This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
When the Pac-12 Conference launched its own television network in August 2012, the plan was that it would be the Pac-12 Networks. Plural.
Remember, there are seven channels — six regionals and one national. And, from the beginning, they were supposed to be distinct.
Three-plus years later, that's about to start happening more often. And it will affect how Utah fans will be able to watch the men's basketball team on TV.
You'll still be able to see all the games, but — depending on what cable/satellite system you subscribe to — it's going to get a bit more complicated.
"We have more than 850 live events and shows like 'The Drive,' so we've got more content than ever," said Pac-12 Network spokeswoman Brenna Webb. "With a model made up of one national and six regional networks, delivering customized programming across the networks was always the plan, and we now have a robust library of content to support it."
With a greater emphasis on regionalization, the new standard is:
• Regional games are guaranteed on their respective regional channels (Arizona, Bay Area, Los Angeles, Mountain, Oregon or Washington).
• Most (but not all) non-conference games will be simulcast on the national feed.
• All 49 conference games on P12N will air on their respective regional channel and the national feed.
What does this mean for fans?
If you live in Utah and subscribe to Comcast cable (and don't pay for the digital sports tier) you get only the P12N Mountain channel. You can watch all Ute and Buffalo games.
But if you're a fan of another Pac-12 team, live in Utah and subscribe to Comcast (or a number of other cable systems), you'll have to go online — to TV Everywhere through Pac-12.com/now on your computer or the Pac-12 Now app on your mobile device — to see all of your team's games.
(You can get the national Pac12N channel on the digital sports tier, but it won't carry every men's basketball game.)
If you subscribe to the Dish Network, you get only the national feed. So you're going to have to go online for some games, even if you're a Ute fan who lives in Utah.
If you subscribe to DirecTV, you're also out of luck. P12N isn't on DirecTV.
The new reality for the Pac-12 Networks will be in full force this week during "Full Court Friday" — nine games tipping off at 30-minute intervals that will air on the regional channels:
Sacramento State at Arizona State (5:30 p.m., Arizona); San Diego at USC (6 p.m., Los Angeles); Northern Arizona at Washington State (6:30 p.m., Washington); UW Green Bay at Stanford (7 p.m., Bay Area); Pacific at Arizona (7:30 p.m. Arizona); Jackson State at Oregon (8 p.m., Oregon); Southern Utah at Utah (8:30 p.m., Mountain); Monmouth at UCLA (9 p.m., Los Angeles); and Rice at Cal (9:30 p.m., Bay Area).
If you're watching on P12N Mountain, you will get some coverage of the other games. The "Full Court Friday" studio show (5:30-8:30 p.m. and 10:30-11:30 p.m.) will whip around to all nine games.
The national P12N feed will carry the "Full Court Friday" from 5:30-11:30 p.m.
The regionalization will also apply to other sports. You can expect to see more live events featuring Utah and Colorado on P12N-Mountain, and fewer featuring other league teams.
So, all you UCLA fans who live here in Utah, be prepared to go online. A lot.
Twitter: @scottdpierce —