Big Ten exploring its own television network

OSUBasketballJunkie · Jun 16, 2006

I like this idea, most of the major conferences have their own networks...

DDN

6/16/06

College Football
Big Ten exploring its own television network

By the Associated Press

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Big Ten TV? It could be coming to a cable box near you.

According to the president of the Iowa Board of Regents, the Big Ten has explored the possibility of starting its own cable TV network.

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany confirmed in a phone interview with the Cedar Rapids Gazette on Wednesday night that the league has considered forming a network that would broadcast Big Ten athletics.

The conference's current deal with ABC and ESPN expires following the 2006-2007 season.

OSUBasketballJunkie · Jun 21, 2006

Dispatch

6/21/06

Big Ten to announce TV deal

The Big Ten will announce today that it is about to enter into the television business, forming its own network that will launch in 2007.

Sources said the Big Ten also will announce the ABC/ESPN family will remain the exclusive carrier of the conference’s signature events. The current deal, set to expire in June 2007, is said to be worth up to $50 million per year.

So while ABC/ESPN continues to get all the choicest cuts, league officials believe there will be plenty left on the menu to attract viewers to the Big Ten Channel.

What kind of programming should fans expect? The meat of it figures to come from nonrevenue sports—volleyball matches, wrestling meets and women’s basketball games. But also look for lower-profile football and men’s basketball games that can’t find a home on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU.

Coaches shows would be a natural, as would spring football games.

Sources said the Big Ten will partner with DirecTV in forming the Big Ten Channel. Fox’s parent company, News Corp., owns a sizable share in DirecTV, so Fox will play a significant role in the operation and distribution of the network.
DirecTV reaches just 15.4 million homes, so one of the keys will be Fox’s negotiations with cable distributors such as Comcast, Cox and Time Warner. Those talks will play out over the next year.

BB73 · Jun 21, 2006

Dennis Dodd, who works for CBS (which has an SEC football contract) weighs in on the Big Ten's new TV network.

sportsline

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=10></TD><TD>Questions abound for new Big Ten Network
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=10> </TD><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=50></TD><TD noWrap>June 20, 2006
By Dennis Dodd</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> The Big Ten will announce the formation of its own satellite TV-based network on Wednesday in a move that could signify a major shift for both the viewer and college athletics.

Beginning in 2007, the conference will place some of its football and basketball (as well as minor sports) content on DirecTV, the satellite service with approximately 15 million subscribers.

The Big Ten is keeping most of its marquee games on current TV partners ABC and ESPN, both owned by Disney. The league will also announce a new deal with their long-standing partners worth a reported $50 million per year after the current deal expires in June 2007.

That means Big Ten fans won't have to rush out to buy a dish to watch Ohio State-Michigan. But the DirecTV deal does gives the league's other sports exposure on what will be called The Big Ten Channel.

Other conferences will be watching closely to see if the league can maximize its profits by taking some of its content off basic cable and broadcast television. The Mountain West Conference is starting its own network this fall in a deal with CSTV, but is having trouble clearing space for programming in major cities in its league.

One key question: How much will subscribers have to pay to get games on The Big Ten Channel. Within DirecTV is a service called "Sports Pack" that features -- for an added fee -- 25 specialty and regional networks, including all the Fox Sports Net, MSG and the Yes Network (Yankees baseball). Sports Pack has only three million subscribers.
Beyond that is another added fee for such networks as NHL Center Ice, NBA League Pass and MLB Extra Innings.

Another key question: Local stations in major Big Ten markets are wondering if this is the end of Big Ten programming on their stations. Will those second-tier football and basketball programs now all be relegated to satellite?

Some of those questions will be answered Wednesday when the conference holds a teleconference with reporters.

Don't be surprised if the network also includes highlights shows -- some of them sports-specific -- ala SportsCenter. Also look for coaches' shows. Commissioner Jim Delany is believed to have approached all the major networks and cable entities CSTV and Comcast while trying to form the network.

Falling production costs in recent years have allowed some sports leagues to take production costs in-house. That also allows those leagues to maximize profits, especially if it is able to sell its own advertising.

