Big Ten Network (BTN)

[jenkinswoody]

Originally Posted by exhawg

How long does it take to get DirecTV installed? I'd like to hold off as long as I can, but TW's time is running out. I wonder if they realize how important it is that they get their [censored] in gear? Just got a thing in the mail that I can pick up Windstream DSL for $20 (no phone) and I can use the AAA discount on DirecTV.

I called today and they are coming on Thursday......

[jlb1705]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

O-Zone: Just spent 30 minutes with Mark Silverman of the BTN.


The above post on the O-Zone summarizes an interview that the editor of the O-Zone had with the head of the BTN. He basically said that Fox was in charge of negotiations and it was not the Big 10 Network that was actually doing the negotiations. He also stated that it ever were not for the BTN many of the Big 10 basketball and football games would have been put on ESPNU and that cable subscribers would have had to update their services because of that.

If indeed that is true, I would have to agree with him because in order for me to get ESPNU I would have to add a sports tier which cost about $5.50 on Insight. I have no idea what other cable companies carry ESPNU for free.

That's nice, and I know he's just trying to win the PR battle here, but he has some misconceptions too.

1.) Nobody gives a damn about the division of labor. We do care about watching football. Just get it done.

2.) I get ESPNU. It's on Time Warner Digital Cable. I pay for the sports tier, but even if I did not, I'd still have it on regular digital cable. For me, this isn't about choosing one or the other. I want both. And while I am rooting for the BTN to get a spot on standard cable and sympathize with those who would have to pay for a higher priced package, I am upset that I cannot get it right now even if I wanted to pay extra for it.

[Trevi]

Originally Posted by Redhawk

3 days till BTN hits comcast, for those of us lucky enough to have it....

BTN showed up this morning on my Comcast cable, two days early.

[Redhawk]

Originally Posted by CleveBucks

WOW doesn't offer ESPNU.

Most don't offer ESPNU without getting digital cable. BTN is on analog cable.

Besides, why give your money to ESPNU/Disney when the Big Ten can profit off of it.

No ESPNU HD either.

Comcast doesn't offer ESPNU either, at least not in Michigan.

[jimotis4heisman]

Originally Posted by Redhawk

Comcast doesn't offer ESPNU either, at least not in Michigan.

thats cuz steve fisher pays his players... and so did the old baseball coach (jim abott;s coach)

or insert crappy um isnt a real school joke

[matcar]

Originally Posted by jlb1705

That's nice, and I know he's just trying to win the PR battle here, but he has some misconceptions too.

1.) Nobody gives a damn about the division of labor. We do care about watching football. Just get it done.

2.) I get ESPNU. It's on Time Warner Digital Cable. I pay for the sports tier, but even if I did not, I'd still have it on regular digital cable. For me, this isn't about choosing one or the other. I want both. And while I am rooting for the BTN to get a spot on standard cable and sympathize with those who would have to pay for a higher priced package, I am upset that I cannot get it right now even if I wanted to pay extra for it.

Solid. That's my feeling. Put it on a sports tier...just get it done.

[rocketman]

I would gladly pay extra. FSN already has a college sports tier on TWC. Why can't they lump BTN with it?

[Redhawk]

Originally Posted by Trevi

BTN showed up this morning on my Comcast cable, two days early.

Hmmmmm. I'm not seeing it on my channel guide.

['BusNative]

Originally Posted by rocketman

I would gladly pay extra. FSN already has a college sports tier on TWC. Why can't they lump BTN with it?

Ditto.


YOU HEAR ME TIME WARNER??!?!?? I WOULD PAY MORE TO YOU, YOU GREEDY [censored]S.

[LitlBuck]

O-Zone

Big Ten Network Chief Says BTN Anxious for Deal with Time Warner
By John Porentas

Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman was in Columbus on Tuesday doing a little PR work.

Ohio is the state in the Big Ten footprint with the least penetration by the Big Ten network, primarily due to the lack of an agreement with cable provider Time Warner. Silverman met with OSU Department of Athletic officials to update them on the status of the negotiations with Time Warner and also took to the airwaves on local radio and television outlets to get his side of the story out.

"I want fans to know that right now we have a long way to go," said Silverman in an exclusive the-Ozone interview.

"We need to make progress, significant progress, in a short amount of time in order to get a deal of this scope done in the next two and half weeks."

The two and a half weeks to which Silverman alluded is the time remaining before the opening kickoff of the football season. The problem facing the parties involved is that an 11th-hour agreement would not leave enough time to dot the i's, cross the t's and get all the ducks in a row that need to be in a row to get the network distributed.

"It's not a long period of time when you don't have a deal done to get from where we are now, to go from an agreement in principle and then to get it legalized and a legal agreement all done before kickoff and have time to send out all the receivers so that they can get the signal and put it on the air, not to mention figure out overflow channels and all that other stuff. There's just a lot to get done and we need to make a lot of progress in a very short period time," said Silverman.

Due to the lack of an agreement with Time Warner distribution of the Big Ten Network in Ohio has lagged behind that of the other Big Ten states.
"It (BTN distribution) varies from (a low of) about 40 percent here and in Wisconsin, Time Warner is major provider in Wisconsin as well," said Silverman.

Continued

Thinks that they will come to an agreement with Cox Cable that stirs the Cleveland area before the beginning of football season.

[Bestbuck36]

Cox Cable you say? That could change my direction here in Phoenix if Cox picks up BTN. My internet connection has definitely suffered since I switched to satellite but my tv programming has been awesome!

[bucksinsider]

Here's the latest today from NBC4 - The start of football season is just weeks away for the Buckeyes, and there's still not deal between Time Warner and the Big Ten Network to televise the games.

Continued - Big Ten Discussions Still Underway - Sports - nbc4i.com -

[osugrad21]

CPD

Lack of TV deal may cost some OSU fans four games

Thursday, August 14, 2008 Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter

Columbus -- Ohio State football fans can start asking, "Why us?"
The three-time Big Ten champion has the most fans still locked out of some games thanks to a yearlong showdown between Time Warner and the Big Ten Network.
"How ironic is that?" Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman said Wednesday. "If you told me a university would be trailing in availability in its market, Ohio State would not have been my guess."

Cont...

[sparcboxbuck]

Originally Posted by Redhawk

3 days till BTN hits comcast, for those of us who are stuck with it....

FIFY

[exhawg]

(not like it will make a difference) I sent TW a nasty email earlier this week giving them Monday as my deadline for jumping to DirecTV. Hopefully they will realize that this year they are going to lose a bunch of customers if they don't get the deal done. Tick Tock