EUGENE, Ore. (KMTR) -- Thousands of Duck fans with satellite TV may not be able to catch the next couple football games in the comfort of their own home as the Pac-12 Network remains without a deal to air its new channel on DirecTV or Dish Network.
The Pac-12 Network is wrapped up in what appears to be a bitter contract negotiation with the two major satellite providers that may leave Duck fans hanging out to dry.
The new network is broadcasting 35 football games this season. Come the start of the 2012-13 basketball season, every single game will at least be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network, if not on other major networks.
If the Pac-12 Network and satellite providers cannot come to a deal by Saturday, September 4, 2012, it would be one of the biggest blackouts of Duck games on TV for Oregon residents in recent years.
DirecTV was recently quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle as saying, “most teams with national title implications remain available to all DirecTV customers” through its litany of other sports channels like ESPN, Fox Sports and others.
In response, the Pac-12 drafted an open letter to fans, urging them to switch to another cable provider.
“If you're one of the fans who won't be satisfied without Pac-12 football, or our more than 135 men's basketball games and hundreds of other live events, we recommend finding Pac-12 Networks with another television provider,” says the Pac-12 Network.
University of Oregon Athletics Department representatives say while the UO has heard from many fans about wanting the Pac 12 Network on satellite, the department can't advocate much more than it already has for providers to carry the network.
"Pac-12 continues to work with all providers to try to get it on television. DirecTV is obviously a big one; DirecTV has always shown a commitment to sports and by DirecTV not putting the Pac-12 network on, they're basically telling fans that they don't think the Pac-12 is very important,” says Craig Pintens, an Associate Athletic Director for the University of Oregon
The UO Athletics Department says if fans want to see the games, now is the time to step up, contact their satellite provider and tell them they want the channel.
If you’d like to see if you get the channel or send a petition for your provider to carry the network, click the following link: http://iwantpac12networks.goducks.com.
As for local cable providers, Comcast and Bend Broadband have reached deals to carry the Pac-12 Network. However, Charter Communications, which covers much of southwest Oregon, still doesn’t have a deal with the Pac-12.
Many internet sports writers believe it will take a high-stakes football game to force satellite providers hand in making a deal.
One of the biggest football games that the Pac 12 Network will air this season is Cal versus USC on September 22nd. If a last minute deal is made, many providers have the technological capability to switch the broadcast to their service in a matter of minutes .
