Network’s opening weekend proves poor for fans

Touting itself as the “nation’s foremost athletic conference,” the Big Ten launched its network amongst tremendous anticipation from fans who hoped to see better coverage and critics who expected it to fall flat on its face.\nFor better or worse, at 8 p.m. Aug. 30, 18 million households had access to the Big Ten Network when Dave Revsine introduced the first edition of Big Ten Tonight.\nBut with the sports network still up in arms with cable provider Comcast, many fans were unable to see the coverage presented this weekend. The eight-state region that houses the 11 universities of the Big Ten had only 3.5 million viewers with access to the station. Sitting in a Bloomington bar along with about 100 post-tailgaters, I viewed Saturday night’s prime time football game between our Hoosiers and Indiana State.\nThe fact that many Big Ten fans were unable to view the Big Ten Network no doubt left the ominous question, just what are these fans missing?\nAs a DirectTV subscriber and thus having access to the station, I can assure those who are unable to view the newly launched network that you don’t get much out of the news coverage that couldn’t be found on ESPN. Granted, the limited scope of the program did allow football analysts like former IU football coach Gerry DiNardo and former Illinois running back Howard Griffith to visit each schools’ training camp prior to the start of the season. Their plotted scripts, however, seemed to differ little from the style of ESPN’s Lou Holtz. \nThe fact remains that those fans unable to see the programming available on the new network still missed out on game coverage. This is the real downfall of the current battle between the Big Ten Network and major cable operators. It’s the fans who lost last weekend as a result of a power struggle between two major corporate entities.\nUnfortunately for the Big Ten Network, its creation will probably come off as a hassle for fans who missed out on major Big Ten coverage this weekend, like the major upset of Michigan’s football team by Appalachian State. If previously they would have had at least limited coverage, what good is a network that they can’t access and so have no coverage?\nThe Big Ten Network needs answers to this question and it needs them fast.\nAs for the inaugural weekend, I was far more content to watch highlights on ESPN from anchors that I know and love than listen to the ramblings of a network still trying to find its footing. And while I enjoyed access to IU athletics this weekend, which included a men’s soccer game, concern for those who were unable to tune in should be of primary focus. \nRight now, the only winner in the battle between the Big Ten Network and major cable providers is ESPN, who will no doubt get the overflow of Big Ten fans looking for highlights.