Big Ten Network (BTN)

[DaddyBigBucks]

...FSN Ohio is probably in 5 million homes at best.

If tOSU inks a deal with them, a lot of people will add the "Sports" package to their Cable or Satellite subscription. It's available to me whether I go with Cable or Satellite... I'd be one of the people to add it if this happened.

 

[Dryden]

I don't understand your logic here. With Comcast and FIOS on board starting next month, BTN will be in over 50 million homes by mid August. FSN Ohio is probably in 5 million homes at best.

But regional FSNs are at least available to anyone. Nobody is left in the dark waiting around for FSN and TW to ink an agreement. Most people in Ohio with extended cable packages are already getting two FSN feeds, and sometimes even a third on overflow. FSN Ohio actually reaches a HUGE audience, carrying Cavs, Indians, Reds, and CBJ pro sports, plus already carrying some A10, ACC, SEC, Big East, MAC, and CUSA events. Reds coverage, for example, is carried as far as western North Carolina and Tennessee within packages that are considered local to those states.

The problem in this stalemate is not the number of viewers in terms of raw figures, but the number of viewers in the state of Ohio. The majority of Ohioans cannot get the BTN because the bulk of the state is serviced by Time Warner.

 

[heisman]

If tOSU inks a deal with them, a lot of people will add the "Sports" package to their Cable or Satellite subscription. It's available to me whether I go with Cable or Satellite... I'd be one of the people to add it if this happened.

But regional FSNs are at least available to anyone. Nobody is left in the dark waiting around for FSN and TW to ink an agreement. Most people in Ohio with extended cable packages are already getting two FSN feeds, and sometimes even a third on overflow. FSN Ohio actually reaches a HUGE audience, carrying Cavs, Indians, Reds, and CBJ pro sports, plus already carrying some A10, ACC, SEC, Big East, MAC, and CUSA events. Reds coverage, for example, is carried as far as western North Carolina and Tennessee within packages that are considered local to those states.

The problem in this stalemate is not the number of viewers in terms of raw figures, but the number of viewers in the state of Ohio. The majority of Ohioans cannot get the BTN because the bulk of the state is serviced by Time Warner.

To watch tape delayed football??? I'm not being a jag, I just don't get what either of you guys are talking about?

 

[Dryden]

To watch tape delayed football??? I'm not being a jag, I just don't get what either of you guys are talking about?

1. A Sunday rebroadcast would be better than no game at all, having to scramble to go someplace with DirectTV, or being forced to torrent a game just to see it.

2. Just because Florida's deal is for tape-delay does not mean that such an agreement with OSU would have to be identical.

3. There are other sports besides football. I saw fewer than half of OSU's mens basketball games last year, and would have seen even fewer if I had not attended a couple of them. The BTN really screwed the mens and womens basketball teams last year in terms of exposure.

 

[matcar]

1. A Sunday rebroadcast would be better than no game at all, having to scramble to go someplace with DirectTV, or being forced to torrent a game just to see it.

2. Just because Florida's deal is for tape-delay does not mean that such an agreement with OSU would have to be identical.

3. There are other sports besides football. I saw fewer than half of OSU's mens basketball games last year, and would have seen even fewer if I had not attended a couple of them. The BTN really screwed the mens and womens basketball teams last year in terms of exposure.

To add to this....just because Comcast has inked a deal doesn't mean that folks OUTSIDE of B10 region will get to see BTN. So yeah, Comcast has a big footprint, but down here in SEC country, I've yet to hear Comcast say one little thing about BTN. I don't think I'll be getting BTN via Comcast this year...

 

[heisman]

1. A Sunday rebroadcast would be better than no game at all, having to scramble to go someplace with DirectTV, or being forced to torrent a game just to see it.

2. Just because Florida's deal is for tape-delay does not mean that such an agreement with OSU would have to be identical.

3. There are other sports besides football. I saw fewer than half of OSU's mens basketball games last year, and would have seen even fewer if I had not attended a couple of them. The BTN really screwed the mens and womens basketball teams last year in terms of exposure.

