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SEC Network TV launch looming; some fans in dark

By WTOP Staff

JOHN ZENOR
AP Sports Writer

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — Fan Lee Massengale is already worried about Georgia’s game with Troy, even with Clemson and South Carolina coming up first.

Massengale’s not sure if his cable provider will be carrying the SEC Network, which broadcasts the Sept. 20 contest with the Trojans.

Massengale, who’s been following the Bulldogs since the days when Fran Tarkenton was the quarterback in the late 1950s, is among the Southeastern Conference fans waiting to see whether they’ll be able to watch their teams at home. The SEC Network launches on Aug. 14 and will carry 45 football games this season.

“I want to see that game” with Troy, said Massengale, a retired family and youth counselor from Arcadia, Florida, who attended SEC media days on Wednesday. “I’m hoping and praying we’ll get it.”

He’s not alone. Cable and satellite providers like DISH Network, Cox Communications and AT&T U-Verse have signed deals to carry the league’s network. ESPN and the SEC are still in talks with other major distributors, including DirecTV and Comcast, Massengale’s provider.

Justin Connolly, ESPN’s senior vice president in charge of programming for college networks, said it’s not unusual for such talks to go down to the wire.

“We’re confident about the conversations, and our confidence is really based on the demand that’s out there among SEC fans,” Connolly said. “Long negotiations. Complicated issues. A lot of times these things don’t come down until the very end.”

But for fans like Massengale, SEC football isn’t about business. It’s more important than that.

The league that has won seven of the last eight national championships in football is also a huge TV draw. It helps that five of the 11 states with SEC teams don’t have NFL franchises. The Alabama-Texas A&M and Alabama-Auburn games both drew more than 13.5 million viewers last season. The SEC championship game between Auburn and Missouri had an audience of 14.35 million.

Cox Communications’ recent deal with the SEC Network was a relief to one prominent subscriber in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

“Now, I won’t have to change my cable provider,” LSU coach Les Miles said.

It’s also something Miles can pitch to prospects who want TV exposure.

“It’s 24-7, it’s start to finish,” Miles said.

It’s a benefit “when you’re telling those players you want your family to see you, you want to be covered. You want an opportunity to have national awards,” he said.

Joe Clayton, president and CEO of Dish, said subscriber numbers in the region have “steadily improved” since the satellite provider announced the deal with the SEC Network.

“We understand the emotion, we understand the tradition, we understand the heritage, and we know that if the SEC Network is not on their pay TV provider’s agenda, they’ll move to Dish,” said Clayton, who is from Kentucky. “They’ll go where they can get it.”

The network will carry 100-plus men’s basketball games among the 1,000-plus events it will air during the 2013-14 school year.

On-air personalities will include former SEC quarterbacks Tim Tebow, who won the 2007 Heisman Trophy with Florida, and Greg McElroy.

The partnership with the SEC raises questions about how the network will cover news that casts teams or the league in a negative light.

“We actually spent a lot of time talking about that,” Connolly said. “We’re not going to have the news infrastructure that ESPN has. We’re not going to do a whole lot of investigative journalism, but we are going to report when something happens and let fans know. I think that’s critical in order to maintain editorial integrity and credibility with fans out there.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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