The Big Ten Network

Pokerdemic · #1 11-01-2007, 06:15 PM

Sorry if you have talked about this before, I don't normally post in this forum. I searched and found nothing.

Has anyone missed a good college football game because their cable network doesn't have the big ten network? Wisconsin fans are going to miss the UW/OSU game this weekend. And the UW coach sounds surprisingly nonchalant that the usually supportive fan base is getting screwed:

http://uwbadgers.com/video/default.aspx?mid=1326

I'm not calling anyone to request the Big Ten Network. In fact I feel like calling my cable company and telling them I will drop cable if they raise my prices to include it. And I like college football, but I wonder if the Big Ten Network is overestimating the amount of people who will pay extra to see it. Thoughts? Your experiences?

iron81 · #2 11-01-2007, 06:20 PM

The BTN is asking for the second highest rights fee in the country after ESPN for a station that practically no one will watch outside of football gamedays. I think the cable companies should tell them to take a hike as well. That said, because of the BTN, I've only been able to watch one Northwestern game this year. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

damaniac · #3 11-01-2007, 06:24 PM

I dunno it's sort of silly. Comcast is claiming that it's wrong to force this network on people, and I agree in principle. However, Comcast does this all the time. Their interest (not surprisingly) is Comcast's bottom line, and they want to relegate BTN to their sports teir so it doesn't compete with networks they have a stake in. I think they are working with the SEC to be a partner in an SEC network; odds they refrain from forcing this on customers: 0%.

But there is some evidence that this is hurting Comcast's bottom line and helping Direct TV and other satelite providers. Comcast being the most evil corporation in the world, this is good.

The bottom line is while I feel that a system where we pay for each channel we want is ideal, this isn't the world we live in. If I have to buy a package that includes Lifetime, then I don't really mind forcing BTN on everyone else.

lippy · #4 11-01-2007, 06:31 PM

damaniac wins.

gusmahler · #5 11-01-2007, 06:33 PM

BTN has three HD channels on DirecTV on Saturdays. They even show non-revenue sports in HD. It's actually pretty impressive. Not even ESPN shows college volleyball in HD. But BTN does.

maxtower · #6 11-01-2007, 06:59 PM

I would just like to pay someone $1000/season to get ALL the games, but thats not possible because of cable company shenanigans.
How many Oregon games have been televised (even with DirectTV) this year?

Victor · #7 11-01-2007, 07:04 PM

lots of osu fans will miss that game too. pretty dumb.

Pinchot · #8 11-01-2007, 07:27 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The BTN is asking for the second highest rights fee in the country after ESPN for a station that practically no one will watch outside of football gamedays. I think the cable companies should tell them to take a hike as well. That said, because of the BTN, I've only been able to watch one Northwestern game this year. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

The BTN has always maintained that the rate is negotiable. Also, they are a Regional Sports Network (RSN) and I'm pretty sure there's a bunch of other RSNs with similar carriage fees (I think Comcast owns some of them in fact). Plus, they are only asking for the $1.10 in the states where the BTN has a footprint. Outside of those states the asking price is said to be $.10 per household.

Both parties are being dishonest about their intentions. Comcast is being dishonest AND hypocritical as damianac pointed out. Comcast's "we're protecting our customers" campaign is pretty LOL. In the end, it's the fans that get really hosed. Hopefully there's a big push from the midwest during basketball season.

Pokerdemic · #9 11-01-2007, 07:29 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I would just like to pay someone $1000/season to get ALL the games, but thats not possible because of cable company shenanigans.
How many Oregon games have been televised (even with DirectTV) this year?

[/ QUOTE ]

I wonder if football is riding its wave of popularity too hard and overplaying its hand. I wonder if this is going to alienate fans like me, people who wouldn't pay extra money to watch college football, but will gladly watch it if it is on Saturday afternoon. I'm sure the die-hard Wisconsin fans will do what they have to this Saturday to see the game. But what about the massive amount of fans who have kids at home? Or who just don't care enough to go out of their way to see it? Surely they make up a significant part of the fan base.

Or am I just sounding obnoxiously entitled right now because I don't want to pay for something that's always been free?

Pinchot · #10 11-01-2007, 07:35 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The BTN is asking for the second highest rights fee in the country after ESPN for a station that practically no one will watch outside of football gamedays. I think the cable companies should tell them to take a hike as well. That said, because of the BTN, I've only been able to watch one Northwestern game this year. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's a link on RSN carriage fees. Please note Comcast Sports Net Chicago's $1.90 fee. Weird, Comcast didn't mention that, did they?

RSN Fees