So, you are saying you want them to secede from the Big Ten? WOW! You are an army of 1. :)

 

[heisman]

If tOSU inks a deal with them...

Oops, army of two. :)

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

To watch tape delayed football??? I'm not being a jag, I just don't get what either of you guys are talking about?

Probably because we're not talking only about tape delayed football. The Jim Tressel Show was on FSN Ohio last year. That might be enough for me to sign up for the sports package again by itself (haven't decided yet).

So, you are saying you want them to secede from the Big Ten? WOW! You are an army of 1. :)

Oops, army of two. :)

You don't really believe that ANY OSU fan has suggested or would suggest such a thing, do you??

 

[heisman]

You don't really believe that ANY OSU fan has suggested or would suggest such a thing, do you??

The Big Ten controls all broadcast rights of its member institutions. I would assume this is common knowledge (perhaps this is my mistake). So, in order to sign deals to have their games on FSN Ohio, they would need to secede from the Big Ten.

Just for clarification DBB, here is the post that I was referring which specifically states that he wants OSU to have their own tv deal, hence secede from the Big Ten:

....If OSU truly has the largest athletic department and alumni base in the country, national appeal, and national contempt, then there's no reason OSU shouldn't have its own TV deal.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

The Big Ten controls all broadcast rights of its member institutions. I would assume this is common knowledge (perhaps this is my mistake)...:

I think it was already pretty obvious to everyone that you were making this assumption. The truth is that I just wasn't taking that assumption very seriously.

It's freakin' July. Speculating about things that may or may not be possible, but that were printed in an article somewhere, is about all we have to do at this point (apart from arguing about the DL and the QB).

If you have specific verifiable knowledge, cite it. Educate us, it's what we're here for.

 

[Dryden]

So, you are saying you want them to secede from the Big Ten? WOW! You are an army of 1. :)

Yes. Because there are only options A and B, not a C (or a D, or even an E).

I don't know how you get "secede from the Big Ten" from me kicking around the idea that it wouldn't be all that bad for OSU or its alumni and fans to get a little extra from their clout by negotiating their own TV deal.

I'm sure if OSU wanted to pursue that road, the rest of the Big Ten will just say, "OK. See ya later!"

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

...I'm sure if OSU wanted to pursue that road, the rest of the Big Ten will just say, "OK. See ya later!"

Dammit Dryden!

I just had the Sarcasm Processor replaced and you go and blow it up all over again!

 

[heisman]

I think it was already pretty obvious to everyone that you were making this assumption. The truth is that I just wasn't taking that assumption very seriously.

It's freakin' July. Speculating about things that may or may not be possible, but that were printed in an article somewhere, is about all we have to do at this point (apart from arguing about the DL and the QB).

If you have specific verifiable knowledge, cite it. Educate us, it's what we're here for.

I'm not assuming the Big Ten controls the broadcast rights of its member institutions. They do--as do all NCAA DI conferences for their member institutions. My mistake was assuming it was common knowledge. So, yes, OSU would have to secede from the Big Ten to have its own television rights.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

I'm not assuming the Big Ten controls the broadcast rights of its member institutions. They do--as do all NCAA DI conferences for their member institutions. My mistake was assuming it was common knowledge. So, yes, OSU would have to secede from the Big Ten to have its own television rights.

If this is true, how is it that Florida just negotiated their own deal?

 

[heisman]

If this is true, how is it that Florida just negotiated their own deal?

That's a marketing/licensing deal. OSU has marketing agreements and licenses with many vendors, including FSN Ohio to show the Jim Tressel show or Nike for apparel. The Big Ten runs itself just like the NFL. If the Bears wanted to play their games on WGN, they couldn't, but they own their trademark and can license it to whomever they choose.

Here is a much better article explaining exactly what the Gators are selling in the deal:

Gators, Sun Sports dial in $80M deal | floridatoday.com | FLORIDA TODAY