Mediacom may carry Insight Bowl game for Iowa State fans

NFL Network doesn't appear headed to Mediacom's channel lineup anytime soon.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean Iowa State football fans who subscribe to the state's largest cable provider will be shut out from watching their team play in a bowl game for the first time since 2005.

Insight Bowl representatives, in town last week to meet with ISU officials, say they will try to find a local television home for the Dec. 31 game against Minnesota in Tempe, Ariz.

“We'll work hard to make sure the local folks have a chance to see the game,” Insight marketing representative Jay Fields said.

Fields said in past years the bowl has brokered agreements with local cable or over-the-air stations to show the game. Last year's game between Minnesota and Kansas was seen by a local audience.

Mediacom spokesman Phyllis Peters said she would very much be in favor of that.

Peters is not optimistic an agreement with NFL Network is imminent.

“It would be beneficial to everyone if someone like ABC-5 got it,” Peters said. “I'd love it. I hope that reaches fruition.”

NFL Network goes to 55 million homes nationwide but is not available to Mediacom subscribers.

Spokesman Dennis Johnson said the network offered Mediacom a special “freeview” of the game after ISU was chosen for the Insight Bowl.

Here's what Johnson said via e-mail: “Mediacom has refused to respond to the offer in conjunction with a new deal to provide its customers with NFL Network.

“We have deals with more than 300 television providers ... and have launched the exciting new NFL RedZone channel that fans have been raving about and called ‘the best invention since pizza.' It is a shame that Mediacom continues to be a Grinch denying its customers NFL Network and NFL RedZone.”

NFL Network has held the rights to the Insight Bowl since its inception four years ago. This is the final year of its contract with the bowl.

“Candidly, they made an offer we couldn't refuse,” Fields said.

“They were launching a new network and felt like their distribution would continue to grow. Admittedly they have not gotten quite where they want to be but they continue to fight the battle.”

The rest of the 33 bowl games this year can be seen on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, Fox or CBS.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of people making plans to follow the Cyclones to Arizona.

ISU's ticket office has sold over half of its 10,500-ticket allotment, Athletic Director Jamie Pollard said.

The school has roughly 10,000 active alumni living within driving distance of Phoenix in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and San Diego.

Those folks also could snatch up tickets, if they haven't already.

“I have no doubt we will have more than 10,500 people in the Phoenix area for the game,” Pollard said.

-- Eric Petersen, news correspondent