The Big Ten Network is coming soon (August 2007)

The Big Ten Network is going live in August 2007. So far they have agreements to be carried by DirecTV and AT&T nationally and by cable providers in Big 10 cities and states.

ESPN favorite Dave Revsine has been hired to be the studio host

The BTN (Big Ten Network) will carry more than one hundred (100) men's college basketball games next year

If more than one game is taking place at the same time, they will be shown by local cable providers on the "overflow" channels. (eg the least popular tv shopping channel in each cable system)

Some of the games (football and basketball) will be broadcast in High Definition (HD).

They will include coaches shows, and archived games from the past

Sad news however for ESPN Full Court and ESPN Plus viewers: The Big Ten Network games will not be available on ESPN Full Court and ESPN Plus.

Already the network had a war of words with Comcast as Comcast called them "2nd and 3rd tier"

BTN wants their channel to be made available on standard cable for Big Ten cities and states and as generally available as possible nationwide.

The network is in association with Fox Sports.

Here is one idea: Perhaps in areas without BTN availability, Fox may do the smart thing and carry those games on their Fox College Sports channels. (this is only my opinion, but I hope it gets implemented)

Since there are eleven teams in the Big Ten, I now officially rename this channel to BEN (Big Eleven Network).

I'm sure BTN (oops! BEN) would have been ecstatic if Greg Oden stayed for another year. But regardless, Thad Matta is making the Big 10 cool to watch again (well, at least the Ohio State games). Good luck enjoying Tom Izzo and Kelvin Sampson slugfests.

Coaches, there's still time to change your plans for 2007-2008. More fun, more run, more gun and less slugfest, less wrestling, less scortched earth and less grinding. Coaches, pay close attention, I have been undefeated since I started this blog, so I must know what I'm talking about ;-)