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Fans just happy to see games

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Anonymous | 1:52 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I get the MTN. on Cox cable in San Diego, my wife who doesn't care for sports made the comment it looks like a home video. If you push guide and mimimize your screen its actually fairly clear then again I didn't by a large HDTV to minimize it. Next I'll just chuck my remote and use my toe a la 1978.

brunopuppy | 6:05 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

So the BYU N. Iowa game did a 4.0 rating with an 11 share in the SLC DMA. I think if you'll look back to the last time BYU football was on KJZZ TV in the 05 season, the games averaged a 10 rating with a 23 share. Perhaps BYU isn't as good now as in 05? Or perhaps we're seeing that the Dave Checketts/Craig Thompson MWC TV package not only has no exposure for the teams nationally, but no one is watching locally either. Is it that the teams have been off TV for so long that they're out of sight out of mind? Is it the poor production quality of the mountain? What ever the reason, those that suffer are the fans.

Better than nothing | 7:16 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I find it interesting how we are temporarily pacified by mediocre television production just to be able to view the Mountain West athletic events on television. Contractually Iï¿½ll bet ï¿½the Mtnï¿½ has an obligation to deliver a ï¿½state of artï¿½ product and knows from past experience the institutions in the Mountain West Conference canï¿½t ï¿½squeeze blood out of a turnip.ï¿½

Weï¿½ll just have to learn to enjoy mediocrity in exchange for the privilege of watching the events. I suppose we should all be gracious and thank our spineless, yet crafty, conference commissioner, Craig Thompson.

Comments continue below

Croc | 7:44 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I'm pretty sure that for about twenty minutes of the broadcast, all the announcers could talk about was how Utah had beaten Michigan in the "Big House". Apparently, the color commentator went to Ohio State. So, this is the kind of dilemma a Cougar fan is in... watch the game and listen to THE worst announcers in the business or listen to one of the best in the business on KSL radio but miss out on seeing the game.

I guess you could always just mute the TV and turn up the radio... but then who would tell me all about Utah and the "Big House" during a BYU game?

Re: brunopuppy | 7:44 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Who was BYU's opponent on the KJZZ 2005 game? No offense to Northern Iowa, but I know a lot of people that didn't tune in because they thought the game was over before kickoff.

BoiseCougar | 8:09 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I love being able to see both the football and basketball games now up here in Boise. But there is no denying the quality is poor. Announcers are fine - its the picture and graphics that are poor. I honestly thought I had a bad connection until I realized the other channels were clear. And I read the WAC just got a new deal with ESPN.

Confusion | 8:21 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Why subscribe to a premium sports package just to see these poorly filmed and poorly announced games when you can listen to KSL Radio for free on the internet. It ASTOUNDS me that the Universities' Presidents were so short-sighted to sign this deal. I live in Utah and am a BYU fan and DirecTV subscriber, so I get the mtn. as part of my regular package; the quality of broadcast was so low that I turned it off after 10 minutes. It's disgusting that just because it's viewable by more than just Comcast local customers now it's deemed that the mtn. is a success. It's far from it and will continue to languish. It's a vicious circle. Poor quality leads to poor ratings. Poor ratings leads to lower advertising dollars. Fewer dollars removes ability to increase quality. DirecTV aren't dummies, they understand this, and it's the reason the mtn. will be one of the last channels to move to HD. the mtn. disgusts me. Not to mention that I'm bombarded with short ads by representatives of conference schools telling me how awesome it is, like I'm some kind of idiot who can't think for himself.

I'm back to KSL radio!

Daniel In the Lions Den | 8:27 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I am at the Univ. of Florida and do not have Direct TV to watch the games but Versus will broadcast the UCLA game in just over a week. I watched the local broadcast of UF v. Hawaii this last week and must say that UF's broadcast is not really much better than mtn's. I don't know what CBS and ABC/ESPN do to make it so much crisper on air but it may be that all the small media guys still have a lot to learn about making an award winning broadcast.

