Big Ten Network (BTN)

[Buck94]

From the NYTimes...
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/18/sp...ll&oref=slogin


I found the article via the Ozone from this post:
O-Zone: BTN...is it asking too much?

Here is a C/P of the costs:

[CleveBucks]

So basically it's the lowest of all the regional sports networks listed. Where's the problem again?

[sandgk]

Originally Posted by CleveBucks

So basically it's the lowest of all the regional sports networks listed. Where's the problem again?

The problem is that BTN will not presently be available on anything but small cable or big satellite (DTV).
So, people with regular cable in Big Ten 8-state region will not receive the channel.

Oh, I'm sorry, you are asking where is the problem?

With the cable channels and their arcane structuring of programming.

With the cable channels and their unwillingness to roll BTN into basic in the 8-state region.

With cable and their unwillingness to adopt a per channel pricing strategy that may be anathema to the Big 10 commissioner, but would cut through the Gordian knot.

The problem lies with cable. (AKA Comcast).

[jwinslow]

Yep, OSU Sports looks like he was right on earlier in this thread (not sure if an apology or kudos are in order, but I'll just send both your way ).

[CleveBucks]

Originally Posted by sandgk

The problem is that BTN will not presently be available on anything but small cable or big satellite (DTV).
So, people with regular cable in Big Ten 8-state region will not receive the channel.

Oh, I'm sorry, you are asking where is the problem?

With the cable channels and their arcane structuring of programming.

With the cable channels and their unwillingness to roll BTN into basic in the 8-state region.

With cable and their unwillingness to adopt a per channel pricing strategy that may be anathema to the Big 10 commissioner, but would cut through the Gordian knot.

The problem lies with cable. (AKA Comcast).

Still two months to go. I'd be willing to bet that Dish and quite a few cable companies will announce agreements between now and then.

[BuckeyeMike80]

Originally Posted by CleveBucks

Still two months to go. I'd be willing to bet that Dish and quite a few cable companies will announce agreements between now and then.

As the season gets closer and people start to realize that some games may not be on TV for them, I'm sure that they will begin to bend a bit on their stances right now.....

[CleveBucks]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeMike80

As the season gets closer and people start to realize that some games may not be on TV for them, I'm sure that they will begin to bend a bit on their stances right now.....

Likewise, cable companies may start to bend a little when they realize that people will be flooding to DirecTV or any other company that gets the network.

[cincibuck]

Originally Posted by CleveBucks

Still two months to go. I'd be willing to bet that Dish and quite a few cable companies will announce agreements between now and then.

I'm practicing bending over and looking for the soap as I write... where's Thump? We Buckeye fans are going to need a little KY jelly before this thing is over...

[schwab]

Originally Posted by cincibuck

I'm practicing bending over and looking for the soap as I write... where's Thump? We Buckeye fans are going to need a little KY jelly before this thing is over...

Don't eat that Kentucky jelly [censored]. It's by far the worst tasting excuse for jelly that i've ever had with my peanut butter

[Taosman]

It's very much a "work in progress".
And the "progress" doesn't look so good at the moment. And in fact it would not surprise me in the least if the ball got dropped.
At least for this season!
"Patience is the lesson of a lifetime!"

[gijoe]

Cable companies are not afraid of people switching to Direct TV. It is a lot of work to switch to dish then you are stuck in a contract. Cable companies are afraid of other cable companies. Switching from one cable company to another is very easy and painless. It will save you money by getting a new company special, and you are not stuck in a contract like Direct TV.

I have word that WOW! is very close to finishing a deal with the Big 10 Network, I'll have more info hopefully on Monday. Once one company makes the deal, the others will follow suit.

[cincibuck]

Today's Enquirer featured an exchange of insults between a Comcast VP and Big 10 Commish Delahney with the Comcast mouth asking, "How are you going to get an Indiana Basketball fan to watch Iowa Volleyball?" Delahney made some other remarks that tipped his hand, using OSU, PSU and UM football to leverage money for the whole league. As I read comcast's remarks it was pretty much "after ABC/ESPN pick off the games they want your down to IU at Northwestern and that's a niche network." As if BET and HSN aren't niche networks.

Sorry, I looked for this on the Enquirer web site and the story isn't there so no link.

[CleveBucks]

It will be nice once the new Ohio bill is signed into law eliminating local cable franchises in favor of statewide ones. That should only increase the number of cable choices for Ohioans. As soon as a few companies jump on board, the rest will not be able to afford not to. I've heard WOW and Insight in Central OH are close to agreements.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Big Ten TV, Time Warner still in talks

By George M. Thomas

It might be a bit early to be thinking about football for some (Not!), but for those who are rabid fans of Ohio State, it might be time to take note of an interesting fact. The team's first two games of the season will be found not on ABC or ESPN or ESPN2 or... well, you get the point. If you want to watch the Buckeyes battle Youngstown State (watch that institution's athletic department count the cash from that payday) or the University of Akron (sorry, no picking on the Roos; death threats are neither invited nor wanted by this writer), you'll have to have the Big Ten Network.

Continued....

[cincibuck]

Originally Posted by OSUBasketballJunkie

Big Ten TV, Time Warner still in talks

By George M. Thomas

It might be a bit early to be thinking about football for some (Not!), but for those who are rabid fans of Ohio State, it might be time to take note of an interesting fact. The team's first two games of the season will be found not on ABC or ESPN or ESPN2 or... well, you get the point. If you want to watch the Buckeyes battle Youngstown State (watch that institution's athletic department count the cash from that payday) or the University of Akron (sorry, no picking on the Roos; death threats are neither invited nor wanted by this writer), you'll have to have the Big Ten Network.

Continued....

I knew it, I knew it, I KNEW it!

This is going to be a giant cluster [censored] before it's over.

Blame OSU for the line up of opponents... YSU, Kent State and Akron. I have to take back much of what I said about Notre Dame competing for the Commander's Cup.

But also blame Time - Warner. Over the years they have enjoyed a monopoly and have used it to ignore complaints about their signal and their choice of material to cover.

Finally, there is dealing with Cincinnati... a long tradition of feeling like the city is somehow separate from the rest of the state and the resulting ignoring of Ohio State and Ohio State football.

So let me rant... I hate the [censored]ing Bengals and their cheap ass owner, I hate the "Capital of the Tri-State," I hate their support of ND football and UK basketball, I hate Time - Warner, I hate Skyline and "Cincinnati Chili," I hate the loss of Crosley Field, inter-league play, the designated hitter, the current state of the Reds, the fact that Cross County Highway can go through Delhi but not through Indian Hill, Jean Schmidt, Si Leis, Peter Bronson, streets that have four names, Rosa Blackwell getting a raise for incompetence....

There, I feel better. Now just breath, relax, think of sitting on the beach and reading a good book, breath...