Deseret News | Fans just happy to see games

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Fans just happy to see games

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BYWHO! | 7:07 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I used to be an avid BYU fan, graduating from there in 1995. The past three years have turned me into a college football fan, not really caring anymore if BYU wins or loses. I stated with direct TV and missed many games. Then this past winter, I switched to DISH, being assured that when DirecTV signs on, DISH will too. I guess I can still be suckered by a fast taking salesman. Now, the less I watch, the less I care. And now that the WAC has signed with ESPN,I'm going back to my roots, watching quality football games with quality broadcasting. I'd rather watch BYU play on a Thursday night with the quality of ESPN broadcasting the game then watch a poor broadcast on Saturday at 1:00. And with my poor choice of satellite TV providers, I don't even get that. Go WASHINGTON and UCLA!

cougarfan | 7:43 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Uh...this still doesn't do you any good if you live in an apartment (as I do in Boston) and can't install a satellite dish. Whoever struck the deal with the Mtn should be fired. It should NOT be so hard for fans to catch a Cougars game.

time to grow up | 8:42 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I ditched dish network last year when i could tell they were never going to get the mtn. Now that the mtn is getting more money because of the deal with direct tv maybe they can go out and buy some new camera's (or even go buy the ones that sportswest used to have) and hire some college student that can actualy run the cameras. But having something is better then nothing, and at least we don't have to worry about being put on wednesday night at midnight in order for espn to accomidate the SEC and other "real" college leagues.

Comments continue below

Brooke | 10:57 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I was very happy to see the game on Direct Tv channel 616. Fuzzy or not it was better than no TV. The Washington Game will be on channel 668 at 12 noon Calif. time Saturday. Can't wait!! Go Cougs!!! And Thank you Direct TV..... Tom

The mtn... uggh! | 11:44 p.m. Sept. 4, 2008

I think that the Mtn. is a joke! The quality and commentary are poor and now one of our rival conferences, the WAC, just re-upped a deal with ESPN for a couple more years, more exposure, AND more money. Now were stuck with this pathetic excuse for a sports station. If ratings were that poor for last weekend's games, I wonder if anyone even pays attention to all the garbage that is broadcast when there's not a game to watch. The MWC should cut its losses and try to beg ESPN or FSN to pick up their games.

Coug Fan | 12:10 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008

I am still stinging from my experience with the Mt. West Basketball tournament last year!! I tuned into the Mtn. just before the mens championship game, and whaat to my wondering (unbelieving) eyes should appear? BOXING!!! It was the CHAMPIONSHIP GAME of the Mountain West tournament, and the Mtn. was showing BOXING!!! I surfed around to other channels on Comcast to see if the game was being broadcast on another channel, but I never found it.
I sent numerous emails to the Mtn. Channel to complain, but never got a response from them.
This TV network is an absolute joke! The talent is amature at best, the camera work is less than amature, the commentary is lame, the picture quality is pathetic, the programing choices are completely unexplainable! I mean, what is the sense of showing Boxing when the Conference Championship game was going on???!!
I am so frustrated with the pathetic Mtn. network! Please give the rights back to KSL and KJAZZ, or anyone else who is interested!! BYU & Utah should make that happen!
Craig Thompson is a joke as a Conference Commissioner! The conference has sold their soul for an embarrassing, pathetic excuse for a TV Network!

AzByuFan | 12:21 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008

I saw the game in UT and yes the picture improved as the game progressed, and it ended up being ok on the tube I was watching.
I am a rare bird who disdains paying for TV. Seeing a commercial on cable TV and paying to see that commercial would make me feel like a sucker. Too bad so many people fell for the pay for TV idea and gives you one more bill to pay.
However, it was good to go to a restaurant in town or traveling and seeing BYU or UT on Thursday nights--nothing else competing against that and the whole nation can watch at the same time.

Outside Utah | 12:43 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008

There tend to be 2 groups of comments:

1. BYU fans outside Utah who are happy to get coverage of games for once and at the same time appalled by the coverage.

2. BYU fans in Utah who haven't been happy with BYU coverage since KSL was in charge.

(Oh and, of course, BYU haters--i.e. fairweather Ute fans).

I've lived away for the past 7 years and have been thrilled to get any games, and listen to the remainder on the internet.

I haven't seen them play on the mountain yet, but I'm thrilled to get to see them play...maybe I'll mute it and listen to KSL on the internet.

BYU fan from Idaho | 7:43 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008

I currently live in Pocatello and I am one of the fans that hasn't signed up to get the mtn. The thing that strikes me as PITIFUL about this article and from friends that have the channel is that people are willing to pay around $50 a month just to get to watch really poor quality broadcasts. Maybe I am not a good enough fan, but I would think that paying that amount of money for one station in particular people would expect more from that station. I could pay a lot less to get ESPN when the games were on that network and they have good broadcasts. Not including the fact that ESPN allowed KSL or BYUTV to broadcast games that they didn't carry. In my opinion, all of us loyal fans have been SCREWED big time by the MWC and yet there are some people that are GRATEFUL about getting to watch cut rate broadcasts.

Greatest BYU Fan Alive | 1:33 p.m. Sept. 5, 2008

The most important requirement is to see the game and the MTN did that, but little else.

It was as if I was watching a replay from the 1980's with bunny ears. The camera work and clarity was so terrible. Half of the defensive players were off-screen, making it impossible to evaluate the coverages. Have the camera men ever been to a football game? I think my infant son could have done a better job.