Another thing | 8:31 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Back in the day of local KSL = BYU and KUTV = Utah you KNEW the quality you would get. It wasn't a problem that Paul James was very pro BYU and that Marcroft was very pro Utah. Fans of BYU watched KSL broadcasts and enjoyed the pro BYU talk, just as fans of Utah watched KUTV broadcasts and enjoyed them too. Now we're stuck with guys who once in time had a presence in the conference but now are washed up and unable to secure any better broadcasting gig than on the mtn. Somehow our wise university presidents were snookered into this deal, expecting top-notch output and now we're stuck with this garbage. I would hope that there was a quality guarantee with an out clause in the contract, but if that were the case and we're still in this mess then it would seem that our presidents are still being snookered.

This is awful, handslapping will not do here. We need heads to roll and we need out of this deal. Better yet, come up with an all-star group from each school's Communications departments and let them run the mtn. We'd get_a_cheaper_version_of_the same thing!

Crockett | 8:37 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Coming from a TV production background and having worked on BYU games in the past for KBYU and ESPN, I can tell you that it looks like the Mtn has taken 10 steps back in production value while everyone else moves up to HD.

The last game seriously looked like it was being hosted by YouTube. There were three levels of production value on games I saw on Saturday: HD, Standard TV and then The Mtn.

It all comes back to them buying old, used equipment and relying on crews that do not have the experience needed to run all the complexities of a football broadcast.

In other news, the Big Ten Network looked crisp and clear.

Help | 8:46 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

What channel is Fox Sports Net on Direct TV?

ugh | 9:04 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

This year I have access to less games than last (neighbor with Dish couldn't make the switch to Direct. Me? Riiiight... no money at all). I don't consider that success at all.

Clock watchers | 9:19 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Who would listen to the KSL radio broadcast. All the announcer does is tell you how much time is left "in this one" every two minutes. It's like listening to Grant and Amanda read the clock every 90 seconds. Annoying!

Anonymous | 9:22 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Crockett, even most amateur videos on YouTube look better than the Mtn. I did drop DISH for Comcast. I recorded the Utah and BYU games, and there was no comparison in quality. The poor production and video quality of the BYU game actually caused me to stop watching and delete it. I'm a hardcore football fan and watch most BYU and Utah games, but the Mtn. is making it quite painful on the eyes and ears, that video equipment has got to be from the 70s or 80s.

To the Mtn., for the love of humanity please at least get some 90s video equipment, but of course HD is preferred!

Down with the Mtn | 9:32 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

The mtn is the single worst thing that ever happened to our conference. It has taken us out of the national spotlight and put us on some channel that is no better than one I could run out of my basement. The announcers are aweful, the camera guys don't even know how to follow the plays, and no body- really NO BODY- cares to watch the games on that channel. People are willing to concede so that they can see their football games, or their men's basketball games, but other than that no one is willing to watch. And I know plenty of people who would rather listen to it on the radio than watch the mtn. I am a big Utah fan and I go to all the home games, but refuse to watch the games on that aweful channel. Think of it this way, our teams get no exposure. Though I don't care much for BYU, they would have been ranked last year at least a few weeks earlier had people been able to watch their games. That makes a huge difference in a season. That is why I say DOWN WITH THE mtn.

Cougarfanlee | 9:42 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

It was fun to see the game--at least the fuzz on the TV that was a game. I've had to wait years to have access to the MTN here in Tulsa only to be disappointed by the horrible picture. Sure, I'd love HD, but I would just settle for a decent standard definition picture. When you can't see the numbers on the players very well, you know you have a problem.

Perception is everything and when you are striving to better your current reputation as a Non-BCS conference (i.e. second-class citizen), you don't do yourself any favors by broadcasting a community college quality telecast. There were so many hideous shots that were embarrassing, including the full-body shot of the Conference Commissioner in a tuxedo. I almost wonder now if part of the distribution problem had something to do with the quality of the product. If I'm a cable or satellite company, why would I waste my limited distribution bandwidth on a garbage product with limited demand. For now, I'll squint it out trying to watch the game but the quality must be priority, and a high one at that!

