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Big Ten Network (BTN)

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Jaxbuck;899128; said:
Folks I have 7 months left on a contract with the other sattelite provider. I am going to pay them for their shit to sit in a box for that time, I had the old lady sign us up for Dish today just for the BTN and high def.

Missing games simply isn't an option.
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Ok, so here comes some disappointment then. Mercer has stated that Directv will not be showing any BTN games in HD until later in the year, as their new sat is not yet operational. Only U-verse will be showing BTN and the BTN games in HD through the first 3 weeks, unless something changes before then. On another note, I hope you meant you signed up for directv and not Dish, as they don't have a carriage agreement with BTN yet. Also, it is foolish to pay them for a monthly service with your receiver in a box. You can buy out that contract for $12.50 a month totalling $87.50 which is nothing compared to 7 months of service. Good luck.
 
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heisman;899197; said:
Ok, so here comes some disappointment then. Mercer has stated that Directv will not be showing any BTN games in HD until later in the year, as their new sat is not yet operational.
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I just ordered the DirecTV HD upgrade today (installer comes out Friday). If DirecTV doesn't show the YSU and Akron games in HD I'm not going to be happy...
 
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I wish all I had to worry about was HD. I'm stuck with Comcast because my apartment faces north, so I can't get a dish even if I wanted to. I'd watch the games in freaking black and white if that's all I had.
 
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1. OK perxactly what does all this mean? If ESPN/ABC wants to carry a game do they have to pay for the rights from BTN? What about Fox or OSN?

2. Can BTN dictate "regions" and black out certain areas to certain teams? I'm thinking that OSU - Michigan fan base is very close in Toledo. Block out the Bucks and you piss some off, block out the maize and blue and you piss off others and God knows what you do in the middle of Michigan or Chicago.

3. Anyone think T-W is going to cave before the season begins?

Lastly, I'm going to bet that those on this net who bitched about Brent Musberger or Keith Jackson are going to be in for a shock when they hear the BTN announcers. They'll make ESPN U sound absolutely professional.

I'm an old fart, I know about these things.
 
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Good article about this mess....

ozone.net

The problem in writing about the Big Ten network is that you can't really get many straight answers. The parties involved, the Big Ten Network and the cable operators, have so much at stake right now that both sides are desperately waging an all-out war to have their way relative to the network and how it is distributed. Talk to one side and you get passionate, compelling arguments why things should be done their way. Talk to the other side, and you get equally compelling arguments

Continued....
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OSUBasketballJunkie;899337; said:
Bucknuts.com$ (Dave Biddle)

BTN Studio Team Ready For Inaugural Year.....
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That's a free article ....

Mili;899236; said:
I just ordered the DirecTV HD upgrade today (installer comes out Friday). If DirecTV doesn't show the YSU and Akron games in HD I'm not going to be happy...
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I posted a request on the D* forums to see if they can confirm the roll-out date. At least we can then know how long, if any, the lag is between BTN launch and HD display.

If it is only going to be in 480i at least I'll be getting the games, this I know being in good 'ol Ohio.
The other unknown for you Mili is whether D* will show the YSU vs. tOSU game (or Akron for that matter) as the preferred game going into the Hawaii market.
 
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Cinci -
I am no expert on any of your questions, but with regard to the third, I have to believe TW and BTN will reach an agreement before kick.

TW is so big in Central Ohio in particular that I do not believe the BTN can survive without TW. I'm not sure of the share, but I believe it is something like 70% of the fan base, or similar. BTN will need to reach these viewers to sell advertising, and indeed they'll need to reach these viewers if the idea of the channel is going to work at all any way (That is, if you can't even get viewership in your own region, forget about a national network) Frankly, I think the BTN is biting off more than it can chew here, but I'm sure they've thought it through.

Anyway... TW is not afraid to dig their heels in (Sinclair problems lasted a good long time) and BTN must know this. I talked to TW the other day and the guy I was talking to - a customer service gnome - seemed positive in attitidue regarding how this will resolve. Unwilling to say a deal will get done, I was left with the impression that an agreement is coming (though, I'm forced to wait as I can't switch again without the BTN)

Anyway..... I feel a deal will get done, but it'll be late in the game. (Although, that's soon) and I beleiev it will be the BTN that caves, not TW.
 
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Just read Junkie's article... funny, T-W bitches about making someone pay $1.10 for a BTN they don't want... how about my money for BET, ET, MTV and about 96 other channels that I have NO interest in and never watch. Unless they agree to ala carte and let me pick "My Basic Package" they have no leg to stand on.

As for right now it looks like I'm going to depend on Rocketman and bit torrent to see the Youngstown and Akron games... and you know, part of the blame for that goes to OSU for booking such low level interest games in the first place. I'm interested in watching some SEC/Big 12/Pac 10 teams play, but not when they have games scheduled with Ft. Hayes, Southwest Northern Memphis A&M or Weber Grill State. Likewise I don't think anyone outside of the Buckeye fan base gives a shit about those first two games.
 
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An interesting read on DBSTalk about this whole when in HD business -- includes a response from daily southern columnist Tim Cronin.

Key points:
  • BTN's regular home on D* is channel 220 - this is SD (480i) ....
  • Not clear how may of telecasts will be piped, or how the selection of such telecasts will be made for out of BTN 8-state market areas.
  • Launch of HD (implicitly) tied to the MPEG-4 D10 pumping out signals, what channel(s) number is/are BTN-HD not yet known.
EDIT -- Another DBSTalk thread clarifying via Silverman's media day quotes that the overflow channel will be close to 220 on D*.

It links to the bigten.cstv site with this quote --
On HD programming, regionalizing games and channel location on DirecTV:
"HD (high-definition) programming is a big part of what I think we should be doing. We'll be launching with more HD than any other network launch, 85-90 percent of all programming will be in HD. With regionalizing games, on Sept 1st with four games going on at the same time, we'll be giving the regions the games they want to see most. Out-of-market fans can see all the games with DirecTV on the regular choice package and this opportunity is available to cable operators as well. For DirecTV, we'll be on channel 220, near the ESPN family of channels; the overflow channels will be next to that."
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Sounds like 480i overflow WILL be available so OOBTN footprint viewers WILL get to see their team. But, the 220 channel and adjacent numbers will NOT be HD.
HD will have to wait till D10 is at full steam ahead.
 
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heisman;899197; said:
Ok, so here comes some disappointment then. Mercer has stated that Directv will not be showing any BTN games in HD until later in the year, as their new sat is not yet operational. Only U-verse will be showing BTN and the BTN games in HD through the first 3 weeks, unless something changes before then. On another note, I hope you meant you signed up for directv and not Dish, as they don't have a carriage agreement with BTN yet. Also, it is foolish to pay them for a monthly service with your receiver in a box. You can buy out that contract for $12.50 a month totalling $87.50 which is nothing compared to 7 months of service. Good luck.
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Worst case scenario is I watch a couple of non HD games, in the grand scheme of life thats no sweat off my balls.

The dickheads at the old sattelite company(dish sorry for the mistype) made it sound as if there were a cancellation charge on top of the remaining monthly billings. I'll double check that now that you brought it up.

If it's less than $100 to be done with their sorry asses I feel stupid for even waiting this long.
 
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