University of Minnesota Athletics
Big Ten Network Q&A
8/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
This is not just the Big Ten Network - This is the Gopher Network!
Since this is the Gopher Network, it deserves the broadest possible distribution on cable and satellite television in the state of Minnesota. You want to catch all of the Golden Gopher action, and the Big Ten Network will make that a reality. To get the Big Ten Network, Minnesota fans should visit http://www.bigtennetwork.com/ and enter your zip code, which will then provide a link to the cable providers in your area, DirecTV and Dish Network, to make a request for them to carry the Big Ten Network.
**Watch the Commercial**
Links of Interest
- Watch Highlights of "The Journey - Minnesota Basketball" at BigTenNetwork.com
- Big Ten Network FAQ (Word Document)
- Minnesota Programming This Week
- Big Ten Network Video
- Show Descriptions
- Weekly Programming Grid (PDF)
Latest News
- Big Ten Network to Televise 36 Classic Big Ten Basketball Contests
- Big Ten Network Announces Men's Basketball Studio Team
- Mayor declares Saturday “Minnesota Big Ten Network Day”
- Big Ten Network to Launch August 30
- Insight Communications Delivers Big Ten Network to College Sports Fans
- Network Opens '07-'08 Big Ten Play with Top Men's Basketball Matchups
- 'Friday Night Tailgate' to Provide Campus Flavor
- Big Ten Network Studio Team Holds Live Teleconference
- Big Ten Network Completes On-Air Football Lineup
- Big Ten Network to Air 24 Classic Football Games
- "This is Big Ten Country" Campaign Officially Launched
- Big Ten Network to Officially Launch August 30
- Big Ten Network to Air First Two Gopher Football Games
Frequently Asked Questions
The staff at gophersports.com has compiled a comprehensive list of questions and answers for Minnesota fans about the Big Ten Network. We know that our great fans are passionate about the Golden Gophers and we will be providing the most current information about the Big Ten Network here on gophersports.com. In addition, please don’t hesitate to email us at gophers@umn.edu or give us a call in the Athletic Communications office at (612) 625-4090 should you have additional questions or concerns.
Why was the Big Ten Network created?
When Big Ten Conference executives met with ABC/ESPN executives to discuss extending the conference’s football and basketball agreements, the Big Ten was told that the conference would need to move some football games to Thursday nights, that it would have more games than ever before appear on ESPN platforms that did not have widespread distribution, and that it would not receive the additional exposure for women’s athletics it was seeking. Following this meeting, the Big Ten decided to fully evaluate having its own network to complement its national television agreements. The conference determined that it could form a network that would include football and basketball games, while also greatly increasing the number of women’s and Olympic sports seen on television.
Subsequently, the Big Ten went back to ABC/ESPN and renewed its agreement, which also increased the number of games seen on those networks. Also, the Big Ten was able to retain enough live games and the rights to classic games to launch the Big Ten Network.
What will be on the Big Ten Network?
40+ football games per season
140+ regular-season men's basketball games
60+ regular-season women's basketball games
Big Ten championship events
Archived Big Ten events, including bowl games
170+ Olympic sporting events
Coaches' shows
660 hours of campus programming
How often does Minnesota appear on the Big Ten Network?
Events or shows involving Minnesota appeared almost daily on the Big Ten Network during the entity’s first year of operation. The Golden Gophers had eight live football games on the Big Ten Network in addition to 19 men’s basketball games, 11 women’s basketball games and four men’s hockey games. Minnesota also made live regular season appearances in volleyball, soccer, wrestling, gymnastics, baseball and softball in addition to conference championships in all sports and tape-delayed events.
Along with its televised events, Minnesota’s men’s basketball team was featured in a regular behind-the-scenes show titled “Minnesota Basketball: The Journey.” Golden Gopher coaches and student-athletes from all sports were regularly featured and interviewed on the network’s daily “Big Ten Tonight” telecast and “Big Ten Women’s Show.” Past Minnesota events have been featured as part of the “Big Ten’s Greatest Games.”
Overall, the Big Ten Network televised a total of 41 football games, 143 men’s basketball games and 64 women’s basketball games.
What is different about the Big Ten Network coverage than past coverage?
