Today on a wimb I did a Google News search on the Big Ten Network looking to see if they had mady any progress to strike a distribution deal with Comcast.
I found an article around noon with an update was iminent in the coming week. Fast forward to a couple hours later when I was visiting Yardbarker blog, Awful Announcing, to see that indeed the a deal had been finalzed bringing the Big Ten Network to basic cable in the Big Ten Region . The deal also means that the Big Ten Network will become avaiable on sports packages for those with Comcast outside of the Big Ten region.
The bottom line is that the agreement means “Just 40 percent of the homes equipped with cable or satellite dishes will be able to receive BTN in Ohio as things stand. That compares to the new totals of 89 percent in Indiana, 87 percent in Illinois, 83 percent in Pennsylvania and 79 percent in Michigan.”
The agreement is a HUGE win for the Big Ten Network which now has legitimate staying power as a cable network. Regardless if Charter or Time Warner pick up the network, BTN has enough distribution through ATT, Comcast, Dish, Direct TV and most likely Verizon Fios in the near future to survive the two remaining holdouts.
Let’s hope the NFL network is able to find similar success in the coming months as we approach fall.
