Big Ten Network (BTN)

[calibuck]

Everyone's gotta remember that the BTN has one initial shot at maximizing revenues from their venture - and this year is it! I am not real clear on whether the 'Big Ten' is putting this in their warchest to distribute (ala the collective winnings of the B10 bowl team's shares) or ???????

Always a fight to get the cable companies to provide 'what the consumer wants' as they'd prefer to get it for cheap, and then charge us (the consumers) up the ying yang. The BTN WANTS loyal fans to rant and rave about their local cable companies NOT carrying the OSU games, so they pick up the option, charge us for them, and the Big Ten makes more money. And so it goes.........

By the way, they take many channels, and 'package' them and charge. Do we want them all, NO. However, they can advertise 2000 channels, but the normal (whatever that means) person only watches 25. Marketing at its finest. (must have a P&G grad running the show).

It'll all be done at the end of the day, mine was done by a telephone operator (drop ESPN Gameplan and add the expanded sports network) on the call. For y'all that have to have dishes put on your roofs, better get on atruckin' or you might see Penn State as your first game.

I, too, have great concerns about seeing the beloved Buckeyes on TV as much as I did on Gameplan, ESPN, ESPN2 or local channel. Heck, at the worst, I'll be spending more time on the golf course or with my family on Saturdays.........


:gobucks3::gobucks4:

 

[suza271]

Sorry if this has been covered, but does anyone know if it's only Direct TV or if Dish network is carrying BTN?

Dish seems a bit cheaper.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

Sorry if this has been covered, but does anyone know if it's only Direct TV or if Dish network is carrying BTN?

Dish seems a bit cheaper.

I was curious about the very same thing the other day. I used the Search Function within the thread to glean what those on the board know on the subject. Based on that, it seems that to the best of BP's knowledge, DirecTV and U-Verse (very limited coverage area) are the only TV providers to have completed negotiations with BTN at this juncture. This doesn't mean that Dish Network won't have it. They might, they might not; but DirecTV definitely will.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

One could even make use of Google and using obvious terms like "Big Ten Network" would find the website for the BTN and from there, it's only a few clicks to find out that Direct has the agreement and Dish is involved in an arbitration.

 

[Padraig]

What's Google?


EDIT:

Never mind...I searched on 'Kanoodle' and found it. Interesting site.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

What's Google?

Not real sure. I heard about it the other night when I was going through my collection of 8-track tape. I guess it's some kind of .... not sure how to explain it.... I guess it's like those cards they have at the library which tell you where books might be.

 

[buckeyefool]

Not real sure. I heard about it the other night when I was going through my collection of 8-track tape. I guess it's some kind of .... not sure how to explain it.... I guess it's like those cards they have at the library which tell you where books might be.

So it works like the dewey decibal system?

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

So it works like the dewey decibal system?

Never used it, but I would guess so. Maybe even louder? Libraries are pretty quiet places, after all.

 

[buckeyefool]

Never used it, but I would guess so. Maybe even louder? Libraries are pretty quiet places, after all.

This cat agrees

 

[matcar]

I was curious about the very same thing the other day. I used the Search Function within the thread to glean what those on the board know on the subject. Based on that, it seems that to the best of BP's knowledge, DirecTV and U-Verse (very limited coverage area) are the only TV providers to have completed negotiations with BTN at this juncture. This doesn't mean that Dish Network won't have it. They might, they might not; but DirecTV definitely will.

Dish does not have BTN yet, but they are negotiating. They'll have it soon I'm sure.

Other notes, VoD is something that Dish has a bit of. Not as much as Comcast, but they do have some.

As for this being BTN's one and only chance to get revenue, I would suggest that's false. Look at ESPN. They didn't charge much of anything when they got their start, but now they are charging far-and-away more than anyone. So, I don't think we can "excuse" BTN's negotiating (if, in fact, you have a problem with their pricing or negotiating thus far).

