Mike Gundy tells CBS Sports ending Longhorn Network is key to Big 12's future

[madcow12]

Makes sense...LHN is a huge failure. It might have been different if we had been winning the last 5 years but we haven't.

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has a very direct message to the University of Texas.

Pull the plug on the Longhorn Network. The Big 12's future depends on it.

In a Monday interview with CBS Sports senior columnist Dennis Dodd, Gundy discussed the Big 12's need to better market itself as it falls behind in national exposure without a league-wide television network. He called LHN "a failure" amid the success of the SEC Network and the Big Ten Network.

LHN reportedly lost $48 million through its first five years of existence, but is locked into a 20-year deal between Texas and ESPN as part of a $295 million agreement.

A sampling of Gundy's comments on the issue:

“If we don't eliminate the Longhorn Network and create our own network, they're going to continue to have issues with this league."

"If Texas doesn't (fold LHN) in X number of years, they're going to be in the Pac-12 or SEC. If that's what they want, keep riding this horse. If you don't want that, you better make some changes or it's going to happen whether you like it or not.”

“I don't see anyone coming into this league. Who you going to get? You need strong football history, tradition, some type of television market. They want schools that have reputation academically. That market is not out there right now.”

You can read Dodd's full report here.

Gundy's public stance comes just a few months after Oklahoma President David Boren made similar comments, calling the Big 12 "psychologically disadvantaged," thanks in part to LHN.

 

[Fizzwilly]

Just shocking.

 

[madcow12]

Just shocking.

There is too much UT pride to let the LHN go. They would rather the conference implode than get rid of it or morph it into something that would benefit the whole conference.

 

[swVAHorn]

I am sure Ok St. would do the "honorable" thing and give back the 20 mill a year....

I wish Texas would leave the Crybabies in this conference once and for all.

 

[jsto60]

Aw He's jelly.

Its ok, you can have Wickline back.

 

[madcow12]

I am sure Ok St. would do the "honorable" thing and give back the 20 mill a year....

I wish Texas would leave the Crybabies in this conference once and for all.

not starting a fight here, but go where ???? East coast...No thanks...2 hour time difference sucks when they play late. ACC...no thanks.... Big 10.... Travel and time zone is ok. SEC.....ehh...it would have to morph into a mega conference.

 

[swVAHorn]

not starting a fight here, but go where ???? East coast...No thanks...2 hour time difference sucks when they play late. ACC...no thanks.... Big 10.... Travel and time zone is ok. SEC.....ehh...it would have to morph into a mega conference.

If I could choose I would go with the Big 10. But if Texas came to the ACC I would see them a lot more in person!

 

[madcow12]

If I could choose I would go with the Big 10.

It would be worth cratering the conference to see the look on Nebraska fans if we went to the big 10

 

[bubba2023]

How is Mike Gundy jealous of the LHN? Since it's inception UT has been nothing but down and OSU been up. OSU and Gundy have directly benefited from the national perception of the LHN being a joke. Gundy's career has pretty much been made in those years. Maybe OSU's AD and President are jealous, but Mike Gundy isn't.

Not that we wouldn't land somewhere else, but the Big 12 is the best fit. It would be in our best interest to make it as strong as possible. Going somewhere else also means scrapping the LHN.

 

[oldhorn2]

ACC and Big 12 need to cherry pick and merge. ....unquestioned best in BB.....on part with anyone in football

 

[bubba2023]

Also stealing Wickline was a disaster for us, and OSU just won 10 games without him. Another attack that makes no sense.

 

[Scholz]

Well, I guess OU and OSU shouldn't have voted against a conference tv network when it was possible then.

 

[bubba2023]

Well, I guess OU and OSU shouldn't have voted against a conference tv network when it was possible then.

Most definitely. The conference members went down the wrong path in that fork in the road us included. It was very shortsighted by everyone. Doesn't mean you can't right the ship. Or UT can stay the course, let the ship sink, and catch on with another ship. It's not like we will be one of the schools left off the lifeboat.

 

[sooner_mike]

I am sure Ok St. would do the "honorable" thing and give back the 20 mill a year....

I wish Texas would leave the Crybabies in this conference once and for all.

Texas is not Notre Dame. You think your recruiting has been down the last five years go independent. I hope you guys do.

 

[Scholz]

Our recruiting is not down but OK. Thanks for your input, jethro.