In this case, the addition of the Big Ten might tip the argument toward DirecTV being the industry leader in satellite television. It's all about exclusive content. The Big Ten is about as exclusive as it gets in college sports. The conference has the largest demographic reach in the country, counting one-quarter of the nation's population in its "footprint," which extends from the Northeast to the Midwest.

News Corp., Fox's parent company, owns a large part of DirecTV. Fox is still looking for a regular-season college football broadcast partner after acquiring the rights to three of the four BCS bowl games.

CleveBucks · Jun 21, 2006

Here's the complete release. I think this is a huge step up in coverage. I'll bold some of the more significant parts...

The Big Ten Conference Announces Media Agreements Increasing National Coverage of Big Ten Sports

June 21, 2006

Ten-Year Agreement with ABC/ESPN Increases National Exposure for Football and Basketball

Conference Partners with Fox to Create "The Big Ten Channel" to Launch Nationwide on Cable and Satellite; DIRECTV Signs on as First Affiliate

PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- The Big Ten Conference has reached two milestone media agreements that will provide the organization with its greatest media exposure ever and ensures long-term vitality for its member institutions' broad-based athletic programs, it was announced today by Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. The conference has signed a new 10-year national rights contract with ABC/ESPN and has reached a landmark deal with Fox Cable Networks to create the Big Ten Channel, a national network devoted to Big Ten athletic and academic programs. The ABC/ESPN contract takes effect, and the Big Ten Channel is expected to launch, in August 2007.

ABC/ESPN Contract

Big Ten action has been featured on ABC since 1966 and on ESPN since 1979, the network's first year. Details of the new ABC/ESPN agreement include, but are not limited to:

Up to 41 Big Ten football games will be televised - up to 17 on ABC and up to 25 on ESPN or ESPN2;

All regional afternoon football games aired on ABC will be aired by ESPN/ESPN2 in outer-markets, making these games nationally available;

Approximately 60 men's basketball games will air on an ESPN network (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360), including games on each Tuesday and Thursday of the nine-week conference season, plus up to eight Saturday games during conference play;

A total of 100 women's basketball and volleyball events on an ESPN network, including the championship games of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament, over the course of the agreement; and,

Through ESPN's collection of new media outlets such as ESPN.com, Mobile ESPN, ESPN360 and ESPN VOD, fans will receive live events (including simulcasts), extended video highlights including in-progress games, features and more. In addition, Big Ten coverage will be available on ESPN Classic and throughout the world through ESPN International.

"The letters ABC and ESPN connote excellence, worldwide reach and innovation," said Delany. "The Big Ten is extremely proud to partner for the next decade with George Bodenheimer and his ABC/ESPN team to bring our events, student-athletes and coaches to fans and alumni across the country and beyond."

"The words `Big Ten' represent passion, history and excellence, and we are thrilled to continue our unmatched relationship with the conference for another decade," said George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN Inc. and ABC Sports. "This agreement, among the most expansive ever, reinforces our position as the number one college sports destination and serves the ever-evolving appetites of fans by providing premier Big Ten action through traditional outlets like ABC and ESPN and emerging entities such as Mobile ESPN and ESPN360."

Big Ten Channel

The Big Ten Channel is dedicated to covering both the athletic and academic content of the Big Ten member institutions on a national level. Showcasing a wide array of sports as well as original programming produced by the conference's 11 institutions, the Big Ten Channel will operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It will be available to all carriers and distributors nationwide. The Big Ten Channel's first affiliate, DIRECTV, will deliver the Channel to its Total Choice Package subscribers at launch. Many events will be produced in High-Definition television (HDTV). In addition to traditional distribution through cable and satellite, select Big Ten Channel content will also be available through alternative media platforms such as the Internet, iPods, cell phones and/or other emerging technologies.

"Fox has a proven and impressive track record of launching and managing networks," Delany said. "That coupled with our compelling athletic competition will make this channel the go-to destination for our alumni and fans across the nation."

"The Big Ten is clearly one of the most successful collegiate athletic conferences in the country, and its member institutions are among the most prestigious universities in the world," said Tony Vinciquerra, President & CEO, Fox Networks Group. "Given a loyal and passionate fan base that's powered by millions of alumni across America, it makes sense that the Big Ten is the first conference to take this step nationally, and we're excited to be a part of it."

