FCC may force the Big Ten Network’s hand
EchoStar, the parent company of Dish Network, is asking the Federal Communications Commission to declare the Big Ten Network a regional sports network. That would allow EchoStar to request arbitration for its negotiations with the network so that it can carry the network under what it calls “reasonable terms.”
If the FCC rules in favor of EchoStar, it could set a precedent for the Big Ten Network’s negotiations with major cable companies like Comcast, Time Warner, and Charter. It may could mean that the network may end up a “digital tier” or “sports tier” channel in various satellite and cable lineups.
EchoStar, parent of Dish Network, filed a 19-page petition with the FCC Friday seeking expedited treatment regarding Big Ten Network, a joint venture that is 51%-owned by the Big Ten Conference and 49%-owned by Fox Cable, a unit of News Corp.
Fox Cable had not seen EchoStar’s FCC filing yet and, therefore, declined to comment, spokesman Tom Tyrer said Monday. Fox Cable is handling distribution for the new channel.
EchoStar wants the FCC to declare the network, which launches next month, an RSN under the terms of the so-called 2004 News Corp.-Hughes order. That order set forth a number of conditions that News Corp. had to adhere in order to gain approval to acquire a stake in DirecTV.
One of those conditions was that a distributor could submit disputes with News Corp. over the terms and conditions of carrying one of its RSNs to commercial arbitration.