Iowa State football: Texas game on Cyclones.tv unfair to fans

Of course, Iowa State’s football game at Texas will be televised on the Longhorn Network. Even worse, the only way the game can be seen in Iowa will be through Cyclones.tv.

More from Iowa State Cyclones

The two games that the Longhorn Network will broadcast this season were announced today, and they didn’t come with much surprise. Another early season game that’s least cared about along with the continuing rotation of Kansas and Iowa State home games.

Athletic director Jamie Pollard released the statement that he was thrilled the Big 12 allowed Iowa State to show the game on Cyclones.tv (via Ames Tribune).

"“We are very pleased that the Big 12 is allowing us to show two football games this fall on Cyclones.tv,” said ISU athletic director Jamie Pollard in a statement. “It is a great opportunity for us to grow the station’s brand across the state of Iowa. We believe the exposure our athletics program has gained from Cyclones.tv has been instrumental in helping increase season ticket sales and donations to our athletics program.”"

Of course it’s exciting. For Iowa State. Instead of putting the game logically on WOI-TV like two years ago, fans are instead forced to pay money to watch the game online through Cyclones.tv or to subscribe with one of the worst cable companies in the world.

Grabbing the game and holding it hostage on the premium internet channel is simply trying to squeeze more money out of the fans.

It’s fine if Iowa State wants to put a non-conference football game on Cyclones.tv. I’m also fine with them putting the majority of men’s basketball home non-conference games on there. There’s little demand for it and casual fans will just watch the meaty portions anyway.

But to lock up a Big 12 conference game? It’s BS.

There’s no reason WOI-TV wouldn’t be a logical solution and it should piss fans off to know why they’re doing this. Grabbing the game and holding it hostage on the premium internet channel is simply trying to squeeze more money out of the fans. God forbid anybody subscribe to the eight-letter cable giant that would make people nationally less angry at Time Warner Cable.

Instead of giving them the middle finger, the least Iowa State could do is let this game be broadcast on WOI-TV or give people free access to the service for a day. But neither of those things will happen and it doesn’t benefit fans that don’t live in Iowa.

Who ultimately lose are the displaced Cyclones fans. Don’t live in Iowa? Sorry, you can’t watch the game on Cyclones.tv even if you do have a subscription. Don’t have Longhorn Network? Sorry, go get Dish Network where you’ll lose channels for up to a year because of contract disputes.

The Big 12 also shouldn’t be allowing Texas to be volleying Kansas and Iowa State around on the Longhorn Network each year either. Again, I’d enforce that they couldn’t put a Big 12 game on there period. But if that’s in the agreement, then enforce the Longhorns to put every Big 12 team on the channel before they can show the same team twice.

Why do Cyclones and Jayhawks fans have to find an alternative way to watch the game from the traditional FOX family of networks and the occasional ESPN showcase? Because everyone behind the Longhorn Network doesn’t have balls to take a higher-rated Texas home game in Big 12 play.

Just imagine the absolute destruction in the South if Oklahoma-Texas was exclusive to the Longhorn Network. Civil War II.

It’s all BS and the fans are stuck having to pay for it. Do them a solid, Iowa State, and open up the game.

Home/Iowa State Cyclones