The Big Ten Network strikes deal in 2 markets

The Big Ten Network reached a deal Wednesday with Insight Communications to carry the channel on its Classic service in two markets. Insight will carry the network in Evansville, Ind., and Columbus, Ohio, and that service will stretch into parts of northern Kentucky, according to a press release. The network will also be launched on Insight’s Digital 2.0 service throughout Kentucky and will be aired during a two-week promotional period on Insight’s Classic service. \nThis is the first agreement BTN has reached with a large cable provider in Big Ten country, and it means the channel will be carried in at least some Big Ten markets at the beginning of football season. It has been embroiled in a battle with Comcast over where Comcast would put the network, a struggle that has drawn public criticism for both sides’ handling of the situation. \nComcast wants to put the BTN on a sports tier, which would cost an extra $5 a month. The network, rather, wants to be placed on Comcast’s regular cable package and wants to charge $1.10 per subscriber for the channel. Comcast says the figure, which would make the network one of the most expensive cable networks available, is too high. \nThe Big Ten Network does have an agreement with – and is available on – DirecTV. However, network officials’ inability to come to an agreement with a major cable service in Big Ten markets means that, as of the Aug. 30 network launch, the channel is unavailable to many fans. \nThis agreement marks the first time that such an agreement has been reached, though the release gives no indication as to whether Wednesday’s agreement would be a sign of things to come. Though Insight serves much of Indiana and Illinois, many of those markets – Bloomington included – will soon be taken over by Comcast, which bought them from Insight, according to The Associated Press.