ESPNU To Kick Off In HD Next August

Enhanced College Football Offerings Part of 200 Live Events In First Year

-- Multichannel News, 12/3/2007 9:13:00 AM

ESPNU will become the fourth ESPN network to go the high-definition route, when it kicks off coverage of the 2008 college football season.

The college sports service, which currently counts some 20 million subscribers through deals with Charter, Cox, DirecTV, Dish Network Network, AT&T’s U-Verse, Insight Communications, Mediacom, Time Warner Cable and Verizon’s FiOS TV, among others, will begin telecasting in the HD format on Aug. 28, 2008, according to George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and ABC Sports.

Projected to air more than 200 HD events in its first year, ESPNU HD, in addition to presenting college football action in the enhanced signal format, will present basketball, lacrosse, baseball, softball, volleyball, wrestling and hockey contests. In addition, ESPNU HD will offer encore presentations from ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD and ABC HD college sports content. The shift to HD will also allow for additional sponsorship opportunities on the network, said network officials.

“The launch of ESPNU HD will give college sports fans an outstanding viewing experience, and will add to ESPN’s leading lineup of high definition services, including ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD and ESPNEWS HD,” said Burke Magnus, vice president and general manager, ESPNU, in a statement. "ESPNU’s rapid growth has responded to the passion of college sports fans and we are thrilled to bring them all the excitement of college athletics in HD.”

ESPN HD reaches more than 15 million subscribers and is available to more than 91 million homes, while ESPN2 HD reaches almost 11 million subscribers and is available to more than 76 million homes.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6509038.html

With Comcast's love affair for HD sports channels, I wish this would give them a reason to add ESPNU already! We already know they will have ESPNEWS HD. Maybe if it's an HD channel they will see more of a value in adding it...

I've done what I can do, and called Comcast and told them I want ESPNU!

This has me very excited, with ESPN backhauling some ESPNU broadcasts in HD already, shouldn't be too much of a change.

Excellent news.

How many events will ESPN and ESPN2 be carrying in HD in 2008?

This has me very excited, with ESPN backhauling some ESPNU broadcasts in HD already, shouldn't be too much of a change.

I think the HD backhaul thing was more common with the tournaments that were going on during Thanksgiving week. Many of those tourney's championship games or semi-finals were on ESPNHD/ESPN2HD so they already had an HD truck/equipment out there and were sending an HD feed anyway. I don't think you will see this for ESPNU exclusive games that are just 1 game. ESPN/ESPN2 does not do all the college hoops games in HD. The Big Monday games, Super Tuesday, Throwdown Thursday, etc are usually in HD, the day games during Saturday/Sunday are usually the ones not in HD. Last year it was not uncommon to see only the saturday primetime game in HD, all the rest of the games that day were SD.

So if they can't get all the games on ESPN/ESPN2 in HD, I can't see how they can get many more on ESPNUHD, and for now I think it'll be more for replays of games in HD, more than live events(minus the tourneys). 1st/2nd rounds of major conference tourneys, those games would likely be in HD on ESPNUHD since the semi/final rounds are on ESPNHD/ESPN2HD, so the HD equip is already there.

ESPN choose to go with other sports in making ALL games HD, NBA and college fball immediatly come to mind.

Very true. Two hundred amounts to less than 4 HD events per week which, to be frank, still puts ESPNU leaps and bounds ahead of most of the new channels that got rolled out these last couple months.

Very true. Two hundred amounts to less than 4 HD events per week which, to be frank, still puts ESPNU leaps and bounds ahead of most of the new channels that got rolled out these last couple months.

Not to mention the studio shows that would presumably be in HD as well.

Very true. Two hundred amounts to less than 4 HD events per week which, to be frank, still puts ESPNU leaps and bounds ahead of most of the new channels that got rolled out these last couple months.

I wonder if that 200 includes the encores of games from ABC/ESPN/ESPN2?

ESPN/ESPN2 does not do all the college hoops games in HD. The Big Monday games, Super Tuesday, Throwdown Thursday, etc are usually in HD, the day games during Saturday/Sunday are usually the ones not in HD. Last year it was not uncommon to see only the saturday primetime game in HD, all the rest of the games that day were SD.1 or 2 of the Saturday or Sunday day games was in HD as well.


