When a high heat index in the forecast became a consideration for Arkansas’ season-opening football game against Western Carolina, the Razorbacks made the decision to move the game time to a cooler part of the day.
It will be the only time this year the team will be able to make that call.
Saturday’s game with a noon kickoff will not be shown on a traditional TV network, but instead on streaming channels SEC Network+ and ESPN+. Because the game will only be streamed, the home team has the ability to control the game time.
It is a throwback to the days when college football start times were not dictated by TV programming. All of Arkansas’ other games this year will be televised and subject to a late-morning, mid-afternoon or early evening window on ESPN affiliates or CBS.
Networks have already been chosen for the Razorbacks’ next two games against Kent State (3 p.m. on SEC Network) and BYU (6:30 p.m. on ESPN2), as well as the regular-season finale against Missouri (3 p.m. on CBS).
All other start times will be chosen within 12 days of the game.
ESPN+ is a monthly subscription service that allows for access to some live sporting events. SEC Network+ is available to cable, satellite or streaming subscribers whose packages include SEC Network.
Both streaming channels can be accessed via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN app. To access the game, users must log in with their ESPN+ credentials, or link the ESPN platform with their cable, satellite or streaming services.
Utilizing the ESPN app is old hat for fans of sports like baseball, women’s basketball or softball. Those games are routinely streamed.
It is a relatively new practice, however, for SEC football fans who had every game televised for more than a decade. That changed as part of an agreement between the SEC and ESPN announced in December 2020, which stipulates each SEC football team will have one non-conference home game each year that is only available via streaming.
Arkansas chose to stream games against Rice in 2021 and Missouri State last year.
The Razorbacks will have a stream from Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium for the first time. Arkansas’ annual basketball and baseball games in nearby North Little Rock are routinely not streamed as its administrators cite the lack of infrastructure and costs to independently produce such a broadcast.
For football streams, the production team is hired by ESPN.
Most football teams have chosen lower-interest games for streaming. Of the 14 streaming-only games involving SEC teams this year, 11 are against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision, such as Western Carolina, and three are against teams from the Group of Five conferences.
In addition to the Arkansas-Western Carolina game, the games between Georgia and Tennessee-Martin, Ole Miss and Mercer, and Vanderbilt and Alabama A&M will be streamed this week.
WHEN Saturday, Noon
WHERE War Memorial Stadium (54,120) in Little Rock
SURFACE FieldTurf
2022 RECORDS Arkansas 7-6; Western Carolina 6-5
STREAK Arkansas won 1; Western Carolina won 3
COACHES Arkansas: Sam Pittman — 19-17 in fourth season at Arkansas and overall in Division I; Western Carolina: Kerwin Bell — 10-12 in third season at Western Carolina and overall in Division I.
SERIES First meeting
RADIO Razorback Sports Network can be accessed through local FM and AM affiliates, via the Arkansas Razorbacks Gameday app, via the Varsity Network app or on ArkansasRazorbacks.com. Blackouts may apply.
TELEVISION The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and SEC Network+, and can be accessed via the ESPN app or WatchESPN.com (carrier login required).
TV ANNOUNCERS Eric Frede (play-by-play) and Jordan Reid (analyst)
WEATHER According to the National Weather Service, Saturday will be sunny with a high of 93 degrees in Little Rock. Humidity will cause a heat index value of 99 degrees.
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September 01, 2023 at 11:19PM
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No TV network, just streaming for Arkansas-Western Carolina: How to watch and listen, forecast - WholeHogSports
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