For Penn State fans across the Commonwealth, throughout the Big Ten states and the nation, the Big Ten Network is the top source for Nittany Lionathletics. Because this is the Penn State Network, it deserves the broadest possible distribution on cable and satellite television in Pennsylvania. To ensure that you and all Nittany Lion fans will have the Big Ten Network, please call 1-866-WANT-B10 and leave a message or be patched through to your
cable operator to let them know Nittany Nation wants the Big Ten Network on expanded basic cable, so that all Pennsylvanians can watch the Lions.
Launching on August 30, the Big Ten Network will televise 350-400 events during its inaugural year, including at least 35 football games, more than 135 men's basketball games, including 64 of the 99 intra-conference games, women's basketball and more than 170 Olympic sport events. The Big Ten
Network will air more events in stunning high-definition television (HDTV) than any other cable network has during its inaugural year on the air.
The Big Ten Network is a national television network, dedicated to covering the Big Ten Conference and its 11 member institutions. The Big Ten Network will provide unprecedented access to an extensive schedule of conference sports events and shows; original programs in academics, the arts and sciences; campus activities; and associated personalities. Sports programming will include live coverage of more major men's and women's events than ever before, along with news, highlights and analysis, all complemented by hours of university-produced campus programming.
The network will also air a nightly Big Ten studio show, "Big Ten Tonight," that will provide scores, highlights and day's sporting events and features on Big Ten student-athletes, coaches and programs.
Penn State fans will not want to miss all the Nittany Lion programming on the Big Ten Network in 2007-08:
70-75 Nittany Lion live events this season, including:
• A minimum of three football games;
• Approximately 20 men's basketball games; including games from Big Ten Tournament;
• Several women's basketball games; including games from Big Ten Tournament;
• Olympic sports; including wrestling, volleyball, soccer, baseball, gymnastics, field hockey, track & field and softball;
• A nightly studio show including segments from each campus;
• Big Ten championship events, classic games, and coaches' shows;
• 60 hours of campus programming produced at Penn State
Big Ten Network
Frequently Asked Questions
(Revised on August 23, 2007)
What is it?
It's not just the Big Ten Network - it's the Nittany Lion Network! The Big Ten Network is a new national cable/satellite programming service dedicated to covering both the athletic and academic content of the Big Ten Conference. The network will operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It launches August 30.
Every game that Penn State plays is important to a Nittany Lion fan, and the only way to get every game is if the Big Ten Network is distributed by your cable or satellite operator.
The Big Ten Network is majority owned by the Big Ten Conference with Fox Cable Networks holding a minority interest.
What will be on the Big Ten Network?
• 70-75 live Penn State events in 2007-08
• 35+ football games per season, including at least three Penn State games in 2007
• 125+ regular-season men's basketball games (including approximately 20 Penn State games in 2007-08 and games from the Big Ten Tournament)
• 55+ regular-season women's basketball games (including several Penn State games in 2007-08 and games from the Big Ten Tournament)
• 170+ Olympic sporting events, including Penn State wrestling, volleyball, baseball, soccer, gymnastics, field hockey, track and field and softball in 2007-08
• Big Ten Championship events
• A nightly studio show, Big Ten Tonight, with scores, highlights and features
• Archived Big Ten events, including bowl games
• Coaches' shows
• 660 hours of campus programming, including at least 60 hours of programming produced by Penn State
Who carries it?
As of mid-August, the Big Ten Network has deals with:
DirecTV (part of Total Choice, the basic package)
AT&T (basic level of service)
Approximately 100 local cable operators in Pennsylvania and all the Big Ten states, all of which call for the network to be carried on their basic cable package at no extra cost to consumers, including D&E Communications in State College and Lewisburg, Pa. Once additional deals are signed, they will be announced publicly.
As of mid-August, there are no agreements with other large cable companies, including Comcast, the largest cable provider in Pennsylvania.
How do I make sure my cable provider knows I am interested in the Big Ten Network?
Call 1-866-WANT-B10 and tell them you are interested in receiving the Big Ten Network. You can leave a message or be patched through to your cable provider.
For more information, visit the official Big Ten Network site, www.bigtennetwork.com.
Which Penn State football games will be on the Big Ten Network?
The Big Ten Network will broadcast the Florida International game on Sept. 1, the Buffalo game on Sept. 15 and at least one Big Ten game, possibly more. Every year, at least two Penn State football games will air on the network (one conference and one non-conference game).
Will there still be Penn State games on broadcast TV or ESPN?
Yes. ABC and CBS maintain their packages to broadcast Big Ten football and basketball games. ESPN will also continue to carry Penn State football, basketball and women's volleyball games on its family of channels.
How many Penn State football games will be on the Big Ten Network?
The Nittany Lions could play several games on the Big Ten Network. In 2006, the Big Ten Conference entered into long-term agreements with ESPN/ABC and the Big Ten Network for its home football games. As part of this agreement, the Big Ten Network will be able to carry more than 35 football games per year. ABC will still have the first selection each week, and the Big Ten Network will rotate selection of the other games with ESPN and ESPN2. Six times during the football season, the Big Ten Network will choose the second or third game among all Big Ten contests.