MississippiUte | 9:53 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I'm in SEC land in Mississippi, and I have Directv and and glad to finally have the MTN. However, I agree with those who also have HDTV...I'd love to have that on MTN too! It's sorely lacking in comparison to ESPN, ABC, CBS (who should choose to telecast the BYU/Utah game in November), all the FSNs etc. Still, living here, I'd love to have the MTN on Comcast but I don't believe they offer the MTN outside of the MTN states do they? The MTN needs to move quickly to take advantage of the current national footprint being provided by Utah, BYU, and soon TCU.

Not in WA | 10:15 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I tried to switch to Direct TV here in Seattle to get the mtn. I was told that channel will not be available at all on any package in this area until Feb 2009. I guess it's not really available "coast-to-coast" after all.

Fan in VA | 10:23 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I'm trying not to complain too much since at least we get to see the games this year. The picture was really fuzzy in the beginning of the game, but seemed to get clearer as the game went on and the sun wasn't as bright. At first I thought the lack of picture clarity was just because the mtn is using used or old cameras. When the picture got so much better as the game went on, it made me think that maybe the camera operator had the settings wrong on the camera at the beginning of the game. Maybe it was a combination of both.

But a fuzzy picture is better than what we've had to work with the past few years.

Yes in WA | 10:29 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I live just outside of Seattle and I have the MTN on DTV. You just have to pay for the sports package. If someone told you that, they are wrong.

devin | 10:32 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Direct TV is awesome for broadcasting. You'll keep me as a loyal customer just for this reason.

NJ UTE | 10:34 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Hey, living in NJ I didn't get to see many UTE games last year, so I will take what ever I can get. I have been a Direct TV customer for a years now (Got to have my NFL and I am not a Jets or Giants fan), so I was thrilled that they were the ones who struck a deal first. Now that it is one a national stage the channel will have no choice but to improve production quality as well as it should also lead to increased resources for them to do so. The beginnings of this channel were very rocky, and hey they still have a very long way to go, but over the long-haul this has the potential to be a huge win for the conference.

Concast-hater | 10:46 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I hate the quality of the picture. Sometimes during interviews the camera shakes too much and it hurts to watch. I'm not joking. The game coverage is so so. I'm gratefull to be able to watch the game, but not happy. I miss KSL games.

Poor | 10:48 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

The Mtn channel is so poor, last year we went to a sportsbar to watch the SDSU/BYU game since we couldn't see it at home and with the game broadcast on their big screen, we couldn't even distinguish how much time was left on the clock. We couldn't tell if a ball was caught or dropped. With several other games going on concurrently around us it was like we were watching a little league home video. I'm not asking the Mtn. to upgrade immediately to HD, since that will require providers like Directv to increase their bandwidth in order to deliver the high definition product, but at least upgrade to an SD quality from this millenium!

the mtn. is getting worse | 10:56 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I lived in Utah until this year, and I got Comcast to watch the BYU games. This year, after I moved to Kansas, I was thrilled that DirecTV finally struck the deal, so I signed up.

But I swear, I really think the quality of the mtn. has actually gone down since its inception. I was so frustrated. I had my brother and dad over to watch the game (they've barely seen BYU play in two years) and it was such a letdown.

I agree with anyone who thinks the mtn. is the worst thing that has ever happened to this conference. It's embarrassing. I couldn't even read the frickin' names on the backs of the jerseys. What the heck. Everyone else is stepping up to HD, and we have this?! This is just very, very low quality. I just hope Craig Thompson is going to do something about this. But I'm sure he's not. I'm sure he's just sitting around in his tuxedo somewhere (what was that all about anyway?) patting himself on the back.

We're right in the middle of what should be a great run for BYU, but the mtn. is ruining it. Period.

