July 16, 2008
Network to televise 12 press conferences live next Thursday
CHICAGO – The Big Ten Network celebrates the unofficial beginning of the 2008 Big Ten football season with extensive multimedia coverage of Big Ten Media Days and the 37th Annual Kickoff Luncheon from the Hyatt Regency in downtown Chicago.
The Big Ten Network will offer more than four hours of live coverage on Thursday, July 24, including the full press conferences for all 11 head coaches and Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. Mike Hall and Chris Martin will anchor the network's coverage from the Big Ten Network studios beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET. All 12 press conferences will also be available via live web stream at www.BigTenNetwork.com.
The Big Ten Network will premiere a 60-minute Kickoff Luncheon Special at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31. The Kickoff Luncheon Special will feature remarks from all Big Ten head coaches. Six Big Ten quarterbacks also will be on hand, including Juice Williams of Illinois, Brian Hoyer of Michigan State, Adam Weber of Minnesota, C.J. Bachér of Northwestern, Todd Boeckman of Ohio State and Curtis Painter of Purdue. More than 1,700 Big Ten fans are scheduled to attend the sold out event hosted by Brent Musburger.
The live press conference sessions will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, July 24, with Illinois head coach Ron Zook. The Illini are looking to sustain the level of success achieved during last year's Rose Bowl campaign. Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald follows at 11:45 a.m. ET. His Wildcats were bowl-eligible in 2007 with a 6-6 record and should get a boost with the healthy return of a Tyrell Sutton.
At noon ET, Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema will conduct his media session. With a powerful running game, the Badgers are expected to be a preseason top-15 team. Purdue coach Joe Tiller will address the media at 12:15 p.m. ET. This will be Tiller's final season in West Lafayette and he is looking to guide the Boilermakers to an 11th bowl game in 12 years.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel follows at 12:30 p.m. ET. The Buckeyes are considered once again to be a national championship contender. Tressel returns 21 starters, the most of any Big Ten team. At 12:45 p.m. ET, Indiana coach Bill Lynch will field questions from the media. Dual-purpose quarterback Kellen Lewis returns this fall and the defense will be anchored by All-America candidate Greg Middleton.
There will be a 30-minute break before the press conferences resume at 1:30 p.m. with Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio. The Spartans boast a pair of senior all-conference performers in the offensive backfield with Hoyer and running back Javon Ringer.
Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster follows at 1:45 p.m. ET. After signing one of the nation's best recruiting classes in February, the Golden Gophers will have a young and talented roster. At 2 p.m. ET, Penn State head coach Joe Paterno will meet with the media. This season is Paterno's 43rd on the Penn State sideline.
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz will address the media at 2:15 p.m. ET. The Hawkeyes look to improve on their 6-6 record from last year with a veteran group of all-conference performers along the offensive and defensive lines. Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez takes questions at 2:30 p.m. ET. Rodriguez is the conference's only new head coach this fall. Rodriguez's arrival, and his history of developing innovative offense schemes, has excited Wolverine fans.
The network's coverage of Big Ten Media Days concludes with Commissioner Delany's press conference at 3 p.m. ET. Delany will address the media with an opening statement and conduct a question and answer session.
Press Conference Schedule (live on Big Ten Network and www.BigTenNetwork.com):
All times Eastern
11:30 a.m. – Ron Zook (Illinois)
11:45 a.m. – Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern)
Noon – Bret Bielema (Wisconsin)
12:15 p.m. – Joe Tiller (Purdue)
12:30 p.m. – Jim Tressel (Ohio State)
12:45 p.m. – Bill Lynch (Indiana)
1:30 p.m. – Mark Dantonio (Michigan State)
1:45 p.m. – Tim Brewster (Minnesota)
2 p.m. – Joe Paterno (Penn State)
2:15 p.m. – Kirk Ferentz (Iowa)
2:30 p.m. – Rich Rodriguez (Michigan)
3 p.m. – James E. Delany (Big Ten)
About the Big Ten Network:
The Big Ten Network is the first national network dedicated to covering one of the premier collegiate conferences in the country. With more than 400 live events, and nearly all of them in HD, the network is the destination for Big Ten fans across the country and allows fans to see their favorite team, regardless of where they live. Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the Big Ten Network showcases a wide array of classic-to-current sports and televises more Olympic sporting events and women's sports than has ever been aired on any other network. Original programming highlights activities and accomplishments of some of the nation's finest universities. Each year, the network offers approximately 40 football games, 140 regular season men's basketball games, 55 women's basketball games, dozens of Big Ten Championship events, a nightly studio show, coaches' shows and classic games. Available to all cable and satellite providers nationwide, the network has agreements with Comcast, DirecTV, DISH Network, AT&T U-Verse, Verizon FiOS and 230 cable operators and could reach up to 55 million households on August 15, 2008.
For updated information on the Big Ten Network, go to www.BigTenNetwork.com.
