While his explination is suspect, I think its safe to say that Craig Thompson is not going to get this deal done. He is not even sure of what is going on and has to retract crucial statements on the situation. The problem here is him. The Big 10 was able to get their deal done in one year. Craig Thompson needs to be fired or held accountable by the AD's. I am amazed that Chris Hill and Tom Holmoe have let the situation get this bad and have allowed Craig Thompson to embarass the MWC.

I can't believe that this deal is not getting done. Finally, We fans got a direct answer to some hard questions and now CT is saying just the opposite. We are in the second year of this TV deal and I still can't see the football games on my TV. I have seen more Weber State games on the Dish this year than Utah games. The Big Sky has a deal with Altitude TV and they are on The Dish. I love the Wildcats, but it is pretty sad when the Big Sky can get its games on Sattelite and the MWC can't.

When last season ended, I felt like I didn't get to enjoy season as much because football was off the air. This year seems to be going down the same path. It is very frustrating.

Let i be known that I will donate millions of dollars to the MWC this spring for development.


Actually let me retract my statement, it is not true...

I am even more frustrated now after hearing CT once again back track on his statements. It is sad to have such a incompetent person at the lead/head of the MWC.

I also think it is crazy that the fans within the "FOOTPRINT" are being given the shaft so the fans in the others states MIGHT "someday" get the MTN. I guess the Conference is more concerned with them than the local fans.
What a pathetic situation!!!!

PROTEST!!! Power to the People!!

Hey BYU and Utah fans alike, let's unite for a PROTEST before the big game in November. I think we can get several thousand protestors out to voice how rediculous the tv deal is. This protest has to be done by BYU and Utah fans since the other schools in our conference are irrelavant and we will be soon with this deal. United we stand brothers, or at least for one day, so that our football will not fade into complete obscurity!

As one of the Joe New Jerseys who asked David why I can't get the mtn. on Comcast's national outlets, let me thank David for asking the Commissioner "why?"

Thompson's answer was ridiculous and I hope David takes another shot at a time when Thompson doesn't have to backtrack on some earlier inane comments of his. Don't let him get away with saying that it is "in the mix" or that it is a "complex issue." Comcast is sabotaging negotiations with the satellite companies by their refusal to show the mtn. nationwide.

And not to get snarky here, but I'm pretty sure Craig Thompson doesn't know the meaning of the word initiative. Try agenda instead of initiative and you might get your point across better.

These deals, by their very nature, should be satellite deals. This should be no surprise whatsoever. The Big Ten Network did two things that the MWC either didn't , or couldn't. That was making the deal first with a Satellite.

The question that has never been asked is, "Were you expecting Satellite distrubution out the chute do to Dish Networks part ownership of CSTV, and did the purchase by CBS upset those plans, OR was satellite distribution an after thought"? The reason the question is important is because there is NO WAY one would logically enter into such a deal without satellite distribution, unless that was the only option given -- because of the very situation we are in now. It would just be interesting to know what the Conference and the Conference Presidents perception of the deal was before Comcast entered the picture.

how noble of Thompson to think of the alumni outside of the footprint. Gutless response in my opinion.

I'm not sure of the numbers, but I'd be willing to bet that the majority of the Mountain West Alumni live within the footprint. It's not like the bigger conferences where the job placement is more widespread. I can only speak from my experience, and not to sound myopic, but I am a U grad living in SLC.

The biggest insult during the retraction was Thompson's Fred Astair personation when asked the "punting for New Jersey" question - "Maybe, maybe..that is a position we ALL end up in...if it goes on, if it drags on...if there is not (a) success nationally...not everybody can drive to the ball games..." It makes you sick.

Could you imagine if 2 or 3 football teams were ranked in the top 25 what the position would be? I think the presidents and Thompson are misrepresenting the Alumni and the Fans.

It is my opinion that Comcast's ownership position in the MTN has caused problems in the Satellite negotiations.
If my memory serves me right, Dish Network dumped their local CBS coverage a few years back while negotiating their deal.
I dumped my Dish Network last year, and signed up for Comcast so I could have the MTN. Now my 1 year promo is over, and I am paying almost double. I am scheduling my Comcast disconnect for the end of the football season.
I call DirectTV and Dish Network every time I see or hear a MTN radio or TV add, but I don't have any confidence that CT can make this deal happen. How many YEARS of negotiations until we consider this a failure, and change our tactics?

Here is my take on the "Mountain Network". I am an avid Utah fan. I used to work for the football team as well as in the athletic department. This station is an absolute joke. I lived in Oregon for school for a year. I can guarantee you that, aside from transplanted BYU fans, NO ONE in Oregon cares about the Mountain West Conference. They will not pay more for this station. The MWC needs to understand that.
Second, they have to find a way to get Comcast out of the mix. That is destroying the Mtn. Comcast will not budge because they have such a strong hold on TV viewers in MWC states. Why would they drop their rates? The MWC should do everything in its power to get off this station.
Third, when the MWC left ESPN, I said that it would screw over recruiting. You tell me a top prospect that wants to go to Utah or BYU and not play on ESPN. How in the world will they get their name out to the public? True, we were playing at terrible times, but it was exposure nonetheless. I heard an interview with Brian Johnson. Brian said that he was excited to play Louisville because he was on TV and his family could watch him. Can anyone outside of Utah recruits see their kids play? Probably not.
OK, so this has been a rant, but I think MWC officials need a dose of reality and cut the crap. They aren't getting anywhere with Comcast!