Big 10 schools losing patience with BTN

isuno1fan · 02-12-2008, 12:21 PM

For those of us that have it (DirecTV here), the BTN has been a welcome addition. I can understand the frustration for those that don't receive it.

I, too, look forward to a B12 network.

CyBobby · 02-12-2008, 12:53 PM

If the big 12 was smart it would start up its own network and have it on a separate pay cable channel just like the sports package that I pay four dollars a month to receive.

I would bet that most big 12 fans would pay an extra four dollars a month to get ALL OF THEIR TEAMS GAMES HOME AND AWAY!!

The big 10 was arrogant and is paying dearly for it...Twenty years not being on cable tv is a long time...Out of sight Out of mind as they say!!

CTAClone · 02-12-2008, 01:01 PM

I already drop around 200 bones a year ordering games on PPV for Football and the Full Court package. I'm happy to pay a few extra bucks a month to get all Big 12 games.

dustinal · 02-12-2008, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by jumbopackage

I have no problem with a Big 12 network, so long as they don't try to force themselves onto the basic cable tier like the BTN is, and so long as it doesn't adversely affect the current package. I'd gladly pay an extra 10-20 bucks a month to support my conference, and get extra games. If I could watch every ISU sporting event, I'd be perfectly content to pay that much extra.

The BTN is failing because they built their business plan around HAVING to be on basic cable, and when the cable providers said "nope", they are basically screwed.

Bingo.

8 characters

cybsball20 · 02-12-2008, 01:06 PM

I already get the sports pack, at least with a Big XII, Big 11, SEC pack it would be worth it...

CY ST8T · 02-12-2008, 01:23 PM

I'm all for a Big XII network. Anything to take it away from Mediacom again would be great. Having Dish basically I get no games to watch during the nonconference because they are all on Mediacom local channels, but I can watch every damn game I want to in the Big Ten. Which sucks! Bring back my nonconference games on the CTN please!!!

jumbopackage · 02-12-2008, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by erikbj

10-20 bucks / month??? It should only be a 1-2 dollars a month.

That's what I'D be willing to pay. I mean, 120=240 bucks a year is less than I'll spend on gas tailgating. It's less than Sunday Ticket. It's in the same range as Nascar hotpass, and it's money that's going to be going almost directly back into the Big 12 conference, and hence into ISU's athletic budget.

Obviously, the target price will probably be less than that.

HandSanitizer · 02-12-2008, 01:38 PM

I really don't think we should be blaming Mediacom on this, BTN gambled and lost. They have no advertising and most people can't see their teams play unless they get a dish. 4.95 for the sportspak on cable is were this product belongs. It will happen sometime soon or they will go out of business. As far as the Big12 is concerned. We need something, because we can not afford to only have 4-6 games on per year. I know some of the problem is winning, but I think Mizzou wasn't on a few times this year and they were in the top 10 for most of the year for one example. That seems odd to me.
I know most of the Big12 is a bunch of rural, nobody cares area, BUT we still claim the following TV markets in the US Which isn't too bad.
There is 210 Markets

#5- Dallas/Fortworth
#10 - Houston
#18 - Denver
#21 - St Louis
#31 - KC
#37 - San Antonio
#45 - Oklahoma City
#51 - Austin
#60 - Tulsa
#69 - Wichita
#71 - Des Moines
#75 - Omaha

List of television stations in North America by media market - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

jbing · 02-12-2008, 01:41 PM

Good on you for finding the market numbers. I too favor a B12 network. It's easy for me to say since I have Directv. I've watched the big ten network a bit (the wife is from Wisconsin) and I can't stand that they don't have any advertisers. I'd rather watch lame commericals than the same 3 big ten network promos 24 times during a game.

isuno1fan · 02-12-2008, 01:43 PM

The BTN promo commercials are awful.

keepngoal · 02-12-2008, 01:43 PM

The Big12 needs to do two things fast.

Capture the void made from the Big11Ten work on the likes of ESPN channels (5-10 year contracts). Then, put in place a Big12 network package for cable and sat providers are happy to put up near the end of the contract term.