From 2002-06, the Golden Gophers played 13 football games that were not available on a major carrier (ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Regional, TBS). With the Big Ten Network, every Minnesota football game has a nationwide television outlet so that no matter where you live, you can follow the Gophers on the gridiron.
In 2005 and 2006, 13 Big Ten football games were not televised at all. During that same time, football games were moving from being regionally or locally syndicated so that they could be seen on over the air stations to other ESPN platforms that were not widely available, a total of 42 games. Similarly, in 2006, 85 men’s basketball games received no television coverage, while 16 contests were on either ESPNU or ESPN360. The trend of games moving away from local syndication would have continued with or without the Big Ten Network.
With the Big Ten Network, every home Big Ten football and men’s basketball game will now be produced for a national audience, with those revenues distributed directly to the schools. The Big Ten Network believes that fans within the eight Big Ten states should be able to see these games on their existing expanded basic cable package. Outside the eight states, fans would likely have to subscribe to a different level of service.
When fully distributed, the Big Ten Network ensures that every home Big Ten football and men’s basketball game will be produced for a national audience.
How has the new media contract helped the conference and Minnesota?
The Big Ten Network presents Minnesota fans from across the country with a unique opportunity to follow the Golden Gophers. Particularly in the eight Big Ten states, more football, basketball, and Olympic sports are broadcast than ever before. In addition to live action, the Big Ten Network has programming that includes a nightly sports recap from each campus, classic games, coaches’ shows and hundreds of hours of campus programming from universities to showcase their excellence.
Who carries the Big Ten Network?
The Big Ten Network currently has deals with:
DirecTV (part of Total Choice, the basic package) and DISH Network
AT&T (basic level of service)
More than 75 local cable operators throughout the Midwest, all of which carry the Big Ten Network on their basic cable package at no extra cost to consumers.
Once additional deals are signed, they will be announced publicly. As of today, there are no deals with other large cable companies, notably Comcast, though negotiations are progressing and agreements hope to be reached soon. The Big Ten Network became the first new network in cable or satellite television history to reach 30 million subscribers within its first 30 days. However, we will not be satisfied until every potential subscriber in the Big Ten’s eight-state region is receiving the network.
How is the university involved in the Big Ten Network negotiations?
The negotiations to carry Big Ten Network on major regular cable packages are done exclusively between the Big Ten Network and the cable carriers. The 11 Big Ten universities have little to no control over the negotiations.
What is the university's affiliation with the Big Ten Network?
The Big Ten Network is a separate entity from the 11 university athletic departments and has purchased the rights to carry Big Ten events and programming through a 20-year contract that provides a financial incentive to each university. The university athletic departments assist the Big Ten Network with content ranging from event coverage to on-campus programming.
What can I do to get my cable/satellite operator to carry the network?
We urge all Minnesota fans, whether they are inside or outside of the eight Big Ten states, to contact their cable or satellite provider to request they carry the Big Ten Network. We fully expect all cable systems and satellite providers to carry the network because they understand how important this programming is to their customers. Calling to request the Big Ten Network reinforces what providers already know.
Second, fans can call 1-866-WANT-B10 to have the opportunity to record a message about their desire to get the Big Ten Network, and be connected directly to their cable operator.
Third, go to bigtennetwork.com and enter your zip code on the front page. The site will open a window showing the cable/satellite providers in your area that have committed to launching the Big Ten Network. Depending on the status of your cable/satellite provider, you will be able to either send a request for your provider to carry the Big Ten Network or you can sign up to get a launch announcement and channel number emailed to you.
What if I live outside of the eight states home to the Big Ten schools?
You should check with your local cable/satellite operator. If you live outside of Minnesota, but still within the “Big Ten footprint,” the Big Ten Network is working with satellite and cable distributors to offer all of the games produced somewhere in their channel lineups. The Big Ten Network has national appeal as 4.5 million Big Ten alumni live throughout the country. National agreements have been made with DirecTV and AT&T and the Big Ten Network has significantly reduced the cost to cable operators to carry the network outside the Big Ten states, so we do expect them to agree to do so, especially when they realize how many of their customers are Big Ten alumni or fans.
Will I have to pay more for the Big Ten Network?
