Posted by ESPN. com's Adam Rittenberg
The Big Ten Network cleared its last major hurdle Monday night and reached an agreement in principle with Time Warner Cable to be carried by the provider. The agreement would make the Big Ten Network accessible in both Ohio and Wisconsin, allowing fans in those states to watch the Buckeyes and Badgers play their season openers Saturday. Time Warner Cable was the last major cable provider in the Big Ten area not to carry the Big Ten Network. It will carry the network as part of its expanded basic package.
The likely agreement ends a week of bickering that began with a letter from Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith to Buckeyes fans urging them to switch from Time Warner Cable to another provider because negotiations had reached a standstill. Despite some harsh words from both sides, the Big Ten Network and Time Warner Cable found common ground.
The Big Ten Network also is nearing an agreement with Mediacom and should reach the entire league market this season.
Big Ten Network, Time Warner Cable, Ohio State Buckeyes, Wisconsin Badgers, Gene Smith, Mediacom
Time Warner Cable and the Big Ten Network announced today that they have reached an agreement-in-principle on terms of carriage for the Big Ten Network and its high-definition and video-on-demand programming on Time Warner Cable's line-ups throughout the Big Ten territory, including Ohio and Wisconsin. The pending agreement will ensure that Time Warner Cable's customers across these Big Ten states will have access to this Saturday's Big Ten college football season openers and all future Big Ten Network programming on an expanded basic level of service.
August 30 Youngstown State Noon Big Ten Network
September 6 Ohio University Noon ESPN/ESPN2
September 13 at USC 8 pm ABC
September 20 Troy University Noon Big Ten Network
October 4 at Wisconsin 8 pm ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
October 25 Penn State 8 pm ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
Standard definition channels will launch in time for the Saturday, August 30 game. Most high-definition channels will launch this week except where noted.
Posted: 08/26/08
Staff reports
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Ohio State football fans who subscribe to Time Warner Cable will be able to watch Saturday's season-opener against Youngstown State, a TW spokeswoman said today, Aug. 26.
The Big Ten Network will launch on Time Warner systems on Thursday in the Dayton and Springfield areas. The BTN will be aired on channel 78 on expanded basic packages. Fuse, currently on 78, will move to channel 128.
The BTN will launch Friday in Hamilton, Fairfield, Middletown, Trenton, Cincinnati and surrounding areas south of Dayton. The BTN will air on channel 60 in those markets.
Time Warner and the Big Ten Network announced Monday night that they have reached an agreement-in-principle on terms of carriage for the BTN and its high-definition and video-on-demand programming on Time Warner's lineups throughout the Big Ten territory.
The Buckeyes play at least two games on the BTN — Saturday's noon game and the Sept. 20 game against Troy. In addition, the BTN likely will air at least one of OSU's conference games.
So for Dayton, BTN will be on channel 78, still trying to find out the High Def channel tho.
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