 

[Padraig]

Google is much quieter than that feller, Dewey and his damn cards and drawers.

But back to the Big Ten and this Network they plan on putting on my picture box...

I believe their broadcasts will be LOUD, at least those from the 'Shoe'! :osu:

o.k., I'm done (it's Friday and I want to go home )

 

[buckeyefool]

Dish does not have BTN yet, but they are negotiating. They'll have it soon I'm sure.

Other notes, VoD is something that Dish has a bit of. Not as much as Comcast, but they do have some.

As for this being BTN's one and only chance to get revenue, I would suggest that's false. Look at ESPN. They didn't charge much of anything when they got their start, but now they are charging far-and-away more than anyone. So, I don't think we can "excuse" BTN's negotiating (if, in fact, you have a problem with their pricing or negotiating thus far).

You are making some pretty big leaps here overall. There is no sign that anyone will have it "soon"

And as far as ESPN not charging much in the beginning, you have to remember that ESPN started when cable was a relativly new concept in teh grand scheme of things. So of course they didn't charge much, but once they became known...now they are holding it over cable companies heads that people will freak out without ESPN. So they now know they can basicly force a company to pay what ever they demand, it is not like this happened overnight for them either. It has taken over a decade for them to get that powerful.

 

[matcar]

You are making some pretty big leaps here overall. There is no sign that anyone will have it "soon"

And as far as ESPN not charging much in the beginning, you have to remember that ESPN started when cable was a relativly new concept in teh grand scheme of things. So of course they didn't charge much, but once they became known...now they are holding it over cable companies heads that people will freak out without ESPN. So they now know they can basicly force a company to pay what ever they demand, it is not like this happened overnight for them either. It has taken over a decade for them to get that powerful.

No leap. Soon is relative...and yes, I expect Dish to have BTN in a few months. Charlie Ergen seems to want it... And trust me, I have no dog in this fight as I've put my eggs in Comcast's basket recently as I switched from DirecTV.

And as for ESPN, yeah, it took a few years and a lot of viewership to gain that strength. That's as it should be! Why should BTN expect different when they don't even offer a national perspective? Not me doing the leaping, it's BTN.

 

[buckeyefool]

No leap. Soon is relative...and yes, I expect Dish to have BTN in a few months. Charlie Ergen seems to want it... And trust me, I have no dog in this fight as I've put my eggs in Comcast's basket recently as I switched from DirecTV.

And as for ESPN, yeah, it took a few years and a lot of viewership to gain that strength. That's as it should be! Why should BTN expect different when they don't even offer a national perspective? Not me doing the leaping, it's BTN.

A few years? Espn launched on September 7, 1979, that is over 20 years ago. Can you name more than a handful of people you know who had cable in 1979?

And of course the BTN does not offer a nation perspective......they are called the Big Ten Network for a reason. But what they are is a channel that focus on the Big Ten, something that someone living in Florida, or California would probably appreciate, since both areas would;d mainly get two other conferences.

I'm not saying the BTN is blameless in this argument, but it's not like the cable companies are angels here either.

 

[matcar]

A few years? Espn launched on September 7, 1979, that is over 20 years ago. Can you name more than a handful of people you know who had cable in 1979?

And of course the BTN does not offer a nation perspective......they are called the Big Ten Network for a reason. But what they are is a channel that focus on the Big Ten, something that someone living in Florida, or California would probably appreciate, since both areas would;d mainly get two other conferences.

I'm not saying the BTN is blameless in this argument, but it's not like the cable companies are angels here either.

ESPN has been charging high rates for a while now. Yes, we are in agreement that it took time. My point is that this taking time is appropriate. I don't care if they started in 1909. You gotta have a reason to charge a high rate...and that reason is high viewership. It just seems to me that they should be willing to work to get there and that they should consider this being in a sports tier...which I'd be more than willing to pay for. Sheesh, I just stopped paying for Gameplan, so it's no big deal to start paying for something else.