Texas and ESPN announced a 20-year, $300 million deal Wednesday for a 24-hour television network that will broadcast Longhorns sports, including at least one football game and eight basketball games a season, and other sports and academic content.
"We want to define what it means to be 'the' public university," Texas President William Powers said. "The challenge is to create new sources of revenue to support our mission."
The deal will not replace existing television contracts between the Big 12 and both ESPN-ABC and Fox.
ESPN will handle distribution of the still unnamed network via cable or satellite in Texas and other states, and has already had preliminary conversations with Time Warner Cable and Comcast Corp. The network is scheduled to launch in September and will broadcast at least 200 Texas sporting events a year. At least $25 million is scheduled to go to Texas academics over the next five years. (AP)
Steinbrenner overruled Yanks GM Cashman • In a move mirroring those of his famous father, New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner overruled general manager Brian Cashman by giving a $35 million, three-year contract to Rafael Soriano.
Distancing himself from the decision after a news conference to introduce Mariano Rivera's new setup man, Cashman said he didn't think it was worth paying closer money for a pitcher the team plans to use in the eighth inning. (AP)
Mike Danton eyes NHL return • Former Blues forward Mike Danton says he wants to return to the NHL more than five years after he was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in the Unites States.
Danton's parole ends Friday. That will lift his travel restrictions and free him of regular checks with corrections officials. He was released from a U.S. prison in March 2009 following his 2004 conviction in a failed murder-for-hire plot.
Danton, 30, also played in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils. He now plays for the St. Mary's Huskies in Halifax. (AP)
Secretariat owner creates award • The woman who owned Secretariat has created an award to be given annually to the horse whose popularity and racing excellence resonates most with the American public.
Penny Chenery said the inaugural winner of the Secretariat Vox Populi Award, or "Voice of the People," will be given to Zenyatta, who had a 19-1 record before retiring in November.
Zenyatta won the Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year on Monday. (AP)
Calipari apologizes for cursing player • Kentucky coach John Calipari has apologized for a profanity-laced tirade toward freshman Terrence Jones. Calipari apologized on his Twitter and Facebook pages after cameras caught him cursing Jones on Tuesday night during Kentucky's 68-66 loss to Alabama. (AP)
