Statement on the Big Ten Network
A Letter to Badger Fans (from uwbadgers.com)
November 2, 2007
Dear Badger fans,
With the recent announcement that Saturday’s game against No. 1 ranked Ohio State would be broadcast by the Big Ten Network, and as we get closer to the start of a men’s basketball season in which 20 games will be aired on the Big Ten Network, we have received a number of phone calls, letters and e-mails from Badger fans who are frustrated that those broadcasts are not available on the state’s two largest cable systems. We wanted to take a moment to bring you up-to-date on the issues and try to address some of those expressed concerns.
The development of the Big Ten Network, which launched just 65 days ago, has been in the works for nearly three years, and it included input from conference officials, school presidents, athletic directors, faculty representatives and more. In the opinion of those folks, the establishment of the Big Ten Network was the right thing to do to insure the long-time stability of Big Ten athletics. It is important from a recruiting standpoint, a financial standpoint and a marketing standpoint. It’s a network that will focus on our schools and our student-athletes and the issues of importance to Big Ten fans.
From the outset, the network was offered to all satellite and cable providers. The only non-negotiable Big Ten Network demand was the inclusion of the network on the expanded basic package in the Big Ten region. Within 30 days of launch, the network was in nearly 30 million homes nationwide – the most successful launch of its kind in cable television history. It is being carried on Direct TV, Dish Network and approximately 157 cable systems, including 15 in the state of Wisconsin – and all of those are offering the Big Ten Network on their expanded basic lineup and none of them is charging anything extra to subscribers.
Unfortunately, the two major cable carriers in Wisconsin – Time Warner and Charter -- have chosen to not carry the Big Ten Network. (It’s important to note that our local contacts at both those companies have long been supportive of Badger Athletics. Many of the employees of those companies are Badger fans; many are graduates of UW-Madison or have children, friends and relatives who attend or have attended UW-Madison. They are Badger fans who recognize the importance of carrying the Big Ten Network and who understand the unprecedented demand for television coverage of Badger Athletics in this community. Unfortunately, the decision to not carry the network is being made in places other than Madison and Milwaukee.)
We’ve heard from cable company spokespersons that the Big Ten Network is too expensive. If small cable companies in Wisconsin like Mt. Horeb Telephone Co. or Tech Com in Richland Center or Vernon Telephone Cooperative in Westby can negotiate a price that is acceptable, why can’t Charter and Time Warner do the same?
We’ve heard from the cable companies that the Big Ten Network does not belong on expanded basic cable, and that their customers shouldn’t have to pay for a channel that they may not watch. We simply ask that you review the lineup of 70 or so channels that are currently included on your expanded basic package with Charter and Time Warner, and we think you’ll agree that the Big Ten Network would be among the more popular channels in that lineup. And again, if the 15 smaller cable operators, Direct TV and Dish are placing it on expanded basic, why can’t Charter and Time Warner?
We’ve heard cable spokespersons say that you don’t need to get the Big Ten Network because all the good games are on ABC, ESPN and other stations already on their expanded basic. We would suggest that Badger fans don’t need to be told by the cable companies what games are “the good games.” Most Badger fans would agree that the good games are those in which the Badgers play. Saturday’s game against Ohio State is a perfect example of that.
We’ve also heard that there’s really no good reason to have the Big Ten Network and that the Big Ten and all of its schools should have kept things the way they were. First of all, many of us have been around here long enough to remember when it was a struggle to get ANY game on television, much less an entire season of broadcasts. Also, don’t forget that last year, three of our football games were broadcast on either ESPNU or ESPN360, with significantly limited distribution. And in men’s basketball last year, four games were limited to ESPN360, one game was on CSTV and six other Badger games were not televised at all.
Please understand that the role of our athletic department, much like the local folks at Charter and Time Warner -- is limited. We believe strongly that we are doing all that we can to assist the Big Ten Network staff in their negotiations. But, simply put, until the major cable companies are willing to negotiate, our role in the process will remain extremely limited.
