The SEC Network Launches Today; What You Need To Know

In case you haven’t heard, today marks the launch of the new SEC Network, and in case you haven’t been made aware, the South Carolina Gamecocks are opening their season against the Texas A&M Aggies live on the network on August 28. Here’s what you can expect from them when it launches at 6pm tonight.

Distribution

The SEC Network will debut in over 90 million homes.

First off, distribution. The network will be provided by virtually all cable and satellite providers in the United States. DirecTV and Dish Network are both on board, as is Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox, Charter, AT&T Uverse, and others. (Not on board: Verizon FiOS, Cablevision

, and Mediacom; Mediacom happens to be a major provider in Columbia, Missouri–sorry, Mizzou fans

; Mediacom, which services Mizzou country among others, struck a last-minute deal today). All told, the network will be available in over 90 million homes. (This doesn’t mean that your cable/satellite plan automatically has it; check with them to see which tier you need).

Programming
The SEC Network will come out swinging with specific programming for each school in the SEC for the first 14 days of its existence. Here’s a list of when each school will be represented (spoiler alert: South Carolina is up on August 26 beginning at midnight).

Along with that, live games will be a major focus. The network has vowed to program over a thousand live games and events over its first year on the air. This will include football and Olympic sports (including soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, etc.).

Jul 15, 2014; Hoover, AL, USA; CEO and President of DISH network Joe Clayton (right) talks to the Paul Finebaum during the SEC Football Media Days at the Wynfrey Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

The SEC Network has vowed to program over a thousand live games and events over its first year on the air.

The network will have several signature shows.

SEC Now

will be a daily program profiling what’s happening around SEC country.

The Paul Finebaum Show

, the radio show hosted by the SEC football maven, will be simulcasted live from Charlotte weekdays. One of the main draws is sure to be

SEC Nation

, basically

College Gameday

for the SEC. The two-hour program, hosted by Joe Tessitore and featuring Tim Tebow, Marcus Spears and Finebaum as analysts, will broadcast live from a different site from 10-noon on Saturdays (and will be live from the Gamecocks-A&M game).

SEC Storied

, ESPN’s series of specials related to the conference, as well as memorable games from the SEC’s history, will also have a presence on the network.

Another key feature of the SEC Network: its overall presence on all college campuses. Each school will have a dedicated camera (similar to the NFL Network’s Team Cams) remotely controlled from SECN’s Charlotte headquarters that allows the network to pick up video interviews with athletes, coaches and SECN personalities directly from the school.

Online
One key component of the SEC Network will be its online broadband offerings. Not only will the network be available on WatchESPN.com, but each SEC campus’s online video network will be integrated within the SEC Network setup into something called SEC Network +, which will allow SEC fans across the country to view thousands of hours of live games, press conferences and interviews on all digital platforms (mobile, tablet, computer, etc.).

That’s just some of the basics, but it’s certainly an exciting time to be an SEC fan, and from the sounds of it, there truly will be something for everyone, regardless of what sport they follow.