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Bars scramble to get UA game on their TV sets

Posted: Sep 8, 2012 10:41 PM by Erika Flores
Updated: Sep 8, 2012 10:49 PM


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TUCSON - Saturday's U of A game was broadcasted on the new PAC 12 Networks.

Saturday morning "Dish Network" agreed to a multi-year deal to carry PAC 12 Networks programming, but so far, they are the only satellite provider to offer it.

Direct TV customers still don't get that channel.

Major Cable companies like Cox and Comcast had already reached a deal with the network.

Local sports bars were forced to scramble and make special arrangements to be able to show Saturday's game to Arizona fans.

Rusty's is just one of many bars around town that had to either upgrade or get a new provider in order to show the U of A game.

Several people inside the bar said they actually bounced from one bar to another until they found one that was showing the Wildcats play.

They almost didn't get a chance to cheer on their favorite team.

"We would have been extremely disappointed," said Adrian.

After calling a handful of local restaurants, Adrian and his family finally found a spot that was showing the U of A game.

"Rusty's actually made it happen, so we decided to come here," said Adrian.

Alex Munoz drove over one hundred miles to see the game with his buddies.

"And all of a sudden, I go to different places, and they're not playing the game," said Munoz.

Rusty's was the third spot he tried.

"You hear the phone ringing? The phone's been ringing off all day-‘you showing the game? You showing the game?'" said Rusty's owner Anita Freedlander.

It's something that almost didn't happen.

Rusty's has Direct TV, and in order to show the game, they were told they had to either change their provider to Dish or upgrade their Cox service.

"It would have been nice for all of us bar owners to have had some kind of notice to prepare," said Freedlander.

Rusty's had their box installed by 2 o'clock Saturday and Sir Veza's on Wetmore were still getting a new line installed at 4 o'clock.

"It's been a real 24 hour nightmare really," said Sir Veza's manager Jason.

But the nightmare was well worth it for these businesses.

"I would have been very devastated if I wasn't able to watch the game," said U of A fan Annette Miguelez.

So that they could keep their loyal U of A fans pouring in.

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