Big Ten Network (BTN)

[Buckeye89Fan]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeFlorida

No such luck... was there with my girl and even she wanted to punch them in the face. I tried to encourage, everyone loves a good chick fight, but no dice.

LMAO always fun to encourage chick fighting!

[Oh8ch]

LMAO always fun to encourage chick fighting!

Careful, you'll end up in a cell next to Vick.

[Buckeye89Fan]

Originally Posted by Oh8ch

Careful, you'll end up in a cell next to Vick.

HAHA How did I know someone was going to bring up Vick!

[UGABuckDeuce]

Originally Posted by roadstonowhere

I'd say I agree with that. I have TW, but my parents have Insight so I was able to watch the game their. They only have the classic service, so we watched the game in standard def.

The announcers for the BTN are, with the exception of Thom B., pretty bad. Even Tomczak is not real great. One thing that I did find out was the second channel on insight that's on the digital channels is not encrypted. We picked it up on channel 128-1. So that was pretty cool.

Personally, I'd like to see TW and BTN work out a deal that works for everyone. They're all in it for the money and we can't say that we blame them. So why not make it so they can show one channel on the "classic" service that includes all the Buckeyes games. Then, they can pick up some of the other channels as part of their digital package or sports package or whatever.

This way, the Buckeye fans get their games and if someone wants to see the other games, they can get them too.

Oh...the other thing I didn't like was the lack of in-studio updates (I agree about the look). There were a few, but not many. That and there was almost no ticker at the top or bottom of the screen. Occasionally, sure. But very little. Often, I found myself flipping over to ESPN or ABC to check on scores for the other games.

And finally, you'd think they would have had time to already secure some ads other then their own. By the end of the first quarter I was already sick of all the Big Ten Network and Fox commercials.

Anyhoo..we have a family picnic next week so no biggie if TW doesn't get a deal done.

The BTN is basically Fox.

The SECN is basically Comcast.

The ACCN, B12N and PAC10N are still unsigned but will be announced soon.

ND is leaving the BE and NBC. Doubt me all you want but NBC is done paying to get service academies, it is already being planned.

The broadcast networks are left scrambling for content and partnerships. ABC/ESPN is losing value with the BTN. CBS is losing value with the SECN. And ABC/ESPN are getting really hosed by the BTN.

Who else is losing, cable subscribers. If the five conferences each sign with different networks then Cable is going to be asked by each of these networks to eat their costs..basically five BTN costs. That is NOT going to happen. So they are going to raise our prices so we get games we don't want or the college networks are going to lose and go to Sports Tiers. And then we'll see what this does to ESPN/Disney when they lose all that content and ad fees.

[Oh8ch]

Who else is losing, cable subscribers. If the five conferences each sign with different networks then Cable is going to be asked by each of these networks to eat their costs..basically five BTN costs. That is NOT going to happen. So they are going to raise our prices so we get games we don't want or the college networks are going to lose and go to Sports Tiers. And then we'll see what this does to ESPN/Disney when they lose all that content and ad fees.

My worst fear. That I have to choose which conferences to pay for - not just which games.

What make Saturday in front of the tube positively orgasmic right now is the selection and flexibility. I was clicking all over the place watching different games. Would hate to think that all I had to choose from were 5 Big Ten games played in three time slots when those games included IU, NU and Minnie. Heck, might as well do some chores.

[heisman]

Originally Posted by UGABuckDeuce

The SECN is basically Comcast.

Jumping into bed with Comcast would not advance the SEC's product. Comcast is not available nationally for starters, and they certainly can't ask for the same type of carriage agreements for SECN, when they have publically stated it's their sole reason for not carrying BTN.

[Buckeye89Fan]

I thought Charter was a southern based Cable provider?

['BusNative]

Originally Posted by Buckeye89Fan

I thought Charter was a southern based Cable provider?

Pretty sure Charter is HQ'd in St. Louis... available in tons of places.

[Buckeye89Fan]

Originally Posted by 'BusNative

Pretty sure Charter is HQ'd in St. Louis... available in tons of places.

Oh, ok thanks.

[UGABuckDeuce]

Originally Posted by heisman

Jumping into bed with Comcast would not advance the SEC's product. Comcast is not available nationally for starters, and they certainly can't ask for the same type of carriage agreements for SECN, when they have publically stated it's their sole reason for not carrying BTN.

Comcast is the largest cable operator all across the country. They have 25 Million subscribers. Why would the SECN NOT be excited about that?

Are you confusing Comcast with another operator perhaps?

[UpNorthBuckeye]

my method for dealing with all this: TV antenna. Free tv.

If everyone did it, then there would be more games broadcast and the cable companies would have to make themselves a more attractive product.

TV, like radio, used to be free!

Go Buckeyes! '
Just win, baby!

[heisman]

Originally Posted by UGABuckDeuce

Comcast is the largest cable operator all across the country. They have 25 Million subscribers. Why would the SECN NOT be excited about that?

Are you confusing Comcast with another operator perhaps?

I used to work for Comcast. The problem is where the concentration of 24 mill is located, and more importantly what level of service those 24 mill subscribe. Comcast has to sign local franchise agreements and with that has to provide lifeline service in most communities. They are heavily regulated by state and municipal governments when it comes to infrastructure, bandwidth, content, etc. I believe only 14 mill subscribe to digital service and only about 1.5 million of those are in SEC states. You need one of the sat companies to make it work, and the problem there is that Echostar hates sports, and Directv already has BTN.

[UGABuckDeuce]

Originally Posted by heisman

I used to work for Comcast. The problem is where the concentration of 24 mill is located, and more importantly what level of service those 24 mill subscribe. Comcast has to sign local franchise agreements and with that has to provide lifeline service in most communities. They are heavily regulated by state and municipal governments when it comes to infrastructure, bandwidth, content, etc. I believe only 14 mill subscribe to digital service and only about 1.5 million of those are in SEC states. You need one of the sat companies to make it work, and the problem there is that Echostar hates sports, and Directv already has BTN.

I believe that Comcast/Charter will broadcast the SECN on basic packages much like BTN:

SportsBusinessJournal.com

[DaddyBigBucks]

Originally Posted by heisman

Jumping into bed with Comcast would not advance the SEC's product. Comcast is not available nationally for starters, and they certainly can't ask for the same type of carriage agreements for SECN, when they have publically stated it's their sole reason for not carrying BTN.

Hypocrisy never stopped anyone from attempting to get the highest price they can get for a product they are offering for sale.

As for whether the SEC will "jump into bed" with Comcast: Comcast is bidding on the network right now. Whether they win the bid (don't know if it's been decided yet or not) is up for conjecture. But the SEC has not denied them the right to bid.

[heisman]

I'm not saying they will do this, but the SEC should wait until their contract expires with Lincoln, and sign with Fox just like BTN. Now, you have all the cable systems with markets in the midwest and the south under so much pressure to carry both of the networks, the levee would surely break.