The Big Ten Network believes that if you live within the eight Big Ten states, you should not have to pay any more to receive the network, which is why the network is asking to be carried on basic cable. If you already get 50 to 60 channels as part of your basic cable/satellite package, the Big Ten Network should be part of that lineup. Minnesota’s professional sports teams the Twins, Vikings, Wild and Timberwolves are all carried as part of basic cable/satellite packages. As the state’s only Division I university, Golden Gopher games should be available to as many fans as possible on a basic cable/satellite level.
Since the Big Ten Conference is about more than just sports, the Big Ten Network also will feature over 600 hours of campus programming covering the most creative, entertaining and interesting features of your favorite universities, such as arts and music programs, top 10 alumni and ground-breaking research findings. It’s hard to imagine finding more than 50 channels more important to a viewer within the Big Ten community than the Big Ten Network.
Outside of the eight-state region, you may be required to subscribe to a digital level of service, which could include many other channels in addition to the Big Ten Network.
How is the Big Ten Network different than Victory Sports?
In the Minnesota market, there is a history with Victory Sports and other regional sports networks that may have had trouble getting distribution. This is a very different situation than the Big Ten Network. First, the offering provided by the Big Ten Network is at a significantly different cost structure than what Victory was. The Big Ten Network already has distribution with DirecTV and other cable operators in the area. Victory was never able to reach an agreement with a major provider. The Big Ten Conference and Fox Cable Networks have agreed to a 20-year joint venture to provide increased financial stability to all member institutions. This was not an aspect of the Victory Sports situation.
In addition, Victory’s non-Minnesota Twins programming was largely recycled or picked up from ESPN. All Big Ten Network programming will be exclusive to the Big Ten Network.
Finally, the University of Minnesota did not control the rights to its games and was forced to air on Victory. The Big Ten Network will control the rights to all Minnesota contests. All of the Big Ten schools voted and agreed to be a part of the Big Ten Network.
Are Minnesota games still on broadcast TV?
Yes. ABC and CBS maintain their packages to broadcast football and men’s basketball games. ESPN also continues to carry many Minnesota football and men’s basketball games. During 2007-08, Minnesota still appeared on an ESPN network three times in football and eight times in men’s basketball.
The Big Ten Conference has entered into long-term agreements with ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 and the Big Ten Network for its home football games. As part of this agreement, the Big Ten Network will be able to air over 35 football games per year. In football, for example, ABC still has the national game each week, and the Big Ten Network rotates selection of the other games with ESPN and ESPN2. Half the time, the Big Ten Network will choose the second or third game.
How are football games selected by the networks?
The games held the first few weeks of the season, as well as selected games later in the season, are picked prior to July 1. As the season goes on, ABC, ESPN and Big Ten Network select their televised games under a rotation where half the time Big Ten Network gets the second selection and ESPN gets the third selection. ABC will always get the choice for the first game televised per week under either a 12 or six-day window. After that, either ESPN or the Big Ten Network get the second pick.
How are men's basketball games selected by the networks?
Similar to football, once all the schools’ schedules are set, CBS gets the first selection of games. After CBS makes its selections, ESPN and the Big Ten Network alternate selections. The TV schedules for men’s basketball are typically released by September.
In prior years, Minnesota basketball was occasionally carried on regional television for games not selected by CBS and ESPN. Many times, Gopher games were only available on a tape-delayed basis. In 2007-08, nearly every Minnesota men’s basketball game was shown on live television.
Why are some home games on the Big Ten Network?
Even though hockey is not a Big Ten conference sport and Minnesota is a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, Big Ten Network officials are working with all Big Ten schools that play the sport. The Big Ten Network carries some hockey telecasts to give each school some national exposure, but each school is also subject to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association or Central Collegiate Hockey Association television contracts.
What about women's athletics and Olympic sports?
In the first year alone, the Big Ten Network already featured more conference women’s athletics and Olympic sports than ever before, making up nearly 40 percent of the programming. The Big Ten Network’s commitment to “event quality” signals its intention to produce and distribute an equal number of men’s and women’s events by the third year. This “event quality” will provide the largest concentration of women’s athletics on any national network in history while also providing more coverage to conference men’s sports than ever before by utilizing all available network-controlled media.
How does the university benefit?
The university benefits from the opportunity to promote itself and the Big Ten Conference on a major new channel. In addition, many sports previously not televised nationally like Olympic sports and women’s sports are now broadcast. Exposure through feature shows and nightly coach and athlete interviews is invaluable to the university.
