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Big Ten Network (BTN)

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Michigan was losing to Appalachian State, Youngstown State was holding on 14 to 3 with less than 5 minutes to go in the 1st half in the 'shoe, Minnesota was in OT with BG and the "commercial" for BTN comes on the Jumbotron. Reaction? It drew a solid chorus of boos. Now, did the boos mean people were mad at the cable companies, or did it mean they were mad at BTN for ensuring that this game would not be televised?

I think it was a bad to awful week for the league. The conference perennial top three played scrimmage/pre-season games. The predicted conference champ got knocked out of the NC picture before even playing a "real" opponent. OSU couldn't punch it in from inside the five, or run much at all against YSU.

Only Wisconsin demonstrated Big 10 muscle against a reputable opponent... and, no, I don't consider Illinois' late surge "muscle."

From a strictly business point of view, I think BTN suffered when the teams with the potential to draw fans, OSU, Michigan, Penn State, were playing Division 2a teams and the only game worth watching from the mind set of someone with no allegiance to a team or conference was Wisconsin and was available on ABC.

Next week isn't much better with OSU beginning it's MAC schedule... if they win will the 3s and 4s go to the MAC championship game, OSU Lite versus Marshall?... and the Notre Dame vs Penn State and Michigan games free to Joe anybody with or without cable.

Frankly, if I'm T-W, my bitch back to the schools would be one of value. "You give me OSU - Texas, followed by Michigan - Notre Dame and then give me Monday night with Penn State playing somebody with a recognizable logo and maybe we'll talk.

Right now the only games of real value in the conference are freely available and the Big Ten's business acumen seem to me to be in question. They sold the "real value games" to ABC/ESPN before they put the BTN on air. What they're offering through BTN is of questionable value outside a 25 mile radius of any Big Ten stadium. (Want proof? Spend about a week in Cincinnati where the media is concentrated on the Reds, Bengals and High School football... in that order.)

You have to offer something of value and deny something of value to make an international concern like T-W willing to pay for what it had been getting for free. BTN did neither.
 
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Unless you were watching the games in the past using rabbit ears or an antenna on the roof, the games weren't free.

Kiki_Buckeye;918223; said:
BTN sux.

This is the first time ever that I haven't been able to watch a game on TV (except last year when they played the same stupid game that one week - who was it against???). Not everyone has satellite TV - why should people be required to buy DirectTV in order to watch the Buckeyes? OSU is a public university - taxpayer money!!! The football games should be aired on the public airwaves so the everydayman in this fine state can watch their beloved Buckeyes.

Mark my words, this will be a money LOSER in the long run...and will alienate and piss off many fans.
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cincibuck;918245; said:
Michigan was losing to Appalachian State, Youngstown State was holding on 14 to 3 with less than 5 minutes to go in the 1st half in the 'shoe, Minnesota was in OT with BG and the "commercial" for BTN comes on the Jumbotron. Reaction? It drew a solid chorus of boos. Now, did the boos mean people were mad at the cable companies, or did it mean they were mad at BTN for ensuring that this game would not be televised?

I think it was a bad to awful week for the league. The conference perennial top three played scrimmage/pre-season games. The predicted conference champ got knocked out of the NC picture before even playing a "real" opponent. OSU couldn't punch it in from inside the five, or run much at all against YSU.

Only Wisconsin demonstrated Big 10 muscle against a reputable opponent... and, no, I don't consider Illinois' late surge "muscle."

From a strictly business point of view, I think BTN suffered when the teams with the potential to draw fans, OSU, Michigan, Penn State, were playing Division 2a teams and the only game worth watching from the mind set of someone with no allegiance to a team or conference was Wisconsin and was available on ABC.

Next week isn't much better with OSU beginning it's MAC schedule... if they win will the 3s and 4s go to the MAC championship game, OSU Lite versus Marshall?... and the Notre Dame vs Penn State and Michigan games free to Joe anybody with or without cable.

Frankly, if I'm T-W, my bitch back to the schools would be one of value. "You give me OSU - Texas, followed by Michigan - Notre Dame and then give me Monday night with Penn State playing somebody with a recognizable logo and maybe we'll talk.

Right now the only games of real value in the conference are freely available and the Big Ten's business acumen seem to me to be in question. They sold the "real value games" to ABC/ESPN before they put the BTN on air. What they're offering through BTN is of questionable value outside a 25 mile radius of any Big Ten stadium. (Want proof? Spend about a week in Cincinnati where the media is concentrated on the Reds, Bengals and High School football... in that order.)

You have to offer something of value and deny something of value to make an international concern like T-W willing to pay for what it had been getting for free. BTN did neither.
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I agree with it all and another sick thing after the game was every big TV kept showing BIG TEN NETWORK OR DIRECT TV over and over,,,,,,,,That was the commercials,,
 
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Kiki_Buckeye;918223; said:
BTN sux.

