The University of Texas and Bristol sports programmer ESPN defended the $300 million Longhorn Network amid uncertainty over whether Texas A&M will remain in the Big 12 after expressing concern over its archrival’s exclusive television outlet, The Associated Press reports.
The Longhorn Network launches next week. Although Texas is not the first school to have its own sports network, it’s the first time ESPN will be behind one.
“The opportunities are just huge for each (Big 12) institution,” Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said. “I think as time goes by we’ll all learn how to better use those opportunities and get past somebody having a network.”
Texas A&M may not be willing to wait. The Aggies are considering leaving the Big 12 and have reached out to the Southeastern Conference. A&M president R. Bowen Loftin said this week there is no timetable for a decision, but that whatever happens will boil down to “visibility for us and our athletes and our financial resources.”
A&M leaving the Big 12 would almost surely set off another round of conference realignment.