The Big Ten Channel will carry many of the games and events previously available only through syndication, providing greater exposure for these and other Big Ten sports. The sports programming on the Big Ten Channel and/or through alternative Big Ten Channel platforms will include, but is not limited to:

35-plus football games, with each school having at least two games aired (at least one of which will be a conference game);

At least 105 regular-season men's basketball games;

At least 55 regular-season women's basketball games;

Big Ten championships and tournaments;

170 Olympic sporting events; and,

Coverage from the conference's vast library of historic sporting events, including bowl games.

In addition, each school will have the right to provide 60 hours of its own content annually. "We anticipate this will create enormous opportunities for journalism, film and other academic programs and provide the ability to highlight academic achievement throughout the universities," Delany said. " How schools utilize this exciting new opportunity is limited only by their own creativity."

The Big Ten Channel will launch in August 2007 and will be available for cable operators and satellite distributors nationwide to carry on their basic tiers. Fox will work to secure carriage agreements with all distributors. Fox has already entered into a charter affiliation agreement with DIRECTV, which will carry the Channel at launch nationwide on Total Choice, its most broadly distributed package, currently received by more than 15.4 million households.

The Channel also plans to exploit emerging technologies to distribute its programming content. "The depth and breadth of the new media environment in which we find ourselves demands the type of accessibility to programming that we have created with the Big Ten Channel," Delany said. "Consumers are taking advantage of all types of emerging technologies, and the way they access sports will only continue to change. The Channel aims to keep pace with the evolving demands of our fans."

The Big Ten Channel represents a 20-year partnership between the Big Ten and Fox. It will be majority-owned by the Big Ten Conference, with Fox holding a minority interest. The Channel will establish its studios and headquarters in Chicago. Fox will handle the administration and daily operations of the Channel. The Big Ten will establish general guidelines regarding the types of programs and advertising aired on the Big Ten Channel to ensure consistency with the Big Ten's brand values. As such, no alcohol or gambling-related advertising will be accepted.

"The Big Ten Channel will provide our conference the ability to strengthen both its brand and its long term destiny as one of the leading academic and athletic conferences in the nation," Delany said.

The financial terms of the agreements with ABC/ESPN and Fox were not disclosed.

Big Ten Conference Commissioner James E. Delany, Fox Sports Networks President Bob Thompson, George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN Inc. and ABC Sports, and John Wildhack, Senior Vice President of Programming, ESPN Inc., made the announcement during a conference call today. The conference call will be archived on the Big Ten website at www.bigten.org, along with this press release and additional information.

Q-- How will these new arrangements impact game selection?

A--The answer is very little. In previous years, ABC had first selection of Saturday afternoon football games, and that will continue. CBS had first pick of weekend men's basketball games, and that will continue. In previous years, ESPN had first selection of weekday men's basketball games, and that will continue. ESPN on most weekends has second and third selection of football games, and this will continue. In past years, ESPN Regional Television, the Conference's syndication outlet, had first pick of the remaining football and men's basketball games. Now, those games will appear on the Big Ten Channel and/or Big Ten Channel platforms. All games will be selected on merit and the respective network's estimation of viewer demand and appeal.

If you have the Big Ten Channel, you no longer need ESPN Gameplan for football games. All ABC regional games will be picked up nationally on ESPN or ESPN2 to those outside the region (essentially making them national games). All games that were on ESPN regional (ESPN Plus) will now be on the Big Ten Channel (it's not clear if that's in addition to local broadcasts of ESPN Plus, like on channel 10 in Columbus).

Essentially, every Big Ten football game will be available nationally on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, or the Big Ten Channel.

Television Programming Comparison (pdf) gives you a good idea.

