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Demystifying Nebraska Football and the Big Ten Network (updated 9/7)

Submitted by BillAnderson on Mon, 08/29/2011 - 20:50

OK – So, let’s just say that getting clarity around where the Huskers will be on TV this year has been like deciphering tax codes! But, Here are some things for you in the Puget Sound area to know and understand about finding Nebraska football on TV this year. Of course – the BEST idea is to skip figuring it out on your own, and just come to one of our amazing Washington Cornhusker Watch Sites! See separate mail I’ll send out later with more details! First of all, the best resource for any of us to have is the information that was released today about “Big Ten Network Intro for Nebraska Fans” http://www.bigtennetwork.com/dpp/sports/football/BTN-101-for-Husker-Fans

Now, some general things we’ve come to learn:

  1. The Big Ten conference owns the rights to all games played on Big Ten home fields. And, for those games, they own all TV rights – and are committed to televising all of those games on either the Big Ten Network (BTN) or through their affiliation with ABC/ESPN. For Nebraska this year, that left only one game (at Wyoming) that wasn’t owned by the Big Ten conference. Since that game is being picked up by Versus, this means that every game Nebraska plays this year will be on the BTN or the ABC/ESPN family of networks. No Fox Sports Pay-Per-View!!!
  2. The BTN has a primary channel, as well as what they call “extra channels”.
  3. Their time to “commit” to what channel what game is on seems to be the week of the game. Please mark the GameFinder for easy use! http://www.bigtennetwork.com/generic/programming/Gamefinder
  4. Games covered on ABC/ESPN - one new thing we learned is that any games that do fall under the coverage of the ABC/ESPN family will NOT fall on to ESPN GamePlan.  So, they'll all be on mainstream ABC/ESPN channels, and we won't have to resort to PPV for these games.  This is great news!
  5. Cable companies and BTN channels. Here’s a summary of what I think I figured out:
  • DirecTV – if you have the Choice Package (or any other package that includes the Choice Package) that gives you both the primary channel and the Extra Channels for the BTN
  • DISH Network – if you have the Multisport Package, that gives you both the primary channel and the Extra Channels for the BTN
  • FIOS – if you have the package that has the BTN, it also includes the Extra Channels
  • Comcast – if you have the Digital Premier or the Sports Entertainment packages, you will get the BTN. I do NOT know if this includes the extra channels. It may very well not!

Bill Anderson University of Nebraska-Lincoln – 1986-1990 Go Big Red! “The fans used to think Oklahoma was the enemy. They actually made us better.” -- Tom Osborne