Time Warner and Big
Ten Network Reach Deal…Finally
Cable giant Time Warner has finally reached a deal with the
Big Ten Network. The network will now be available to all Time Warner
customers, just in time for the first Ohio State
football game of the season.
By Eric Geier
BrutusReport.com Writer
Ohio State AD Puts Scare into Time Warner
Gene Smith may have scared Time
Warner straight. Last week, Gene Smith took a stand, encouraging Ohio State
fans to switch to a cable company that would provide all Ohio State
games. Just one week later the two companies reached a deal.
Time Warner Statement
Time Warner released a statement
yesterday saying, “Time Warner Cable and the Big Ten Network announced that
they have reached an agreement-in-principle on terms of carriage for the Big
Ten Network and its high-definition and video-on-demand programming on Time
Warner Cable's lineups throughout the Big Ten territory, including Ohio and Wisconsin.”
It went on to say, “The pending agreement will ensure that Time Warner Cable's
customers across these Big Ten states will have access to this Saturday's Big
Ten college-football season openers and all future Big Ten Network programming
on an expanded basic level of service.”
Applaud the Actions
The deal was reached just in time
for the start of the season, allowing time for both the Big Ten Network and
Time Warner to prepare for the first broadcast. Some fans and critics,
including 1460 The Fan’s own Mike Ricordati thought the letter was in bad taste
and proceeded to blast Gene Smith for his actions, proving why a guy from Chicago shouldn’t be
allowed to talk Buckeye sports. I for one, commend Gene Smith for taking a
stand and at least doing something while the rest of the Ohio
State faculty and the city of Columbus (including
myself) remained complacent. |