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Suggestions re: COMCAST and BigTen Network

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Abn173

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Jul 26, 2012
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There numerous NU fans in states where
COMCAST cancelled the Big Ten Network,
and we would like to have some suggestions on how to keep COMCAST (contract), but be able to sign up with a inexpensive company and stream the Big Ten network, starting in September.
 
RealTucoSalamanca

RealTucoSalamanca

Heisman
Aug 18, 2016
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RebelHusker said:
There numerous NU fans in states where
COMCAST cancelled the Big Ten Network,
and we would like to have some suggestions on how to keep COMCAST (contract), but be able to sign up with a inexpensive company and stream the Big Ten network, starting in September.
Click to expand...

Fox sports net app on your Laptop. Plug in a HDMI and watch. I did it for the spring game
 
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GimmeRed

GimmeRed

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Nov 9, 2005
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Hulu live will have the BTN full channel for the lowest cost that I've seen.

Edited to correct that Fubo tv is cheaper at $20 right now, but that is a promo.
 
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Wasker77

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Dec 23, 2014
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I wish these providers would get their act together. I have Directv because it offers BTN and plus I like it. Our local cable provider is Charter which is awful. Our local internet provider also offers TV but by the time you add up the cost of their receivers it is even more expensive than Direct (and it does not have BTN). Directv even after the takeover by AT&T does not carry the Pac 12 Network. I cheat and use my nephew's password for Xfinity to view the Pac 12 network games on my iPad and then cast them onto a VIZIO TV. I feel like I spend too much money to watch sports and have to jump through too many hoops to watch all the college football games that I want to watch.
 
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mpbrown27

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May 17, 2006
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I would expect Comcast to carry BTN on the regular sports packages by fall. They are probably dropping it now to create leverage for contract negotiations.
 
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schuele

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mpbrown27 said:
I would expect Comcast to carry BTN on the regular sports packages by fall. They are probably dropping it now to create leverage for contract negotiations.
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Maybe, but I'll be surprised if Comcast brings back BTN in metro areas that don't have a large Big Ten fan base. They're not going to put BTN in the main cable package and pay for millions of subscribers who aren't interested in Big Ten athletics. And when they put it on an extra sports & entertainment tier, nobody buys it.
 
RealTucoSalamanca

RealTucoSalamanca

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schuele said:
Maybe, but I'll be surprised if Comcast brings back BTN in metro areas that don't have a large Big Ten fan base. They're not going to put BTN in the main cable package and pay for millions of subscribers who aren't interested in Big Ten athletics. And when they put it on an extra sports & entertainment tier, nobody buys it.
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Mine was included in the sports tier package, not the main package. They would have to be monitoring actual viewership of the Big Ten network in non-BigTen markets otherwise they wouldn't be able to tell since it is part of a package that includes things like Tennis channel and golf network
 
GimmeRed

GimmeRed

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Tuco Salamanca said:
The app just gives you a list of programs or games on at that time from all the different Fox owned platforms from Fox Sports 1 to Big East Digital Network
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I don't have to worry about it, I live in Nebraska and don't have Comcast, but I enjoy the BTN reports and programming. I'd come up with a plan to get it if my cable service dropped it.
 
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schuele

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Tuco Salamanca said:
Mine was included in the sports tier package, not the main package. They would have to be monitoring actual viewership of the Big Ten network in non-BigTen markets otherwise they wouldn't be able to tell since it is part of a package that includes things like Tennis channel and golf network
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Comcast knows how many people bought the extra sports tier pre-Big Ten Network and they know how many people bought it after BTN was added. According to the responses to customers that Comcast has posted online, BTN wasn't pulling in nearly enough extra-tier subscribers to cover its cost. And that's likely getting worse as other options for watching BTN programming - like the app you already mentioned - become available.
 
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RealTucoSalamanca

RealTucoSalamanca

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schuele said:
Comcast knows how many people bought the extra sports tier pre-Big Ten Network and they know how many people bought it after BTN was added. According to the responses to customers that Comcast has posted online, BTN isn't pulling in nearly enough extra-tier subscribers to cover its cost. And that's likely getting worse as other options for watching BTN programming - like the app you already mentioned - become available.
Click to expand...

That is sort of short sighted. I already had the sports tier when they added the BTN, most sports fans did. The BTN or SEC network alone had little to nothing to do with why a sports fan purchases an extra tier. If I switched to DirecTV I would buy the sports package, but not simply because of BTN.