This is the first time ever that I haven't been able to watch a game on TV (except last year when they played the same stupid game that one week - who was it against???). Not everyone has satellite TV - why should people be required to buy DirectTV in order to watch the Buckeyes? OSU is a public university - taxpayer money!!! The football games should be aired on the public airwaves so the everydayman in this fine state can watch their beloved Buckeyes.

Mark my words, this will be a money LOSER in the long run...and will alienate and piss off many fans.
Click to expand...


By that logic, tickets should be free, too, and unless you are 12 years old saying this is the first time EVER that you've not been able to see a game on TV is bunk.

There have been days in the past when ESPN didn't air the game, even on the ESPN+ spillover channels, that your only options were: a) radio or b) periodic updates from the studio.

Ask the library people what they think of the new network.
Ask the fans of the other Big Ten schools what they think of the new network

Here is an email I got from the Illinois athletic department, bolding is theirs

LETTER FROM UofI

BTN01.gif

Dear Fighting Illini Fans:
With A FEW DAYS remaining before the launch of the Big Ten Network on August 30, I want to update you on the progress of the network's negotiations with Comcast/Insight and the other large cable providers.
We do not want you to miss Fighting Illini games which will be televised on the Big Ten Network, including 5-7 football and 18-21 men's basketball games. Therefore, we feel compelled to alert Comcast/Insight customers that the Big Ten Network will NOT be available on its systems and it is now time to consider finding another cable or satellite provider that has agreed to carry the network.
As of today, the Big Ten Network has national agreements with DIRECTV and AT&T U-Verse and completed deals with nearly 100 cable companies across the Midwest. However, some large cable providers have not yet agreed to make the Big Ten Network available on expanded basic cable.
Conversations in the last few weeks with some of the nation's largest cable providers have been productive. The negotiations with Comcast/Insight are the notable exception to that trend.
You do have options. Visit BigTenNetwork.com and enter your zip code to find a cable or satellite provider in your area that carries the network.
We need your help today. If you don't want to miss any of the action, please take the following steps today and every day leading up to the launch of the network:
  • Call 1-866-WANT-B10 right now and let Comcast/Insight know that you want the Big Ten Network as part of your basic cable package. Illinois fans shouldn't have to pay extra to see your favorite teams.
  • Tell a friend. Forward this email to your family, friends and colleagues and ask them to get involved. The cable companies need to hear from Illinois fans today.
Sincerely,
BTN03.gif

Ronald E. Guenther
Director of Athletics
BTN05.gif
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I don't know who Louis Inizary is... apparently he started in the place of Louis Irizarry yesterday though. There was some other mistake they made that had me rolling.

Other than that, I thought the broadcast was decent. I found it truly funny, however, to realize that the people watching Michigan get beat by App. State had to endure the commercial break reminder that they lost to Ohio State last season as well - OSU Mich game replay ad. If I were a Michigan fan, I'd have lost my mind. :slappy:
 
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Buckeyeskickbuttocks;918507; said:
I don't know who Louis Inizary is... . :slappy:
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Louis Inizary is my nephew and that was the very first time he ever played football. He got to start in place of that other guy because he beat him up and mugged him. :biggrin:

Does anyone suppose that loss was any worse to scum than ours last Jan?
 
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CharlotteBuckeye62;918199; said:
I have 220 and 221, btn and btna, that's all that showed up in my guide


It could have been your receiver. My one of mine automatically added 218,219, 220 and 221. The other I had to go to the menu and add 218 and 219.
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Hrm... I will go check that out, thanks for the information. Even though I didn't get to see the Bucks yesterday the scUM game was worth watching :slappy:
 
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Here's a gem from Dennis Dodd, from his article about the App. State game:

Jim Delany: Hello, Comcast. Yes, yes, we'll take the Jamaican Bobsled tier. You drive a hard bargain but we don't have much leverage right now.

What? Yes, yes, we know it's all bobsledding, all the time. But let me talk to you about Purdue-Indiana for a second ...
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I think it's hilarious they have the request forms... I'd like to make a personal request to BTN, stop ass raping customers for your channel and maybe other cable companies will be willing to talk!
 
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The Big Ten Network wants a dollar+ per customer and TWC at least is not willing to let that happen seeing as ESPN U only charges 10 cents per customer.. It is the BTN not cable service providers.
 
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Buckeye89Fan;918718; said:
The Big Ten Network wants a dollar+ per customer and TWC at least is not willing to let that happen seeing as ESPN U only charges 10 cents per customer.. It is the BTN not cable service providers.
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They want, what amounts to, about 20 cents per customer nationally. It's really a drop in the bucket and 100x better than ESPNU.
 
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