For the estimated 5.7-million
Comcast subscribers residing in the
Big Ten footprint, seeing your favorite games this coming Fall could end up costing you a bit more than expected. Apparently, the Big Ten conference and Comcast have yet to reach an agreement on carrying the Big Ten Network, as Comcast reportedly wants $1.10 per subscriber in order to host the content on a dedicated sports tier. The conference, however, suggests that watchful consumers shouldn't be forced to pay "undue costs" in order to watch local teams, and even points out that the Mountain West Sports Network is carried on Comcast's basic cable lineup in the Salt Lake City region. Of course, we all know there's more money to be made in the juggernaut that is the Big Ten, but if an agreement isn't reached by August 1st, the Big Ten Network "could go on the offensive and encourage millions of Big Ten alumni to switch to
DirecTV."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jim Mallory @ Jun 24th 2007 7:57AM
$1.10 a month per subscriber? I think BTN needs to get a bit more realistic on what they can price it at and still be part of a basic tier. At those rates, put it on the Sports Tier Comcast. If NFL Network is anything to go by, the games will have totally forgottable matchups. I love College Football as much as anyone (and subscribe to the Sports Tier) but I totally understand Comcast not wanting to have everyone pay more to subsidize diehard Big Ten fans. There is already more football on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, FSN, and ESPN+ to fill a Saturday. Want more, get Game Plan or the FSN College networks on the Sports Tier.
-- Jim
Jim Mallory @ Jun 24th 2007 8:18AM
Also, it should be worded a bit differently, it is BTN that wants $1.10 per subscriber, not Comcast.