This football season, the local community may have to pile onto MSU’s campus to view games on the Big Ten Network, or BTN, which university officials said will be available to students come fall semester.
The network will broadcast at least three MSU football games, including the Sept. 8 contest against Bowling Green.
“President Simon said from day one the Big Ten Network must be available on campus,” MSU spokesman Terry Denbow said. “All residence halls, apartments, the Kellogg Center – any place there is a cable connection.”
The deal was finalized weeks ago, but no formal announcement from the university has been made. The final paperwork will go through within the next day or so, said Fred Kayne, associate director of University Housing.
The plan is to have BTN, Channel 23 on campus, available when the network goes live Aug. 30, Kayne said. Residence hall students will not be charged additional fees, he said.
As it stands, negotiations between Comcast – the area’s dominant cable provider – and BTN are at a standstill.
While it will be available on campus, if an agreement is not reached, the games broadcast by BTN may not be televised in the Lansing and East Lansing areas.
Local leaders are making a strong push to have the network available for the community, and BTN was a hot topic at Wednesday’s Big Ten celebration at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbott Road.
To some, the day seemed more of a sales pitch for the network than a pep rally commemorating Aug. 8 as Big Ten Day in the cities of East Lansing and Lansing.
“It looks like they’re promoting it for the company,” said Patrick Lamiman, an MSU finance senior. “But I think they are trying to reach out to the community through bringing local officials, students and the cheerleading team.”
Speakers at the event included Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, East Lansing Mayor Sam Singh, MSU women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant and Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany.
“I cannot imagine local cable companies would not want to get in on this right away,” Bernero said. “This is a natural fit for this area. Maybe I’m naive, but this is a no-brainer.”
The major sticking point in negotiations between Comcast and BTN is how the channel will be distributed.
Comcast wants it available as part of a sports tier package, but the network wants it to be part of basic cable.
“We are showing flexibility on a variety of other issues,” Delany said.
Negotiations have not progressed as much as the commissioner would like.
“We couldn’t disagree more,” he said. “We think it’s relevant not only in Ann Arbor and East Lansing, but in Kalamazoo and all points in between.
“For us, this is Big Ten country and Michigan State lives on the Big Ten Network.”
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