Christian Shelter was sold on the Lobos, but her father didn't like the idea of her straying so far from home in Alabama.

University of New Mexico basketball coaches soothed his nerves by talking about the Mountain West Conference's deal with CSTV.

Along with coverage on the national network, UNM athletics will be seen on a new CSTV regional network called the Mountain.

"Once Daddy found out he could see my games on satellite, he was fine with me coming here," said Shelter, an incoming freshman guard. "The crowds, the coaches, my new teammates and the success they had here were more important to me, but I also had to make sure he would be happy."

UNM coaches are already discovering the advantages and disadvantages of the school's partnership with CSTV long before the network has taken over exclusively broadcasting Lobos games.

It has been a boon for recruiting and offers unprecedented TV coverage for women's basketball and Olympic sports.

"We've talked with players about it, and no one has been turned off by the idea that they won't be on ESPN," UNM football coach Rocky Long said. "If their families can see them, then they're happy. And those parents don't care what they have to pay for the satellite coverage."

Men's basketball coach Ritchie McKay said it hasn't been a factor for his team, but his recruits aren't the type to balk at not playing on major sports networks.

"If they're the type of kids who can be on ESPN or ABC all the time, then they're going to Duke or Michigan State, not here," he said.

It also is reassuring that the Mountain West Conference is collecting a fat check for the broadcast rights and that other conferences are following suit in creating their own regional TV partnerships.

The MWC signed a seven-year, $82 million deal with CSTV that began in 2005 and included provisions for the regional network now known as the Mountain.

Last week the Big 10 copied the idea, signing a deal with Fox Sports Network and DirecTV to carry a regional network called Big 10 Television. The SEC also reportedly is considering creating its own regional network.

The glitch for the trailblazing Mountain West and the Lobos is getting cable providers to pick up the Mountain. While the Big 10 leverages its vast alumni and fan base to go national as part of an established cable sports company, the Mountain West faces a tougher battle.

Only six of the nine MWC markets carry CSTV, and no deals have been reached to pick up the Mountain two months before the football season kicks off.

League commissioner Craig Thompson promises negotiations are going well.

"Things are going exactly as we planned when we first signed this deal with CSTV," Thompson said. "I'm confident fans are going to be able to follow their teams like never before."

The men's and women's basketball broadcast schedules also could present a new set of hurdles.

Thompson is working with CSTV to evaluate schedules from all 18 men's and women's basketball teams.

"We're looking at ways to maximize our coverage and even considering men's and women's doubleheaders, although I know some schools don't like that and others do," Thompson said.

UNM women's basketball coach Don Flanagan knows the promise of more coverage has already helped recruiting, but he is strongly opposed to doubleheaders.

"So who is the main event?" Flanagan asked. "I'm pretty sure it won't be us, and that's not right. We built this program up, and we stand on our own.

"When I first got here, they asked me if I wanted to play doubleheaders or in Johnson Gym so it wouldn't look so bad playing in front of small crowds, and I said we would draw big crowds. We don't need it."

McKay wants his team playing on CSTV.

"We have to maintain a national profile," he said. "I like that we don't have to play at terrible times anymore, but we still need to be seen nationally. It's important to our reputation."