So if they can't get all the games on ESPN/ESPN2 in HD, I can't see how they can get many more on ESPNUHD, and for now I think it'll be more for replays of games in HD, more than live events(minus the tourneys).
More events are in HD on ESPN / ESPN2 then last year and more will be this year. For college basketball it really has been an issue with HD production truck availability. More trucks have come online every year, to the point where there are trucks to support ESPNU having games in HD. ESPN has been very honest and conservative in their HD marketing. When ESPN says that there will be 200 events on the ESPNU there will be 200 HD events on ESPNU. These numbers have never included replays. I would not be surprised if the number is higher. For a network that does not have many live events for 3 months of the year, having 200 events in HD during the first year is not bad at all.

ESPN choose to go with other sports in making ALL games HD, NBA and college fball immediatly come to mind.

ESPN produces every NASCAR, NBA, MLS, MLB, college football, NHRA and NFL event in HD. The college football statement does not apply to reverse mirror telecasts with ABC.

I wonder if that 200 includes the encores of games from ABC/ESPN/ESPN2?

ESPN's marketing has never included replays or studio programming under the number of HD events. I doubt they would start now.

How many events will ESPN and ESPN2 be carrying in HD in 2008?

ESPN's marketing indicates for 2007 over 7,000 hours of HD programming. That includes live events, replays, and studio programming. ESPN has always been very conservative with number like these, so it is most likely higher then 7,000 hours.

I did see a a count of ESPN HD events for January thru April of this year and it was close to 400 for ESPN and ESPN2 combined.

1 or 2 of the Saturday or Sunday day games was in HD as well.

Yup, I caught HD highlights on Big Ten Network HD of the OSU game that was on ESPN U

How many events will ESPN and ESPN2 be carrying in HD in 2008?

every year they usually make an announcment of how many hd events will be on espn 1 & 2.

I can't remember when exactly they made the last one.

I hope all ncaa basketball is in HD next season as they will be doing around 200 this season

Yup, I caught HD highlights on Big Ten Network HD of the OSU game that was on ESPN U

I was referring to the Saturday and Sunday CBB games on ESPN and ESPN2, nothing to do with what is on ESPNU.

I hope all ncaa basketball is in HD next season as they will be doing around 200 this season

For next season I would not be surprised if the all of the conference schedule of NCAA basketball is in HD. I don't see the whole schedule being in HD. This past weekend is a good example of how many HD trucks are being used. There were 13 NFL games on Sunday in HD and 12 College Football games on Saturday in HD. Since almost all football productions include a set day, those trucks are tied up for 2 days and that does not include travel. After those 25 trucks plus those doing NBA/NHL games, plus those in transit, and those doing other events there just is not that many leftover at this time of the year to do NCAA BB. During the conference season these trucks would be able to do a whole lot more basketball games. Golf (on the mailand), NASCAR, and MLB all start in either February or March are the only events not going on now that would start up during the conference basketball season, and they either start in February or March.

Great, yet another ESPN HD channel that Cablevision won't have.

Will ESPN dump a lot more choice HD broadcasts over to ESPNU in order to strong arm providers into carrying it?

Will ESPN dump a lot more choice HD broadcasts over to ESPNU in order to strong arm providers into carrying it?

Doubtful you would see anything of note move over to the ESPNU. Most of the conference contracts specify what how many games can be on each platform and to some extent what caliber of broadcasts can show up on ESPNU. I would except a for events here or there might get moved, but I doubt it would be anything major.

Will ESPN dump a lot more choice HD broadcasts over to ESPNU in order to strong arm providers into carrying it?

This is already happening this year with the Big East. New contract this year mandates that all conference games be shown on some platform of ESPN. Of course this includes at the bottom of the list, ESPNU, ESPN360, and Full Court.

ESPN definetly spread games out more evenly over Full Court and ESPNU.
And some of the inter-city games in Philly between D-I schools(called the "Big 5") are on ESPNU, and not any local station in Philly. As a result there is no way to see those games on cable in Philly(does Comcast have any assets this this city, lemme think for a sec:rolleyes:)

This is nothing new, they've been doing it for some key college football matchups for 2 years now. Putting them in HD only adds to the tease. ESPNEWS HD is more of a waste than ESPNUHD IMO, and Comcast added ESPNEWS HD to basic digital...

