Comcast and Big Ten Network come to agreement

The Big Ten Network announced an agreement with Comcast to increase an expected 90 percent coverage within Indiana Thursday. IU expects changes to occur on Aug. 15.\n"I am extremely pleased that this agreement between Comcast and the Big Ten Network has been reached," said IU President Michael A. McRobbie in a 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."\nLast year, 19 of 35 IU men's basketball games (including exhibitions) and nine regular season Hoosier football games were shown live on the network. Other IU athletic programs appeared 26 times during the regular season and 16 other Big Ten Championship related events aired which featured the Hoosiers.\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," said IU Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan in a press release. "Beginning this season, nearly 90% of the homes in Indiana will be able to enjoy Big Ten Network programming as an element of their cable television package. This exposure and coverage will enable Hoosier fans to see more live IU game action than ever before, and is a significant boost for our total athletic program. Moving forward, we are hopeful that other major cable operators will follow Comcast's lead and bring the Big Ten Network to their subscribers as well. The robust combination of the existing distribution of the BTN by satellite television providers, and the rapidly growing number of homes reached through cable operators, creates unparalleled visibility for the Big Ten Conference"