Big Ten Network (BTN)

[BuckeyeRyn]

While I'm not a big fan of the big businesses fighting it out while the people suffer, at this point it's your own fault if you don't get the games and you want them.
I just don't want to hear the inevitable whines of fans who don't have the game as anyone can sign up for DTV if they care enough.

Care enough? Of course!! I will even whine if I want... this is absurd. As BKB mentioned, our backyard, while large enough, doesn't have a good unobstructed view of the southern sky... we live in a part of town that has laws and regulations on what you are able to put in your front yard so... unless the neighbor is willing to cut down his mature walnut trees and the city lifts their ban on dishes in fronts yards our hands are tied.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

whiners

 

[gold_pants]

Should people who don?t want the Big Ten Network have to pay for it?
Time Warner Cable wants to offer the Big Ten Network at a fair price to customers who are interested in the channel, and make it optional for customers who do not wish to pay extra for it.

I love this quote. Like I "want" the 3 CSPAN's or Lifetime Movies that I currently pay for on my basic.

 

[sandgk]

I love this quote. Like I "want" the 3 CSPAN's or Lifetime Movies that I currently pay for on my basic.

But, didn't you hear them? They want to give you a choice in the matter, isn't that worth paying for?

 

[matcar]

While I'm not a big fan of the big businesses fighting it out while the people suffer, at this point it's your own fault if you don't get the games and you want them.
I just don't want to hear the inevitable whines of fans who don't have the game as anyone can sign up for DTV if they care enough.

Just to be clear, there are hundreds of thousand of apartment dwellers that cannot get any satellite TV. So, your statement isn't exactly true. And as others have mentioned, there are myriad other reasons why DirecTV might not be a viable or desirable option.

But, for those that CAN get the service, can afford it, and have no other objections, you are correct that that they have an avenue.

 

[Dryden]

I love this quote. Like I "want" the 3 CSPAN's or Lifetime Movies that I currently pay for on my basic.

I made the same remark last year when the Indiana game went to ESPNU. This isn't the Big Ten Networks fault, and its only partially Time Warner's fault. The blame really falls on all of us, for not speaking up and rejecting a bad business model when cable programming became the norm 25 years ago.

After the handful of standard OTA networks, everything else should be offered a la cart. If the individual per-network cost results in a higher fee passed to the end consumer, then I'm fine paying $1.00/per to pick the twenty or so channels I specifically want, as opposed to paying a flat near-$50.00 fee for 40 extra channels I don't want, all while having (with Time Warner) things like ESPNU, Classic, the Big Ten Network, and the NFL Network blocked.

The entire business model is BS, and it is going to get worse before it gets better. At some point, we -- the consumers -- need to go to Congress and/or the FCC or whoever else and ask for intervention, because all programming providers, whether they're cable companies or dish networks, hold a monopoly on these services and use that to strong-arm content providers and craft packages which purposefully limit our choices and force us to pay for 50% of the programming content that we'd probably consider garbage.

If cable channels were offered a la cart, I'd bet real money a full half of the networks fold like lawn chairs in a year after the consumers have a real voice in saying which channels are in demand, and which ones aren't.

The technological capability is there, as the HBOs and Showtimes and so on were a la cart from the dawn of the cable box.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Likewise, Dry, I'd say most people's bill would reduce signifigantly. That is, I'd buy channels like Discover, ESPN, ESPN2, Science, and a few others (the ones I always watch, essentially) and at even 2 bucks a channel, I'm saving a SHITload.

 

[greyscarlet]

Is it? What if I can't afford D-TV? What if my neighbors have very high trees that block my view of the southern sky, thus preventing me from being able to get a dish? Can I whine if either of those happens to be my situation?

I would say it is. Unfortuneatly the world is becoming more and more about money and there are things that can be done to make more if you can't afford it. Should it be free, maybe but then again why should the networks be making all the $ when some could be recouped by the conference and boost education and athletics in the big ten.

The trees and blockage are an interesting issue but you may want to make sure that there is actual blockage. From what I've seen a "clear view" seems to be very lienient.

Can you whine? Of couse, that's one of the beautiful things about this country. Will I care or feel for you? Not really.

 

[greyscarlet]

Just to be clear, there are hundreds of thousand of apartment dwellers that cannot get any satellite TV. So, your statement isn't exactly true. And as others have mentioned, there are myriad other reasons why DirecTV might not be a viable or desirable option.

But, for those that CAN get the service, can afford it, and have no other objections, you are correct that that they have an avenue.

Fair assessment. Time to buy homes in a down market I guess.

 

[cincibuck]

I love this quote. Like I "want" the 3 CSPAN's or Lifetime Movies that I currently pay for on my basic.

Not to mention the seven shopping networks, BET, ET, and all the great "cultural" programing we were going to get on Bravo and A&E...

I'd go to Dish in a heart beat if it weren't for the fact that you get ZERO PBS channels and that's where I do the bulk of my TV watching aside from sports and The Daily Show. I now get three PBS channels with a solid signal and in hilly Cincinnati an antenna is not a viable option.

 

[tresselballer]

My church has DTV, so I'll be watching the games in our auditorium. Screw Insight and screw the BTN.

And all of you guys are right that are 'whining.' This is being done with absolutely no consideration being given to the fans, who actually make the whole thing work, whether you're the team, the conference or the networks. So whether you can't see it because there's huge trees, or you live in an apartment, or you just can't pay for DTV, you absolutely have a right to bitch.

They took something that was free (or close to it) last year and are trying to bully people into paying for it. Period.

 

[SparkyOSU]

I think 50% is a flunking grade.
Anyhow, the first 2 are correct. The last 2 are not.

Whats not true? My Service rep said BTN is going to be high def and you wont see any Buckeye games unless they are National ESPN...

 

[matcar]

My church has DTV, so I'll be watching the games in our auditorium. Screw Insight and screw the BTN.

And all of you guys are right that are 'whining.' This is being done with absolutely no consideration being given to the fans, who actually make the whole thing work, whether you're the team, the conference or the networks. So whether you can't see it because there's huge trees, or you live in an apartment, or you just can't pay for DTV, you absolutely have a right to bitch.

They took something that was free (or close to it) last year and are trying to bully people into paying for it. Period.

I'm am, in no way, advocating BTN or anything like it, but I have to say that nothing about any of this is, or was, ever free. Before this, you had Gameplan, which you no longer have to pay for. And, of course, you had to pay for cable/DTV for the ESPN networks. And then there is ABC, which you may not pay to receive if you have rabbit ears, but it definitely "ain't" free. There is a huge cost associated with producing/televising football games, and that cost is bourne by someone, always.

Not having to buy Gameplan should save many of you $120. So, for some, this will work out to be cheaper. For others, it will not work if they cannot get satellite service.

 

[matcar]

Whats not true? My Service rep said BTN is going to be high def and you wont see any Buckeye games unless they are National ESPN...

No guarantees about the timing of the HD service. And certainly no guarantees that the out-of-market feeds that DirecTV picks up will be delivered in HD by DirecTV.

And it's not just ESPN, it's ESPN2 as well. That's why you're at 50%.

 

[Buck94]

And all of you guys are right that are 'whining.' This is being done with absolutely no consideration being given to the fans, who actually make the whole thing work, whether you're the team, the conference or the networks.

Actually, they are considering the fans. Fans like me who want more games in HD, want On-demand video of classic games, would like to see more college athletics. Fans like me who are also interested in watching coach's shows, who are interested in the planned Friday evening tailgate show that will go from campus to campus. And all of this will be provided to millions of viewers who already have DTV or who have providers that will eventually sign agreements such as Dish Network.