Cue the Band

The Big Ten Network will go live Aug 30, but the net still only has 75 carriage agreements with minor cable ops, covering roughly 500K subs. Pacts with AT&T and DirecTV add approx 3mln more, but all-important deals with major cable MSOs, such as Comcast and Time Warner Cable, have yet to hit the chalkboard. A $1.10 sub fee within the Big Ten Conference’s 8-state footprint and a desire for expanded basic carriage remain key sticking points, acknowledged net pres Mark Silverman. "It’s not that we’re unwilling to budge [on these issues]. No one is demanding," he said. "We’re looking for fees appropriate to what many RSNs go for." Other key issues on Silverman’s plate include hiring approx 50 additional employees, for a total of 90; improving and streamlining programming and production; and addressing myriad new media platforms. For instance, the net’s agreement with the conference allows for live streaming of the football games it carries.