F*** The Big Ten Network and the cable companies.

[e0y2e3]

First the MLB sells out to DirecTV now this crap.

Some people live in large cities and can't get dishes.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/08/30/search.bigtennetwork/index.html

This entire situation is complete and utter bullshit. Don't worry guys, the network only owns the rights to four home games this year.

[Guest]

Another reason I love DirecTV.
Buckeyes at Noon.

[Mr. MacPhisto]

First the MLB sells out to DirecTV now this crap.

Some people live in large cities and can't get dishes.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/08/30/search.bigtennetwork/index.html

This entire situation is complete and utter bullshit. Don't worry guys, the network only owns the rights to four home games this year.

Didn't MLB back off on the DirecTV deal?

[e0y2e3]

First the MLB sells out to DirecTV now this crap.

Some people live in large cities and can't get dishes.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/08/30/search.bigtennetwork/index.html

This entire situation is complete and utter bullshit. Don't worry guys, the network only owns the rights to four home games this year.

Didn't MLB back off on the DirecTV deal?

Sort of:
[url]
It should be noted that a few cable providers like Comcast and Suddenlink Communications may not offer all 14 MLB game channels, while a few game channels shares channel space with NHL Center Ice thus excluding a certain amount of games from their customers. Because of hockey games shown on the same channels, some nights on Comcast and Suddenlink no more than 2 or 3 games are shown. Some Comcast cable systems do carry all 14 game channels while some systems have limited number of channels. Direct TV customers do not have this problem, as their 15 channels are dedicated solely to baseball.[/url]

(Living in Boston I am a Comcast guy).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLB_Extra_Innings

[Mr. MacPhisto]

Sort of:
[url]
It should be noted that a few cable providers like Comcast and Suddenlink Communications may not offer all 14 MLB game channels, while a few game channels shares channel space with NHL Center Ice thus excluding a certain amount of games from their customers. Because of hockey games shown on the same channels, some nights on Comcast and Suddenlink no more than 2 or 3 games are shown. Some Comcast cable systems do carry all 14 game channels while some systems have limited number of channels. Direct TV customers do not have this problem, as their 15 channels are dedicated solely to baseball.[/url]

(Living in Boston I am a Comcast guy).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLB_Extra_Innings

Is that MLB's fault or is it because Comcast chose not to have enough dedicated channels? Is it more to do with the NHL and their decision to off more in that area? I don't know why a cable operator would offer more hockey over baseball because it's never drawn as well, though maybe Beantown is different, though I don't see why people up there'd be interested in hockey teams other than the Bruins.

My local cable operator does have all the MLB channels, NHL channels, etc. Maybe Comcast didn't want to pay MLB for the full package?

Since I do so much work in the evenings on my computer I just decided to buy the MLB.TV Premium package this year anyways. I can have the game on in a window and do work that way or listen to the WTAM broadcast when the Indians play the White Sox in Chicago. Their TV crew is horrible.

I just wish the NFL would offer something like the MLB.TV package. I dropped Sunday Ticket because I'm sick of pissing away so much money every year just to see a crappy Browns club. I'm optimistic for the future, but I'll probably get in a few more Sundays at Disney World, Universal, and Busch Gardens this fall instead of watching football. That's what I often will do on Saturday instead of watching college football. Sheikra > a football game that I don't care about.

[e0y2e3]

Is that MLB's fault or is it because Comcast chose not to have enough dedicated channels? Is it more to do with the NHL and their decision to off more in that area? I don't know why a cable operator would offer more hockey over baseball because it's never drawn as well, though maybe Beantown is different, though I don't see why people up there'd be interested in hockey teams other than the Bruins.

My local cable operator does have all the MLB channels, NHL channels, etc. Maybe Comcast didn't want to pay MLB for the full package?

Since I do so much work in the evenings on my computer I just decided to buy the MLB.TV Premium package this year anyways. I can have the game on in a window and do work that way or listen to the WTAM broadcast when the Indians play the White Sox in Chicago. Their TV crew is horrible.

I just wish the NFL would offer something like the MLB.TV package. I dropped Sunday Ticket because I'm sick of pissing away so much money every year just to see a crappy Browns club. I'm optimistic for the future, but I'll probably get in a few more Sundays at Disney World, Universal, and Busch Gardens this fall instead of watching football. That's what I often will do on Saturday instead of watching college football. Sheikra > a football game that I don't care about.

Come on mac, you're deeper than that. The MLB agreed to providing Extra Innings for the cable companies after the season had already begun (by only a few days). What was Comcast supposed to do, sit there, hold channels, and pray the MLB was forced to changed their minds? Not to mention in Boston you have NESN, which guarantees all Sox games will be on TV and hardly anyone actually cares any other MLB game (besides the Yankees).

I'm with you in that it wasn't as bad as this Bigten Network shit, but it still sucks.

[bks92]

I know, I know, I know!!! Next what the Cavs and Browns. And they will probable have no cable and you have to pay 10,000 for every station you want just to watch a game my suggestion is to call your cable or dish provider and complain to them about this retarded Big Ten Network. The only reason there doing this is to make some more green.

[furls]

makes sense from the Big Ten's perspective. College football is in such a state now that the Big Ten holds the cards. The cable companies will have to bend, and the Big Ten will make more money. Is the current plight fair to the consumer? Absolutely not.

