Bad business... for SEC fans

Over the next few weeks, there will be a delicate dance between local television affiliates throughout the southeast,  and the SEC itself.

The conference enacting a new policy, which will limit media access to press conferences, game highlights... basically any athletic event taking place on an SEC campus.

“This is not a restriction of overall coverage … It’s a restriction of video,” said Charles Bloom, SEC associate commissioner for SEC media relations Charles Bloom.

I have the utmost respect for Bloom.  He is one of the best in the business.  But his employer will be hurting one group above any other with this policy.

That group... will be fans of the Southeastern Conference.

They are trying to drive more people to the soon to be launched SEC Digital Network website, which will be run by a company that goes by the name "XOS."  Some video they will be posting will be free.  Other video will be accessed only by those that pay for the content.  Kind of like ESPN.com's "Insider" service.

Part of the policy will keep local television affiliates, like WATE-TV, from airing any game highlights 72 hours after its completion. 

Think about it.  If I want to do a story about Tennessee's 1998 National Championship season... I can't show Jeff Hall's game winning field goal against Syracuse, Collins Cooper's missed field goal in the Florida game, the "stumble and fumble" in the Arkansas game, etc.

If you want to see those clips, you either need to pop your VHS cassette in the VCR... or pay XOS a tidy sum.

Bloom told me that this policy is not set in stone, and that it will be tweaked as time goes on.

Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail. 

For the good of the SEC... and its fans.

For a great take, check out this article from Franz Beard at gatorcountry.com.

http://www.gatorcountry.com/football/article/sec_restrictions_bad_deal_for_fans/6853