It just keeps getting better and better...

[Diehard Pony]

Unfortunately for us, the WAC ESPN deal that was just signed in June is a poor excuse for a contract. Out of the 132 regular season games to be played in the WAC this season, ESPN has a whopping 6 games scheduled for broadcast, and none of them include SMU. ESPN has the right to step in and broadcast additional games, but I would presume they would do so only if a team was surprising on a national level.

Many of you know a team of us (including SMU staffers) were attempting to video stream the home games live this season, but the ESPN contract specifically excludes Internet streaming as it defines it to be national distribution of games to which they have the exclusive right.

The fact that they are going to broadcast 6 games out of 132, and they specifically exclude you from finding any other outlets is why these contracts for middle tier programs (which, by the way, are exactly the same contracts signed by BCS conferences only with far more coverage) is being reviewed by the Justice Department as potentially illegal in that ESPN is acting as a cartel.

I presume coverage might be a little better in C-USA, but not very much. I'm hoping the Justice Department acts, and strikes the contracts down.