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Frequently Asked Questions
Where can fans see The mtn. - MountainWest Sports Network? Will it also be available via satellite like CSTV?
We are in talks with all cable systems in Mountain West Conference cities and are confident that we will have a fully distributed service by the time the network launches in September. We believe the local cable operators will see the value in this service and how important it is to their customers to have access to the teams and games that they love. We hope to secure distribution on satellite, but our primary focus right now is to get the MountainWest Sports Network into the local markets that comprise the Mountain West Conference.
When will the CSTV national schedule be announced and how many Mountain West Conference football games will it carry? Colorado/Colorado St and Air Force/Notre Dame are not on The mtn.'s schedule. Will those be on TV? Why did you not announce the national schedule at the press conference?
The CSTV national football schedule, which will carry additional prominent MWC games, will be announced on Wednesday. We chose not to announce it at the press conference to avoid confusion as they will be on two different channels and because our focus here is The mtn. This is a landmark initiative and we're thrilled to be announcing it here today.
What about the other Mountain West sports, how many basketball games will you carry in addition to Olympic sports, etc?
We will offer the most comprehensive coverage of the MWC ever and we will cover all sports, in addition to local high schools and other programming of local interest. This year we will feature 150 basketball games and over 200 men's and women's Olympic sports contests.
b>What happens if Cox and other cable providers don't pick up The mtn. by September 2 when the first games will air?
We anticipate and are very confident that MountainWest Sports Network will be broadly distributed throughout Mountain West markets by its launch this summer. If some providers choose not to pick up the regional network, we will continue negotiations in order to secure that all fans will be able to see their favorite teams, and a comprehensive slate of exciting MWC football games and other local sports programming. In the meantime, now is a good time and we encourage consumers to call their local cable companies in support of The mtn. It's important that cable providers understand that this network was created to capture the deeply seeded passion and local programming that encompasses the Mountain West communities, from football to basketball to a plethora of Olympic and high school sports.
Why do you think some cable providers haven't yet picked up CSTV? From an operator perspective, what does CSTV offer?
I don't want to speak on behalf of the cable providers, as each cable provider is in a unique situation. But college sports is ubiquitous and carries a huge following, so I think that carrying CSTV and The mtn. would be in their best interests and the best interests for their consumers. We value our relationships with the local cable operators and are very optimistic that we'll come to resolution on distribution that will make fans happy.
We have created a category that didn't exist three years ago-and it's one with enormous value. As a super regional network, The mtn., will take college sports to the next level with a diverse array of local programming that blends with a comprehensive slate of football, basketball and Olympic Sports contests that have never before been aired.
CSTV is currently available on digital sports tiers in many local markets. Do you think it's fair that fans have to pay extra for the sports tier with an already expensive package? What are you doing to get CSTV on basic cable?
CSTV is a proven success and one of our challenges is that we've so over-delivered on the network value, we've met resistance moving us off sports tiers because we are the primary driver of the tiers we're on. Dish Network sees the value in CSTV and has us on a basic tier. Our goal is for CSTV and The mtn. to be easily accessible on basic cable, and we're striving toward that and expect that to happen soon in many markets. Ultimately, it's not our decision and although we would like CSTV and The mtn. broadly distributed, it's up to the cable operators. We think college sports coverage is always in demand and CSTV and The mtn. are compelling products that deserve to be widely available. Again, we want to let fans know that if they're currently unable to get CSTV, that they should contact their local cable operators.
You said that all MWC football games will be available to watch online. Will that be a subscription product or available free? What will be the broadband capabilities of The mtn.?
CSTV Networks is the leading digital sports media company and features the elite broadband product, CSTV.com XXL. Together, CSTV and MWC are working with cable operators and distribution partners to package a broadband product that best serve fans and bring them even closer to college sports. CSTV Networks currently partners with the Mountain West Conference on TheMWC.com and also with eight of the nine MWC schools on their official sports athletic sites. With such an extensive and technological savvy fan base, it's imperative that as many games and content as possible is available via multiple platforms.
Sports fans want to stay connected to their passion-the teams and the sports they love unconditionally. This passion can't be satisfied through a linear television relationship alone. Just because a game ends at 4 p.m., doesn't mean someone stops caring at 4:01. CSTV's unique multi-platform approach is to keep fans connected to the team and the sport they care most about 24/7/365-whether it's Colorado State football, Air Force basketball or San Diego State baseball. To us, the fan experience is paramount; it's more important than the network brand. Fans and alums want to have the experience of watching, listening, debating and even wearing their team colors all the time, and we make it easy and one-stop.
