Guide Note

The Big Ten Network provides specialized coverage of the Big Ten Conference's athletic and academic events. It is a joint venture between the Big Ten and FOX Cable Networks, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

Fast Facts

1. President: Mark Silverman
2. Launch: August 30, 2007
3. HQ: Chicago, Illinois
4. Slogan: "This is Big Ten country!"
5. 2007: 41 football games exclusively broadcast
6. First show: Big Ten Tonight on launch day
7. First day of live games included Appalachian State's 2007 upset win over Michigan

The company caused controversy for failing to reach an agreement with major cable providers like Comcast and Time Warner Cable to broadcast their content. To generations of Midwestern sports fans who never missed their favorite team's games growing up, this meant suddenly finding themselves locked out of Big Ten sports television coverage. Many cable subscribers in the heartland responded by switching to satellite providers like DIRECTV or DISH Network that do include the network in their subscription packages.

An agreement was forged with Time Warner Cable on August 26, 2008, to provide fans in Wisconsin and Ohio with access to their home games beginning on August 30, 2008. Time Warner Cable was the last major holdout, and an agreement with Media.com later this year should bring access to the entire league market.¹

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