Question for people who don't live in Iowa but try to watch Football games

[Flag Guy]

I know coverage of our games varry, but I'm trying to figure out what options there are for watching games? Particuarly for those on the East Coast...

I seem to recall Fox College Sports picking up some of our games last year, and I'm thinking some games got broadcast on-line but I can't remember for sure.


I ask mostly because I noticed the cable company down here offers FCS network (Eastern, Central and another region) as channels in one of their packages... which is nice and dandy but I don't think I want to pay the extra cost of that package, as I'd probally only watch the extra channels a few days a year, and if I have other options like the Clone Zone I'd probally prefer that.


Feedback/advice would be appreciated

 

[sunset]

Really no options, pay for the packages or don't watch. You can discontinue the sports package once the season is over.

I did the Clone Zone last year and only got one game. I probably got two or three games from the regional fox sports and fox college channels. You typically get one or two games a year through ESPN Gamezone.

The other option is to pay for Yahoo Sports and listen to the games. I've done that in the past as well.

 

[bfross]

Get somebody that you trust and that trusts you back in Iowa, and then buy a Slingbox or the Sony version and have them set it up at their house to allow you to watch their TV online for the Clone games. Sounds far-fetched, but you can get a refurb Sony box for about $100 at TigerDirect. Kind of a hassle for both of you, but hey, what are friends for?

 

[jumbopackage]

I know coverage of our games varry, but I'm trying to figure out what options there are for watching games? Particuarly for those on the East Coast...

I seem to recall Fox College Sports picking up some of our games last year, and I'm thinking some games got broadcast on-line but I can't remember for sure.


I ask mostly because I noticed the cable company down here offers FCS network (Eastern, Central and another region) as channels in one of their packages... which is nice and dandy but I don't think I want to pay the extra cost of that package, as I'd probally only watch the extra channels a few days a year, and if I have other options like the Clone Zone I'd probally prefer that.


Feedback/advice would be appreciated

ISU games will be carried either on the regional ABC feed, which you could get with the ESPN Gameplan package, Fox Sports Net - generally they carry it "nationwide", but sometimes there's a couple of different regions, ESPN, or, rarely, on FCS.

Get somebody that you trust and that trusts you back in Iowa, and then buy a Slingbox or the Sony version and have them set it up at their house to allow you to watch their TV online for the Clone games. Sounds far-fetched, but you can get a refurb Sony box for about $100 at TigerDirect. Kind of a hassle for both of you, but hey, what are friends for?

You won't be able to see any more games via slingbox than you could via programming packages available via satellite or cable provider. There wasn't a single game last year that was televised locally that was not available to people with FCS, FSN or Gameplan.

 

[sunset]

If you can get ESPN360.com through your internet provider you can watch all ESPN Gameplan games for free.

 

[melt]

I'm in Chicago and I can pretty much count on seeing one to three games a year. The Iowa game is always on here, either ESPN or ABC, and usually a couple more will end up on Vs. or the national Fox Sports Net, I think the CU game last year was on the regional FSC. There's usually one or two other games that end up on the regional ABC slot, so you'd have to pay for that or go to the bar.

 

[mfelske]

If you can get ESPN360.com through your internet provider you can watch all ESPN Gameplan games for free.

ESPN360 works great, assuming your ISP provides it (I don't think most cable companys do). I was able to watch a majority of the games on it last season.

 

[HandSanitizer]

Remember by being in the big 12 you either need to be playing someone big or be really good to be on TV a lot. We lose OU and Texas next year. Ordering packages is the only way to go, but last year we had a few games that weren't even on.

Here is what I am hoping for for the next season.
MOST LIKLEY TV GAMES:
Iowa (B10 network)
UNLV (MWC Network)
Kansas (ABC/ESPN/2/U/Versus/Fox Sports)
Nebraska (ABC/ESPN/2/U/Versus/Fox Sports)
A&M (ABC/ESPN/2/U/Versus/Fox Sports)
Mizzou(ABC/ESPN/2/U/Versus/Fox Sports)

Maybe's pending how we are playing.--------------
Okie State
Kansas State
Colorado

Probably Not-----
South Dakota (Thursday game so maybe Mediacom or Espn picks it up)
Kent State
Baylor

Kind of sucks knowing that half our games are going to depend on who else is playing and how we are doing. At least now that we have ESPN playing games we should be on if we are playing good. So if we are a bowl eligible team I would imagine that every game , but kent State, Baylor would be on.

 

[Arkansas Cyclone]

I think I watched a total of 7 games last year - 2 on Clone Zone and the rest on tv. I always get the Fox package (thru Directv) just at the beginning of the season and ditch it once football is over.

