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Buckeyes' cries ... I Want My ESPNU
No show will have many fans on the go for OSU vs. Indiana
By JOHN JARVIS
The Marion Star
MARION - A decision to air the Ohio State-Indiana football game Saturday on a premium cable channel not available on some cable systems sent local sports bars scrambling this week.
Downtown establishment Mikey's Pizza & Stuff recently put in a satellite system to make sure it had the game "because we have a very good OSU crowd and our customers are here every week," said Linda Parsons, Mikey's co-owner.
Last week's matchup against Michigan State, she said, filled up the 74-occupancy eatery, which has 12 televisions including a 60-inch big-screen set.
The contest between No. 1 Ohio State and its Big Ten opponent Indiana was designated to ESPNU by Disney, owner of ESPN, instead of ABC or ESPN2, a decision that has upset many Buckeye backers.Time Warner Cable, the local cable provider, isn't pleased, either.
"As it stands now, we will not be able to air the game live," said Judy Barbao, Time Warner spokesman, adding that through an agreement with The Ohio State University and ESPNU, ONN will air replays of the game at 11 p.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday. The original game will be shown at noon.
"Our corporate office has been in discussion with Disney for carriage rights to allow us to carry the channel," Barbao said. "The issue is complicated because Disney has a lot of other content on the table tied to ESPNU. ... We were surprised as everyone else that they decided to put the Ohio State game on this channel, because that channel across the country only reaches 8 million homes. To put the No. 1 team on that channel has a lot of people pretty upset."
She said discussions about obtaining ESPNU are "moving nicely," adding that "quite a few cable companies" haven't been able to reach an agreement with Disney.
"It appears to be a tactic to try to force the addition of that channel onto the various cable companies around the country."
Time Warner has been receiving calls about the game, "but most people are calling to find out, 'What can we do?'" Barbao said. She said most fans seem to be upset with ESPN and the Big Ten, which has a contract with the sports network.
Buckeye fans in search of a TV have at least five choices in the Marion area in addition to Mikey's.
At Uncle Sam's All-American Food Emporium, owner Allen Abrams hopes having the Ohio State game on the restaurant's 114-inch screen TV gives his new business a jump start.
"I've been spreading the word around that it'll be here," Abrams said.
Buffalo Wild Wings will show the game on its four big screens and approximately 28 other televisions, said Jon Thrush, cashier.
"I think it'll definitely be a lot busier," Thrush said. "We probably have had 10 phone calls a day asking whether we're going to have the game or not."
Ralphie's Family Sports Eatery customers will be able to view OSU on any of 22 televisions, including four big screens, said Rose Franks, manager.
"It's a full house every time that Ohio State is involved, plus we have really good wings," Franks said.
Misty Friedley, bartender, said she expects the OK Cafe will be packed by Buckeye fans in search of the elusive TV game.
"We're looking for a good turnout; that's for sure," she said.
The Shovel Lounge & Restaurant also will have the game on view on its three televisions, said Ronni McVitty, daytime bartender/manager.
"I imagine we'll get a lot more since it's not on regular television," McVitty said.
Upset about Disney's decision to air the game on ESPNU is Sue Tomecko, manager of All Sports Grill in Caledonia, which has a regular Buckeye crowd on Saturday.
"I'm trying to get the game, but I don't see why it can't be televised like it has every week."
With no Ohio State game on the bar's six TVs including a big-screen set, "I'm not going to have anyone," she said. "It's going to hurt business bad."
At J&F Electronics, owner Tom Baker said the business will install a satellite television system at a Marion home today solely because the customer wants to be able to watch the hard-to-find Buckeye contest.
Some OSU fans may still be able to view the game at home if they act quickly.
"Some could be installed before the end of the week, for new customers," Baker said. "For current customers it's just a matter of calling up and adding that package to their programming. They could downgrade at a later date if they didn't want to keep it."
