The terrible mixed metaphor from yesterday regarding the Longhorn Network was that it may take only one domino to fall before the floodgates open in regards to carriage of the now year-old network. On Wednesday, multiple reports surfaced, first from Hookem.com, and then from Orangebloods ($), that ESPN and AT&T U-verse may be close to a deal that would represent the first major carrier to pick up the much-maligned network.
It could be the deal that sets the market for other major carriers to come on board, though those holding out hope for Time Warner need only look at the nearly 10-year-old impasse between one of the nation's larger carriers and the NFL Network to feel pessimistic about that going on. But, U-verse coming on board could be extremely positive news for those with DirecTV and DISH Network.
Before everyone cracks open cold ones in celebration, cautionary caveats apply here, but the buzz is positive.
One source characterized the likelihood of this going down to Orangebloods as "very strong."
The expectation is that the deal could be done by Friday to allow AT&T to flip the switch to carry the Wyoming game on Saturday. Is it time to make the switch to U-verse today? Again, probably not, but this could be the breakthrough everyone has been wanting.
Wouldn't some positivity surrounding the network be a nice change? There hasn't been much in the year that it's been around. But maybe Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds was right yesterday when he said that Texas is "going to win in the end" in all this. After all, winning is what's expected when you are the Joneses.