Poll

Are you willing to switch TV providers to watch the Pac-12 Network?
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Leading Off: New Pac-12 Network isn't for everyone

Published: Sunday, Sep. 2, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 1C
Last Modified: Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012 - 12:09 am

We sure enjoyed watching Pacific-12 football – 11 games in all – the past three days.

But unless you're a Comcast cable subscriber, only seven of those games were available to most of you.

Four games – including Friday's Stanford opener and Saturday's Cal opener – were broadcast by the new Pac-12 Network, which thus far only has an agreement with Comcast (Channel 434; Channel 823 for HD) among the five largest TV providers in our region.

The first week of the college football season has been played, and the fledgling network still hasn't reached agreements with DirecTV, Dish Network, AT&T and Surewest, leaving many TV viewers here in the dark.

The stalemate got testy last week, with Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott suggesting folks switch providers.

"If you're one of the fans who won't be satisfied without Pac-12 football … we recommend finding Pac-12 Networks with another television provider," Scott said in what the conference called an "open letter" to fans.

And here's what DirecTV spokesman Robert Mercer had to say about the impasse in a statement last week: "The vast majority of Pac-12 football games featuring the most popular teams with national-title implications remain available to all DirecTV customers" on other networks, such as ESPN and Fox.

The Pac-12 Network has exclusive rights to 10 more nonconference and 20 conference football games this season and plans to broadcast more than 135 basketball games, along with scores of other sports.

Will you be able to watch?

What to watch

Baseball, Giants at Chicago Cubs, 11:20 a.m., CSNBA: Is there a better way to enjoy a Sunday morning brunch?

Today's poll

Are you willing to switch TV providers to watch the Pac-12 Network?

• Yes

• No

Vote above or leave your comments in the comment field; or, go to www.sacbee.com/sports

Friday's results

What is your favorite football rivalry?

• 49ers-Giants: 23%

• Raiders-Chiefs: 12%

• Stanford-Cal: 35%

• CBS-Jesuit: 12%

• Grant-Nevada Union: 18%

Total votes: 378

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

Read more articles by Tom Couzens



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