Big Ten Network pleads its case in Bloomington Tuesday

Whether consumers will be able to see the Big Ten Network when it launches August 30 remains the big question, as many of the large cable operators have balked at the network, saying it is too expensive. \nAware of this predicament, Big Ten Network President Marc Silverman and Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney came to IU on Tuesday to explain the network’s appeal and how people will be affected if it is not widely distributed.\n“(The network) is going to be offering more Big Ten coverage than ever before,” Silverman said. “There will be more Indiana and Purdue games on air on this network than have ever been seen in the marketplace.”\nDelaney said a good number of football and basketball games will be shown on the network.\n“(The network will air) 40 percent of all football games and 60 percent of all the men’s basketball games,” Delaney said. \nThe network, of which the Big Ten owns 51 percent and Fox owns 49 percent, will air 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the next 20 years. In terms of which live games will be seen on the network, ESPN, CBS and ABC will continue to air the same number of games, but all games on ESPNPlus – WTTV in Bloomington – will now air on the Big Ten Network.\nLast year, eight of IU’s 12 football games aired in Bloomington, with three airing on ESPN. All 32 of IU’s men’s basketball games aired in Bloomington, with 13 on ESPNPlus. \nThe channel can be seen in Bloomington and Indianapolis on DirecTV, which has a national agreement with the Big Ten Network.\nAlso, IU students living in dorms will have access to the Network on IU’s in-house cable system at some point. \nThe major obstacle currently facing the Big Ten Network is that an agreement has not yet been reached with Insight Communications, which serves Bloomington cable subscribers through the end of 2007, and Comcast, which will serve subscribers thereafter. \nCable operators, particularly Comcast, have said the network is too expensive, and as a result, they want to put it on a sports tier which costs an extra $5 a month. Comcast has said it is the second most expensive network behind ESPN, charging $1.10 per customer nationally. \nDelaney disagreed.\n“It is not accurate (that this is the second most expensive network),” Delaney said. “The Big Ten Network rates a dollar in the region and about a dime outside the region, which results in a 30-cent rate nationally.” \nSilverman said he believes the reason cable operators want the network on a more exclusive tier is because of profit but said they may find a drawback they are not thinking about at the moment.\n“If (cable operators) put it on a sports tier they will generate more revenue,” Silverman said. “But they could lose a couple of subscribers since DirecTV is readily available carrying it in their most basic level of service.” \nSilverman also recommended people call their cable company now if they want the network.\n“I think we are telling people they should contact their cable operators (if they want the network), since they do not want to lose subscribers, and cable companies do not want to hear from irate customers,” Silverman said.\nHe also said the network, if successful, has great benefits to offer.\n“The ability for this network to really shine and show more of what is going on at each of these schools is a great benefit for us to offer,” Silverman said.