OSUBasketballJunkie · Jun 22, 2006

Dispatch

6/22/06

Big Ten plans push to get its network on cable

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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The Big Ten was patting itself on the back yesterday for launching its own television network, but it faces a yearlong push to get that network onto cable systems so most fans can watch it.
The league also announced a 10-year deal with ABC and ESPN, but the bigger news was a 20-year deal with Fox Cable Networks to produce the Big Ten Channel. Financial terms for either deal were not disclosed.
The network is expecting to launch in August 2007. Satellite provider DirecTV has committed to carrying the network, but DirecTV reaches only 15.4 million of America’s 110 million TV households.
In the Columbus market, satellite penetration is 16 percent, not all of which is DirecTV. In order to reach the 71 percent of the Columbus market that has cable only, Fox will start immediately pushing cable providers to add the Big Ten Channel.
"It isn’t as simple as it appears," Fox Sports president Bob Thompson said. "You don’t throw it out there and everybody comes running to sign up. But we have a number of very powerful distribution sources, and we pride ourselves in the ability to reach agreements."
Under the new agreement, the number of football and men’s basketball games on ABC/ESPN and CBS will increase slightly.
But at stake is what is planned for the Big Ten Channel. The league is ending all syndication deals, meaning WBNS-TV (Channel 10) will not air OSU men’s basketball games after next season.
"I’m disappointed, needless to say," WBNS general manager Tom Griesdorn said. "We’ve been the home of Ohio State basketball for many years. But I do understand the economics of it all."
OSU athletics director Gene Smith is confident that cable providers, in Ohio anyway, will pick up the new channel.
"I have no concerns and neither does the conference," Smith said. "This will be a destination channel. Big Ten fans are passionate. I’d be surprised if (cable systems) don’t step up. Demand will be high."
Thompson said he foresees summer programming filled with broadcasts of "classic" games or events such as the World University Games.
Under the deal, each school will have 60 hours to produce nonathletics programming. Smith said he and president Karen Holbrook have talked about possible content.
"(Holbrook) has talked conceptually about creating a situation where it’s not commercials or promos but to come up with some things that are educational and personalize our institution, something about a unique student or program."
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said the network will not include any alcohol-related advertising.
[email protected]

OregonBuckeye · Jun 22, 2006

I'm going to have to stick with Gameplan.

