December 5, 2007

Big Ten Network to Air Live Wrestling This Winter

Veteran broadcasters will enhance football coverage this fall

CHICAGO – Every Big Ten wrestling team will make at least one live appearance this winter on the Big Ten Network.  The network will televise 11 total events and 10 of those, including the Big Ten Championships and portions of the Midlands Classic, will be carried live.

The network will have a live wrestling and hockey doubleheader on six consecutive Fridays in January and February.  The wrestling coverage begins with the Iowa at Ohio State dual meet at 6 PM ET on January 18.

"The Big Ten is the nation's most powerful wrestling conference and there is a strong following for the sport in Big Ten Country," network president Mark Silverman said.  "We look forward to bringing the best of college wrestling to a national audience."

The Big Ten Network will provide live coverage of the Midlands Classic Championship Finals at 8 PM ET Sunday, December 30.  That presentation will be preceded by a one-hour program recapping the event's Consolation Finals.  Hosted by Northwestern University, the Midlands Classic will also feature five other Big Ten teams including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State and Purdue.

Additional live regular season telecasts include: Wisconsin at Indiana at 5 PM ET on January 25, Illinois at Michigan at 6 PM ET on February 1, Minnesota at Northwestern at 7:30 PM ET on February 8, Michigan State at Penn State at 5 PM ET on February 15, Purdue at Illinois at 6 PM ET on February 22 and Michigan State at Michigan at noon ET on February 24.

The Oklahoma State at Iowa match will air at 6 PM ET January 6 on a delayed basis due to scheduling conflicts.

The network also televised the Iowa State at Minnesota match live last Sunday.

Nine of the conference's 11 teams are ranked in the current USA Today/InterMat/NWCA top 25 poll and six are in the top 10, including No. 2 Minnesota, No. 4 Iowa, No. 5 Penn State, No. 7 Michigan, No. 9 Northwestern, No. 10 Wisconsin, No. 13 Ohio State, No. 17 Indiana and No. 18 Illinois.

Earlier this fall, the Big Ten Network became the first new network in cable or satellite television history to reach 30 million homes in its first 30 days. The network is available through DIRECTV, DISH Network, AT&T U-Verse, Insight Communications, WideOpenWest, RCN, Service Electric and more than 175 other cable operators.

About the Big Ten Network: The Big Ten Network is dedicated to covering the Big Ten Conference and its 11 member institutions. The Big Ten Network provides unprecedented access to an extensive schedule of conference sports events and shows; original programs in academics, the arts and sciences; campus activities; and associated personalities. Sports programming includes live coverage of more major men's and women's events than ever before, along with news, highlights and analysis, all complemented by hours of university-produced campus programming. The network is available to all cable and satellite carriers and television distributors nationwide, with most programs offered in stunning high-definition television (HDTV). The Big Ten Network is a joint venture between subsidiaries of the Big Ten Conference and Fox Cable Networks. For more information regarding the Big Ten Network, visit www.BigTenNetwork.com.