ESPNEWS HD basically makes the ESPN facilities an all-HD operation. Going forward, it's a substantial step towards 100% HD on the ESPN networks, excluding Classic.

Comcast added ESPNEWS HD to basic digital...

ESPNews HD doesn't launch until March 30, 2008. How can Comcast have added it to basic digital?

To me, ESPNews HD is a great add, all highlights and updates in HD (when available). Live lookins in HD, etc.

All ESPN in HD is a sportsfans wet dream :)

Great, this could put me over the edge to buy that god forsaken Sports Pack on D*. I see ESPN U already has some pretty good games for college basketball this year. *sigh*

ESPNU Goes HD

Launches with football telecast on Thursday

By Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/25/2008 12:41:00 PM

College-sports dedicated network ESPNU will step up to high-definition this week, as ESPNU HD launches Thursday with a live telecast of the football game between Vanderbilt and Miami of Ohio at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Within the first year of its launch, ESPNU HD plans to air more than 200 events in the 720-line progressive (720p) HD format, including all of its Thursday and Saturday live college football games as well as college basketball, lacrosse, baseball, softball, volleyball, wrestling and hockey. The network will be the fourth HD network offered by sports giant ESPN, following ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNNews; ESPN-produced HD sports coverage also airs on corporate cousin ABC.

ESN says it has secured carriage for the new network with Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS TV, RCN, Atlantic Broadband and Broadstripe, and is working on further distribution with other multichannel operators.

“ESPNU going HD is a natural progression of this robust brand and we look forward to serving all of our college sports fans this season and for seasons to come with this high-quality service,” said Rosalyn Durant, vice president and general manager of ESPNU, in a statement. “Since the advent of HD, fans have told us that nothing beats the HD viewing experience – especially when it comes to their favorite sports and teams.”

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6589992.html

ESPNU HD Counts Five Distributors As Launch Nears

Time Warner Cable, Verizon, RCN On Board For Enhanced Service�s Aug. 28 Kickoff

By Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 8/25/2008 3:11:00 PM

With ESPNU ready to kick off its HD service Thursday, the enhanced college sports service has inked distribution deals with five carriers.

Time Warner Cable, Verizon’s FiOS TV, RCN, Atlantic Broadband and Broadstripe will all carry ESPNU HD when it launches at 6 a.m. (ET) on Aug. 28, according to ESPN officials. Deal terms were not disclosed.

In its first year with the enhanced signal, ESPNU, which currently counts some 22 million subscribers, is scheduled to offer some 200 events, including all of its live Thursday and Saturday football games, beginning Aug. 28 with Vanderbilt visiting Miami (Ohio) at 7:30 p.m.

“There was some games on ESPNU last year that originated in HD that were syndicated or were simulcast on other properties,” said ESPN vice president of business strategy Eric Ratchman, “but this will be the first time ESPNU provides its programming in HD to its viewers.”

Noting that research shows that ratings are 50% higher for ESPN in homes that offer the HD version of the flagship network, Ratchman anticipates similar results with ESPNU HD. “The TV sports viewing experience is enhanced significantly in HD,” he said. “The demand is there for it.”

According to network officials, ESPN HD reaches more than 20 million subscribers and is available to more than 96 million homes, while ESPN2 HD reaches more than 19 million subscribers and is available in more than 86 million homes.

Ratchman, in an interview last week, said negotiations were ongoing with all of ESPNU affiliates about carrying the HD version of the service.

During a conference call announcing ESPN’s 15-year far-reaching agreement with the Southeastern Conference, senior vice president college sports programming Burke Magnus said the programmer was in “active conversations” with Comcast about carrying ESPNU.

Magnus said he believed the addition of SEC fare, including a primetime college football game, under the new contract, would serve to “accelerate” the negotiations between the parties. ESPNU, which has distribution pacts with seven of the top 10 video providers including Time Warner, Dish, DirecTV, Cox and Charter, has a major hole in its carriage lineup, especially in the nine-states homes to SEC schools, without Comcast on its roster.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6590153.html

Official Press Release:

For Immediate Release

August 25, 2008

ESPN Launches ESPNU HD Thursday, August 28

24-Hour College Sports Network Will Kickoff High Definition Format with Vanderbilt vs. Miami (Ohio) Football Game at 7:30 p.m.