osugrad21 · Jun 28, 2006

CBS

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Don't underestimate power of Big Ten's new network
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</td> <td nowrap="nowrap"> June 27, 2006
By Dennis Dodd
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Dennis your opinion!
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</td> <td width="15">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="170"> If you want to see Kirk Ferentz's Hawkeyes, it's going to cost you a little more. (Getty Images) </td> <td width="15">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] The Big Ten is not the first to do it and won't be the last. In fact, look for other conferences to fall in line quickly. The message is that the Big Ten is the best, broadcast to you 24/7. From unprecedented minor sports coverage to a SportsCenter-like wrap-up show, the Big Ten is going to hammer that message -- for a price. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] The conference is betting pressure from its 4 million alumni will force local cable operators to add the channel. Originally, it will be available on the basic tier of DirecTV, the Fox-owned satellite service. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] But the only way it really works is for cable operators in the league's three biggest markets -- Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia -- to take the channel. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] "Ultimately," Delany said, "people get what they ask for." [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Will they ask for the Big Ten? Comcast Sports Net Chicago -- a key to the Big Ten's penetration in the area -- previously would not carry Big Ten or Big East games on ESPN Regional. Those games eventually went to over-the-air stations. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] When the Minnesota Twins attempted to launch their channel, it could not get on cable systems in the Twin Cities. Will the Big Ten? [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] "Other conference are looking to see how successful the Big Ten is," said Mike Sheehey, Comcast's senior vice president of sports content. "It will be interesting to see whether they can get the clearance." [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Two months before the start of the season, the Mountain West Conference's new network isn't on cable systems in its two biggest markets -- Las Vegas and San Diego. The Big Ten has 14 months of time to hawk its product. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Industry speculation is that Fox, a Big Ten partner in the launch, will leverage cable systems with its existing content to take the new channel. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] "Distribution is a critical issue," Delany said. "It sort of has to be dealt with market by market." [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Imagine the recruiting implications alone: A smart coach will tell his/her recruits that their exploits will be spread across satellite, cell phone, Internet and cable platforms.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Delany says the conference won't conduct tutorials for coaches to help them realize the recruiting impact. But it will be made known. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] The league is sensitive enough to do it all without accepting advertising from alcohol or gambling sources. It is also rich enough to turn down those lucrative ad dollars. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] The Mountain West got $82 million from CSTV for a seven-year deal for its network. Indiana AD Rick Greenspan said the ESPN/ABC/Big Ten Channel combo could mean an additional $7.5 million per year, per school. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] That might be optimistic. Still, Delany and his presidents are counting on the new money lessening the reliance on university subsidies. ADs, already feeling tapped out financially, endorsed the addition of a 12th regular-season game nationwide beginning this season. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] With the Big Ten Channel, the nation's most powerful conference will get more powerful. Armed with gobs of new money, there will be even less reason in football to consider the seven-letter word it already dreads. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Playoff. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Key questions (and answers) about the Big Ten Channel: [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Question: What is it? [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Answer: The Big Ten Channel is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week national channel to begin in August 2007. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] The league and Fox are partners, and the product will at least initially be shown on DirecTV's basic tier. DirecTV has approximately 15 million subscribers. Long-range plans are for the channel to be carried on cable systems. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Approximately 35 second-tier football games and 100 men's basketball games will be shown on the channel. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] The league also will develop Internet, wireless and cell phone platforms for content. The partners have plenty of time to develop that content. Fox and the Big Ten have a 20-year deal. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] The channel supplements existing, bigger deals with ABC, ESPN and CBS. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] League presidents also love the fact that the channel will broadcast 660 hours of non-sports programming. The Big Ten is controlling the message by trumpeting its greatness. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Q: Why should the man on the street care? [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] A: He (or she) is going to pay. In several of the biggest Big Ten markets, games will no longer be available on broadcast television. The hope is that viewers will be driven to buy the DirecTV dish or, later, watch on cable. Either way, the consumer will be paying for what used to be free. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] If the channel succeeds, fans will be subjected to more pay content. The SEC already has preliminary plans to launch its own channel. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Q: What was the reason for launching the channel? [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] A: Major-college programs are running out of funds, for one. Reportedly, at least four Big Ten athletic departments are losing money. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] The addition of a 12th regular-season football game this year took care of some of the shortfall, but look at your own budget. Gas, travel and food cost more. The money has to come from somewhere. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Q: Why is Fox the partner?
[/FONT]
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</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td></tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]A: Its ability to launch networks. Remember in 1990, folks barely knew Bart Simpson. Now there is a Fox empire -- from Fox Sports Net to Fox News Network. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Fox has launched four cable networks with viewership of 20 million each -- National Geographic, Fox News, Fuel and Speed. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Delany was intrigued by the National Geographic Channel, part of the Fox Cable Networks Group. He called John Fahey, president and CEO of the National Geographic Society. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] "He told me what good people they (Fox) were," Delany said. "That was a piece of credibility with our people." [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] The National Geographic Channel is seen in 40-45 million homes. If the Big Ten Channel eventually reaches that many homes, Delany will personally turn a cartwheel in your front yard. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Q: Is it a recruiting advantage? [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] A: Yes. It should be a huge recruiting advantage if coaches understand how to use it. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Start with this scenario: Kirk Ferentz, Thad Matta and Red Berenson can tell a recruit that the kid can be seen on every wireless-capable cell phone and PDA in the country. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] That's a pretty big advantage when a player can whip out his phone, dial up Saturday's highlights and show friends how he caught the winning touchdown pass. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Don't underestimate this aspect. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Q:Why a 20-year deal? [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] A: Why not? The Big Ten, Fox and DirecTV are betting on the come line. Who knows where technology will be even a few years from now? [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] We might be watching holograms of Lloyd Carr in our living rooms one day. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] You've been warned. [/FONT]
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808 Buck · Jun 28, 2006

The thought of "watching a hologram of Lloyd Carr" in my living room scares me.

Big Ten exploring its own television network

OSUBasketballJunkie

Never Forget 31-0

OSUBasketballJunkie

Never Forget 31-0

BB73

Loves Buckeye History

CleveBucks

Serenity now

OSUBasketballJunkie

Never Forget 31-0

OregonBuckeye

Semper Fi Buckeyes

osugrad21

Capo Regime

808 Buck

Hall of Fame