Big Ten Network, Comcast reach agreement to increase coverage in Indiana to 90 percent

The Big Ten Network and Comcast reached an agreement last Thursday which is expected to increase the coverage of the network to 90 percent of the state starting in August.\nComcast will put the BTN on its extended basic cable package to promote the network to residents of the Big Ten states starting August 15, according to an IU press release. After this trial period Comcast can decide to distribute the network full-time in spring 2009.\nThe agreement ends a long and drawn-out negotiation process between the BTN and Comcast which left many Big Ten fans unable to see many football and basketball games last year. The only Hoosier residents that received the BTN last year were subscribers of DirectTV or ATT U-verse. Nineteen of 35 Hoosier basketball games were shown on the BTN last season.\nIU President Michael McRobbie welcomed the partnership, saying he was happy Hoosier fans will have access to more athletics programming on the BTN.\n“I am extremely pleased that this agreement between Comcast and the Big Ten Network has been reached,” McRobbie said in the press release. “Our fans expect to be able to watch Indiana University athletics on television and this agreement will provide broad access for IU fans to see more games involving more sports than ever before. This is great news for our fans and for all who enjoy Big Ten sports.”\nIn the network’s first year, tension arose between fans that could not get the BTN on Comcast. IU director of athletics Rick Greenspan said the agreement would benefit Hoosier fans and all fans of the Big Ten.\n“The announcement of an agreement between the Big Ten Network and Comcast represents a major milestone for Indiana fans throughout the state, and across the eight-state footprint of the Big Ten Conference,” IU Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan said in the release.\nThere was no love lost between the BTN and Comcast throughout the year as each side refused to budge from their position. The BTN wanted to charge cable customers $1.10 for the network while Comcast wanted to offer the BTN as part of basic cable. In the end, the fans desire carried the day and allowed for this agreement to be made.\n“We are very pleased with the agreement we have reached with the Big Ten Network to carry hundreds of live Big Ten events,” Madison Bond, Executive Vice President, Content Acquisition, Comcast Cable said in the release.\nHigh-definition programming will also be available to customers. In the coming year, over 400 live sporting events will be broadcast by the BTN in several sports, including men’s basketball and football.\n“This agreement allows us to reach many more Big Ten fans with our programming because of the high concentration of Comcast subscribers in Big Ten states,” Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman said in the release.