Big Ten Network HD on Dish Network?

[jldhawk]

Any news on if Dish Network will get the Big Ten Network this August if at all or in HD?

 

[Jim5506]

Nope.

 

[Spaz007]

Do we really need more sports channels?

 

[gopherscot]

Do we really need more sports channels?

YES

 

[Tom Bombadil]

As we've discussed before, the B10 Network will be carrying some very significant B10 football and basketball games. A lot of B10 fans, of which there are many, will want this channel. D* has signed to carry it. E* has not.

Once we get into the fall football season, you are going to read a lot of complaints should E* not have it.

 

[tsduke]

Do we really need more sports channels?

No we really don't, but the reality is as a Iowa Hawkeye fan I'll need it to watch football and basketball. So I am willing to pay for it.

 

[thedamaja]

I'd love to see this channel on dish but, from what I read before it sounds like big games will still be on the majors.

 

[tsduke]

I'd love to see this channel on dish but, from what I read before it sounds like big games will still be on the majors.

Yes big games will still be on the majors, but those games not picked up by the majors will be aired on the Big Ten Network. Basketball will be the one most affected by this because there will be several games aired on BTN.

 

[riffjim4069]

I am a Big Ten sports enthusiast and would love to see this added to the lineup. Of course, non-sports enthusiast should not help foot the bill for these sports channels (i.e. the ESPNs)...add it to Top 250 or al a carte.

Hmmm...although they mention football and basketball coverage, there is no mention of baseball and hockey (the North American past-time).

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I'd love to see this channel on dish but, from what I read before it sounds like big games will still be on the majors.

Yes the BIGGEST games will be on the majors. However some weeks the B10 Network will be getting the 2nd choice of games, other weeks they will get the 3rd choice, and overall they will be carrying about 40% of all the B10 football games - exclusively.

Thus there will be games with significant fan interest that will be shown only on the B10 network. Those games won't be Ohio State - Michigan, but it could be Michigan State - Michigan, or Wisconsin - Minnesota, or Iowa - Penn State. If someone is an Ohio State fan, there is a very good chance that 4 or 5 Buckeye games will be on the B10N.

Same is true for basketball.

 

[riffjim4069]

Yes the BIGGEST games will be on the majors. However some weeks the B10 Network will be getting the 2nd choice of games, other weeks they will get the 3rd choice, and overall they will be carrying about 40% of all the B10 football games - exclusively.

Thus there will be games with significant fan interest that will be shown only on the B10 network. Those games won't be Ohio State - Michigan, but it could be Michigan State - Michigan, or Wisconsin - Minnesota, or Iowa - Penn State. If someone is an Ohio State fan, there is a very good chance that 4 or 5 Buckeye games will be on the B10N.

Same is true for basketball.

I will go on record as saying there will be no more than one (1) Michigan/Ohio State game each on this channel per year. The best you're going to get is a Michigan vs. Indiana or OSU vs. Northwestern.

 

[tsduke]

Being an Iowa fan, I don't care if it's a big game or not. I want the opportunity to watch it.

 

[gadgtfreek]

I think it should be offered, but only after it won't take away from national HD coming on later this year. Maybe after they get another sat up.

My only issue is Im from the south and have no interest in the Big 10, so if adding this channel in HD is going to take away from HD national capacity, I say wait till there is more capacity.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I will go on record as saying there will be no more than one (1) Michigan/Ohio State game each on this channel per year. The best you're going to get is a Michigan vs. Indiana or OSU vs. Northwestern.

There are a grand total of 88 B10 football games this fall. 35 of them will be on the B10 Network. Michigan and Ohio State will be playing 23 of these games. If only 2 of their games are aired by B10N, then that means 33 out of the other 65 games will be carried.

That would mean that an average of 6 games would be on the B10 Network from Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan State, and Northwestern.

If 9 universities each have 6 games on this network and E* doesn't carry it, there will be a lot of screaming.

Personally I think there will be more than 1 game each from Michigan and Ohio State because with the B10N getting the #2 pick in some weeks, at least one of those teams will be available. In other weeks, they may be available at #3, because Penn State and Wisconsin draw TV ratings comparable to Michigan and Ohio State & if those teams are playing significant opponents then they would be a better choice for the networks or ESPN.

There will also be 105 men's college basketball games, 55 women's college basketball games, and 170 other events, including the B10 championship games/matches in several sports.

Hockey won't be covered because the B10 doesn't have a hockey league, teams from the B10 are in other conferences.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

It is possible that a local channel for say Iowa City, could contract with the B10N to carry some or all of Hawkeye games for which the B10N has exclusivity. They may do this for the first year or two as they build their subscriber base. However D* will apply pressure to the B10N to not do this, as it could be a major selling point for D* and as they are the major financial backer of the B10N at this point, they will have influence.

 

[garn9173]

Big 10 Network is asking over a dollar per subscriber. There's no way Charlie is going to plunk down that sort of money for a "niche" network. Heck, at over a dollar per subscriber, i'll be surprised to see Mediacom add the channel If you live in Iowa and want the Big 10 Network, DirecTV is probably you're only route.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Dollar per sub, damn.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Yep, the last report was that they wanted $1.10 per sub. Don't know if they cut D* a deal.

Each B10 University is expecting to be paid $7.5M/yr by the B10N. And football is their biggest revenue generator. So expect the B10N to play hardball with cable operators through the midwest. With D* already in the fold, they can leverage this vs E* and the cable companies.

 

[garn9173]

Dollar per sub, damn.

$1.10 to be exact and Big 10 Network is wanting as broad of distribution as possible, there's a surprise:

Greenandwhite.com: Big Ten Network's availability in limbo

But this could get sticky. The network wants to be on "expanded basic" cable. Comcast and others might be inclined to offer it as part of a more-expensive "sports tier" package.

That way, Comcast would not have to pay the network for every subscriber to its basic package. Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal reported the network is asking cable providers to pay $1.10 per subscriber per month in the Big Ten region, although officials would not confirm that number.

"We've been in talks and we'll continue to be in talks with them," said Jerome Espy, vice president of communications for Comcast's Midwest division. "We want to bring the Big Ten Network to the customers in the best and fairest way."

So what do network officials feel about the sports tier?

"Not acceptable," Conlisk said.

 

[tsduke]

The $1.10 is what they want out of the Big Ten market. Outside of that market they are asking for less.