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We know, Mr. Ryan Teeples, that BYU sports help serve BYUtv, not the other way around. BYUtv is not meant solely for BYU sports.
(Who is this guy anyway? Oh, right.)
But BYUtv nevertheless will continue to bless the sports of Brigham Young University.
During yesterday's football media day, BYUtv announced its launch of apps for both XBox360 and Android platforms, pushing the channel further into the cutting edge of media. The apps will provide live streaming and video-on-demand services.
The Android app is said to be designed for Google, Samsung, and Amazon products, but should work for anyone with Android 4.0 or newer.
In addition to free access via its website and inclusion in most every cable provider's most basic package, BYUtv already has in operation apps for the iPhone/iPad and Roku -- yes, Roku, the ever-growing internet TV service to which BYU signed on two years ago.
The new additions signal BYUtv's commitment to both its programming and its audience. Apple TV next?
During conference realignment's heyday, it was said BYUtv was one sticking point for conferences considering BYU for inclusion. It seemed silly for BYU to cling to it, many said. But the station is not some pet project like ESPN's Longhorn Network. It has been around for more than a decade, built a broadcasting building that made ESPN executives look in awe, and is now pushing boundaries that no single school can even approach.
In addition to one live football game each season, BYUtv shows rebroadcasts and retains video-on-demand rights to all its home games and any road games it can get its hands on. Last year, men's basketball played live on BYUtv 20 times. Add that to baseball, softball, volleyball, and soccer, and BYU athletes are the most visible college athletes in the world.
It spoils us as fans, but I would hope BYUtv is at least mentioned in recruiting, too -- especially for basketball and "non-revenue" sports. Men's basketball players can be guaranteed that 95% of games they play will be available on TV or the Internet nationally, if not internationally. Other schools could only dream of having volleyball, baseball, and soccer carried on TV on a regular basis.
The national and international availability was true before, but BYUtv is making sure that however you as a viewer choose to consume your media in a field of ever-growing options, BYUtv will be available on that medium.
Not bad for a stodgy, conservative school.