The Big Ten Network Launches In August

May 21, 2007

Listen to Spartan Podcast with Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman

Dear Big Ten Fans,

I am Mark Silverman, president of the Big Ten Network, and I am writing to introduce myself to fans of the Big Ten Conference across the country. The Big Ten Network, launching in August, will be dedicated to showcasing the nation's premier athletic and academic conference in stunning high definition. Big Ten fans follow their teams with a passion unparalleled in college sports. You can expect to see marquee events in football and men's basketball, hundreds of women's and Olympic-sports events, classic games, and original campus programming showcasing Big Ten universities. The network will also produce a nightly Big Ten studio show that will offer an in-depth look at the day's sporting events from each campus.

We will have far more coverage and access to your team than any other network in history. We believe that as Big Ten fans you will share in our excitement about this network when you learn more about the programming initiatives and realize the national exposure the network will provide each university.

I believe that as a fan of a Big Ten university, you may have questions about how the network will operate and be distributed. In this letter, I will answer the three questions asked most frequently:

1) Will I be able to get the Big Ten Network? 2) Will I have to pay more for it? 3) Will the Big Ten Network show my university's sports teams?

1. Will I be able to get the big Ten Network? Yes, you will be able to get the network, if you subscribe to basic cable or satellite service and if your cable or satellite provider believes the programming is valuable to its customers. If you are currently a cable or satellite customer, you probably have more influence over your cable or satellite provider than you believe. If you are interested in getting the network, you should call your provider to find out whether they intend to carry it. We currently have agreements with DirecTV and AT&T, as well as over 40 cable operators within the Big Ten region.

2. Will I have to pay more for the Big Ten Network? You will not have to pay more for the network if you live in the eight states of the Big Ten because we believe it is important enough to fans and to the communities in which the universities are located that the network should be carried on basic cable. DirecTV and AT&T have already agreed to include the network in their basic packages. Outside of the eight Big Ten states, you may need to subscribe to digital cable.

3. Will the Big Ten Network show my university's sports teams? Yes, the Big Ten Network absolutely will carry your university's teams. In football for example, ABC will still have the national game each week, and the Big Ten Network will rotate selection of the other games with ESPN and ESPN2. Half of the time, the Big Ten Network will choose the second or third game. Because we want all fans to be able to see their teams, we will produce all of the games not carried by ABC or ESPN and split feeds, so that if you live in Iowa you will see the Iowa game and if you live in Pennsylvania you will see the Penn State game, even if they are being played simultaneously. I can tell you that every home Big Ten game will be broadcast.

If you live outside your university's state - say you are an Indiana fan living in Michigan - we are working with satellite and cable distributors to offer all of the games we produce somewhere in their channel lineups. We fully intend to make the games available so that you can follow your team wherever you live. We also are investigating distributing extra games on alternative platforms such as broadband and mobile, and will announce these agreements as they are finalized.

We are also talking to cable providers outside the Big Ten footprint because we believe the Big Ten Conference has national appeal. National agreements with DirecTV and AT&T prove that point. We have significantly reduced the cost to cable operators to carry the network outside the Big Ten states, so we fully expect them to agree to carry it when they realize how many of their customers are Big Ten fans.

Those are the short answers to these very important questions. For those of you who would like a bit more detail, click here to review an updated FAQ on the Big Ten Network website. You can also register to be a Big Ten Network Insider by going to www.BigTenNetwork.com to receive these updates automatically.

I also want to invite you to participate in a web chat I will be hosting at 1 p.m. EDT/noon CDT this Thursday, May 24. This will be one of the regular chats I want to have with you to learn more about what is on your minds and answer more of your questions. I know some of you are confused or frustrated by the changing landscape, but I encourage you to pass information to other alumni and to give your cable or satellite company time to complete an agreement to carry the network. To participate in the web chat, or simply view it, log on to www.BigTenNetwork.com at 1 p.m. ET/noon CT on Thursday. We'll also post an archive of the chat transcript in case you miss it.

Finally, to give you a taste of the high-quality programming you'll see on the network, I want to share with you our Big Ten spring football reviews and 2007 season previews. I hope you enjoy these short team-by-team capsules.

So, stay tuned, and visit www.BigTenNetwork.com for more information.

Thanks for reading, and stay in touch.

Mark Silverman

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