Direct TV Climbs the Mtn

Direct TV will add another sports network next month, this time it is the home of the Mountain West Sports conference, known as the Mtn.

The mtn. was actually the first network launched to exclusively cover one conference, but things have been tough for the pioneering conference. The conference itself is made up of 10 smaller western schools, and while their fans are passionate as all college fans are, their numbers are small in comparison to the super conferences such as the SEC and Big Ten.

That meant difficulty in securing a big time television distribution contract. The Mountain hasn’t been seen on any major distribution outlets since it began operations.

That will change on August 27^th, as DirecTV will start carrying the Mtn. on channel 616.

Initially the Mtn. will be carried on a regional basis. Direct TV subscribers in the Mtn area will see the channel if they subscribe to the Choice package or higher.

The conference will be entering its 10^th year of operation as the 2008-09 sports season kicks off in just a few weeks. Customers of Direct TV in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming should have access to the Mountain West channel from the August 27^th launch date. Also DirecTV subscribers in the Dallas-Ft. Worth and San Diego areas should get the Mtn. as well.

What do you do if you don’t reside in those areas and you want the Mtn? It is still available, but you will have to pay a little extra. The Direct TV Sportspack is $12 per month, and gives you access to all of the regional sports networks outside of your home area. While that adds up to $144 a year, if there are other sporting events outside of your area that you are interested in, it may be worth the money. The mtn. and DISH Network have yet to reach an agreement.