Nearly 50 ACU sporting events will be available for Suddenlink Cable subscribers this year. ACU and Suddenlink Cable have recently agreed to a partnership to broadcast Wildcat games on Suddenlink’s On-Demand Digital Cable feature. ACU Sports Media Network also broadcasts on the radio, internet, and over-the-air television.
During the years 2011-12, fans have the opportunity to view ACU on the internet, on This TV Abilene, and on Suddenlink On-Demand. ACU’s own sports website, acusports.com, will air the regular-season home football games first. On the next day (Sunday), This TV will air them in the afternoon.
John Houser, assistant athletic director of operations, said of the deal with Suddenlink, “We’re trying to expand the opportunities for our coaches and for our fans. This gives alumni of ACU, fans, and current students the opportunity to watch 40-50 games a year.”
“John Houser deserves a lot of credit for getting the deal put together,” athletic director Jared Mosley said. “I think it’s great. It’s big for the athletic department. We’ll continue to talk with Suddenlink and grow this relationship and maybe other deals will flourish in the future.”
Other sports included in this package are: various volleyball, women’s soccer, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, and softball games. These sports, like football, will air live on acusports.com, and Suddenlink Digital Cable will later re-broadcast them. Only Suddenlink Digital Cable subscribers will have access to these Wildcat games. Suddenlink transmits its channels in what is known as the 19 Big Country counties.
“We’ve developed a very good relationship with Suddenlink,” said Houser. “It’s a win-win situation for both of us. We get the exposure for our athletic teams, and they, in turn, get us driving customers to Suddenlink Cable. This would be the largest deal we’ve ever had for our athletic department as far as I know.” When asked about the future he commented, “Eventually we’d like to put live sporting events on television.”
The total number of Wildcat match-ups played on Suddenlink Digital Cable in the two years will be between 40 and 50, and over 75 games will broadcast on the radio and on acusports.com. The first Wildcat game Suddenlink will show will be the girl’s volleyball match against West Texas A&M University in Abilene on Sept. 22.
Those wishing to hear the Wildcat football games can tune their radios to Mix 92.5 FM where you will hear the voice of Grant Boone on the microphone reporting the play-by-play hard hitting action for his fourth season. All the other ACU athletic events on the radio can be found on KSLI 1280 AM.
In addition to these media outlets, KTXS-TV will show The Chris Thomsen show, which is produced by ACU students and hosted by Boone, every Saturday beginning Aug. 27.
The ACU Coaches’ Show is also returning this year to KSLI 1280 AM starting Sept. 12. It is a one hour show taking place on the back patio of Buffalo Wild Wings every Monday night at 7 p.m.