Big Ten Network to Cover Big Ten Media Days and 37th Annual Kickoff Luncheon
Network to televise 12 press conferences live next Thursday
CHICAGO – The Big Ten Network celebrates the unofficial beginning of the 2008 Big Ten football season with extensive multimedia coverage of Big Ten Media Days and the 37th Annual Kickoff Luncheon from the Hyatt Regency in downtown Chicago.
The Big Ten Network will offer more than four hours of live coverage on Thursday, July 24, including the full press conferences for all 11 head coaches and Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. Mike Hall and Chris Martin will anchor the network's coverage from the Big Ten Network studios beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET. All 12 press conferences will also be available via live web stream at www.BigTenNetwork.com.
The Big Ten Network will premiere a 60-minute Kickoff Luncheon Special at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31. The Kickoff Luncheon Special will feature remarks from all Big Ten head coaches. Six Big Ten quarterbacks also will be on hand, including Juice Williams of Illinois, Brian Hoyer of Michigan State, Adam Weber of Minnesota, C.J. Bachér of Northwestern, Todd Boeckman of Ohio State and Curtis Painter of Purdue. More than 1,700 Big Ten fans are scheduled to attend the sold out event hosted by Brent Musburger.
The live press conference sessions will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, July 24, with Illinois head coach Ron Zook. The Illini are looking to sustain the level of success achieved during last year's Rose Bowl campaign. Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald follows at 11:45 a.m. ET. His Wildcats were bowl-eligible in 2007 with a 6-6 record and should get a boost with the healthy return of a Tyrell Sutton.
At noon ET, Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema will conduct his media session. With a powerful running game, the Badgers are expected to be a preseason top-15 team. Purdue coach Joe Tiller will address the media at 12:15 p.m. ET. This will be Tiller's final season in West Lafayette and he is looking to guide the Boilermakers to an 11th bowl game in 12 years.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel follows at 12:30 p.m. ET. The Buckeyes are considered once again to be a national championship contender. Tressel returns 21 starters, the most of any Big Ten team. At 12:45 p.m. ET, Indiana coach Bill Lynch will field questions from the media. Dual-purpose quarterback Kellen Lewis returns this fall and the defense will be anchored by All-America candidate Greg Middleton.
There will be a 30-minute break before the press conferences resume at 1:30 p.m. with Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio. The Spartans boast a pair of senior all-conference performers in the offensive backfield with Hoyer and running back Javon Ringer.
Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster follows at 1:45 p.m. ET. After signing one of the nation's best recruiting classes in February, the Golden Gophers will have a young and talented roster. At 2 p.m. ET, Penn State head coach Joe Paterno will meet with the media. This season is Paterno's 43rd on the Penn State sideline.
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz will address the media at 2:15 p.m. ET. The Hawkeyes look to improve on their 6-6 record from last year with a veteran group of all-conference performers along the offensive and defensive lines. Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez takes questions at 2:30 p.m. ET. Rodriguez is the conference's only new head coach this fall. Rodriguez's arrival, and his history of developing innovative offense schemes, has excited Wolverine fans.
The network's coverage of Big Ten Media Days concludes with Commissioner Delany's press conference at 3 p.m. ET. Delany will address the media with an opening statement and conduct a question and answer session.
Press Conference Schedule (live on Big Ten Network and www.BigTenNetwork.com):
All times Eastern
11:30 a.m. – Ron Zook (Illinois)
11:45 a.m. – Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern)
Noon – Bret Bielema (Wisconsin)
12:15 p.m. – Joe Tiller (Purdue)
12:30 p.m. – Jim Tressel (Ohio State)
12:45 p.m. – Bill Lynch (Indiana)
1:30 p.m. – Mark Dantonio (Michigan State)
1:45 p.m. – Tim Brewster (Minnesota)
2 p.m. – Joe Paterno (Penn State)
2:15 p.m. – Kirk Ferentz (Iowa)
2:30 p.m. – Rich Rodriguez (Michigan)
3 p.m. – James E. Delany (Big Ten)
About the Big Ten Network:
The Big Ten Network is the first national network dedicated to covering one of the premier collegiate conferences in the country. With more than 400 live events, and nearly all of them in HD, the network is the destination for Big Ten fans across the country and allows fans to see their favorite team, regardless of where they live. Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the Big Ten Network showcases a wide array of classic-to-current sports and televises more Olympic sporting events and women's sports than has ever been aired on any other network. Original programming highlights activities and accomplishments of some of the nation's finest universities. Each year, the network offers approximately 40 football games, 140 regular season men's basketball games, 55 women's basketball games, dozens of Big Ten Championship events, a nightly studio show, coaches' shows and classic games. Available to all cable and satellite providers nationwide, the network has agreements with Comcast, DirecTV, DISH Network, AT&T U-Verse, Verizon FiOS and 230 cable operators and could reach up to 55 million households on August 15, 2008.
For updated information on the Big Ten Network, go to www.BigTenNetwork.com.
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