DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Big Ten Channel

I saw an ad about the Big Ten Channel on tv. Something about you will need to subscribe to see Big Ten games this season. Am I understanding this correctly? Does anyone have more information about this?

Time warner tried to sign a contract with the big ten so that they could air all of their games. The big ten rejected but time warner is creating a station that has all big ten games. I may be right.

Yeah, I haven't heard anything about Armstrong yet. I know the channel is set to air this month, so I guess I'll find out soon.

I Googled Big Ten Network and they have a place to put your zip code in. You then get a screen saying what Cable/Satillite companies are in that zip code area. Then they say who is offering the games. I checked 5 zip codes in 3 states (OH,Pa & Wi) and only Direct TV was authorized in those areas.
I just switched to Armstrong cable last month. I am hoping that they decide to cough up the $$$$$$$ to offer the games.

Hey guys. I install Directv in the columbus ohio area and was told that directv for now will be the only carriers of the big ten channel in ohio. So if this is a chanel you want you must suscribe to directv. If you are thinking about getting directv, let me know since I am a tech for them I can get you the best deal possible. Just reply to this message and we shall get in touch.

The last time I checked Time-Warner and BTN were in negotiations. I read that they were close, but hadn't come to an agreement.

Being a Buckeye fan I'm obviously interested in what games BTN may take. As I understand they definitely will air the Youngstown State and Akron games. BTN may exclusively broadcast three other games depending on whether ABC will pick them up (the Big 10 doesn't want to lose that ABC money).

Personally I think this stinks. BTN has taken a similar strategy as the NFL Network. Hold exclusive rights to certain games, charge carriers per subscriber, but tell them they can't pass this fee onto the subscribers. Imo, that's a lame attempt by BTN / NFL Network to try to shift any subscriber concern of exclusivity to the carriers. It's these new networks the have taken very accessible games and limited their availability, not the cable / satellite companies. Btw, BTN wants over a dollar per subscriber from the carriers, which is about 30 cents more than what the NFL Network required. I can't blame a cable / satellite company if they chose not agree to such terms.

With the number of TVs that I have, I have no interest in switching from Time-Warner to satellite. I'm hoping that AT&T's fiber optics come to my area sometime soon, as I believe that may offer me both better choices and save me money (I have their telephone and DSL services). In the meantime, I'm hoping that WBNS brings back Buckeye Replay on Sundays. That was a one hour recap of the previous game. If nothing else, thank goodness for radio and hopefully someone caps and torrents the BTN games.

yeppers, the previous posters are right. The sticking point betwwen TW and the BTN is price. BTN wants it a part of standard cable, time warner wants to add them to their sports package. I have a feeling that something will get done by then, if not, oh well.

I'll be on High Street either way

Aside from a couple football and basketball games what else will they have to offer that would be entertaining programming?

Womens volleyball

Actually womans soccer would be sweet, me luvs soccer chicks Those legs, hubba hubba

Mad dog personally what does the number of tvs have to do with you not wanting to switch to satellite? I install directv and I have seen customers have 1 to 15 tvs. It really doesnt matter the number. Was just curious as to why you said this. Oh and sorry not trying to be rude.

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Actually womans soccer would be sweet, me luvs soccer chicks Those legs, hubba hubba

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You got me there.

My boxes are split between two TV's... 2 boxes for 2 TV's.... you have some fuzzy math or you have a different set-up that should be upgraded...

I don't have a problem with my math. $4.99 each for 5 boxes. That's $24.99. You then have to pay $9.99 for HD service on the HD receiver. The one thing I was wrong about and I did see it after reading the bill again is I didn't have to pay for the DVR because it was included in my package.

It still comes out to exactly $34.94 a month just for the boxes. Before I even order a package.

If I'm missing something feel free to point it out but my bill states these as the actual charges. If I didn't have to pay for each box it would be cheaper than cable but that's not the case.

My cost for Directv $185 a month. That included the premiere package. MLB package in the summer and NFL in the winter. It also included 5 TV's 1 of which had an HD DVR

With Timewarner I get all of the same channels the same setup, High speed roadrunner Internet and telephone for $150.

I used to pay separately for Internet and phone those two things cost me $90 dollars a month.

So grand total to get the same thing I'm getting now with Directv it cost me $275. I now pay $150. If I only had 1 TV directv would be the better deal because the packages are cheaper but the cost of each box causes the price to go up drastically.

you have 10 tv's or just one box for each tv? I have 2 boxes for 4 tv's and can watch whatever on all 4 tv's at the same time with no problems...

