Give Me a Franklin, What's that spell? CSTV!

Filed in archive Internet TV on September 1, 2006

CBS'S College Sports TV (CSTV) has launched a new broadband service that has more than 100 channels dedicated to individual college athletic programs and conferences. CSTV plans to Webcast 10,000 live events across the channels. It will also offer archived clips, live press conference feeds, news and features, and e-commerce features.

Access to the new broadband site, dubbed CSTV XXL, will cost subscribers either about $15 a month or $100 annually. Prices for individual channels will typically range from $5 to $10 a month. Third-party sites such as alumni and local media sites will also be able to offer links to CSTV XXL in return for revenue-sharing opportunities.

It is pretty obvious that CSTV is aiming to rake in bucks from the ol' alumni faithful - especially those who might not get access to their favorite team locally. Come to think of it, I have two neighbors that fit the profile perfectly.

Schools would have flexibility in deciding how much to charge for access to their channels as well as deciding the balance between free and paid content. The notre dame site, for instance, will be free.

Live programming will be blacked out when other broadcasters have rights to a game. In other cases, regional games will be available outside a specific geographic area.

For those of you who read this blog to find the inside baseball (pun intended) about technology integration, CSTV is using thePlatform's Media Publishing Systems (now owned by Comcast) for digital rights management and broadband video company Maven Networks.