Comcast, BTN & Fox reach agreement

[JHudson]

Just got this press release in my inbox:

PHILADELPHIA, PA and LOS ANGELES, CA (August 24, 2018) – Comcast Corporation and Fox Networks Group announced today that they have reached an agreement for Comcast to continue carrying the Big Ten Network. The companies also reached an agreement for Comcast to continue carrying all of the Big Ten games on FS1.

Under the terms of the agreement, Comcast will continue to offer Big Ten Network to its customers who reside in states with Big Ten universities (Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin). Xfinity customers in Delaware, the District of Columbia, and the Northern Virginia/Beltway area will also continue to receive the network given their proximity to Big Ten schools. In addition, in the coming months, customers outside of the Big Ten states will have access to the Big Ten Network as part of Comcast’s Sports and Entertainment Package.

 

[huskerman1]

Damn, and I was looking forward to a good fight with them.

 

[huskerman1]

Just got this press release in my inbox:

PHILADELPHIA, PA and LOS ANGELES, CA (August 24, 2018) – Comcast Corporation and Fox Networks Group announced today that they have reached an agreement for Comcast to continue carrying the Big Ten Network. The companies also reached an agreement for Comcast to continue carrying all of the Big Ten games on FS1.

Under the terms of the agreement, Comcast will continue to offer Big Ten Network to its customers who reside in states with Big Ten universities (Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin). Xfinity customers in Delaware, the District of Columbia, and the Northern Virginia/Beltway area will also continue to receive the network given their proximity to Big Ten schools. In addition, in the coming months, customers outside of the Big Ten states will have access to the Big Ten Network as part of Comcast’s Sports and Entertainment Package.

The bad news is that the SEC will continue to available to a larger footprint than the B1G.

 

[Californication]

Yes! I've been looking at alternatives for a while, tried a few and streaming just isn't a good option for me yet.

 

[TFrazier]

I wonder if the Big 10 had to give up some money per subscriber in order to get the deal done or lose millions in revenue? I can’t imagine the Big 10 had as much leverage in these negotiations as they have in the past...maybe I am wrong?

 

[Red Reign]

Great deal for those with Comcast ( I have Direct TV and left Comcast ten years ago and would never go back)

 

[cthusker]

Doesn't really explain IF everyone is getting BTN back or just those states and some boarder states with Big Ten Teams.

According to John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal, the agreement will place BTN on the Xfinity “expanded basic” tier in states with a Big Ten school (which includes New Jersey, Delaware, Washington DC, and Northern Virginia, but *not* New York), and puts the network on the “sports and entertainment” tier in the coming months in all other states.

So exactly what does that last statement mean? In the COMMING months? Are they kidding.... So half the season could be over before BTN was back on states like Connecticut? The hell with Comcast as I'm going to go ahead and drop their TV package anyway. Going to try HULU which has everything I need for 39 bucks a month versus the 145 a month I'm now paying...........

 

[36Blast]

This blows

 

[Bamsker]

This doesn't sound like good news for Nebraska as Nebraska isn't mentioned in any of the news releases. Does thathat mean customers in Nebraska are left out? Don't get me wrong here, I live in Alabama so I'm screwed either way.

 

[CO Husker]

So, it appears I will still have to fork over $40 a month for Hulu this season since I havent been able to find a single indicator when BTN will be back on my Comcast sports package. So, this is not entirely bad news but still sucks for now.

 

[cthusker]

This doesn't sound like good news for Nebraska as Nebraska isn't mentioned in any of the news releases. Does thathat mean customers in Nebraska are left out? Don't get me wrong here, I live in Alabama so I'm sure reed either way.

Comcast is not a provider in many states so there's no impact. From what I understand IF your state has a team in the Big Ten you'll be getting BTN. If your state doesn't have a team in the BIG then Comcast double speak BS says at some point in time BTN will be available. This assume you have their optional sports package which I'm paying for but no longer have it. That alone makes me extremely annoyed in that I'm paying for a sports package that Comcast changed.

I'm just going to drop Comcast and try another service to make sure I get all the Nebraska games. These cable companies suck and could not care less what their customers want.........

 

[cthusker]

So, it appears I will still have to fork over $40 a month for Hulu this season since I havent been able to find a single indicator when BTN will be back on my Comcast sports package. So, this is not entirely bad news but still sucks for now.

Yep... same here!! What a crock of you know what....

 

[JHudson]

This doesn't sound like good news for Nebraska as Nebraska isn't mentioned in any of the news releases. Does thathat mean customers in Nebraska are left out? Don't get me wrong here, I live in Alabama so I'm screwed either way.

The dispute involved only Comcast, which has little or no presence in Nebraska. Cox is I think the biggest provider in Nebraska.

 

[cthusker]

The dispute involved only Comcast, which has little or no presence in Nebraska. Cox is I think the biggest provider in Nebraska.

Don't believe Comcast provides any service in Nebraska?

 

[JHudson]

So, it appears I will still have to fork over $40 a month for Hulu this season since I havent been able to find a single indicator when BTN will be back on my Comcast sports package. So, this is not entirely bad news but still sucks for now.

Free trials might be my friend this season: Fubo, Vue, DirecTV Now, YouTube TV, Hulu. There might be others.