 

[bubba2023]

I am sure Ok St. would do the "honorable" thing and give back the 20 mill a year....

I wish Texas would leave the Crybabies in this conference once and for all.

I doubt many schools would give it up from a pride standpoint, but the actual $ to UT is a lot less than 20 million though. There are 3rd parties that get their cuts as well.

 

[sooner_mike]

Our recruiting is not down but OK. Thanks for your input, jethro.

Really? How did they work out for you on the field? You are in denial of you don't think Texas recruiting hasn't been down.

 

[Scholz]

We whipped your ass. Thanks again, twelve toe.

 

[ryan_sublett]

The LHN hasn't worked. The biggest reason for that is about the time it launched all 3 big sports took a massive dump all at once. That killed any momentum the network would of gained. It looks like we're heading in the right direction in football and basketball now. Is it to late to make it a success though? I guess we will find out. It isn't going anywhere.

 

[sooner_mike]

We whipped your ass. Thanks again, twelve toe.

How did you do in your Bowl game? See this is why no one can ever take you seriously. How did Texas do in the last 3 bowl games?

We did beat OU so we recruited well. I can't stop laughing, it's not even fair debating with you, it's like taking candy from a baby. Haha!

 

[Scholz]

We were in the top 10 in the past two recruiting classes. Since you're too stupid to look at reality. Recruiting is just fine at this point.

I love how you speak for everyone though. Keep it up.

 

[Scholz]

Here, little baby bird mike. Let me help you out since you're apparently incapable of reading and understanding or any type of research or criticial thinking. Or honesty.

2015 recruiting team rankings: http://247sports.com/Season/2015-Football/CompositeTeamRankings

2016: http://247sports.com/Season/2016-Football/CompositeTeamRankings
2016: http://www.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=9&c=14&yr=2016

 

[bubba2023]

The LHN hasn't worked. The biggest reason for that is about the time it launched all 3 big sports took a massive dump all at once. That killed any momentum the network would of gained. It looks like we're heading in the right direction in football and basketball now. Is it to late to make it a success though? I guess we will find out. It isn't going anywhere.

I don't think the model works. College sports ratings is really just football and to a much lessor extent basketball. We could have rattled of 5 straight NCs in baseball and it wouldn't have helped the viability of the LHN. College baseball doesn't move the ratings meter. As far as football goes, which is really what drives the ratings, it's not tier 3. What would they be showing on LHN if the football program was winning? There still wouldn't be enough content to draw in the average viewers. There is some good programming on the LHN. Things like all access, and the rewind with the coaches. Those shows would have definite ratings boosts if we were winning, but I don't think that carries the channel with these $ figures

That was pretty much known going in though. Then you have the theories of the LHN just being ESPN's payoff to Texas to stay put. If you believe that, then of course there is no turning it around because it was never intended to be viable.

 

[swVAHorn]

Really? How did they work out for you on the field? You are in denial of you don't think Texas recruiting hasn't been down.

We beat your ass!

 

[outhereincali]

I know I'm going to catch a lot of flak from my burnt orange brethren for saying this but I'm not that impressed with the LHN. I have comcast on demand out here and the LHN is not available. But I see it when I'm back home in Texas and there is no person, no show that really stands out, makes me want to listen or watch. I'm sorry but the LHN is nothing but a monument to what an incredibly arrogant sob Deloss Dodds was at the end of his tenure at Texas.

My sources told me that our ad is 6 million in the red. Is this true? If so than in the same way that Mack made and broke Texas fb, DD did the same with UT athletics. I do know he had his nice little nest filed with people who were getting paid for jobs that weren't even necessary are you reading this Mike Tolleson? I certainly hope Mike Perrin is qualified, and I hope he succeeds but it may be a while before he realizes what a cluster**** he has on his hands.

I don't have my head in the clouds but I still want the Big XII to succeed and prosper there's so much tradition and history that UT has with schools from TX and OK. The RRR will survive no matter what. Our rivalry with Baylor has intensified the last couple of years and we have that kind of chance with OSU and TCU. It'll be disappointing for me if the Big XII implodes and I want my school to do its part to insure its survival.

 

[SatydogHorn]

Why in the f&^k would our opponents care about the profitability of the LHN? Further more how does the success of a network decide the future of the Big 12? I would really like to hear Mike articulate this. He just comes off as a very immature coach. Just admit it the Big 12 depends on the success of OU & UT together, not one without the other.

