Hey
My new way to deal with Big Ten Network is this:
Everytime the UW Foundation calls me asking for a handout to "save the University from financial peril", I say "Eff Off, go get my contribution from your Big Ten Network".
Anyone who tries to rationalize that this is really the cable company's fault is kidding themselves. The Big Ten wants to eat into the profits that the networks (ABC, ESPN) were making off them, but they need to be in the same package tier of at least ESPN to get enough cash from their advertisers. This is just greed, and nothing more. The Big Ten wants more money, and the Networks have leverage with the Cable Companies and thus are really the ones pressing the cable companies not to give the Big Ten or the NFL Network any sort of preference in attempt to kill the channel before it gets off the ground. If UW really cared about the fans, they would have found a way to show the games, not just write letters to the papers blaming Charter and Time Warner (thanks Barry, you are a real D-bag).
I would rather not watch the game than watch the Big Ten Network.
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4 comments:
"What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I've ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response was there anything that could even remotely be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
Seriosuly dude; what gives you the right to watch the game over the air or thru your cable? Glad you are exercising your right that you don't have to watch. One company is acting like a monopoly because the government has given them faux-exclusive privelidges and the other is an organization trying to funnel money that is going to be spent already back to themselves.
Looks like a clear cut case of communism vs capitalism to me.
Look up the facts too. While BTN is asking for the second-most money. Charter/Time Warner/Comcast/etc are trying to claim their putting themselves on some pedestal, "2nd only to ESPN." ESPN gets $2.90/customer, BTN wants $1.10 yeah its 2nd more, but many channels are in the $.75-.90 range, $1.10 is a hell a lot closer to $.85 than it is to $2.90. I can guarantee you that Charter/Time Warner/Comcast have spent more money than enough combatting the effort of the marketing of the BTN. They could have gave BTN to all their customers for free many times over by now. And you know why the Big Ten/UW/Barry could afford to pay for a letter to the fans because people are willing to pay for that. Also why are all the small-town private cable supplier been able to swing the deal?
Additionally, the BTN has been generally viewed as a success. It is likely that other conferences will follow suit.
The precedent was set 10+ years ago when Notre Dame got it's own station.
Simmer down tim. I never said I had the right to watch, I just said I would rather not watch than watch on the Big Ten Network. Its supposed to be about a game, not about billions of dollars, at least thats what I thought. I am not saying the cable companies are in the right, but neither is the Big Ten, and if that is irrational to say, then call me irrational.
Also, as an alumni that lives in the state (all we hear is that the UW graduates leave WI after they graduate) and actually pays taxes that supports the school (indirect funding), and as someone who pays money to support the school since the $2-3 billion dollars that they have in their foundation cannot be used to support anything other than the next fundraising drive (direct funding), I think I may have some kind of right to say something critical about the whole procees and the requirement that I now have to pay (not just pay, change my entire television subscription) to watch what used to be shown in our state for free. I simply said I would rather not watch, period. How is that irrational?
If all the conference get their own channels, great, just more stuff I will not pay to watch.
Actually, the Big Ten Network, the requirement to make a contribution to just to get a form to apply for basketball season tickets, the booster fees on football season tickets, the constant calls for money, and the fact that this is operated under the guise of a "not for profit" system that is operating like a cut throat business that gives its rich alumni preferential treatment (even though its a public university, last time I checked), sometimes makes me sick to my stomach that I even graduated from UW.
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