As for the commentators, anything is better than listening to Greg Wrubell inadvertently cheering for the opposing team.

Go Cougars.

Glad to see it, but... | 1:33 p.m. Sept. 6, 2008

...I agree that the quality of the video is poor, and some of the commentators are very irritating to listen to. I feel like saying, "BE QUIET AND LET ME WATCH THE GAME!!" But after not being able to see a BYU, or Utah for that matter, game for several years, it is nice to at least be able to see them again. We switched from DISH to DirecTV just for the MTN, because we had no complaints with DISH at all, and it was cheaper. But I'm a die hard BYU fan, so that's the way it goes. Glad to see it, disappointed in the poor quality, but it's better than nothing.

Radio Coverage | 8:31 p.m. Sept. 6, 2008

Today's game on the versus network wasn't available
where I was in California. BUT I was able to follow
the game on the dishnetwork audio Channel 980!!

Channel 980 on dish network is the BYU Radio channel and they carry the BYU games with the KSL radio announcers. Most of the time that Channel 980 is
LDS gospel music and some other audio programs, similar to what BYU-TV offers. It's also on the internet as an audio feed. KSL radio is also streamed, but I had no internet access today, but did have dish network Channel 980. And BYU won today IN the last few seconds, due to some technicalities (as we know) called by the referees. YEAH!!

PS: the Versus Net is only available on the higest tier of programming which I didn't have access to.

**An audio (radio) broadcast is better than reading about it after the fact, BUT I AGREE that a Good
TV coverage is much Better!! Tickets at the stadium is Even Better!! (but sometimes we have to do with what is available). Greg Wrubell on the KSL/byu radio feed does a great job!!!

jhug | 9:37 p.m. Sept. 6, 2008

I'm shocked by the "better than nothing" mentality!!!
We have a bowl for the MWC champ against a middle of the pack pac-10 team- but it's better than nothing.
We have TERRIBLE tv deal- but it's better than nothing.
We have TWO ranked teams in the top 25 with two more easily there in the near future (TCU and AF) yet the WAC has better exposure than the MWC- but at least it's better than nothing
As long as things are better than nothing...that is close to what we will get- NOTHING!

The WAC deal better? | 9:38 p.m. Sept. 6, 2008

No no no no. The WAC deal is horrible. You just hear "ESPN" and think they have something good. They don't. Go read up on it.

BIT | 9:55 p.m. Sept. 6, 2008

Well, I'm not happy that I can't watch the game. I feel a right has somehow been taken away. I just have Dish--will stay Dish. because I choose not be manipulated. To get the TV show I want, I am coerced into signing on with DirectTV for an obviously inferior program. I know I have made my choice. My radio will do just fine until someone cares to restore my choices for quality programming and TV providers.

Living in Europe | 12:38 p.m. Sept. 7, 2008

I am just happy that my parents have a slingbox attached to Spanish Fork Cable. I now get the BYU games in video and audio over the internet. Technology is amazing. There is a lot of complaining above, but I am just happy for the little things. I do however, prefer to stream KSL audio while I watch the video from mtn.

utefan1 | 3:01 p.m. Sept. 7, 2008

There seems to be a consensus with BYU fan and Ute fan alike, the MTN is horrible. In distribution, in production, and in customer satisfaction- they get an F.
The only way to get the jokers who think they're doing our conference a service, is to pressure advertisers. If everyone on this list were to tell 5 people to make a comment to the advertisers about how much they hate the mountain, I can guarantee you we will see some type of concession.

BYU - UCLA Game? | 8:40 p.m. Sept. 7, 2008

Does anyone know if anyone other than the mtn is going to braodcast the UCLA game this week?

I live in OK and just happened to catch the UW game on Fox Sports.

Bhueller? Bhueller? Anyone?.....

BIT | 12:25 a.m. Sept. 8, 2008

Utefan1, post a list of advertisers. I have no idea who they are. Also any others who may be responsible for this situation. I'd be willing to write them my feelings. Others might also.

David in New York | 5:07 p.m. Sept. 8, 2008

Sure, I love getting the games. It's been nice. But when, may I ask, is the MTN going to get decent cameramen and commentators? Seriously, it's been some of the broadcast work I've seen on TV.

Phil | 1:56 p.m. Sept. 9, 2008

I love have the MTN. Thank you Bresnan

cougar in indiana | 8:23 p.m. Sept. 9, 2008

I switched from dish just to get the mtn. HD games would be nice, next year. Go cougars!

Dan | 8:12 p.m. Sept. 11, 2008

I'm in China right now, and I can't watch any of the games. I won't rest until I can :-).

Seriously, though, the poor ratings are very telling. BYU should have stayed on KSL. I'm just happy that I can get all the radio broadcasts for free. I'm especially happy that Paul James isn't around anymore.

One more thing | 8:18 p.m. Sept. 11, 2008

Plus, those of you who think the mtn's coverage is like something from the 70s or 80s need to watch more old sporting events. Monday Night Football broadcasts from 1970 had better quality and more stable cameras.

Stop complaining | 12:41 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Who cares about the quality? Two years ago we just wanted access. Now we've got it! Give them a break. They're doing their best.

Two years from now we'll probably have HD.

THANK YOU, DIRECTV! Dish still is in the Dark Ages.

You've got a few fans who won't complain.

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