Here's an excerpt from MuiltiChannel News.com. It sounds as if PAC12 net negotiations with DISH will not be completed by launch date (8/15). However, the news conference expressed optimism about eventual carriage.
The full article can be seen here:
Pac-12 Networks Adds More NCTC Affiliates, Continues Negotiations with Satellite, Telco Providers - 2012-08-11 01:59:00 | Multichannel News
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During an Aug. 10 conference call with reporters Gary Stevenson, president of Pac-12 Enterprises, the content and multiplatform media company for the collegiate conference that bears its name, announced that the Pac-12 Networks had added eight more affiliates to its camp: Strata Networks and All West Communications in Utah; San Bruno Cable in the Bay Area; GCI in Alaska; LocalTel in Seattle; Ashland in Oregon; and CC Communications in Nevada.
Pac-12 also has a pact with Suddenlink, but was still working on what markets and networks the cable operator would offer, according to Stevenson.
With the most recent spate of deals,
earlier NCTC agreements and
charter affiliate pacts with Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks and Cox, Stevenson said at this point Pac-12 Networks would pass up to 48 million U.S. homes as launch.
Stevenson discussed how providers are positioning the services. "A lot [of MVPDs] outside the six-state footprint are putting it on a sports tier. At this point, Cox has decided not to put it on a sports tier [in Oklahoma City and several other markets]," he noted. "We find it a little bit curious... I'm sure fans in Oklahoma who have Cox would want to let them know they want to see that game." Oklahoma State plays Arizona in football on Sept. 8.
He remains optimistic that the Pac-12 Networks' distribution roster will grow as it continues to press for carriage deals with DirecTV, Dish Network, Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse, among other affiliates.
"We're working at it day and night. We're having great conversations and are looking to work out business deals that make sense for the both of us," said Stevenson, adding. "We're perfectionists: we want everybody, but only have 50% of the vote."
Asked if he thought Pac-12 would have one or more of the aforementioned quartet on board by Wednesday's kickoff, Stevenson replied: "There is nothing we've heard that is discouraging from any of them. We don't expect all of them will be on at launch, but as we talk about our content, our fans who are the customers of those distributors will get what they want."