Michigan State Quotes on the Big Ten Network
8/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | General
Aug. 16, 2007
Athletics Director Ron Mason:
"I think as an athletic director the most important aspect of running a program is to see that your athletes are progressing both academically and athletically and we are giving them the best chance to be successful in life. This is what's part of the Big Ten Network, the fact that all of our 25 sports are going to receive coverage across the country.
"I think sometimes the visible sports are the ones we all look at, but we have 750 athletes and it's more than just the wins and losses, it's going to be the people who are part of all that. There will be specials on the people that are out in the community or around the world doing things that a lot of people never hear about. Whether it be in the academic side of things or in the life skills portion of what we do, I think what is really neat about this that we are going to see people not in their athletic uniforms but in their normal everyday life. That's what the Big Ten Network can bring to us."
Men's Basketball Coach Tom Izzo:
"I think this network can really help build tradition at Michigan State and across the Big Ten Conference. We have tradition at each school, but this gives us a format in which to put it all together. Tradition brings all alums together, and in turn benefits all athletic programs and the University as a whole. The Network is a bold move, and yet it was a bold move when I got hired. I look forward to what could be some extremely exciting times with the Big Ten Network."
Women's Basketball Coach Suzy Merchant:
"The media exposure we'll get from the Big Ten Network will be great for our fans and alumni, especially for our games on the road. It will also have a positive impact on recruiting. People from all over the nation can now see our games, and that can only help expand our recruiting base. It's exciting that the Big Ten is targeting women's sports. It shows the commitment the network has to women's basketball and also some of the other women's sports that haven't had that exposure in the past."
Women's Tennis Coach Erica Perkins:
"I think especially for the smaller Olympic sports, the Big Ten Network is huge in terms of exposure. I think for someone like me, who is not originally from this region of the country, it's also nice that my family and friends can keep up with MSU athletics. I think the Network will also impact a good majority of our student-athletes, and of course recruiting as well. In tennis, it is an international and national sport, so prospective student-athletes can feel comfortable coming to the Big Ten if they know their parents are able to watch them on television around the country."