AUSTIN (AP) – Six months after it launched, the Longhorn Network is still struggling to be seen.

With no distribution deals appearing imminent, Texas officials are asking Longhorns fans to be patient.

It’s been an awkward start for a network that rivals worried would be an unbeatable attraction for recruits. The 20-year, $300-million deal between Texas and ESPN created a wedge that nearly split apart the Big 12.

But after launching last August with amid great fanfare locally, few Texas fans even get to see it and analysts predict they could be in for a long wait.

The all-Texas-all-the-time channel is considered a niche product in a sports broadcasting marketplace with conference networks that offer broader programming.

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