Aug. 23, 2007
The Big Ten Network: Nuts and Bolts
The Big Ten Network: Myths and Facts
The Big Ten Network: What the Hawkeyes Are Saying
The Big Ten Network: Newspaper Says ‘Yes’
The Big Ten Network: Big Ten Fact Sheet
IOWA CITY — Kirk’s visit to Chicago has come and gone. The sports media’s visit to Iowa City is in the rearview mirror. The season opener for the 2007 University of Iowa football team against Northern Illinois in Chicago’s Soldier Field creeps closer and closer and so, too, does college sports television history: The introduction of the Big Ten Network.
“We are extremely excited about the (Big Ten) Network, what it means to our institution, our coaches, our student-athletes, the parents of our student-athletes, our friends and fans,” said Gary Barta, the UI’s director of athletics.
“In Iowa, the “Big Ten Network” is the “University of Iowa Network” and we believe strongly that Iowans will watch the 60-plus live events that will feature their team and the hours of stories about their coaches, their students, their faculty, their academic programs, the cutting-edge research at the UI Hospitals and Clinics and all the other content that will be University of Iowa-related plus much of what isn’t about us, but about the teams we compete against and the other 10 great institutions that are a part of our conference.
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“In Iowa, the “Big Ten Network” is the “University of Iowa Network” and we believe strongly that Iowans will watch the 60-plus live events that will feature their team and the hours of stories about their coaches, their students, their faculty, their academic programs, the cutting-edge research at the UI Hospitals and Clinics and all the other content that will be University of Iowa-related plus much of what isn’t about us, but about the teams we compete against and the other 10 great institutions that are a part of our conference.
UI Director of Athletics
Gary Barta |
Barta said his No. 1 priority when it comes to the Big Ten Network is access for the masses. He said the UI is committed to providing every fan of the Hawkeyes and friend of the University of Iowa access to the Big Ten Network without having to pay above and beyond what is required for a basic level of service by the cable television or satellite television provider.
“We believe strongly that the network belongs on the basic level of service. We believe Iowans shouldn’t have to pay extra for programming that clearly is of significant interest to a significant number of our state’s population,” he said.
Barta said it’s hard for him to imagine television programming that would be more well-received and more relevant to Iowans than what will be available on the Big Ten Network.
“Will everyone in the state watch every hour? Of course not. But does everyone in the state of Iowa watch every hour of programming available on ABC or CBS or C-SPAN2 or the Versus Network or Spike TV or any of the other 70 or so options currently available as part of basic cable?” he said.
“Live Iowa football games, men’s basketball games, women’s basketball games, wrestling duals…hours of highlights, interviews, feature stories, `Classic” games and programming about our institution. This is television programming that Iowans will embrace and watch. And, yes, for example, we believe they’ll also watch Michigan State play Penn State in football before they watch Oregon play Washington State particularly if Iowa’s very next opponent is Michigan State or Penn State.”
More than 30 locally-owned and operated cable television companies across the state and the nation’s No. 1 satellite television company, DirecTV, agree with Barta: Iowans shouldn’t have to pay a premium to watch the Big Ten Network. Those companies will have the Big Ten Network on their basic level of service when the network goes live next Thursday.
Barta acknowledges that change is difficult. However, he notes that the Big Ten Conference has a long history of doing what is best for its member institutions, its student-athletes and its fans. And, in the area of television, it has historically blazed the trail that others followed.
The Iowa football team’s Sept. 8 home opener against Syracuse is already scheduled for live television coverage by the Big Ten Network. It is expected to be the first of as many as four or five UI football games that could be televised by the Big Ten Network.
“We know at least a minimum of 20 games of Coach (Todd) Lickliter’s team will be televised live on the Big Ten Network. We’re expecting another four, five or six games of Coach (Lisa) Bluder’s squad to be televised live on the Big Ten Network. Every one of those games will be available coast-to-coast,” he said.
“It should be pretty obvious why we’re excited. Parents of our student-athletes will be able to watch. Future Hawkeyes will be able to watch. Alumni and other friends of the UI – whether they live in Florida, Maine, Colorado or southern California – will be able to watch.”
Barta said Iowans should be able to watch, too, without having to pay more.”Few television programs command more of a viewing audience in the state of Iowa than an Iowa football game. Few television programs command more of an audience than an Iowa men’s basketball game,” he said.
“These teams, this institution, are a part of the fabric of the state of Iowa and cable television companies who are licensed by the cities they serve to provide programming that is of interest to their communities should strongly consider doing just that by making the Big Ten Network available to all of their subscribers as part of their basic level of service.”
“We believe this network should be very broadly distributed,” said Jim Delany, the commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, during a recent visit to Iowa City.
“Considering the role the universities play in the Midwest and their local communities, what could be more relevant in the Hawkeye State than Big Ten and University of Iowa programming? Our view is that if your cable company chooses 70 networks for you, clearly the Big Ten Network should be among those 70. We’re flexible on all matters except distribution – the Big Ten Network needs to be available broadly.”
Those interested in getting the Big Ten Network – the “University of Iowa Network” for Iowans – on their basic cable package are encouraged to call their local cable television operator or 1-866-WANT-B10.
Click HERE for more information about the Big Ten Network.