Another article on the Big Ten Network

[Earl Bonovich]

Big Ten joins the Land of the Fee

Jim Delany, the commissioner of the Big Ten, would like you to believe the conference's new cable television network is something no fan should be without.

Delany and those in charge at the Big Ten Network would also like you to believe that the channel, set to debut Aug. 30, is the league's gift to its alumni.

Don't believe it.

This is a money grab.

....

See the rest of the article: DailySouthtown
(Daily Southtown is a major newspaper that focuses on the souther suburbs of Chicago)

[Earl Bonovich]

My reply email:

Originally Posted by Earl Bonovich (email)

Tim,

Being an Illini fan… I am so excited that the Big Ten Network is coming.
Why? While the Illini-Basketball has had terrific coverage over the last few years…

The football is nearly not existent on any channel… even the “local” ones here in Chicago.
The only time they have been on TV, is when they are playing a nationally ranked or high profile team…. and it is no fun to watch our team, get crushed like a bug.

One of the nice things about the proposed Big Ten Channel, and it’s carriage by DirecTV…
Is that if there is more than one game, that needs to be carried…. It will be… it is not like it is going to be a single channel, when there are conflicts.

So I can get even MORE coverage… and that will be even nicer during basketball season, if the Illini are in the hunt, and I want to flip over and see what one of the competitor teams are doing.

WITHOUT HAVING TO SPEND $$$$$ for ESPN GamePlan or some other time of package.
It is built into my base plan.

So “we” consumers don’t have to pay anything extra right now.
Big all mighty COMCAST and DirecTV have to dig into their reserves… but it is not like BTN is not the first network to demand rates for their programs.

NFL network did… so did MLB and the Extra Innings and the eventual MLB channel.
ESPN does, so does CNN…. CNN even dictates where they want to be in the channel lineup.

NFL is in the “basic” tier for DirecTV… great that COMCATS managed to force them into an extended tier, so their subscriber base can take more out of their pocket, to get programming they get for a base rate.

Oh… and a piece that you are missing in that…. Is that the coverage will also be in HD when available on DirecTV……

How about the coverage of Volleyball, Baseball, and some of other BigTen sports…. Wouldn’t it be great, if our local kids… can get interested in local schools, instead of constantly thinking about the “coasts” …. A BigTen channel right there at their finger tips, could do just that….

So… boo hoo… that all might COMCAST can’t push their will onto the BigTen network and get a plan that works for THEM… (it has nothing to do with the customers… Comcast just doesn’t want to take the hit, since they already are just skimming by on their Triple Plan offerings).

It is time COMCAST wakes up, and realizes they are not the only player in town anymore.

“This is a niche network, no matter how much Delany bleats otherwise, right there with NBA TV and the NFL Network”

Aren’t the vast majority of new “cable” channel, a niche network… SicFi ? Nick? Comedy? Cartoon? MTV?
We don’t need more “general” channels like USA or TNT…. We have enough of those, just with our locals.


Earl

[HoosierBoy]

Amen Earl!

[mjsterz]

I'm also an Illini fan (and alum) and I'm really looking forward to the BTN on DTV.

I'm so excited about the possiblity of every game being in HD. Those ESPN+ games that they would sometimes show on Channel 26 just looked terrible on my plasma.

Anyway, I have a couple of questions and I don't frequent this forum much so I apologize in advance if these have already been asked and answered.

Does anybody know if they've selected a channel yet?

What about channels for the overflow games?

I know the launch date is 08/30, but any idea about when the new channels will start showing up in the guide?

Thanks in advance......

[Earl Bonovich]

I did just get a very nice reply from Tim... and awaiting his permission to post it.

As for mjsterz's questions.

The base channel is expected to be 220, we should see it in our guides in a couple weeks.... as for the EXTENDED overlap channels... no information yet, but I wouldn't be shocked if it was not up in the 700's

[mjsterz]

Thanks for the update, Earl!

[Earl Bonovich]

I got the okay to post his reply:

Originally Posted by Tim Cronin

Earl,
Thanks for writing. I appreciate your comments.
Big Ten Network president Mark Silverman said today at the Big Ten
football meetings that each school should have between 60 and 70 live games,
counting every sport, each season, so you'll see plenty of Illini action,
football included. The network is contractually obligated to cover all home
football and men's basketball games not on other outlets (ABC, etc.), so
only nonconference football and men's basketball on the road might slip
through the cracks. (You're getting a sneak preview of a future column. I
wrote about the non-expansion of the league for tomorrow.)
I gather you already have DirecTV. I left out HD in the column because,
first, I was writing more about the concept, and second, because I wasn't
sure how many of those HD telecasts DirecTV would pass. Silverman isn't sure
either, he said today. The regular BTN channel on DirecTV will be 220. The
HD channel isn't numbered yet, nor is it clear if the other games, most of
which will be produced in HD (all but Northeastern-Northwestern the first
weekend), will be carried that way. I'll be writing about that down the
line.
As for the "niche" angle, one of the things Silverman said today was, "I
look at this as 11 mini-networks." He also agreed that there are different
audiences for baseball, women's volleyball, hockey, etc., admitting the
niche concept but saying, "In aggregate, we have a broad audience."
Silverman and Jim Delany insist that its expanded basic or bust, so I'd
imagine what will happen is what generally happens: The negotiations will
focus on the money and the network will eventually end up on expanded basic,
but at a lower cost to cable networks than the $1.10 per subscriber.
Silverman said "We're willing to negotiate on all other topics (than
placement on expanded basic)."
The big question is whether or not it happens by kickoff time for the
openers.

Tim is a columnist for the Daily SouthTown... one of the major newspapers her in Chicagoland's Southern Area

[colavsfaninnwia]

Interesting news, thanks!