How are football games selected by the networks?
The games held the first few weeks of the season, as well as selected games later in the season, are picked prior to July 1. As the season goes on, ABC, ESPN and BTN will select their televised games under a rotation where half the time BTN gets the second selection and ESPN gets the third selection. ABC will always get the choice for the first game televised per week under either a 12- or six-day window. After that, either ESPN or the BTN get the second pick.
When will Big Ten Network football games air?
Most often, the Big Ten Network will air games at noon ET/11 a.m. CT, in addition to primetime games. The primetime games will be selected prior to the start of the season.
How many Nittany Lion basketball games will be on the Big Ten Network?
At least 15 Penn State men's basketball conference games are scheduled to air on the Big Ten Network during the 2007-08 season, with the possibility of one more. Several non-conference games also will likely air on the network. The Nittany Lions will play one Big Ten game on ESPN, one on ESPN, with the possibility of the home game with Indiana March 8/9) airing on CBS, ESPN or the Big Ten Network.
What about women's basketball and Olympic sports?
Similar to football and men's basketball, other sports may be subject to selection by other networks, including CSTV, ABC/ESPN and CBS. We anticipate that the vast majority of other sports will be carried via the Big Ten Network.
More than 55 women's basketball games will air on the network, including nine games from the Big Ten Tournament, with the schedule to be announced shortly. More than 170 Olympic sport events will air on the network, including Penn State State wrestling, volleyball, baseball, soccer, gymnastics, field hockey, track and field and softball in 2007-08.
What can I do to get my cable/satellite operator to carry the Big Ten Network?
Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics urges all Nittany Lion fans, whether they live inside or outside of the Big Ten footprint, to contact their cable or satellite provider to ask if they plan on carrying the Big Ten Network on expanded basic cable. We fully expect all cable systems and satellite providers within the eight Big Ten states to carry the network because they understand how important this programming is to you. By calling to inquire if your provider plans to carry the Big Ten Network, you will reinforce what they already know.
You are encouraged to call 1-866-WANT-B10. You'll have the opportunity to record a message about your desire to get the Big Ten Network, and be connected directly to your cable operator. You can also visit the official Big Ten Network website for more information.
What if I live outside of the Big Ten "footprint" (the 8 states home to Big Ten schools)?
You should check with your local cable/satellite operator. If you live outside of Pennsylvania, but within the Big Ten footprint, the Big Ten Network is working with satellite and cable distributors to clear the network on their expanded basic channel lineups. The Big Ten Network has national appeal, as 4.5 million Big Ten alumni live throughout the country, including more than 450,000 Penn State alumni. National agreements are in place with DirecTV (Ch. 220) and AT&T's U-verseSM and the Big Ten Network has significantly reduced the cost to cable operators to carry the network outside the Big Ten states, so we do expect them to agree to do so, especially when they realize how many of their customers are Big Ten alumni or fans.
How does the University benefit?
The University benefits from the national exposure of Penn State as one of the leading research institutions in the world. Many sports previously not televised nationally, like Olympic sports and women's sports, will now be broadcast to a national audience. Big Ten alumni and fans across the nation will have another avenue to stay connected to their schools.
How have the new media contracts helped the Big Ten Conference and Penn State?
The Big Ten Network enables Penn State fans across the country to have an easier time following the Nittany Lions. Particularly in the eight-state Big Ten footprint, fans will be able to see more football, basketball and Olympic sports than ever before. In addition to live events, the network will have programming that includes a nightly sports recap, classic games, coaches' shows and hundreds of hours of campus programming from Universities to showcase their excellence.
In addition to the formation of the Big Ten Network, the new ESPN/ABC contract will make all Big Ten football games on ESPN or ABC a national broadcast and put more basketball games on ESPN throughout the season. Any Penn State football games selected for a regional telecast on ABC will air on ESPN or ESPN2 in the rest of the nation.
Will I have to pay more to get the Big Ten Network?
We believe that if you live within the eight states of the Big Ten footprint, you should not have to pay any more to receive the network, which is why we are asking for the network to be carried on basic cable. If you already get 50 to 60 channels as part of your basic cable/satellite package, we feel that the Big Ten Network should be part of that lineup. Since the Big Ten Conference is about more than just sports, the networl also will feature more than 600 hours of campus programming covering the most creative, entertaining and interesting features of Penn State and al the Big Ten institutions, such as arts and music programs, top 10 alumni and ground-breaking research findings. It's hard to imagine finding over 50 channels more important to a viewer within the Big Ten community than the Big Ten Network.
I have DirecTV. Will I have to pay extra to get the Big Ten Network?
All DirecTV customers - even those receiving the most basic tier - will receive the Big Ten Network beginning on the launch date of August 30 on channel 220.
From day one, you will be able to see all the action, previews, analysis and classics on the Big Ten Network.
I'm a Penn State fan living in Michigan. If Penn State and Michigan State are both on the Big Ten Network at the same time, how will I get to see my Nittany Lions?
