[NU Sports] Interesting article ...

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> Jeff Pilot has pretty good penetration into the
> local markets that make up the

True, as does FoxNet in their market - I was just
saying that despite the BTN's problems with Comcast,
our games still have terrific national distribution
compared to other power leagues (thus negating the
"distribution is hurting us in the polls" argument).

Even taking away the BTN on DirecTV, I still can see 3
or even 4 Big Ten games nationally out here in AZ each
week, whereas I can only get 1-2 SEC/Pac 10 games out
of region. Once everyone wises up:) and switches to
satellite, they'll have access to all Big Ten games
making it even more pigskin bliss-tastic!

I dunno what our problem is in the polls, but it's not
TV. I think we still have the BCS stigma from last
year and AppState this year - nevermind that the SEC
is proving to be just as mediocre with lack of defense
and losing to Big East teams. It won't go away until
we win some big bowls, I guess.

One thing I will say from watching football on TV the
last few weekends - Big Ten fans are simply the best.
Yes, night games at Baton Rouge, Blacksburg and other
places can get loud and are a lot of fun, but the
atmosphere showcased in State College and Champaign
the last two weekends in prime time was absolutely
electric. Throw in Camp Randall, Kinnick and the Shoe
along with the history (if not loudness) of the Big
House and those are some pretty great places to watch
a football game. The only thing that I think could top
PSU's blizzard-like white out would be an actual
blizzard during a prime time white out game!:)

> I think the issue is that the BTN thinks that their
> network should be on the
> lower tiers in the Big 10 States and the cable guys
> would prefer to have ALL of
> the future conference networks on a PPV style

Not really - Comcast's own cable networks are getting
regular distribution and they're running their
campaign to the "The Mountain" included out here in
Arizona.

Their argument would be a lot better if it weren't so
hypocritical. Arizona has no Mountain West schools -
put it on a tier here. But Wisconsin, Illinois,
Michigan, etc. HAVE Big Ten schools and a heck of a
lot more fans than Mountain West teams - they should
be on basic cable in their home states.

> Memo to the Big 10 Network - The BTN is a Niche
> product, even in the Big 10
> states. The fans of the schools will pay good money,

Maybe they will, but should they HAVE to? It's really
not a niche product in Big Ten states. We have a
different perspective at Northwestern because we're a
private school, but those other schools are an
integral part of their state.

Long before I even knew I wanted to go to college yet
alone NU, I was a Big Ten football fan and even though
the Badgers stunk, most of the kids at school followed
UW football and basketball. I spent a lot of time with
relatives in Michigan, so I naturally followed the
Wolverines instead. But still, no one in my family or
my friends' families were alumni of those schools at
the time, yet Big Ten football and basketball was a
big part of fall and winter in the midwest.

And as for the niche thing, as I said, the argument
might hold water if it weren't so hypocritical. Most
networks are niche networks and Comcast owns a ton of
them that are on the basic packages. The Big Ten
Network is much less "niche" in Big Ten states than
90% of what's in the basic package.

> live, to watch their team in action. Pretending that
> the AC/SEC/Big 12/Pac
> 10/WAC fans in Comcast or Time Warner markets will
> watch the BTN seems a little

Outside the Big Ten, maybe, but even so, the Big Ten
is far more national than any conference ... maybe the
SEC comes close. Merchandise sales back that up. Plus,
the BTN isn't asking to be on basic everywhere, just
in their home states.

If the BTN were asking for basic everywhere, I could
see the point, but sooner or later Comcast has to
realize their own hypocrisy and give their consumers
what they demand. Maybe hoops will be the tipping
point because our distribution for football is so good
outside the BTN, but most basketball games will be on
the BTN. Or maybe the BTN will play hardball by
putting more games like OSU-UW on their network
instead of ESPN's.

All I know is that I wouldn't want to be a
receptionist at Comcast in Wisconsin or Ohio on
Saturday or in the state of Indiana during the winter
months.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!

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