The Big Ten Network: Looking Ahead to 2008

When the Big Ten Network was first announced, fans around the nation wondered how the Big Ten would distribute the channel. Unfortunately, last year the answer was "not very well." While satellite subscribers were able to get the channel, the Big Ten failed to negotiate contracts with some of the major cable distributor, such as Comcast. This meant that a majority of potential viewers within the Big Ten's footprint were unable to get the channel into their homes. All of this changed this past week when the Big Ten and Comcast announced an agreement to bring the channel into the cable giant's lineup.

This raises the question - is the BTN ready for such widespread distribution? While at first glance it seems like an obvious yes, there are some underlying issues that need to be dealt with before the network because a national power.

The primary benefit for new subscribers will be the ability to watch all of their favorite team's sporting events. In some cases this will be a convenience, while other fans will view this as a money saving prospect. No longer will Comcast subscribers in Chicago have to go out for lunch on every Saturday to watch football.

In addition, this move helps pave the way for some more nationwide Big Ten exposure. One of the ancillary negatives for the Big Ten this past season was the inability for potential recruits to see the Big Ten in action. Imagine what kind of impact watching the Indiana/Purdue showdown may have had on a kid from Florida who was considering playing for the Hoosiers? Rather than stay in the south to play his football, he may have given Bloomington a chance in order to help build a program in the wake of Terry Hoeppner's tragic death. Starting this season athletes around the country are more likely to see Big Ten athletics, and it may help the schools in recruiting.

However, there were some issues this past year that need to be addressed before the BTN cements itself as a ratings success. Primarily, the non-game programming needs to be improved. While it was great for a college football fan to get in depth analysis of the Big Ten, at times the production quality was second rate, and outside of a few analysts the content was lacking. While the second point is found throughout the television world, correcting it would go a long way towards giving the BTN a great deal of respectability.

There is also a wealth of programming opportunities that the BTN could explore. One of the more interesting aspect of college athletics is the off the field personality of some of its players and coaches. Why not have a "Day in the Life" type of series. It would be fun to see a camera crew try and keep up with Ron Zook on the recruiting trail. There are many different avenues to explore, and with America's fascination with reality TV, the BTN could produce some ratings grabbing programming on the cheap.

The real problem with the lack of quality, professional programming outside of sporting events has to do with revenue. It was comical at times how many times a commercial would be rerun during a football game. In order to be financially viable, the BTN will have to sell more advertising outside of the classic college sports time slots. While people may be tuning in at 11AM on a Saturday, the viewership at 8PM on a Wednesday may be what makes a difference for the Big Ten.

It is hard to argue that it is a negative for the Big Ten to get its network into the homes of millions of new subscribers in 2008. However, if the network positions itself as solely a game provider, it may have a tough time making enough money to be viable. As a Comcast subscriber, I know I will be paying close attention to what the BTN has to offer outside of football this fall, and as a Big Ten graduate, I hope that it is an improvement over 2007.