Longhorn Network Offering Free All-Access Preview

By in Special, Sports on November 9, 2011 at 3:49 pm | 7 Comments

For this weekend and this weekend only, the much-anticipated and much-maligned Longhorn Network will be available to the public online and for free.

The idea, I’m told, is to give fans a sneak peek at all the great stuff on the network that so many of us cannot yet watch. Whether ESPN and the LHN would admit it or not, the all-access preview is also a way for Verizon and Grande—currently the two biggest carriers of the channel—to try and win some new subscribers (in areas where Verizon and Grande are even available). In fact, Verizon and Grande are sponsoring the preview.

It is a fortuitous weekend for a sneak peek (although not nearly as fortuitous as, oh, say, the weekend of Oct. 29th would have been), what with the football, basketball, and volleyball teams all playing.

The network will be showing its pre- and post-game coverage of the football game against Missouri, the men’s and women’s basketball season-openers, and the No. 8-ranked Texas volleyball team taking on Kansas State at Gregory Gym. Then on Sunday at 2:30 it will show the first episode of UT’s Game Changers series from star UT faculty member John Daly. All good stuff for sure.

Why this weekend, though, and not for the Kansas game? According to LHN officials, Nov. 11-13 was selected to show the breadth and quality of content LHN will offer viewers year round and underscore that LHN’s great offerings extend beyond fall football games.

As for the negotiations with the rest of the cable providers: they are ongoing. That’s all anyone knows about it. I’m almost afraid to say this, but Monday morning after watching the all-access preview, do call your cable provider and let them know you want the channel. I know it’s exhausting, but we’ve got to do it. Without another football game looming, the only real leverage the network has with the providers is the calls UT fans continue to make. So let’s make them.

Here’s the full lineup (Central Time) and here’s the link:

FRIDAY

  • Game Plan with Mack Brown, 12 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
  • Women’s Basketball: Texas GameDay, 6:30 pm
    • Host – Fran Harris, Analyst – Clarissa Davis, Analyst – Jody Conradt
    • Women’s Basketball:  #5 Stanford vs. #20 Texas 7 p.
      • Analyst: Rebecca Lobo. Play-by-Play: Andrew Monaco
      • Texas All Access, 9 p.m.
      • Longhorn Extra, 10 p.m.

SATURDAY

  • Texas GameDay, 9-11 a.m.
  • Exclusive Longhorn Network Halftime Show during Texas vs. Missouri
  • Texas GameDay Final immediately following Texas vs. Missouri
  • Volleyball: Kansas St. vs #8 Texas, 4 p.m.
  • The Season: 2005 Texas Longhorns, 8 p.m.

SUNDAY

  • Longhorn Legends: Texas Basketball Roundtable (Durant, Ford, Aldridge, Mihm, Augustin, and Barnes),  5:30 p.m.
  • Men’s Basketball: Boston University vs. Texas, 6 p.m.
    • Analyst: Jeff Van Gundy. Play-by-Play: Mark Followill. Reporter: Samantha Steele

To get Longhorn Network all the time, switch to Verizon FiOS (1-888-607-8111) or Grande Communications.

 

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