 

[Topshelf]

Slingbox is a great option. That's what I use in China

 

[pulse]

I know coverage of our games varry, but I'm trying to figure out what options there are for watching games? Particuarly for those on the East Coast...

I seem to recall Fox College Sports picking up some of our games last year, and I'm thinking some games got broadcast on-line but I can't remember for sure.


I ask mostly because I noticed the cable company down here offers FCS network (Eastern, Central and another region) as channels in one of their packages... which is nice and dandy but I don't think I want to pay the extra cost of that package, as I'd probally only watch the extra channels a few days a year, and if I have other options like the Clone Zone I'd probally prefer that.


Feedback/advice would be appreciated

I would get the Fox sports package. They usually show a few games a year and its only a few dollars a month. You can wait until the a game is going to be on one of the channels and then order it. Then cancel at the end of the season, so you'll only need it for a couple of months.

 

[ISU_Alum_2000]

I have Cox for my cable TV and internet. They do not offer ESPN360 (almost certainly because they are also a TV provider, and they want me to but those packages), but they offer a package that includes Fox Sports Atlantic/Central/Pacific and Versus. I get Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket (formerly Fox Sports Net, I think) with my regular cable package.

I can't remember which channels had which games, but between Fox Sports Central, Prime Ticket and Versus I definitely remember watching Texas, Oklahoma, KState and Colordao. Kansas was on ABC Regional, which I would have had to pay-per-view that day to watch, but I was back in Des Moines with family for Thanksgiving.

Nebraska, TTech and Missouri I must have listened to on Yahoo or one of the local radio streams online (either kxno.com or 1600espn.com).

I don't remember any of the conference games being on CloneZone, were they? CloneZone was pretty much a waste once the conference season started, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Seth]

My advice: find a good sports bar with a solid satellite package and good drink specials. If you become a regular, they'll pretty much give you your own TV for every game. Of course, this only works if the games are actually televised...

 

[CTAClone]

Starting this year we are suppose to get more exposure from ABC and ESPN. Who knows if this means we are getting more games televised or not. I still can't believe that Football hasn't caught up to Basketball with the availability of televised games. It's pretty sad actually.

Big 12 Conference and ESPN Reach Long-Term Agreement :: <blank>

 

[alaskaguy]

My advice: find a good sports bar with a solid satellite package and good drink specials. If you become a regular, they'll pretty much give you your own TV for every game. Of course, this only works if the games are actually televised...

It also only works if you live in an area that has sports bars.

 

[Seth]

It also only works if you live in an area that has sports bars.

Why oh why would anyone live where there aren't sports bars???

 

[Flag Guy]

I would get the Fox sports package. They usually show a few games a year and its only a few dollars a month. You can wait until the a game is going to be on one of the channels and then order it. Then cancel at the end of the season, so you'll only need it for a couple of months.

The thought crossed my mind, but I still wanted to check out what others had to say.



Thanks for all the suggestions so far... unfortuantly I live on what is essentially the edge of the civilized world (seriously... there is only like 15 miles from my place to the tip of the peninsula I'm on, and to give you an idea of whats down there... the post office is a mobile home fairly permently parked along the road, and I saw the Stars and Bars flying at a house just past that), so my entertainment options are limited, though I think I can get most of the channels mentioned. Of course I live in the Mid-Atlantic region so... I'm screwed when it comes to regional broadcasts/Big 10 network (not that I want to pay for that one anyways).

Sadly, I live just a little too close to the edge of civilzation,- my ISP doesn't offer ESPN 360. Another one does, but they don't come that far south :sad:

 

[Flag Guy]

Why oh why would anyone live where there aren't sports bars???

I'd settle for just a bar right now :no:

Apperently the area is getting better but there still just isn't much here though in terms of night life/entertainment.

I have been informed of a Alumni group that watches games at a sports bar (thanks for the tip Pulse!), however it is about an hour and a half drive, baring traffic jams/stupid people jumping off of bridges... (but hey thats old history)

 

[sunset]

I have ATT Uverse (U-verse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), which is bundled service over broadband/telephone lines. The television lineup has a ton of channels and is cheaper than what we were getting with COX. They are still working out some bugs, but cheaper and more channels overcomes the minor glitches.

I'm not tech wiz, but the internet service works just fine for me and they offer ESPN360.

 

[Clone9]

There were actually quite a few games on FSN this past year. For sure the Texas and OU games, and I think a few others. I've been sort of surprised with the number of games I can get (in NC). And with CloneZone and Watch Online tv sports news and entertainment for free at channelsurfing (I watched several basketball games here), the coverage isn't all that bad. I only went to a bar for a couple of games.