There is no better way to watch the pageantry and spectacle of college football than in the 16 x 9 high definition format, which is precisely what ESPNU will do starting on Thursday, August 28, when the network launches in HD. ESPNU HD’s first live event will be a college football match-up featuring the SEC’s Vanderbilt at the MAC’s Miami (Ohio) in primetime at 7:30 p.m. ET.

In its first year, ESPNU HD is projected to air more than 200 HD events, including all of its Thursday and Saturday college football games (LIVE only) as well as exclusive coverage of college basketball, lacrosse, baseball, softball, volleyball, wrestling, hockey and more. This will be the fifth HD service ESPN has launched amongst its family of networks. The shift to HD not only provides the ultimate viewing experience for fans, but also gives advertisers new opportunities to engage with a passionate college sports fan base.

ESPNU HD has carriage agreements in place with Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS TV, RCN, Atlantic Broadband and Broadstripe customers. ESPN is currently working on distribution deals with additional cable, satellite and telecommunications operators.

“ESPNU going HD is a natural progression of this robust brand and we look forward to serving all of our college sports fans this season and for seasons to come with this high-quality service,” said Rosalyn Durant, vice president and general manager, ESPNU. “Since the advent of HD, fans have told us that nothing beats the HD viewing experience – especially when it comes to their favorite sports and teams.”



About ESPNU

ESPNU launched on March 4, 2005. The 24-hour college sports television network features more than 550 live events annually, including college football, college basketball and Olympic sports from more than 25 Division I conferences, as well as premier high school content. The network also has a wide-ranging, long-term agreement with the NCAA for enhanced coverage of 22 NCAA Championships. In addition, ESPNU offers comprehensive studio programming and replays the best games of the week from ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Regional Television.

ESPNU currently reaches more than 21 million homes through long-term carriage agreements with Time Warner, Charter, Cox, DIRECTV (Channel 609), EchoStar’s DISH Network (Channel 148), Verizon, AT&T, Insight Communications, Mediacom, and various other affiliates.

ESPNU is also available in high definition on ESPNU HD and online at ESPNU.com. In August 2007, it launched ESPNU Campus Connection, a multi-platform student-generated content initiative.

About ESPN HD:

Currently, ESPN HD reaches more than 20 million subscribers and is available to more than 96 million homes and ESPN2 HD reaches more than 19 million subscribers and is available to more than 86 million homes.

In 2008, ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD will deliver more than 12,000 hours in high definition including all of ESPN’s NASCAR coverage, NBA telecasts, MLS telecasts, MLB telecasts, college football telecasts, National Hot Rod Association races and coverage of NFL Monday Night Football. 100 percent of ESPN and ESPN2’s Bristol-based studio programming originates in high definition, including SportsCenter, NFL Countdown, NFL Monday Night Countdown, NFL Live, Monday Night Countdown, Baseball Tonight, Mike & Mike in the Morning and First Take. In addition to live sports programming, ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD produce individual programs, movies and series.

This year ESPN launched three new HD services: ESPN HD Australia (mid 2008), ESPNEWS HD (Mar. 30) and ESPNU HD (Aug. 28).

http://www.espnmediazone.com/press_releases/latestreleases.html

i wonder if ill be getting the channel. i wont get my hopes up.

I subscribe to COX. And judging from the cable companies that are sure to debut ESPNU on August 28, I know COX won't be one of them. The most frustrating thing about my cable company is that they tend to add channels when most other companies,whether it's cable or satellite, have had them for months. I'm not saying they need every frickin HD channel that's available. But to not be assertive enough to fight for this particular channel among a legion of College Football fans is just plain unacceptable.

RCN here in Washington, D.C. just added standard-def ESPNU yesterday, so hopefully this means they will be adding the HD channel on Thursday. They've been replaying college football games that were originally aired on ESPN or ESPN2 last season, so with any luck, those replays will be in HD, as well.