 

[ceo_longhorn]

LHN may be losing money but that's ESPN's problem unless there is something in the contract where UT has to share in the loss and I don't remember reading anything about that.

 

[UTGrad87]

The UT Big Cigars really need to think this one through . . . and then think some more. Our long term brand perception is at stake here. If the Big 12 goes the way of the Dinosaur, UT will get the blame whether it's warranted or not. If that happens, our Brand is going to take a big hit nationally and it will take decades to recover from that hit. We will be known as the University that killed a conference because of our hubris and greed.

Now reverse that scenario for a second, if UT folds the LHN and opts for a Conference Network deal . . . we may take it on the chin financially in the short term but the Goodwill that will engender will be worth millions more over the long term. "The Big 12 survives and thrives thank to the good guys over at UT!" We'll come out smelling like a rose and all this nonsense we hear from other universities about our lust for money, at the expense of all else, will be put to bed permanently.

Which narrative do you guys want experience over the next 30 years here? I know my feelings on this. Here's hoping we don't blow it big time. When I'm 80 I want to be able to hold my head up and proudly say 'I'm a Longhorn' to the young kids out there. I don't want to hear for the rest of my life how we put our own interests over those of our conference and killed it. The Big 12 has huge potential IMHO. Perhaps we pursue policies to ensure that the "rising tide lifts all the Big 12 boats" not just ours from this point on??? A great place to start would be a Conference Network.

Now, if the BC's are secretly wanting the Big 12 to die . . . well, I just don't have any idea what to say to that???

My 2 cents.

 

[Son of Wasatch]

Texas is not Notre Dame. You think your recruiting has been down the last five years go independent. I hope you guys do.

Texas will never suffer in recruiting unless the move Austin to Oklahoma.

The LHN hasn't worked. The biggest reason for that is about the time it launched all 3 big sports took a massive dump all at once. That killed any momentum the network would of gained. It looks like we're heading in the right direction in football and basketball now. Is it to late to make it a success though? I guess we will find out. It isn't going anywhere.

Biggest reason it hasn't worked is at about the same time it was being launched the Big 12 made a rule that we weren't allowed to have High School games or recruiting programming on the LHN because it gave us an advantage over other schools.

If Texas loses the LHN, I say we go Big 10, there is nothing to keep us in the Big 12 except for the idea that we can have our own network. This conference is nothing but a conference of convenience, it does nothing for us outside of the convenience factor.

I would support us going independent, keep the LHN and dig in a little deeper with ESPN. We would pretty much guarantee games with BYU and Notre Dame, we can fill in with games from Rice, TCU, Tech, Baylor, UTSA, UNT, and UTEP. Then we take about 3 or 4 solid games a year from other schools across the country. I'm sure Texas OU will still keep going unless they get all butt-hurt and desire to cancel it. Either way Texas would do just fine in any conference or as an independent.

 

[Son of Wasatch]

The UT Big Cigars really need to think this one through . . . and then think some more. Our long term brand perception is at stake here. If the Big 12 goes the way of the Dinosaur, UT will get the blame whether it's warranted or not. If that happens, our Brand is going to take a big hit nationally and it will take decades to recover from that hit. We will be known as the University that killed a conference because of our hubris and greed.

Now reverse that scenario for a second, if UT folds the LHN and opts for a Conference Network deal . . . we may take it on the chin financially in the short term but the Goodwill that will engender will be worth millions more over the long term. "The Big 12 survives and thrives thank to the good guys over at UT!" We'll come out smelling like a rose and all this nonsense we hear from other universities about our lust for money, at the expense of all else, will be put to bed permanently.

Which narrative do you guys want experience over the next 30 years here? I know my feelings on this. Here's hoping we don't blow it big time. When I'm 80 I want to be able to hold my head up and proudly say 'I'm a Longhorn' to the young kids out there. I don't want to hear for the rest of my life how we put our own interests over those of our conference and killed it. The Big 12 has huge potential IMHO. Perhaps we pursue policies to ensure that the "rising tide lifts all the Big 12 boats" not just ours from this point on??? A great place to start would be a Conference Network.

Now, if the BC's are secretly wanting the Big 12 to die . . . well, I just don't have any idea what to say to that???

My 2 cents.

I'm sorry, I just don't buy any of that. If we fold the LHN then we need out of the craptastic conference ASAP, This conference holds nothing worth keeping outside of a rivalry with Oklahoma and that can follow us anywhere we go. I perfer to keep the LHN and go independent vs. staying in failed conference. If they want a conference network, I'm happy to see Texas leave and create one.

