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BTN-COMCAST CRISIS LOOMING?
Media-types in nearly every market in the Midwest and along the East Coast have been inundated with information about the Big Ten Network. Most of us are sick of it already, and the network won’t launch until Aug. 30. The general public, however, has yet to show much interest.
That will certainly change around here if Comcast is unable to come to an agreement that would make BTN programming available to its many local subscribers. The situation will truly hit home if Penn State’s 2007 football opener on Sept. 1 is unavailable to an estimated 400,000 households in the Delaware Valley who subscribe to Comcast, not to mention the 24.6 million nationwide.
When you consider that 151 of the Nittany Lions last 153 games have been shown on television, it could be a monumental jolt if so many are unable to see PSU throttle Florida International. Penn State’s Sept. 15 contest with Buffalo is also set to air on the fledgling network, along with at least one of its eight conference clashes.
As it stands now, just a few satellite networks (like DirecTV and AT&T) have agreed to carry the BTN, along with some selected local cable operators.
The network is already trying to ramp up the pressure by urging fans to call their local cable operators. Conference Commissioner Jim Delany said that everyone that lives within the eight states of the Big Ten footprint should receive the BTN as part of their basic service. Comcast may want the network to be placed on a premium tier, if at all.
A crisis was avoided when Penn State’s campus cable system worked out a deal so that the BTN will be available to nearly 8,500 rooms in resident halls, lounges and common areas. But much of the rest of State College is serviced by Comcast. Interest is high in Happy Valley. On Aug. 16, a crowd of about 240 showed up for a dinner to hear more about the BTN. -- Neil Geoghegan.
That will certainly change around here if Comcast is unable to come to an agreement that would make BTN programming available to its many local subscribers. The situation will truly hit home if Penn State’s 2007 football opener on Sept. 1 is unavailable to an estimated 400,000 households in the Delaware Valley who subscribe to Comcast, not to mention the 24.6 million nationwide.
When you consider that 151 of the Nittany Lions last 153 games have been shown on television, it could be a monumental jolt if so many are unable to see PSU throttle Florida International. Penn State’s Sept. 15 contest with Buffalo is also set to air on the fledgling network, along with at least one of its eight conference clashes.
As it stands now, just a few satellite networks (like DirecTV and AT&T) have agreed to carry the BTN, along with some selected local cable operators.
The network is already trying to ramp up the pressure by urging fans to call their local cable operators. Conference Commissioner Jim Delany said that everyone that lives within the eight states of the Big Ten footprint should receive the BTN as part of their basic service. Comcast may want the network to be placed on a premium tier, if at all.
A crisis was avoided when Penn State’s campus cable system worked out a deal so that the BTN will be available to nearly 8,500 rooms in resident halls, lounges and common areas. But much of the rest of State College is serviced by Comcast. Interest is high in Happy Valley. On Aug. 16, a crowd of about 240 showed up for a dinner to hear more about the BTN. -- Neil Geoghegan.
posted by Nittany Lines at
1:16 PM
2 Comments:
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
Guess I should pay attention to that e-mail I got from the Big 10 Network (I think it was through the alumni association or something). I didn't think I needed to call comcast. It seemed like a no-brainer that they'd show the network with Penn State sports. It is, after all, one of the biggest alumni associations in the country.
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