UT's women's athletics director Chris Plonsky, UT's men's athletics director DeLoss Dodds, and ESPN Senior Vice President Burke Magnus at the LHN launch last year Credit: Photo by John Anderson

Since last year’s launch of the Longhorn Network – an all-UT, all-the-time station backed by ESPN in a $300 million deal with the university – it’s struggled to gain a foothold in the Austin market. That changed today.

AT&T U-Verse now carries LHN.

Previously, Grande Communications was the only cable provider that aired the LHN. Grande is one of the big names in Central Texas cable, but the others, including Time Warner, Dish, DirectTV, and AT&T, had all shunned LHN coverage.

ESPN confirmed today that the latter has struck a deal and will now carry the network for subscribers who have at least the U200 package (U450 for out-of-state customers). The network now airs on channels 609 (standard definition) and 1609 (HD).

The deal comes just in time for UT’s season opener against Wyoming, which kicks off at 7pm tomorrow, Sept. 1.

This article appears in August 31 • 2012.

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