The Big Ten Network will frequently air multiple games at the same time, and will regionalize the games so that it can cater to each specific market so that you can see the games you care most about. So, for example, assuming the game is on the network, if you live in Pennsylvania or Iowa, you could see the Nittany Lions play the Hawkeyes on October 6. On the same day, if you live in Illinois or Michigan, you could see Northwestern play Michigan State.
The network also will offer the games it is not broadcasting in certain markets to its distribution partners to air on their "overflow" channels, so that fans who live outside their university's state can watch their teams.
DirecTV will carry all of of the network's "overflow" games. For cable operators, the decision whether or not to air Big Ten Network "overflow" games will be made by the cable operator.
Will the Big Ten Network broadcast in high-definition?
The Big Ten Network will produce more original HD than any other network in history. The network plans to produce more than 350 events and the nightly live studio show in HD, which will total more than 1,000 hours of original high-definition (HD) content in the first year alone.
Will the Big Ten Network stream games via the Internet?
The network is working hard to create and execute a broadband video strategy that will enable the streaming of some of games online (both live and/or on-demand). Several factors will play a role in determining the breadth of its broadband streaming offering, including rights issues and negotiations with cable and satellite providers. Keep an eye on www.bigtennetwork.com for the latest information.
Why is it necessary to create a new network?
As a premier college athletic and academic conference, the Big Ten sees enormous opportunity to reach millions of Big Ten alumni and sports fans across the nation through this new national network. With the growing popularity of an increased number of sports and the incredible distribution of the Big Ten's more than four million alumni across the nation, the Big Ten feels an obligation to provide its fans with the most access to the most programming possible.
Financial stability bolsters academic opportunities
Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics has been charged by the leadership of the University to be 100 percent self-sustaining - To generate every dollar it needs to successfully operate its 29 varsity sports programs. Penn State is one of the few athletic departments in the nation that is self-supporting and nationally competitive in a wide variety of sports.
Annual revenue attributable to the Big Ten Network will allow ICA to meet this obligation to the University, its faculty, its staff, its students, its alumni and other friends of the University. By remaining 100 percent self-supporting, citizens of Pennsylvania can take pride knowing that 100 percent of the support provided annually by the Commonwealth will be directed to the academic mission of the institution.
Big Ten Network Headlines
• 9/06/07 - DISH Network Adds Big Ten Network; This Week's Football Games Available
• 8/30/07 - Big Ten Network Launch Arrives
• 8/29/07 - Insight Communications To Carry Big Ten Network
• 8/27/07 - At least 15 Penn State Contests to be Televised on Big Ten Network During Fall Sports Season
• 8/24/07 - Comcast 'Unlikely' to Carry Big Ten Network At Launch
• 8/22/07 - D&E Communications to Carry Big Ten Network in Central Pennsylvania
• 8/16/07 - Nearly 240 Penn State Fans Attend Big Ten Network Dinner
• 8/14/07 - Nittany Lion Basketball Announces 2007-08 Big Ten Schedule
• 8/14/07 - State College Dinner Celebrates Big Ten Network Launch
• 8/13/07 - Big Ten Network's Friday Night Tailgate to Provide Campus Flavor
• 8/13/07 - Big Ten Network's Revsine & DiNardo Visit Penn State
• 8/9/07 - Penn State President Talks About the Many Benefits of the Big Ten Network
• 8/7/07 - Big Ten Network President to Appear on Today's "Speaking of Sports"
• 8/7/07 - Big Ten Network Completes On-Air Football Lineup
• 7/23/07 - Penn State Women's Athletics To Receive Unprecedented Coverage on Big Ten Network
• 7/18/07 - Big Ten Network Lands FOX Sports' BCS Announce Team to Lead Game Coverage
• 7/17/07 - Big Ten Network To Televise More Than 600 Hours of Penn State Programming in Inaugural Year
• 7/9/07 - Big Ten Network Launches "This is Big Ten Country" Campaign
• 7/2/07 - Big Ten Network To Officially Launch August 30th
• 6/28/07 - Big Ten Commissioner Delany Meets with Pa. Legislators and Governor's Office on Big Ten Network
• 6/21/07 - Big Ten Announces Commitment To Event Equality For Men And Women On Big Ten Network
• 6/19/07 - Six of 11 Conference Teams to Kick Off on Network
• 6/14/07 - Weiberg to Join Big Ten Network's Executive Team
• 5/30/07 - Revsine Named Lead Studio Host
• 5/4/07 - Big Ten Network President to Appear on Sports Jam Network's "PA Sports Saturday"
• 5/4/07 - Big Ten Network Officials Visit Penn State to Discuss New Television Channel
• 4/24/07 - Big Ten Network Announces First-Ever Prime-Time Football Schedule
• 12/20/06 - Big Ten Network Unveils New Headquarters
• 12/5/06 - Mark Silverman Named President of Big Ten Network
• 8/19/06 - Big Ten Network Announces Board Of Directors
• 8/12/06 - Big Ten and Fox Announce Official Name and Unveil Logo for Big Ten Network