I have one box for each tv. I am under the impression that if you have 1 box for 2 TV's that you would have to watch the same channel on each TV.

Maybe the boxes I have are very old and I just need to update. If so please correct me.

I have 5 TV's with a box for each.

I can watch seperate programs in seperate rooms. 2 tv's to 1 box... They have two tuners on them basically...

is this channel going to be a premium channel where you have to pay, or at least buy into some package? or will it be available to the basic cable?

That's the argument that is happening right now. Cable companies want it put on a premium package where they can charge extra for it. The suits at the BTC want it put on basic cable where everybody can access it and they have a higher percentage in houses and can charge more in ad prices. Its the same thing STO went through when they set it up.

i just hope i don't miss too many buckeye games... they are pretty good out here in chicago about showing games, since i've moved out here, i can count on one hand the amount of osu football games they haven't shown...

are there sopcast channels for college football?

Good point but only directv has mlb, nascar, and nfl packages for all the games, and only company with big ten network. So in turn you dont get same stuff with time warner then. Just wanted to get that info correct. But even though I am a tech for directv, I understand your point with box amount and is valid but you also lose many features. Ones that I mentioned above and the fact that by oct. directv will have 50-60 total hd channels and by early next year around 150 hd channels, let me know when any other company can top that. Also the first box or one of your boxes is always free, so if you have 5 tvs you only pay 4.99 4 times as one is free

Just wanted to chime in and say that this truly sucks that I won't be able to watch the Buckeyes game. I live in Stow and have Time Warner Digital, so no Buckeyes this whole season (as of right now). I grew up near Youngstown, so I still follow YSU a bit, too.

Really ridiculous money-making scheme for both the BTN and Time Warner.

I think the BTN saw what STO did for the Indians and thought it was easy to do. STO went through a similar stage, but they ended up compromising a little and got their channel on almost all cable outlets. BTN doesn't seem willing to compromise in the least. They want $1.10/month/subscriber and a spot on a basic cable package. I find their stance of "wouldn't you watch BTN more than QVC, Lifetime, etc." a little absurd. Its not like these cable providers can change their lineups at the drop of a hat and I'm certain that QVC doesn't charge $1.10/month/subscriber. I'm not a huge Big Ten fan, but I do follow it, but I think I may end up at the same realization that I have with the NFL Network in that realization that I don't have to see every game... I think BTN has the most to lose, because after football, nobody is going to whine if they miss the Big Ten indoor track finals...

I hear ya.

Problem is that I really love watching OSU football, and after that, I always tune into the Big Ten games whenever I can. I mean, I'll watch just about any college football game, but if Big Ten is on, no matter what team, I'll generally watch it (same with the MAC, but I went to Kent and Akron, so I have kept track of MAC teams, too).

It's just plain frustrating that these channels and providers do these things with the customers supposedly in mind, but it's unbelievably obvious that that isn't the case. Just like everything else, I guess.

If the big 10 channel wants to push Time Warner into picking them up they're gonna need to show better quality games than versus D-2 programs.

I'm going to miss this game today, and I could care less. I'll probably catch alittle on the radio.

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Problem is that I really love watching OSU football, and after that, I always tune into the Big Ten games whenever I can. I mean, I'll watch just about any college football game, but if Big Ten is on, no matter what team, I'll generally watch it

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Same here.....I'd always tune in to an Iowa game, or Wisconsin, or Michigan State.....(etc etc etc) before I would tune in to Alabama or USC or Stanford or $^%&(@$^ Notre Dame.....

Always.

So I Cant Watch The Buckeyes Today On Regular Cable?

Big Ten network gets dramatic game in first weekend -- but who saw it?

By RACHEL COHEN, AP Sports Writer
September 2, 2007

A bad loss for the Big Ten might have been a big win for the Big Ten Network.

The fledgling channel received a priceless advertisement for the entertainment value of the games it televises when Appalachian State shocked No. 5 Michigan during its inaugural weekend.

"It was very exciting," said Elizabeth Conlisk, the network's vice president for communications, before quickly adding, "Certainly disappointing that Michigan lost."

All that drama wasn't available in the homes of many fans in Big Ten country, though. The network has yet to reach agreements with several major cable providers.

Fans may perceive Saturday's stunner as evidence that they need the network -- or that they've been hurt by its creation.