As a Vanderbilt fan in Nashville, I wonder if there will be anyway to watch the game in HD this Thursday. I do have ESPNU via Dish, but it doesn't look good that any provider in the Nashville area will be carrying the HD version. :(

Well looks like D* will not be carrying this Thursday morning. We have plenty of B/W, what with those 30 plus PPv's they rolled out recently! :rolleyes:

As someone who grew up in Dayton, I can tell you that the Oxford area is very pretty this time of year.

Should be a good game. Vandy got a little taste of leading the SEC & I am sure they want more. Miami (of Ohio) is always carries a chip on their shoulders about that whole "of Ohio" thing. :p

It looks like I will have to pay $12 more per month to add ESPNU-HD since it is part of the Sports Pack which I do not currently subscribe to on D*. Am I correct on this? Does anyone know how to get around this? I don't need the other 30 or so channels in the Sports Pack.

It looks like I will have to pay $12 more per month to add ESPNU-HD since it is part of the Sports Pack which I do not currently subscribe to on D*. Am I correct on this? Does anyone know how to get around this? I don't need the other 30 or so channels in the Sports Pack.

No way right now. Speculation says that D* and ESPN are at odds over ESPNU. Im sure ESPN wants it off the sports pack in HD, but D* does not.

We'll see. Regardless, we wont see it before 9-4, prob wont get it then.

No sign of ESPNU HD on my RCN lineup as of 7 AM this morning. It sounds as if the channel won't be launching until the Vandy - Miami Ohio game starts.

Does anyone know if their studio shows will be in HD?

Any1 know if Verizon has added the channel yet?

i know they are supposed to but that doesn't mean we are gonna get it today

any1 know if verizon has added the channel yet?

I know they are supposed to but that doesn't mean we are gonna get it today

848

No sign of ESPNU HD on my RCN lineup as of 7 AM this morning. It sounds as if the channel won't be launching until the Vandy - Miami Ohio game starts.

Does anyone know if their studio shows will be in HD?

You aren't missing much - they had technical issues and keep going back to color bars

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1897/espnhdudg5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4449/espnhdu2yj8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/7417/espnhdu4bw7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)



Notice LOGO on Wings is wrong.....



http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/7421/espnhdu5bh2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

848

Im in pittsburgh if that makes a difference but if its added anywhere else i would assume i got it sicne we got the expansion and everything already

Im in pittsburgh if that makes a difference but if its added anywhere else i would assume i got it sicne we got the expansion and everything already

the expansion cities might have it on a logical channel and not stuck at 848.

ya its prob in the like 500's thats wher emy hd's are now but its good to know verizons finally comin around on the hd train

And D* is lagging again here adding this channel in HD. It isn't bad enough they charge extra (a separate tier) for this channel to begin with.

Time Warner Cable, Verizon’s FiOS TV, RCN, Atlantic Broadband and Broadstripe will all carry ESPNU HD when it launches at 6 a.m. (ET) on Aug. 28, according to ESPN officials.

Clearly didn't happen on RCN but it's not the first time they've failed to deliver on promises :mad:

And D* is lagging again here adding this channel in HD. It isn't bad enough they charge extra (a separate tier) for this channel to begin with.

Its a niche sports channel, its right in the package it should be in :)

RCN in Washington, D.C. has finally added ESPNU HD.

Is this a first, where neither D* or E* have a channel from a major network? I find it odd that neither have it yet, after a month and a half

Topics merged.

ESPN to offer Classic-for-ESPNU swap

Distribution sought for other channels

By JOHN OURAND
Staff writer
Published March 30, 2009 : Page 01

ESPN Classic’s days as one of the country’s biggest sports channels may be over.

Executives in Bristol are set to allow cable and satellite distributors to swap ESPN’s classic sports channel for its college network, ESPNU, which they hope presents a newer, hipper alternative to Classic’s staid, dated programming.

As part of the offer, ESPN also is looking for added distribution for its Spanish-language channel, ESPN Deportes, and its broadband network, ESPN360.

An interesting wrinkle to ESPN’s proposal would allow operators to move ESPN Classic to a sports tier, where it would be ESPN’s first channel to reside on the traditionally low-penetrated mantle.

