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Sep 28, 2007 6:38 pm US/Central
Cable Dispute Clouds Big Ten Network Day
by Darcy Pohland
(WCCO)
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Since before the Big Ten network launched, negotiations were underway to broadcast Gopher sports on Comcast cable's basic service, but four games into the season, still no deal.
CBS
It's Big Ten Network Day in Minneapolis. Mayor R.T. Rybak made that official declaration today. The trouble is, the Big Ten Network can't be seen by any Comcast Cable customers. That covers most of the Twin Cities area.
Now the two sides are working to get the public on their side. It was supposed to be a day of celebration for unprecedented access to gopher sports. But it seems even the mayor didn't want to become embroiled in the battle to televise big ten Sports in Minnesota.
"I can't speak to what his commitments are but we're thankful of his long term support of the gophers," said University of Minnesota athletics director Joel Maturi.
Since before the Big Ten network launched, negotiations were underway to broadcast Gopher sports on Comcast cable's basic service, but four games into the season, still no deal.
"We would hope all our fans would have access to seeing us every week . It's not the case we're disappointed but we realize we're committed to this relationship and hopefully this will be satisfied," said Maturi.
The fight to win loyalty of the fans has blanketed the air waves with an ad blitz on both sides.
"The Big Ten Network wants to force cable customers to pay for their channel even if they don't want it. We think that's wrong,"
"Call your cable company tell them you want the Big Ten network,"
In the end, the fans are the biggest losers.
In a written statement Comcast spokesperson Mary Beth Schubert said:
"The overwhelming majority of our customers do not want to pay Fox and the Big Ten the hundreds of millions of dollars they are demanding."
There are no new talks scheduled.
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