Here is a compromise, we keep the LHN and they get their own Network and they keep their crap and we keep ours. Shouldn't be a problem if it's under ESPN.

 

[ryan_sublett]

I'm sorry, I just don't buy any of that. If we fold the LHN then we need out of the craptastic conference ASAP, This conference holds nothing worth keeping outside of a rivalry with Oklahoma and that can follow us anywhere we go. I perfer to keep the LHN and go independent vs. staying in failed conference. If they want a conference network, I'm happy to see Texas leave and create one.

Here is a compromise, we keep the LHN and they get their own Network and they keep their crap and we keep ours. Shouldn't be a problem if it's under ESPN.

Going independent isn't an option. Not sure we would be able to schedule the kind of games we need to in order to be a strong program. We'd have to reach a deal like ND did to play like 4-5 teams from a conference a year or something.

You also have to put basketball in a conference. Independents in basketball doesn't happen.

 

[cwillfromdatx]

Even if UT decided to drop the LHN does that mean the Big 12 will automatic be a receiver of a conference network? I don't think so. Does ISU, KSU, OSU, TT, TCU, BAY bring in a large following? NO they don't. Sure UT and Ok does but that's it. Look at the SEC, BIG 10 and even the PAC. They all have 6 or more teams that has a large following and in heavy populated areas of the country. Personally, I love the LHN. Would I want to see ISU wrestling? No. Would I want to see anything about UT, yes. If other teams are upset with the LHN then they should leave or make their own network. Or better yet, UT go indy. Watch what would happen if UT left the conference. C USA all over because Okie would leave for the SEC. Who would want to be in the Big 12 then. Stop whining and build up your brand and money instead of worrying about another school money. I'm like this. If I'm making a 100k and was told I have to share my money with a neighbor because he makes only 35k. Who in their right mind would want to or even vice versa. I work hard for my money and I'm not sharing a portion of it. Period

 

[sooner_mike]

Texas will never suffer in recruiting unless the move Austin to Oklahoma.



Biggest reason it hasn't worked is at about the same time it was being launched the Big 12 made a rule that we weren't allowed to have High School games or recruiting programming on the LHN because it gave us an advantage over other schools.

If Texas loses the LHN, I say we go Big 10, there is nothing to keep us in the Big 12 except for the idea that we can have our own network. This conference is nothing but a conference of convenience, it does nothing for us outside of the convenience factor.

I would support us going independent, keep the LHN and dig in a little deeper with ESPN. We would pretty much guarantee games with BYU and Notre Dame, we can fill in with games from Rice, TCU, Tech, Baylor, UTSA, UNT, and UTEP. Then we take about 3 or 4 solid games a year from other schools across the country. I'm sure Texas OU will still keep going unless they get all butt-hurt and desire to cancel it. Either way Texas would do just fine in any conference or as an independent.

So tell me if they haven't struggled in recruiting, then why have been so pitiful the last five years? The sky is always blue in Austin isn't it?

 

[sooner_mike]

We beat your ass!

Sure did... But lost 7 games. But hey as long as UT beats OU all is good in recruiting. Lol

 

[sooner_mike]

Even if UT decided to drop the LHN does that mean the Big 12 will automatic be a receiver of a conference network? I don't think so. Does ISU, KSU, OSU, TT, TCU, BAY bring in a large following? NO they don't. Sure UT and Ok does but that's it. Look at the SEC, BIG 10 and even the PAC. They all have 6 or more teams that has a large following and in heavy populated areas of the country. Personally, I love the LHN. Would I want to see ISU wrestling? No. Would I want to see anything about UT, yes. If other teams are upset with the LHN then they should leave or make their own network. Or better yet, UT go indy. Watch what would happen if UT left the conference. C USA all over because Okie would leave for the SEC. Who would want to be in the Big 12 then. Stop whining and build up your brand and money instead of worrying about another school money. I'm like this. If I'm making a 100k and was told I have to share my money with a neighbor because he makes only 35k. Who in their right mind would want to or even vice versa. I work hard for my money and I'm not sharing a portion of it. Period

To me this reeks of arrogance, I hope you do go independent because you refuse to give. Then OU drops you like a bad habit no more RRR. That would Kill UT. Some of you think UT is Notre Dame....I have news for you it's not even close.