College Smarts, Part 1

With autumn soon approaching, a man's fancies turn toward that one genetic craving that all men share: football. Sadly, at least for us in the upper Mid-West, more specifically those of us who got into college, a lot of the games will be on the Big 11 (10) Network. More specifically, they will be broadcast solely on DirecTV, as the other main providers have not reached agreements with the BTN.

I recently asked Dish Network about this, and they replied with:

"For several months, DISH Network has been diligently negotiating with BTN to obtain a carriage agreement consistent with other regional sports networks, but BTN wants unreasonable and inconsistent payments from all of our customers regardless of whether or not they are Big Ten fans. The good news is that DISH Network customers who are Big Ten fans will get most of their games with the current channels available on DISH Network – at no additional cost."

Let me get this right - I pay a portion of my bill each month for such networks as TBN, HGTV, Lifetime and BYU, and I have never watched them (except for the Golden Girls Marathon on Lifetime - but I have never watched Lifetime Movie!). Not only have I never watched them - I never plan to, unless my genitalia grows inward and/or I decide that polygamy is the way to go. Maybe I can trade those channels in for BTN? Maybe I can trade 3 of the Mexican/Telemundo channels in for 1 American channel? Will that work conversion-wise, or does it depend on the strength of the peso?

The facts are simple: Dish Network and Comcast argue that they shouldn't charge the entire nation to watch something that only 1 region (about 20% of the nation is Big 10 county, unless you are Tim Brewster, then this great nation of our's is/will be a Gopher Nation) wants, but they have no problem charging the nation for a channel only a few backwards Utuckians want in the BYU network.

And Big 10 Network - You are not innocent here either. Stop holding your fans hostage. Set up an agreement with reimbursement based on regional membership and ratings. If no one watches - you don't get paid. The more people watch, the more you get paid. Either way, you get paid what you are worth.

The bigger question is this: Which will fold first, a side in the BTN-Cable/Satellite negotiations, or the Gopher football team?