Last Updated on June 5, 2014
DISH has reached a wide-ranging deal with The Walt Disney Company, which includes Longhorn Network and SEC Network. The channels are headed to your DISH lineup in time for college football season this fall if you have the America’s Top 120+ and higher packages.
Longhorn Network, which launched in 2011, will see its distribution numbers double with the DISH deal, and DISH is the first nationwide provider to announce it will carry SEC Network. AT&T U-Verse has also committed to carrying the SEC Network, but the cable company is currently available in just 22 states to 5.5 million subscribers.
Both Longhorn Network and SEC Network will be available to DISH subscribers both at home and on-the-go, allowing fans to view live and on-demand content on their computers, tablets and mobile devices.
Longhorn Network features more than 175 athletic events a year, including at least one University of Texas non-conference football game each year. Last year, LHN aired three games: two non-conference games against New Mexico State and Ole Miss, and one conference game against Kansas. LHN also airs coaches’ shows and pre- and post-game coverage, along with events from 20 sports, academic and cultural programming.
SEC Network launches this August and will air more than 1,000 live events, including three football games each Saturday. In addition, more than 100 men’s basketball games, 60 women’s basketball games, 75 baseball games, and 50 softball games and events from other SEC sports will be featured on SEC Network for the 2014-2015 school year. SEC Network will also air a College GameDay-like show on Saturday mornings called SEC Nation, which will feature Tim Tebow as an analyst.
In addition to the other new offerings, DISH subscribers will also get access to WatchESPN for the first time with the new deal, along with ESPN Goal Line and ESPN Buzzer Beater. ESPNEWS, ESPNU will also launch in high definition on DISH with the new agreement, and ESPN Classic will be offered as a video-on-demand channel. In addition, the new deal gives DISH subscribers a host of Disney and ABC on-demand products.
Kristi A. Dosh is an attorney and founder of BusinessofCollegeSports.com. Her latest book on the business of college football, Saturday Millionaires, is available now. Visit SaturdayMillionaires.com for retailers and a sneak peak at the first chapter! Follow her on Twitter: @SportsBizMiss.
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