Early season selections, Part One

Maybe there won't be this big schedule release day like we've seen in past years.

The Big Ten put its early season television selections in motion before the Memorial Day weekend. Schedule looks about as normal as it can for them. Maybe not as packed on the Big Ten Network for the 12pm games as in past seasons, but 9/25 will have plenty.

The Big 12's list came out of their 1st day of their spring meetings, which promise to be interesting based on the 800 lb gorilla known as Big Ten expansion. I am impressed that FSN was able to pick up some very worthwhile games (Georgia Tech-Kansas, Illinois-Missouri). Two things I found interesting:

1. FSN will do their 1st Thursday night midseason game (Kansas St. at Kansas on October 14), on a national basis, since they had the rights to Conference USA. East Carolina vs. Louisville, 10/19/00. Their last Thursday night game was Wake Forest vs. Baylor on 8/28/08.
2. Versus was not listed anywhere on the press release, except for the Baylor game at TCU (Versus being a quasi-rightsholder of the Mountain West). Waiting for an answer to a query about whether Versus will continue to remain a place to find some Big 12 games throughout the year.

The PAC-10's list may be in process of being released. Part one was a surprise with several FSN games being released. Part two so far has been a single game, released fairly late in the day on July 1st (Arizona St. at USC on FSN). My expectation is that even if no other games are selected, the PAC-10 will release a list of telecast windows for the three remaining FSN windows and all seven Versus windows, as they've done in the past.

So what is left? Here's a conference-by-conference look:

ACC - I expect a ton of listings, even if most of them involve the ESPN3.com service because of a lack of really good games to pick up. ABC, ESPN Networks and Raycom will be making the choices. As for details on their rights agreement, I'm not sure I would expect that until the ACC Media Days since that may be the next time ACC and ESPN representatives will be gathered in the same place.

Big 12 - Now that the big boys picked their games, there will likely be a game on Fox College Sports and games on pay-per-view, but those will come out throughout the summer.

Big East - Outside of the Maryland-West Virginia and Kentucky-Louisville games, there isn't much to choose from. Some schools will probably opt for local/regional telecasts and those may not be announced until later in the summer.

C-USA - The CSS list of games and other local telecasts will trickle out through the summer. Would expect the CSS list by their media day.

MAC - Should be local/regional telecasts from here on out with the packages from ESPN+ and Fox Sports Ohio/Detroit along with others.

PAC-10 - Once the remaining national windows are announecd, teams will begin to piece together times where they can offer local/regional telecasts.

SEC - A full list. CBS typically doesn't do games the 1st two weeks of the season because of its US Open tennis coverage, so ESPN Networks and the conference's regional cable & syndication packages will be in full effect. Also expect plent of pay-per-view opportunities. Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution also reported that the conference is still trying to give Alabama some scheduling relief, so their schedule isn't officially set in stone.

Sun Belt - Waiting on the Sun Belt Network slate of games and possibly an ESPNU game.

WAC - Expecting local telecasts from now on. ESPNU picked up a WAC game for its 1st three weeks and that should be the extent of their selections