[jimflamesfan]

Hi. I've been getting the Liberty Channel through Skyangel. My parents in PA get it as well. It's nice to be able to watch LU hoops and volleyball, whereever you live.

However, I received a letter from Dominion (they operate SkyAngel). It basically says that their agreement with DISH Network ends after the 1st quarter of 2008.

So the Sky Angel set of channels (including the Liberty Channel) will no longer be broadcast nationally on Dish Network.

Dominion is forming a new company, it seems, that is going to offer natinoal IPTV service...but WLBN (The Liberty Channel) is not one of the channels on the list.

Anyone know anything about this?

[jimflamesfan]

Also, what happened with the deal with WDRL...they don't seem to be showing LU hoops anymore.

[Sly Fox]

My understanding is that the WDRL is either dead on or life support.

As for the SkyAngel deal, I hadn't heard anything. That's really too bad but it did need to meet financial thresholds to maintain viability for a satellite lease.

[LUconn]

wait, so the WDRL deal is dead? or are you just talking about the channel in general? Because that is my only hope for getting LU games in my house.

[Sly Fox]

The WDRL deal is not going to be finished in all likelihood based on what I've heard. It may already be completely kaput but there are others on the board who could confirm it.

[LUconn]

I thought it was just up to the feds to approve at this point. Why would they shoot it down? This angers LUconn.

[thepostman]

Jonathan said in church a few weeks ago that there may be some time temporarily that the Liberty Channel would be off of sky channel but they were trying to work something out so the break isn't too long...so who knows

[Flamesfanva]

The Liberty Channel needs to do whatever is necessary to be powerful enough to be considered a local station and be carried on DirecTV. If WDRL is, then the Liberty Channel needs to be. Of course I have no idea of how the national switch to HD will change things for the Liberty Channel in 2009.

[El Scorcho]

Of course I have no idea of how the national switch to HD will change things for the Liberty Channel in 2009.

The switchover in 2009 is to digital broadcasting, not HD.

[jimflamesfan]

The thing is, at one point, anyone anywhere that could get DishNetwork, if they had a second satellite, could get the Liberty Channel through the Sky Angel package.

I understand that most fans would not do this...but I think that it would help with recruiting...I know there have been recruits with parents in other states that watched them on the Liberty Channel. I remember an interview with Christal Tharp, where she said her parents would watch her in Ohio through Dish Network Sky Angel. In addition, My dad before he passed away would watch LU hoops on the Liberty channel in PA.

At the end of March, it looks like the only people who will be able to see the Liberty Channel are some (not those with DirectTV, and since it has switched from channel 19 to 48 or whatever through the air - I wansn't able to pick it up in Lynchburg when I used to live there). I think this is a bad thing - I have no idea as far as answers. I don't understand why the Liberty Channel wasn't included in SkyAngels new IPTV service? That seems like an interesting thing...

Basically, almost no one will be able to see the Liberty Channel after the month of March...but, that gives them time to get it fixed until football season is in swing again