Time Warner vs. The
Big Ten Network
The refusal of Time Warner Cable to carry the Big Ten
Network left many Buckeye fans out in the cold last year. But this year, OSU
Athletic Director Gene Smith might be on to something…
By Eric Geier
The Issue
The issue is simple; Time Warner
Cable doesn’t want to pay the Big Ten Network. The Big Ten Network has asked
Time Warner for $1.00 per subscriber. Apparently, that amount of money
requested will put Time Warner in the red (that’s sarcasm if you can’t tell).
In non-Big Ten states, the Big Ten Network asks for only $.10 per subscriber, a
move that seems to be fueling Time Warner’s refusal to carry the network. If
they only require $.10 for non-Big Ten states, then why are they asking for so
much more for the 8 Big Ten states? It seems that both sides want to have their
cake and eat it to, but there’s only one piece of cake.
Gene Smith’s Solution
An e-mail sent by OSU Athletic
Director Gene Smith today announced that a deal between the two networks is
probably not going to be reached. But he has a solution, switch networks. Smith
urged alumni and ticket holders in the e-mail to check out rates in their area
for other cable subscribers, even providing a link where users can enter their
zip code and check prices.
"While negotiations are
ongoing with Time Warner, it appears very unlikely that an agreement will be
reached before the first game of the year, and anything beyond that is
problematic," said Smith. He called the failing negotiations a “huge
disappointment.”
However, Gene Smiths proposal might
be the thing that kicks Time Warner in their pants. The prospect of losing
hundreds, maybe thousands of customers might be enough to scare Time Warner
into a deal with the Big Ten Network.
Time Warner’s
Response
Upon hearing Smith’s proposal to
Time Warner subscribers, they issued a statement of their own, saying, “It
appears the University is not being fully briefed on the status of the
negotiations, we’ve had positive discussions with Fox in recent days including
the active exchange of proposals.”
“There’s no stalemate or breakdown
in discussions as Smith’s letter would have our customers believe. On the
contrary, talks are moving in the right direction,” the statement said,
concluding, “We are ready to carry the Big Ten Network.”
Time Warner’s response to Smith’s
comments is just something to deter customers from switching networks right
now. At this point, just one week before the first game of the season, it seems
highly unlikely that a deal is going to be reached. However, if Time Warner
sees a substantial drop in subscribers, we could see a deal reached sooner,
rather than later. So, as fans, you have three options, switch networks, make
sure you make friends with someone who has the network, or make sure you reserve
your seat early at your local bar.
Games on the Big Ten
Network
August 30th- Youngstown State
September 20th- Troy
September 27th- Minnesota
Second Conference Game- TBD |