Dish Network | 10:57 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Where are negotiations with Dish Network to get the Mtn.? I haven't heard a single thing about this since the DirecTV deal came out. Everyone acts as if Comcast and DirecTV are all that's out there. I live in a newer subdivision where Comcast has never been available and I'm under contract with Dish for another year or so. Do people not realize that Dish has almost as many subscribers nationwide as DirecTV (roughly 14 million vs. 18 million)?

Kidding? | 11:11 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Are all of you the same people that whined about not being able to see the games at all? Sure the quality isn't that great, but you get to see almost every game. The quality will come along later. Is it just the mentality of you people to come on here and complain? Give me a break.

Re: Kidding? | 11:21 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

You're right. We have no room to complain. We have no reason to expect some sort of quality in a product that we now have to pay for that was available for free 25+ years ago. Like paying $30,000 to drive a Pinto.

CougarKeith | 11:21 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Now if we could get the junior high kids who volunteer as cameramen every game to be replaced by real "Pros" we might be able to see more than half of the games action!!! I mean seriously, where do these guys come from?

It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer finds the set of the Merv Griffin show in a dumpster, a guy found 1967 TV cameras in a dumpster and decided to start "The Mountain" for our television viewing pleasure of The Mountain West Conference's Football Viewing pleasure... NOT!!! The shaking, missed play actions, they don't even know who has the ball! If the camera men were the defense both teams would score 80 points a game!

At least I have Direct TV! I don't pay Comcast directly, I let Direct TV do it for me.

I switched! | 11:36 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

My picture wasn't fuzzy, it just looked like a highschool recording. I'm not worried about HD yet, but this will be a good year for the mountain if Utah and BYU can stay ranked. I will be watching all 11 games! Yes, yes, yes!

Memory makes bad things go away | 11:38 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

It wasn't ever a KSL broadcast, not for years. It was Sportswest, and they were TERRIBLE. Half the time the picture was fading completely out. I must have watched 6 or 7 games when I lived in SLC that I missed entire drives or more of games because Sportswest couldn't keep the signal good. Does anyone remember that!

Yes the mtn. is a cheap network. It is quite comparable in quality to what already existed, but now you can get this same low quality anywhere. I would rather not listen to homers and hear an attempt at even handed play calling and analysis. I think that is there. ESPN doesn't give much of that, but the East Coast Leader does look good in HD.

WAIT | 11:48 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

It won't matter, BYU is too cheap to have good camera's, HD won't be there for awhile.

another thing to fix | 11:57 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Re: Memory makes bad..., must have been your tv. I never had any problems with Sportswest, always worked good for me. Were you living too close to the railroad tracks?

Here's one other thing I wish The mtn. would fix: THEIR STUPID NAME! "The mtn." are you kidding me? I'll bet some genius got paid a bunch of cash to come up with that.

Jack from Ark | 12:30 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I got the game and it was fairly good reception. The production values need to be improved. If we had good camera work and good (not even great)announcing it would go a long way to soothing the wait to HD. But because of Direct I am getting BYU @ Wash in HD. Lets make the comparison next week.I know it will get better and then I guess we will need something else to grouse about

Hurray | 1:07 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Dear Mountain West Fans (or fans of teams in the Mountain West):

We kindly ask that you stop whining about the TV deal. Just because you haven't been able to watch games for the last few years doesn't give you the right to complain. Just be happy that we got some games on this year. We know it looks like watching classic BYU football from the early 80's on BYUTV but at least you can see the games.

We also want to apologize for showing the running back on fake handoffs and missing the rest of the play. It is really hard to tell who has the ball. We are currently trying to convince the NCAA to start using florescent pink footballs so we can follow it better.

Enjoy the season!

Sincerely,

The Mtn.

Disclaimer: There is no guarantee that a florescent pink football will help us keep our camera's on the ball.

