OK time, whomever was basketball's #1 time, Lakers way too much time, Yanks and BoSox time.... yet they don't have the time for the #1 DI hockey team, whomever it is, provided the team isn't located in New England. That's why I will wait and see with this ESPNU if it is anything more than another vehicle for Eastern Sports Promotion and even more basketball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmrg74 Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 ESPN is in CT. Thank you Captain Obvious!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethanm Posted September 9, 2004 Author Share Posted September 9, 2004 I have the feeling that ESPNU will get picked up fairly quickly by the sat. and cable companies. If not, they could do what they did when ESPN2 was launched and put a huge bball game (ex. North Carolina-Duke) on the channel every year to get people to call in and complain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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