By Dominick Muccilo SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – The ACC Network is set to launch on Aug. 22, but not everyone with cable is going to be able to catch the action. Three major cable companies have yet to reach a deal with the network and fans are beginning to get concerned.
College fans that subscribe to Spectrum in Syracuse as of now will not be able to watch ACC Network games this fall. Dish Network and Comcast also haven’t agreed to a deal, but all parties are continuing to work towards a deal with Disney and ESPN. The host of ESPN Radio Syracuse, Brent Axe, says the SEC Network launched and had the same problem, but that fans took a stand.
“So they were calling the cable operator and saying you better have this channel, I want to see these games,” Axe said.
For Axe personally, he has “cut the cord” and watches games through streaming platforms, the only guaranteed way to watch games when the ACC Network begins their broadcasts.
“There’s certain channels I need to cover Syracuse University sports to have them and watch them and until I found something that was comparable,” Axe said. “I wasn’t going to get rid of cable. I found something that’s not only comparable, it’s better.”
Streaming apps like YoutubeTV and Hulu offer subscription packages that broadcast live sports, and they’ll have all the games this fall. But the launch of ACC Network isn’t only going to benefit the basketball and football teams, it’s also going to help gain exposure to more Olympic sports and women’s sports as well. The Director of the Newhouse Sports Media Center, Olivia Stomski, says that driving engagement with those sports is the main goal.
“When you’re starting to look at all these different platforms especially from a collegiate point of view, our idea is always how can we get more exposure to Olympic sports,” Stomski said. “We’re all watching and consuming sports all the time and now we’re just getting a bigger and better platform to do that on.”
There have been no new developments about Spectrum, Dish, or Comcast striking a deal.
