The dispute between the Big Ten Network and Comcast has been good for newspapers and radio stations. Both entities have taken to running ad campaigns.
The BTN ads are heralding its programming, including upcoming games. Meanwhile, the Comcast ads have stepped up the rhetoric.
A Comcast ad in Sunday’s Tribune carried the headline, “Why won’t the Big Ten Network play ball?” The ad also ran in Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and other cities in the conference region.
In a letter to “fellow football fans,” notably those fans who are subscribers, Comcast seeks to “separate BTN spin from the facts of these negotiations.”
The problem is Comcast doesn’t have all the facts right.
Quoting from the ad:
“Spin: BTN carries the best games.
“Fact: Comcast already airs the best Big Ten football matchups on ABC, NBC, ESPN and ESPN2 — all at no extra cost. That’s because the Big Ten negotiated a deal with ABC/ESPN for the rights to its best football games for many years, which means BTN will carry the games ABC/ESPN didn’t want and wouldn’t pay for. In fact, most of these games were on free TV last year, so the Big Ten is really taking those games away from fans.”
For starters, BTN never said it would air the league’s best games. Naturally, the top games go to ABC and others go to ESPN and ESPN2.
But the most egregious “spin” on Comcast’s part is the assertion BTN is offering games ABC/ESPN didn’t want. A Comcast Web site, www.puttingfansfirst.com, says columnists call them “fifth-tier games.”
That simply isn’t true. This week, BTN is airing Purdue (5-1) at Michigan (4-2) and Indiana (5-1) at Michigan State (4-2). Does that sound like “fifth-tier games” to you?
The fact is after ABC selects first, BTN receives the second or third choice of games during six weeks of the football season. While BTN President Mark Silverman won’t disclose the actual selection process, you have to think the network used one of its second picks for Purdue-Michigan.
Earlier this year, BTN had Illinois’ big victory over Penn State. Certainly, Comcast subscribers in this area would have enjoyed being able to watch that game.
And how about this for a game ABC/ESPN “didn’t want” — either Wisconsin-Ohio State on Nov. 3 or Illinois-Ohio State on Nov. 10 will be on BTN. The Buckeyes have yet to play a league game on the network, a requirement for all schools.
Ohio State’s upcoming Big Ten games against Michigan State and Penn State already have been designated for ABC and ESPN or ESPN2, and the season finale Ohio State-Michigan showdown is a lock for ABC. That leaves either the Wisconsin or Illinois games to be aired on BTN.
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Both those games could have Rose Bowl, not to mention BCS implications. You have to think ABC/ESPN would have some interest in the one that airs on BTN.
Actually, Illinois’ resurgence couldn’t come at a better time for BTN. The Illini have boosted the network’s inventory of quality games.
“Illinois has been a big factor for us, and so has Indiana,” Silverman said. “There’s so much parity in the league this year. It makes these games much more meaningful.”
Silverman said there has been “no movement” in BTN’s negotiations with Comcast. He didn’t want to get into details about the Comcast ad, other than saying, “They are mischaracterizing the facts.”
Richard Ruggiero, vice president of communications for Comcast, defended the ad.
“In virtually all cases, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 have chosen not to carry [the games that air on BTN],” Ruggiero said.
The ad is factually correct in one area when it says, “It’s all about the money.” Comcast continues to maintain BTN’s fee demand is out of line, and it doesn’t want to pass along the cost to subscribers. The conference, meanwhile, insists on being placed on Comcast’s basic package and not on its sports package, which comes with an added fee.
The football season could be the prelude to the real fireworks that are just around the corner. BTN will air 140 Big Ten basketball games, 65 in league play. If you think Illinois fans are going to be upset, can you imagine the reaction in Indiana when the faithful can’t watch the Hoosiers?
What will the “spin” be then?
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