The fact that anorris has not weighed in on this topic is a travesty.
Do forgive me, I've been quite busy the last couple weeks. Let's dive in, shall we?
Wasn't STO primarily available only in Cleveland, and on the Direct TV sports package (I know it wasn't available at my parent's house in Springfield, on Time Warner)? At least FS-Ohio is available state wide...
Actually STO is available across most of the state, with the exception of Dayton and Cincinnati-area TWC systems (which is a rather large exception, I grant you). It is also available in some regions outside the state, like the Greater Buffalo area on some providers.
I am not sure about it's statewide availability in general but I watched it this past weekend when they showed the high school state championship games and I live in Cincinnati.
Could have been a special arrangement just for the games. All of the commercials and such suggested Northeast Ohio/Cleveland area.
Correct, a special deal was reached w/ regards to OHSAA content (http://www.wkyc.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=74594)
I would have to guess that we would have no more live look-ins on the Goal Line/Buzzerbeater channel meaning slightly less exposure. Anorris could clear this up if this is a misunderstanding.
I would think it'd also mean no more STO games on ESPN3, which would suck for us outside Ohio.
Actually this won't affect Goal Line/Buzzerbeater look-ins or ESPN3 streaming, because the STO games are sub-licensed from ESPN, who is our primary rights-holder, and ESPN reserves those types of rights in the contract. That deal runs through the 2016-2017 school year (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3866876).
FS-Ohio games produced under our prior contract with them (pre-STO) were available on ESPN360 at the time, so nothing changes there. The reason you don't see Xavier or Dayton games from FS-Ohio on those services is because the A10's deal isn't set up the same way (in fact, it is quite a confusing mish-mash with ESPN, NBC, and CBS - http://www.atlantic10.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/100212aaa.html).
I receive it on AT&T Uverse in Houston. A lot of Cleveland programming but I also like to watch the high school playoffs...OU has several commercials during the high school games. I bought the package to get MAC games but they never show live college games here....something about territorial live tv rights is what I was told.
This would go back to the ESPN sub-licensing terms. They sell STO the right to broadcast the games over cable television, in a specifically-defined area (their footprint, plus Cincy/Dayton, and some areas in Indiana, Chicago, and Michigan). The rest of the rights (for online and the remainder of the country) remain with ESPN, which is why the games are available across the country via ESPN3 and ESPN GamePlan (both of which typically are blacked out within STO's footprint).
Will the MAC basketball games still be on STO this year? It's Channel 49 in Chillicothe cable. I don't have any savvy about how this stuff works. I've been happy with STO so any change to the status quo can't be good IMO.
My guess is Fox is picking it up to destroy it. I predict there will be few MAC games on TV in the future.
FSN Ohio will honor the MAC tv contract with STO, which I assume lasts at least through this season.
It looks like they'll keep STO running at least through the Indians 2013 season. After that, as Bruce Drennan would say, all bets are off. If they can find a way to make money from it -- maybe doing HS sports or MAC and some others -- they'll keep it. Otherwise, not. But it's for sure that any MAC games they do won't show up on Gameplan and we'll be relegated to the back seat behind the larger conferences they do. Maybe it's time for the MAC and ESPN, CBS or somebody else to put together the MACtion Channel.
I think Squared would be right, I believe they'd have to honor the contract in place now, or buy it out in some fashion. However, the STO deal, unlike the ESPN deal, was only for 3 years, and is set to expire at the conclusion of the 2012-2013 school year (http://www.wmubroncos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4600&ATCLID=204972156). I think Pataskala is correct that they'll probably continue running it essentially as-is, with perhaps some branding changes, through the next MLB season. Whether they renew the deal remains to be seen.
See above re: GamePlan.
I expect this to suck for MAC fans. Fox Ohio is already committed to Cincinnati/Big East, plus Reds, Cavs and Blue Jackets. Add in the Indians and little room left for MAC.
Much as when we were there before (and they also have commitments with the A10, as well as potential other regional Fox content), you are probably right. The MAC is way down that totem pole.
With all of the stuff that FSN has to honor post-purchase (Reds, Indians, Cavs, Blue Jackets, MAC, OHSAA, and a few Clippers/Mudhens/Monsters/OAC games, along with the national contracts of A10, Pac-12, Big 12), it's still entirely possible that the former STO operates as a standalone "FSN Ohio 2" channel after the 2013 Indians season, which is when it looks like they plan to fully integrate.
I think the OHSAA stuff was short-term, but I'd think that would be desirable programming for them, and they'd want to renew it to some degree. As many of you know, "FS Ohio" already essentially operates a split network, at the moment especially around the Cavs and Blue Jackets (if they ever play again), but it is practically impossible to know what's on where. For example, in Athens, often the Cavs would be on TWC in town, but Blue Jackets on the campus cable system (or the other way around, I forget). If it were me, I'd use this as an opportunity to essentially split the network into North/South or Cincy/Cleveland branding to provide better awareness to what airs where. Cincy gets Reds, Xavier/Dayton/Cincy and Blue Jackets, Cleveland gets Indians, and Cavs, but allow for some overlap in the central portion of the state where cable systems could carry both networks.
That's the interesting part to me. FS-Ohio is buying the rights to broadcast the Indians, first and foremost, obviously, but they're also going to be getting existing carriage deals on a basic tier throughout a good portion of the state.
The STO to Fox transition will take awhile. I'm assuming Fox will want them to broadcast a 720p60 signal like the rest of the Foxes, btu STO is a 1080i30 channel.
Maybe Fox can upgrade. I know, dreams and wishes.
720p60->1080i30 would be a downgrade, not an upgrade, at least for a channel that broadcasts sports. STO moving to 720p will be fantastic.
Agreed, despite the extra lines of resolution, progressive-scan tends to look much better for situations involving quick motion, like sports.