Big Ten Network and Comcast officially sign deal
Our long national nightmare is over!
Comcast and the Big Ten Network have officially signed a “long-term multimedia agreement” that will bring the network to Comcast subscribers on August 15th.
Conference programming will be available on Comcast’s On-Demand platform, as well as online to Comcast.net broadband subscribers. The network will start out on basic cable in the eight-state Big Ten region, but may move to the digital tier as early as Spring 2009. Comcast subscribers outside of the Big Ten region will be able to get the network but it’s up to Comcast to decide which tier it will be on for each region. The network will be available in both standard and high definition.
This deal should help make it easier for the network to negotiate with other large cable companies.
Officials from Comcast and Big Ten Network said they look forward to utilizing both traditional and emerging media to bring more Big Ten programming to fans than was ever available to them before.
“We are very pleased with the agreement we have reached with the Big Ten Network to carry hundreds of live Big Ten events,” said Madison Bond, Executive Vice President, Content Acquisition, Comcast Cable. “We will be providing our customers with Big Ten programming through our signature video-on-demand service, and will have lots of highlights, replays, scores and more through Comcast.net so fans can keep pace with Big Ten action whenever they want to.”
Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman said the network is thrilled to have Comcast as a distribution partner. “This agreement allows us to reach many more Big Ten fans with our programming because of the high concentration of Comcast subscribers in Big Ten states. With the Comcast deal now in place, the Big Ten Network will be available to more than two-thirds of all homes in Big Ten Country.”