RE: Memory | 1:14 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Before SportsWest (Checkett's gig) it was KSL. SportsWest was an attempt at nuetrality in commentary, which was not much better than the mtn.

JB | 2:02 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I don't care, I don't care, I don't care... I am just so excited to finally see all these games in Virginia that the quality really doesn't matter to me (yet). Who cares what a commentator is wearing? I'm just glad I can finally SEE something.

Former DishNetwork Subscriber

BYU Fan in Denver | 2:58 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I have Comcast and an HDTV. I had people over to watch the BYU game on Saturday and we were switching between the mtn. and EPSN's coverage of Utah playing Michigan.

The mtn's picture quality is embarrassing. Who cares about the money, drop the cash and make it happen. That is what a manager does, they create solutions. The commissioner needs to act like a a manager and create an adequate solution. They need to find the money to get and HD picture.

Enough excuses, we need more action.

I dont like it. | 3:32 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

The MTN that is.

The Mountain | 4:10 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I live in Utah. Have and always have had the Mountain. I hate it. The nation needs to know what we've got! Not just mwc fans. I think its a horrible idea, and it needs to be outta here pretty quick.

Let's get some exposure!

Don't worry... | 4:16 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

if they keep up the 4% market share, advertising will disappear and the network will go away. Problem is that we gave away our contract with ESPN and now all we will get is Tuesday night games. And you thought Thursday late night games were bad.

Anonymous | 4:17 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I live in Seattle and when we first moved here from Seattle 7 years ago, we signed up for DirectTV. When MWC dropped their ESPN contract (or vice versa) I switched to Comcast and have enjoyed it. I have called numerous times to comcast to lobby for them to put the .MTN on its extended sports coverage in states outside the MWC footprint. Whenever I call, they don't even know what the chanel is and that it can be viewed in UT, WY, NM, CO and CA, but nowhere else.

My neighbor has DirectTV so for now that is what we do for the games. This weekend though will be the best to watch them LIVE in Husky Stadium. Go Cougs. Booooo .MTN

BYU Fan in Georgia | 4:25 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I have Comcast in Georgia. How can I watch the games here in the Southeast on Comcast?

CougarFan in Snowflake AZ | 4:31 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I get the MTN on DirectTV, and I too am appalled at the play-by-play, and many of the camera angles. I hate having to pay for what would be cheaper and better on ESPN.

Lebowski | 4:51 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I considered switching from Cox cable in Phoenix to DirecTV just for the .mtn but after having watched on Saturday what appeared to be vibration football game filmed by my 4 year old, I'd rather listen to Wrubell (and tolerate Lyons) than patronize that awful network. I wouldn't pay more to get it but it's amazing to me that in a market that rivals Provo/Salt Lake in the number of LDS households we can't get the .mtn on Cox Cable. We get to see the BYU/UW and BYU/UCLA games on Fox Sports West but how stupid will the conference look if both BYU and Utah are ranked going in to the final game of the year and the nation will only be able to see it on Craig Thompson's Edsel of a network?

HD Quality | 4:53 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

It's important to note that a 480p broadcast, which the Mountain is, is going to look horrible on an HDTV. If you were to watch the same broadcast on an old school tube (as I did) the picture quality will look much better.
That said, The mtn. definitely needs to get with the times and start broadcasting in HDTV.

mtn. fan | 5:03 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

the mtn. is the best channel. todd christensen should be lead analyst on espn. classy.

DISH | 5:20 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I have dish network and still do not have the mtn.. I am not satisfied until dish picks up the mtn!!!!!!

Anonymous | 5:54 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I think the video quality and the announcers in this last years high school playoffs were better than what the MTN has this year. I agree that the mtn was the worst thing that has happened to the conference.

BYU Fan In Michigan | 7:00 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Get rid of the mtn and get real national coverage. Top 25 programs should have Top 25 coverage. The mtn provides no national coverage - only BYU fans can even see the games. And the broadcast quality is from the 70's. The MWC leadership should all be fired.

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