Right now, ESPN Classic is in more than 63 million homes, typically on analog and digital basic tiers.

By contrast, ESPNU is in about 25 million homes, mainly on digital basic tiers, and ESPN Deportes is in fewer than 5 million homes. ESPN360 has not yet been able to reach carriage deals with the top cable operators, though it has reached broadband agreements with Verizon and AT&T.

Though ESPN executives have spent the last several weeks pitching this plan to cable operators, talks are expected to heat up this week as the cable industry gathers for its annual trade show in Washington, D.C.

“The conversations we are having explore ways to provide operators greater distribution flexibility, especially with respect to ESPN Classic,” said an ESPN spokesman, in a prepared statement. “We are interested in increased distribution of other services, primarily ESPNU, ESPN360.com and ESPN Deportes.”

If cable agrees to this proposal, speculation about the future of the Classic brand should end. Once a viewer favorite for its extensive library and Emmy-winning documentaries, it has seen its viewer numbers drop sharply in the last three years. Last year, it averaged only 74,000 viewers in prime time, which was down 31 percent from 107,000 viewers in 2007. In 2006, it averaged 118,000 viewers in prime time.

For years there has been speculation that ESPN was looking to rebrand the channel, which it purchased from a group including Brian Bedol for $175 million in 1997.

One widely circulated rumor had ESPN turning Classic into an ESPN3-style channel, with original programming and live games. Another had it merging with a league on a single sport channel, like NFL Network or the planned U.S. Olympic Committee channel. Still another rumor had Classic folding as a stand-alone channel in favor of video-on-demand, where it would offer specific games from its library under the ESPN Classic brand.

Under ESPN’s current proposal, ESPN Classic would remain a stand-alone channel, albeit in far fewer homes.

So far, distributors contacted by SportsBusiness Journal are withholding judgment. One distribution executive expressed interest in the proposal, but said a decision would come down to pricing. The executive said ESPN was at the beginning stages of what was expected to be a long negotiation.

Typically, negotiations like this heat up in the months before networks’ carriage agreements with operators run out. One unique aspect to this negotiation is that ESPN Classic still has several years left on many of its deals. ESPN has staggered ESPN Classic’s cable contracts so that they don’t expire all at once. Rather, the majority of them expire over the next three years.

It’s difficult to break out the license fees that operators pay for a specific channel like Classic, since it typically is bundled into larger deals. Figures from SNL Kagan have cable operators paying between 15 cents and 17 cents per subscriber per month for ESPN Classic, ESPNU and ESPN Deportes.

A deal clearly would mostly help ESPNU, which is battling another collegiate sports channel, CBS College Sports Network, for carriage deals on the nation’s cable and satellite systems. The channel, which launched in the spring of 2005, has been at the center of ESPN’s most recent media deals. ESPNU will pick up a significant part of ESPN’s SEC schedule and is expected to run shoulder programming that supports ESPN’s BCS package.

ESPN Deportes also should benefit if deals are completed. ESPN is continuing to push the channel in markets with significant Hispanic populations.

A wild card is ESPN360. So far, ESPN has had little success convincing the biggest cable operators to pay a TV-style affiliate fee for the broadband network. But the service has signed deals with 45 Internet service providers, including some cable operators, like the eighth-largest, Mediacom, that are typically hostile to the cost of sports programming.

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/61982

The quality of programming on ESPN Classic has been in steady decline for years. I can't remember the last time I watched that channel, save for the occasional live college football game that would end up on there. I'm surprised they didn't just turn it into ESPNU in the first place.

Hopefully this means ESPN is ready and willing to invest in an HD infrastructure for their Charlotte complex.

Hopefully this works as some sort of catalyst to end the rift between ESPN and D* to provide ESPNU in HD!

Hopefully this works as some sort of catalyst to end the rift between ESPN and D* to provide ESPNU in HD!
I'll just be glad to see ESPNU become a regular channel, instead of being in the sports pack.

Well I'll be a Sportspack subscriber forever as I need to have my NESN :D...

I've got a nephew that will be playing lax at Ohio State in a couple years and I'm hoping lax gets more and more exposure and becomes more and more prominent by the time he's there so I can see some of his games (in HD) from down here in FL.