We’ve been asked often if there is anything you as Badger fans can do to help us work our way through this. Here are a few suggestions to consider:
First, when in discussion about this issue, please share the information in this letter. There are always two sides to a story, and we think the information in this letter can help counter some of the misinformation being put forth in the marketplace by those who don’t want the Big Ten Network to succeed.
Second, if you are comfortable in doing so, we ask that you continue to try and contact your local cable provider and let them know that you want the Big Ten Network on your expanded basic lineup, and that even though you may have not made the switch to satellite, that doesn’t mean you don’t have an interest in the Big Ten Network and you want them to carry it. It really doesn’t matter how you make that contact -- phone, e-mail or letter. Let them know that you’re a Badger fan; remind them that they are the temporary holders of a municipally regulated cable franchise in your area and are obligated to respond to your community and its programming mandates.
Finally, please understand that most of you do have options. The Big Ten Network is available throughout Wisconsin on Direct TV and Dish Network. Switching from cable to satellite is not something that everyone wants to do, but it is available and it is an option to most households in Wisconsin. Increasingly, that is an option that is being acted upon. In the Madison area, for instance, we’re told that nearly 30 percent now have satellite and that number continues to trend upward.
In summary, we feel strongly that a successful Big Ten Network is good for Wisconsin Athletics. It provides unprecedented marketing opportunities; a distinct recruiting advantage and a steady, guaranteed stream of incremental revenue over a 20-year period that will help Wisconsin remain a nationally competitive athletic department. It’s a network about your student-athletes, your teams and your school.
We want to thank all of you who have contacted us in recent weeks. We hear your voices. We share your concerns. Please know that we will continue our efforts to bring broad distribution on the Big Ten Network to Badger fans in every corner of this great state of Wisconsin.
We thank you for your patience and for your continued support of Badger Athletics.
On Wisconsin!
John D. Wiley
Chancellor
Barry Alvarez
Director of Athletics
Walter Dickey
UW Athletic Board Chair
Wisconsin Athletic Communications
11/2/2007 10:37:48 AM
Dear Badger fans,
With the recent announcement that Saturday’s game against No. 1 ranked Ohio State would be broadcast by the Big Ten Network, and as we get closer to the start of a men’s basketball season in which 20 games will be aired on the Big Ten Network, we have received a number of phone calls, letters and e-mails from Badger fans who are frustrated that those broadcasts are not available on the state’s two largest cable systems. We wanted to take a moment to bring you up-to-date on the issues and try to address some of those expressed concerns.
The development of the Big Ten Network, which launched just 65 days ago, has been in the works for nearly three years, and it included input from conference officials, school presidents, athletic directors, faculty representatives and more. In the opinion of those folks, the establishment of the Big Ten Network was the right thing to do to insure the long-time stability of Big Ten athletics. It is important from a recruiting standpoint, a financial standpoint and a marketing standpoint. It’s a network that will focus on our schools and our student-athletes and the issues of importance to Big Ten fans.
From the outset, the network was offered to all satellite and cable providers. The only non-negotiable Big Ten Network demand was the inclusion of the network on the expanded basic package in the Big Ten region. Within 30 days of launch, the network was in nearly 30 million homes nationwide – the most successful launch of its kind in cable television history. It is being carried on Direct TV, Dish Network and approximately 157 cable systems, including 15 in the state of Wisconsin – and all of those are offering the Big Ten Network on their expanded basic lineup and none of them is charging anything extra to subscribers.
Unfortunately, the two major cable carriers in Wisconsin – Time Warner and Charter -- have chosen to not carry the Big Ten Network. (It’s important to note that our local contacts at both those companies have long been supportive of Badger Athletics. Many of the employees of those companies are Badger fans; many are graduates of UW-Madison or have children, friends and relatives who attend or have attended UW-Madison. They are Badger fans who recognize the importance of carrying the Big Ten Network and who understand the unprecedented demand for television coverage of Badger Athletics in this community. Unfortunately, the decision to not carry the network is being made in places other than Madison and Milwaukee.)
