Latest TWC and BTN bickering

[wireblsam]

This offer was made to Time Warner in at least Wisconsin and Ohio....

Time Warner Cable on Friday sent a letter to University of Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, offering to broadcast upcoming UW football games against the University of Akron and Marshall University on a pay-per-view basis, with the proceeds from the games going to UW.

http://blogs.jsonline.com/businessofsports/archive/2008/08/22/time-warner-makes-offer-for-uw-games.aspx

Time Warner Cable extended an offer Friday to show Buckeye football games scheduled for broadcast on the Big Ten Network, but the Big Ten Network had harsh words for the proposal, calling it a "publicity stunt" that created confusion and false hope.

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2008/08/22/story_time_warner.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=102

[wireblsam]

According to JSOnline a deal is in place and may be announced this evening...

http://blogs.jsonline.com/businessofsports/archive/2008/08/25/big-ten-network-time-warner-reach-deal.aspx

[RonH]

It will be interesting to see how long it takes TWC, specifically TWC-Milwaukee, to get the channel on their system.  And then when they do, will it be in HD right away?  Since BTN can have up to 5 games on at one time, I assume TWC will just select the game of most interest to Milwaukee subscribers.

I picked up the BTN around April, and I noticed pretty much 100% of the broadcast is HD, even stuff like women's softball.

[OlsonNet]

http://blogs.jsonline.com/businessofsports/archive/2008/08/25/time-warner-big-ten-network-have-a-deal.aspx

Looks like no HD (just channel 63) at least right now.

[Talos4]

With up to five different games offered on a typical weekend, I wonder if TWC will treat the Wisc, games like an RSN. Game only.

Will have to wait for "Further details" sometime today.

I certainly hope for you TWC subs that you'll get it full time in HD:bang:

[Andrew]

What a waste, I certainly hope it is not one of the next channels we get in HD.

[klwillis45]

What a waste, I certainly hope it is not one of the next channels we get in HD.

An attitude like that makes no sense to me. While you may not like a particular channel other subscribers certainly will. Let them add every channel possible and you can make the choice to watch or not instead of having it made for you.

[LoadStar]

An attitude like that makes no sense to me.

It makes perfect sense to me. Whether or not you like BTN is irrelevant. The fact of the matter is that BTN is a niche station, which is what TWC has been arguing since BTN went on the air. It is only of interest to sports fans, and specifically those sports fans interested in following Big Ten college sports.

TWC has a whole list of stations that they could add that appeal to a much broader demographic base (Discovery HD, MHD, USA HD, etc.) that they have failed to do so far. If they add a station that appeals to a definite niche market before one of these stations, they'll likely make Big Ten fans happy - but at the expense of irritating everyone else who can't give a care about the Big Ten.

[klwillis45]

It makes perfect sense to me. Whether or not you like BTN is irrelevant. The fact of the matter is that BTN is a niche station, which is what TWC has been arguing since BTN went on the air. It is only of interest to sports fans, and specifically those sports fans interested in following Big Ten college sports.

TWC has a whole list of stations that they could add that appeal to a much broader demographic base (Discovery HD, MHD, USA HD, etc.) that they have failed to do so far. If they add a station that appeals to a definite niche market before one of these stations, they'll likely make Big Ten fans happy - but at the expense of irritating everyone else who can't give a care about the Big Ten.

Can't agree with you there. BTN may be for a niche market but it is an extremely large niche market. Besides all channels appeal to a niche market when you get right down to it. I have no interest in Lifetime HD but I have no problem with them adding it for those that do.
Adding BTN isn't preventing other channels from being available, TWC-Milwaukee is doing a bang up job of that on their own.

[duncantuna]

Definitely siding with the anti-BTN group for a full time HD channel.

First, you need to be a sports fan, next, you need to be a Big 10/UW fan.   That demographic is far smaller than any national channel.  

Put together with the fact that, while UW games will be well watched in Wisconsin, we're taking 30 bball games, and 10 football games.   40 games, maybe 150 hours of TV/year that most fans will be interested in.  And for that, they're taking a precious HD slot that's on 24/7, 8,700+ hours per year.

(Sure, sure, BTN broadcasts other sports, women's sports, etc, plus non-UW teams playing football/basketball.  Those games would be watched by tiny fractions of the WI population.)

[tbest1797]

It will be interesting to see how long it takes TWC, specifically TWC-Milwaukee, to get the channel on their system.  And then when they do, will it be in HD right away?  Since BTN can have up to 5 games on at one time, I assume TWC will just select the game of most interest to Milwaukee subscribers.

I picked up the BTN around April, and I noticed pretty much 100% of the broadcast is HD, even stuff like women's softball.

Looks like they don't have to hurry this week.  The Badger game is in SD.  I guess I won't be waking up early to watch.  I don't remember any SD games last year but I could be wrong.

Tom

[Jack 1000]

I'm surprised that TWC did not hold out for putting the channel on the optional sports package.  I thought that was what all this was about?  I am not a football or Big 10 fan, but I always hear about TWC not having the channel, so now you guys have it for the college games.

However, I have to agree.  After the season ends, it's going to be a pretty useless channel.

Jack

[basshive]

However, I have to agree. After the season ends, it's going to be a pretty useless channel.

ugh. Why do people keep saying things like this? The same is said about the NFL Network being useless outside of the active season.  There is more to BTN and NFL network than just a current game especially throughout the year.

Talking about this or these channels taking up precious HD space or slots is the type of logic TWC has pushed people into.  Other carriers have these channels and A LOT more without people thinking of them as taking up precious space.. It really is a shame that just getting BTN has been this difficult and caused so much controversy.  I love the old TWC is looking out for its customer line. They are looking for your wallet just like every other provider.

As was said previously -

Adding BTN isn't preventing other channels from being available, TWC-Milwaukee is doing a bang up job of that on their own.

[Mikey]

According to an online CSR (Myesha), BTN-HD will be on TWC 527 starting this Saturday (8/30).

Edit:  for you folks bitching about getting BTN-HD and not some other HD channel...since when did this become a zero-sum game?

[wireblsam]

Definitely siding with the anti-BTN group for a full time HD channel.

First, you need to be a sports fan, next, you need to be a Big 10/UW fan.   That demographic is far smaller than any national channel.  

Put together with the fact that, while UW games will be well watched in Wisconsin, we're taking 30 bball games, and 10 football games.   40 games, maybe 150 hours of TV/year that most fans will be interested in.  And for that, they're taking a precious HD slot that's on 24/7, 8,700+ hours per year.

(Sure, sure, BTN broadcasts other sports, women's sports, etc, plus non-UW teams playing football/basketball.  Those games would be watched by tiny fractions of the WI population.)

Look at a UVerse truck as it goes down the street.  They all have decals on them that says we have the NFL Network and Big Ten Network and cable doesn't.  The sign doesn't say we have the CNN HD and Lifetime Movie Network HD and cable doesn't.