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September 9, 2008

Big Ten Network to Expand Streaming Initiative

Selected basketball games, other contests will be available online

CHICAGO – Fans all over the world will enjoy bonus coverage of Big Ten sports as the Big Ten Network expands its streaming initiative to include more than 100 events, many of which would not otherwise be produced. The games will be available at no charge at www.BigTenNetwork.com.

The schedule of streamed games will include all men's exhibition basketball games and a limited number of non-conference home games, to avoid schedule conflicts. The network also will stream some women's non-conference and conference games, nearly doubling the number of women's games receiving exposure versus last season. Other sports that could be streamed include wrestling, baseball and softball.

"This initiative is part of our plans to enhance our linear channel to create more of a multi-platform network," said Big Ten Network Director of New Media Michael Calderon. "It's another example of how the network can use new technology to bring Big Ten fans closer to the game while providing much more coverage," he said.

While some conferences charge a fee, the games streamed on www.BigTenNetwork.com will be free.

Just as it did last season, the Big Ten Network will televise more than 100 regular season men's basketball and 55 regular season women's basketball games, with nearly all of them produced in high definition. The Big Ten Conference will announce the complete 2008-09 men's and women's basketball schedules this week.

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 approximately 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 NCAA-sponsored 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 televises approximately 35 football games, 105 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 currently has agreements with AT&T U-Verse, Charter, Comcast, Cox, DirecTV, DISH Network, Mediacom, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS and 230 cable operators.

For updated information on the Big Ten Network, go to www.BigTenNetwork.com.

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