We’ve heard from cable company spokespersons that the Big Ten Network is too expensive. If small cable companies in Wisconsin like Mt. Horeb Telephone Co. or Tech Com in Richland Center or Vernon Telephone Cooperative in Westby can negotiate a price that is acceptable, why can’t Charter and Time Warner do the same?
We’ve heard from the cable companies that the Big Ten Network does not belong on expanded basic cable, and that their customers shouldn’t have to pay for a channel that they may not watch. We simply ask that you review the lineup of 70 or so channels that are currently included on your expanded basic package with Charter and Time Warner, and we think you’ll agree that the Big Ten Network would be among the more popular channels in that lineup. And again, if the 15 smaller cable operators, Direct TV and Dish are placing it on expanded basic, why can’t Charter and Time Warner?
We’ve heard cable spokespersons say that you don’t need to get the Big Ten Network because all the good games are on ABC, ESPN and other stations already on their expanded basic. We would suggest that Badger fans don’t need to be told by the cable companies what games are “the good games.” Most Badger fans would agree that the good games are those in which the Badgers play. Saturday’s game against Ohio State is a perfect example of that.
We’ve also heard that there’s really no good reason to have the Big Ten Network and that the Big Ten and all of its schools should have kept things the way they were. First of all, many of us have been around here long enough to remember when it was a struggle to get ANY game on television, much less an entire season of broadcasts. Also, don’t forget that last year, three of our football games were broadcast on either ESPNU or ESPN360, with significantly limited distribution. And in men’s basketball last year, four games were limited to ESPN360, one game was on CSTV and six other Badger games were not televised at all.
Please understand that the role of our athletic department, much like the local folks at Charter and Time Warner -- is limited. We believe strongly that we are doing all that we can to assist the Big Ten Network staff in their negotiations. But, simply put, until the major cable companies are willing to negotiate, our role in the process will remain extremely limited.
We’ve been asked often if there is anything you as Badger fans can do to help us work our way through this. Here are a few suggestions to consider:
First, when in discussion about this issue, please share the information in this letter. There are always two sides to a story, and we think the information in this letter can help counter some of the misinformation being put forth in the marketplace by those who don’t want the Big Ten Network to succeed.
Second, if you are comfortable in doing so, we ask that you continue to try and contact your local cable provider and let them know that you want the Big Ten Network on your expanded basic lineup, and that even though you may have not made the switch to satellite, that doesn’t mean you don’t have an interest in the Big Ten Network and you want them to carry it. It really doesn’t matter how you make that contact -- phone, e-mail or letter. Let them know that you’re a Badger fan; remind them that they are the temporary holders of a municipally regulated cable franchise in your area and are obligated to respond to your community and its programming mandates.
Finally, please understand that most of you do have options. The Big Ten Network is available throughout Wisconsin on Direct TV and Dish Network. Switching from cable to satellite is not something that everyone wants to do, but it is available and it is an option to most households in Wisconsin. Increasingly, that is an option that is being acted upon. In the Madison area, for instance, we’re told that nearly 30 percent now have satellite and that number continues to trend upward.
In summary, we feel strongly that a successful Big Ten Network is good for Wisconsin Athletics. It provides unprecedented marketing opportunities; a distinct recruiting advantage and a steady, guaranteed stream of incremental revenue over a 20-year period that will help Wisconsin remain a nationally competitive athletic department. It’s a network about your student-athletes, your teams and your school.
We want to thank all of you who have contacted us in recent weeks. We hear your voices. We share your concerns. Please know that we will continue our efforts to bring broad distribution on the Big Ten Network to Badger fans in every corner of this great state of Wisconsin.
We thank you for your patience and for your continued support of Badger Athletics.
On Wisconsin!
John D. Wiley
Chancellor
Barry Alvarez
Director of Athletics
Walter Dickey
UW Athletic Board Chair
Wisconsin Athletic Communications
11/2/2007 10:37:48 AM
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