ESPNU is available on the Dish Network's Top-180 package for $49.99 a month or for customers already with Dish Network another $10 a month or $20 a month depending on the package they currently have. DirecTV offers the channel in a sports package, which carries a price tag of $12 a month on top of a $39.99 monthly basic package.
Referring to the customer he's installing the satellite service for today, he said, "He'll be the favorite of his group of friends. They'll be envious of him."
60-inch big-screen set.
The contest between No. 1 Ohio State and its Big Ten opponent Indiana was designated to ESPNU by Disney, owner of ESPN, instead of ABC or ESPN2, a decision that has upset many Buckeye backers.
Time Warner Cable, the local cable provider, isn't pleased, either.
"As it stands now, we will not be able to air the game live," said Judy Barbao, Time Warner spokesman, adding that through an agreement with The Ohio State University and ESPNU, ONN will air replays of the game at 11 p.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday. The original game will be shown at noon.
"Our corporate office has been in discussion with Disney for carriage rights to allow us to carry the channel," Barbao said. "The issue is complicated because Disney has a lot of other content on the table tied to ESPNU. ... We were surprised as everyone else that they decided to put the Ohio State game on this channel, because that channel across the country only reaches 8 million homes. To put the No. 1 team on that channel has a lot of people pretty upset."
She said discussions about obtaining ESPNU are "moving nicely," adding that "quite a few cable companies" haven't been able to reach an agreement with Disney.
"It appears to be a tactic to try to force the addition of that channel onto the various cable companies around the country."
Time Warner has been receiving calls about the game, "but most people are calling to find out, 'What can we do?'" Barbao said. She said most fans seem to be upset with ESPN and the Big Ten, which has a contract with the sports network.
Buckeye fans in search of a TV have at least five choices in the Marion area in addition to Mikey's.
At Uncle Sam's All-American Food Emporium, owner Allen Abrams hopes having the Ohio State game on the restaurant's 114-inch screen TV gives his new business a jump start.
"I've been spreading the word around that it'll be here," Abrams said.
Buffalo Wild Wings will show the game on its four big screens and approximately 28 other televisions, said Jon Thrush, cashier.
"I think it'll definitely be a lot busier," Thrush said. "We probably have had 10 phone calls a day asking whether we're going to have the game or not."
Ralphie's Family Sports Eatery customers will be able to view OSU on any of 22 televisions, including four big screens, said Rose Franks, manager.
"It's a full house every time that Ohio State is involved, plus we have really good wings," Franks said.
Misty Friedley, bartender, said she expects the OK Cafe will be packed by Buckeye fans in search of the elusive TV game.
"We're looking for a good turnout; that's for sure," she said.
The Shovel Lounge & Restaurant also will have the game on view on its three televisions, said Ronni McVitty, daytime bartender/manager.
"I imagine we'll get a lot more since it's not on regular television," McVitty said.
Upset about Disney's decision to air the game on ESPNU is Sue Tomecko, manager of All Sports Grill in Caledonia, which has a regular Buckeye crowd on Saturday.
"I'm trying to get the game, but I don't see why it can't be televised like it has every week."
With no Ohio State game on the bar's six TVs including a big-screen set, "I'm not going to have anyone," she said. "It's going to hurt business bad."
At J&F Electronics, owner Tom Baker said the business will install a satellite television system at a Marion home today solely because the customer wants to be able to watch the hard-to-find Buckeye contest.
Some OSU fans may still be able to view the game at home if they act quickly.
"Some could be installed before the end of the week, for new customers," Baker said. "For current customers it's just a matter of calling up and adding that package to their programming. They could downgrade at a later date if they didn't want to keep it."
ESPNU is available on the Dish Network's Top-180 package for $49.99 a month or for customers already with Dish Network another $10 a month or $20 a month depending on the package they currently have. DirecTV offers the channel in a sports package, which carries a price tag of $12 a month on top of a $39.99 monthly basic package.
Referring to the customer he's installing the satellite service for today, he said, "He'll be the favorite of his group of friends. They'll be envious of him."