We all know that the costumer stopped being right somewhere around the time that major stores started staying open on all holidays and did away with diminished Sunday hours (remember those days in the 80s?).

Eventually most of the conferences will have their own networks and they will be big cash cows. Look at the Yes Network. Current valuations have the yankees worth about 1billion bucks and the Yes Network is supposed to be valued somewhere in the ballpark of 3-4 billion (yep 3-4X the value of the yankees). This is becoming the business model for a lot of the major sports, STO had similar issues with cable providers, but they were able to establish a deal in time for the season.

[Spin]

Don't these conferences make enough money off of having their conference games on network TV? Off of having half of their teams in bowl games, whether they deserve it or not? Don't the schools pay a fee to be in the conference in the first place?

So why are they trying to put their hands in our pockets? It's all about greed and I hope Time Warner tells them where to stick it. i'll watch another conference that's more competitive, where more teams have a chance of winning. Let them soak someone who cares...

[neoleo]

Don't these conferences make enough money off of having their conference games on network TV? Off of having half of their teams in bowl games, whether they deserve it or not? Don't the schools pay a fee to be in the conference in the first place? So why are they trying to put their hands in our pockets? It's all about greed and I hope Time Warner tells them where to stick it.

I think there's a lot of confusion out there as to how this network is set up. The network isn't taking the place of big ten games on ABC/ESPN, you will still see plenty of big ten games on those channels. The games on the bigten network are games that wouldn't have been on network tv anyway. These are the old gameplan/espn+ games that sometimes got picked up by local networks (I live smack dab in the middle of Cleveland and I would get half of the Buckeye's basketball games if I were lucky). This won't happen anymore because the bigten took control of their product and insured that it would reach the proper audience. Now the cable companies just need to realize the demand is out there, and as more and more people switch to Direct TV, I believe they will.

i'll watch another conference that's more competitive, where more teams have a chance of winning. Let them soak someone who cares...

Just be prepared to watch the network tv games, because as soon as the bigten network cements the model in how to succeed, EVERY other major conference will follow suit.

[Spin]

Well, the Big Ten says their network can't be on a sports tier, that any self respecting sports fan already has anyway. They want their network on basic cable, AND they want to charge the cable company $$$ for it. They want the money AND the exposure so they can get more money from advertisers.

It's all about money.

I might pay extra for it, so I could watch the games MAC teams are in. But the way they're doing it, it's the principal of it. They can shove it.

This kind of BS is turning me off more and more from OSU. We have enough "almost good enough" teams here in the pros...

[consigliere]

Sorry, but I can care less to watch OSU vs YSU. Or OSU vs Kent State. As long as the regular Big Ten games are on ABC or ESPN, roughly 8 games, I could care less about this new network.

[e0y2e3]

Sorry, but I can care less to watch OSU vs YSU. Or OSU vs Kent State. As long as the regular Big Ten games are on ABC or ESPN, roughly 8 games, I could care less about this new network.

And I suppose you could have cared less about seeing App St. - scUM last weekend?

I actually went to a bar that carried the network and I can honestly tell you it was more than worth it.

College football is one of the few sports that you cannot afford to miss a week of.

[Steve Buffum]

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:00 am

Oh, for Pete's sake, go to bed!

[furls]

Well, the Big Ten says their network can't be on a sports tier, that any self respecting sports fan already has anyway. They want their network on basic cable, AND they want to charge the cable company $$$ for it. They want the money AND the exposure so they can get more money from advertisers.

It's all about money

Like anything else in the world it is 100% about the money (and somewhat about the exposure which relates back to money). On the whole, the Big Ten Network is good for fans. It means, that you the fan, will be able to have more control over the games that you are watching. You are going to see a lot more Big Ten hoops (and therefore less of the ACC that ESPN shoves down our throats all year).

The Big Ten, intelligently, is demanding to not be bundled into a premium package. Makes sense, therefore, they get more exposure and if it does come to a time where they are showing more of the middle of the road Big Ten games (OSU vs. Michigan will always be national) the conference, (NOT ABC and ESPN) will be the ones who profit from the advertising revenue. WHat is wrong with that? Why isn't it better for the Big Ten to have more control over its exposure and keep more of the revenue that its product generates.

While Ohio State football is very profitable that is not necessary for the rest of the conference and you have to keep that in mind. It is not like the Big Ten commissioner is going to be depositing the increased profits to his own account (like the president of NBC/ABC might). This money will be filtered back into the member schools increasing their revenues so that they can reinvest it back into their programs or the institution itself.

IMO, it is a win-win situation. The only problem is this transition period where the Big Ten is fighting with the cable networks (STO went through the same thing) and there might be a temporary lapse in coverage for the fans. It is a shame, but it is what is, a short term problem that will ultimately be rectified. It is in neither side's interest to continue the stalemate longer than necessary. DirecTV installations in Ohio over the last few weeks were so bad that they had to subcontract it and pay overtime, doing installations until 10:00p.m. (and they were still unable to meet demand prior to the YSU game). How long will the cable companies allow that to continue?

Right now, College football is as hot as it has ever been and the Big Ten has done the right thing in launching its own network to increase its own revenue while the "iron is hot."