That would make sense if someone had to purchase BTN as a stand alone.
 
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schuele

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Tuco Salamanca said:
That is sort of short sighted. I already had the sports tier when they added the BTN, most sports fans did. The BTN or SEC network alone had little to nothing to do with why a sports fan purchases an extra tier. If I switched to DirecTV I would buy the sports package, but not simply because of BTN.

That would make sense if someone had to purchase BTN as a stand alone.
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But if Comcast has to raise the price of the sports tier to keep BTN on it, will you still buy it? That's the question they're weighing. For some people BTN adds value, but for many it doesn't.
 
RealTucoSalamanca

RealTucoSalamanca

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schuele said:
But if Comcast has to raise the price of the sports tier to keep BTN on it, will you still buy it? That's the question they're weighing. For some people BTN adds value, but for many it doesn't.
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There has to be some sort of viewership or ratings that were used to make that determination. They didn't just pull the plug on BTN outside of the BTN footprint based on the odds that someone wont pay an extra $3/ mo for the sports tier package. Most consumers wouldn't know if that increase was because of BTN, or because of the Golf Network, Pac 12 network, NASCAR network or any of the other channels on the package or a combination of all of them.
 
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TJinND

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Jun 13, 2001
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I've got the same issue. Midcontinent Communications dropped BTN from it's sports and variety tier for everyone in the Dakotas, but it is still available for their Minnesota customers. Here is a short article discussing BTN options for those without the cable option.

watch BTN
 
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schuele

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Tuco Salamanca said:
There has to be some sort of viewership or ratings that were used to make that determination. They didn't just pull the plug on BTN outside of the BTN footprint based on the odds that someone wont pay an extra $3/ mo for the sports tier package. Most consumers wouldn't know if that increase was because of BTN, or because of the Golf Network, Pac 12 network, NASCAR network or any of the other channels on the package or a combination of all of them.
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I'm guessing they pulled the plug on it because BTN wants to get paid commensurate with the conference's so-called expansion into the NYC and DC markets, and Comcast is calling BS on that. I don't blame Comcast for doing so, but a smarter approach might be for Comcast to look at non-Big Ten metro areas on more of a case-by-case basis, instead of just lumping all of them together. DFW, for example, isn't Big Ten territory but it has a high ratio of college sports fans. Denver isn't Big Ten territory, but it's crawling with Big Ten alums who probably care more about Big Ten athletics than the Pac 12 or Mountain West. There should be a way to offer BTN in these markets and still tell BTN to pound sand when it comes to NYC and DC.
 
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RealTucoSalamanca

RealTucoSalamanca

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schuele said:
I'm guessing they pulled the plug on it because BTN wants to get paid commensurate with the conference's so-called expansion into the NYC and DC markets, and Comcast is calling BS on that. I don't blame Comcast for doing so, but a smarter approach might be for Comcast to look at non-Big Ten metro areas on more of a case-be-case basis, instead of just lumping all of them together. DFW, for example, isn't Big Ten territory but it has a high ratio of college sports fans. Denver isn't Big Ten territory, but it's crawling with Big Ten alums who probably care more about Big Ten athletics than the Pac 12 or Mountain West. There should be a way to offer BTN in these markets and still tell BTN to pound sand when it comes to NYC and DC.
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I agree, I would bet that trend to cut the cord also has a lot to do with this. People can purchase what they want a la carte and save money rather than pay for stuff they don't watch. It all makes sense.
 
A

Abn173

All-Conference
Jul 26, 2012
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schuele said:
I'm guessing they pulled the plug on it because BTN wants to get paid commensurate with the conference's so-called expansion into the NYC and DC markets, and Comcast is calling BS on that. I don't blame Comcast for doing so, but a smarter approach might be for Comcast to look at non-Big Ten metro areas on more of a case-be-case basis, instead of just lumping all of them together. DFW, for example, isn't Big Ten territory but it has a high ratio of college sports fans. Denver isn't Big Ten territory, but it's crawling with Big Ten alums who probably care more about Big Ten athletics than the Pac 12 or Mountain West. There should be a way to offer BTN in these markets and still tell BTN to pound sand when it comes to NYC and DC.
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Agreed! I live in central Florida, and you would not believe the number of people from BIG TEN states that are here. And that tripled during October thru April.
 
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