Related Links

• No harm, no Fowler Blog

More LoboZone

• Richard Stevens: Faces I'll remember are the smallest ones
• Michael Garcia: Here's to you, athletes, coaches and friends. These memories - and lessons - will last forever.
• Tribune sports: Five faves

MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
  08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008
• Congressman is indicted
  08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
  08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says
  08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Waterboarding approval probed
  08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008

TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*

• Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
• Is Rome Burning?
• Ominous Skies
• The Road to Invalidation
• Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

SHARE THIS STORY [?]

It's unlikely the University of New Mexico brass will follow Mountain West Conference mates Brigham Young and Utah in their legal action for more TV visibility.

Instead, the Lobos will continue to support the Mountain, a CSTV-run station dedicated to MWC athletics that continues to swing and miss in its attempts to find a satellite home on DirecTV or the Dish Network.

UNM Athletics Director Paul Krebs said the athletics directors in the nine-team conference have forged a united front on the issue after meeting Sunday in Santa Fe.

MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson is in Santa Fe meeting with the presidents of the MWC schools.

"I think as a league we're all saying there's a recognition it's a work in progress," Krebs said. "The schools recognize there's a distribution issue that must be addressed. But when you look at it in its entirety from where we've come and where we are, we're in a better place prior to this deal. There have been very positive discussions with satellite providers that are encouraging. If we get to where we want to go, it's a terrific deal."

Rivals Utah and BYU have teamed up by retaining Los Angeles lawyer Kelly Crabb to "explore all possible options in improving the distribution of the athletic broadcasts" for their fans, according to a collaborative statement last week. No lawsuit has been filed, according to an official from Utah's Media Relations Department.

The conference has waited almost a year for CSTV and Comcast, part-owners of the Mountain, to find the first-year station a home on satellite. Digital cable carries the Mountain in San Diego, Las Vegas, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Idaho and Wyoming.

A contractual agreement with a satellite provider would give the conference a nationwide visibility it currently lacks.

Krebs said he can understand what has created the frustration at Utah and BYU.

"It's safe to say my impression is that schools within our league were led to believe things would happen much quicker than they have," Krebs said. "But in general, we as a league and a conference have to step back and look at the big picture. Nobody is satisfied yet."

Thompson was unavailable for comment Monday. MWC Communications Director Javan Hedlund said any displeasure from Utah and BYU regarding TV visibility is directed to Comcast and CSTV, not the conference.

Comcast spokesman Tim Fitzpatrick declined to comment Monday about future workings with the Mountain.

The Mountain West is the first conference to start its own sports network, which kicked off with the 2006 football season and is entering its second year.

"There are so many positives where we're headed," Krebs said. "The quality of the production, the potential exposure for schools, and when you look at the entirety of the distribution -- CSTV, the Mountain, Versus -- that's more TV than we've ever had. People feel very good about that, but all parties say (distribution) needs to be our focus."