- keep

jumbopackage · 02-12-2008, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by HandSanitizer

I really don't think we should be blaming Mediacom on this, BTN gambled and lost. They have no advertising and most people can't see their teams play unless they get a dish. 4.95 for the sportspak on cable is were this product belongs. It will happen sometime soon or they will go out of business. As far as the Big12 is concerned. We need something, because we can not afford to only have 4-6 games on per year. I know some of the problem is winning, but I think Mizzou wasn't on a few times this year and they were in the top 10 for most of the year for one example. That seems odd to me.
I know most of the Big12 is a bunch of rural, nobody cares area, BUT we still claim the following TV markets in the US Which isn't too bad.
There is 210 Markets

#5- Dallas/Fortworth
#10 - Houston
#18 - Denver
#21 - St Louis
#31 - KC
#37 - San Antonio
#45 - Oklahoma City
#51 - Austin
#60 - Tulsa
#69 - Wichita
#71 - Des Moines
#75 - Omaha

List of television stations in North America by media market - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yeah, but compare those to the markets the Big 10 teams play in (and you can include Des Moines and St. Louis in those two).

3. Chicago
11. Detroit
15. Minneapolis
17. Cleveland
21. St. Louis
26. Indianapolis
32. Columbus
33. Cincinnati
34. Milwaukee
39. Grand Rapids
62. Dayton
66. Flint
70. Green Bay
71. Des Moines
72. Toledo
74. Springfield, MO
84. Champaign/Urbana

I mean there's a reason that ESPN picked the Big 10. I think the Big 12's TV package is perfectly fine as-is. It would be BETTER if we could catch all of our games on TV, but the fact is that our coverage is as good, if not better, than almost every other conference save for the Big 10 stands on it's own. I'd argue that our package is even better than the SEC's.

hawkeye_t · 02-12-2008, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by keepngoal

The Big12 needs to do two things fast.

Capture the void made from the Big11Ten work on the likes of ESPN channels (5-10 year contracts). Then, put in place a Big12 network package for cable and sat providers are happy to put up near the end of the contract term.

- keep

There is no void with ESPN. ESPN and the Big Ten signed a huge (I think 20 year contract). ESPN/ABC still has the rights to pick the Big Ten games to air. The only difference now is the ESPN+ and Gameplan games are now on the BTN.

As far as where the BTN should be placed, I see it very similar to Fox Sports Net. When I lived in Des Moines and Ames that was on expanded basic with Mediacom, the same tier that the BTN should be on.

jdoggivjc · 02-12-2008, 04:37 PM

Let's do top 100:

Big 10
(3) Chicago
(11) Detroit
(15) Minneapolis/St Paul
(17) Cleveland/Akron/Canton
(21) St Louis
(22) Pittsburgh
(26) Indianapolis
(32) Columbus
(33) Cincinnati
(34) Milwaukee
(39) Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Battle Creek
(41) Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon/York
(54) Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
(62) Dayton
(66) Flint/Saginaw/Bay City
(70) Green Bay/Appleton
(71) Des Moines/Ames
(72) Toledo
(84) Champaign/Urbana
(85) Madison
(86) Cedar Rapids
(89) South Bend/Elkhart
(96) Quad Cities (Davenport, IA)

Big XII
(5) Dallas/Ft Worth
(10) Houston
(18) Denver
(21) St Louis
(31) Kansas City
(37) San Antonio
(45) Oklahoma City
(51) Austin
(60) Tulsa
(69) Wichita/Hutchinson
(71) Des Moines/Ames
(74) Springfield, MO
(75) Omaha
(93) Colorado Springs/Pueblo
(95) Waco
(98) El Paso

Let's just say the Big 10 owns a lot more of that share than does the Big XII...

mustangcy · 02-12-2008, 04:50 PM

I used to be in favor of a Big12 Network but I've seen we don't need one. We may get 3-4 more football games on a year but those would only be seen by people (already die hard ISU fans) and not by the young and on the fence Iowan's we need to grow our fanbase. Iowa's fanbase, especially in MBB, is shrinking because of lack of coverage and even if Mediacom put the BTN on it's sport pack nobody but the already die hard hawk fans would get it. No thanks, I'll take our 10 or so MBB game on ABC and 5-6 football games on non-sports tier package tv anyday because that means we grow our fanbase...not gourge our die hards.