Michigan fans are accustomed to being able to catch their school on TV. The team has had 145 consecutive games televised dating to 1995. Of course, those who saw the upset loss might've wished they hadn't.

For now, the impact of the new network depends on where fans live and what cable or satellite system they subscribe to. And it won't affect the conference's marquee matchups. Those will still air on ABC/ESPN. At least 35 games will be shown on the Big Ten Network this season, compared with up to 41 on ABC/ESPN.

The network's national contract with DirecTV gives some viewers outside the region an opportunity to watch games they didn't have access to before. The network is available in about 17-18 million homes around the country. By comparison, HBO, a premium channel, is in about 30 million households.

Nick Farrell, a Michigan fan in the Bay Area with DirecTV, was pleased that he was able to watch Saturday's game without paying extra money for a college football package, which he had to previously.

For other fans, some games that used to be available on free TV now require a trip to a bar or restaurant.

Last year's matchup between the Wolverines and Central Michigan was aired by ESPN Plus and picked up in the Detroit area by WXYZ. The local ABC affiliate reaches more than 1.9 million households. In the conference's entire eight-state region, the Big Ten Network is available in fewer than 3.5 million homes.

The WXYZ switchboard was peppered with calls from confused viewers on Saturday, wondering why the game wasn't on.

Mark Anderson, a Michigan alum living in Cincinnati who subscribes to Time Warner cable, had to watch Saturday's game in a bar packed with fans of rival Ohio State. His eyes covered as the Wolverines attempted a winning field goal in the final seconds, he knew his team had lost by the cheers of other patrons.

In Chicago, Mark Papazian, class of 2001, also went to a bar. He has Dish Network and doesn't plan to switch because of the Big Ten. He described the attitude of Michigan fans toward the network as "fairly negative, but not to the point of outrage."

To Mark Chen, a 2001 Michigan grad in Dallas, the new network has little effect on his viewing habits. He went to the bar frequented by members of the local branch of the alumni association, just as he did before. Chen, who has cable, would switch to DirecTV if his apartment complex allowed it, but he would do it for better service and value, not because of the Big Ten Network.

Conlisk said the network remains open to negotiating with cable providers. Big Ten officials have said they understand it may take time to make the network available to a larger segment of the country.

Packed bars around Big Ten country Saturday demonstrated the network's broad appeal, Conlisk said, and the Michigan-Appalachian State game refuted criticism that the network's offerings aren't appealing.

"The stunning upset is going to forever be associated with the first national broadcast on the Big Ten Network," she said. "That's huge for us. It just goes to show you can't always predict in June what's going to be a white-knuckle finish in September."

AP Sports Writer Chris Jenkins contributed to this report.

That michigan game was probably pretty good, too bad I wasn't able to see them get beat.

I want my BUCKS on regular TV NOW!

Screw the big ten network.

I switched back to directv this weekend and have to say that for anyone that has the Big 10 network it was absolutely great.

It was very exciting to flip between all of the games and see exactly what was happening in the big 10. I'm really glad I switched back from TW. The Big 10 network and NFL are worth it alone.

Yeah it was cool that once the OSU game was in hand to flip back thru all the games, esp,lol, Michigan

How do u guys get all the games if it's jus one channel? i don't get it...wht do u mean flip through? how can u go back n forth between games if the games are being played at the same time?


Also, so are they goin to air every OSU game on this thing this year? i was under the impression it was just some games? god it would suck really bad if it was all the games...i live 15mins frm the SHOE n i didn't get tix this year

The more I hear of the Big 10 channel, the less I'm liking it.

Soon, there's going to be other conferences to follow in their footsteps if the channel succeeds. Do I want a PAC 10 channel? No, not really. I'll watch what they give me, there's plenty of football on Saturdays.

And because of the stupid channel, I miss out on the game Saturday, and many more this year. I was seeing the Buckeyes just fine before the Big 10 Network.

It's all about money and you can't blame the Big Ten for going after it.

As for Time Warner, they are not going to budge anytime soon is my guess. I've been hoping that they could get something together with the NFL network for over a year now and nothing has come of it.

A cable company needs to come up with an ala cart option - pick and chose what YOU want and then be billed accordingly. The current billing system in cable is very old fashioned. Every time you pay your bill, all the basic channels (regardless if you watch) get a cut of that. And b/c of that, it puts cable co's like TW in a bind when adding a new channel. Ideally you should be able to add it and then have that channel be paid for you ordering it...