June 19, 2008

BigTenNetwork.com

Comcast Corporation and the Big Ten Network announced today that they have reached a long-term multimedia agreement for Comcast to carry Big Ten Network programming across television, broadband and video-on-demand in time for the 2008 college football season. With this announcement, the coverage area for the Big Ten Network in the state of Illinois increases to 87 percent of its households.

"We are pleased that Comcast is now on board," said Illinois Director of Athletics Ron Guenther. "The Big Ten Network had a terrific first year. With the added distribution, Illinois fans in the state will now have additional opportunities to see the type of quality athletics we have in the Big Ten Conference."

"When introduced last year, The Big Ten Network offered the academic communities of the conference schools an unprecedented opportunity to publicize their educational accomplishments." University of Illinois Chancellor Dr. Richard Herman said. "As an academic leader, I am thrilled by the additional exposure of, not only our athletic teams, but our great faculty and students as well."

Under the terms of the agreement, Comcast will initially launch the network as part of its expanded basic level of service to promote it to the majority of its customers residing in states with Big Ten universities (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, with the exception of the Philadelphia region which will launch on a broadly distributed digital level of service) starting August 15th. (Comcast does not have systems in Iowa, the eighth Big Ten state.) In Spring 2009, Comcast may elect to move the network to a broadly distributed digital level of service in most of its systems in these states. Comcast's digital customers in the Big Ten states will also have immediate access to live Big Ten games and events in high definition, Big Ten programming via Comcast's video-on-demand platform, and a wide array of conference-related content through Comcast.net.

Outside of the Big Ten states that Comcast serves, Comcast has the option to provide Big Ten Network programming on any level of service, including its Sports Entertainment Package. Officials from Comcast and Big Ten Network said they look forward to utilizing both traditional and emerging media to bring more Big Ten programming to fans than was ever available to them before.

Big Ten Network already produces more high-definition television content than any new sports network in television history. Over the next year, more than 400 live Big Ten sporting events will be carried by the Big Ten Network in high definition, including football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball and soccer, as well as other NCAA-sponsored sports.

Comcast's digital customers who receive the network will have On Demand access to programming such as weekly extended highlights and condensed game replays from around the conference, classic Big Ten sporting events, bowl game coverage and coaches' shows, plus original campus programming and nightly studio shows from Big Ten Network, most of which is available in high definition.

STATEMENT FROM COMCAST
"We are very pleased with the agreement we have reached with the Big Ten Network to carry hundreds of live Big Ten events," said Madison Bond, Executive Vice President, Content Acquisition, Comcast Cable. "We will be providing our customers with Big Ten programming through our signature video-on-demand service, and will have lots of highlights, replays, scores and more through Comcast.net so fans can keep pace with Big Ten action whenever they want to."

STATEMENT FROM BIG TEN NETWORK
Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman said the network is thrilled to have Comcast as a distribution partner. "This agreement allows us to reach many more Big Ten fans with our programming because of the high concentration of Comcast subscribers in Big Ten states. With the Comcast deal now in place, the Big Ten Network will be available to more than two-thirds of all homes in Big Ten Country."

STATEMENT FROM BIG TEN CONFERENCE
"On behalf of Big Ten presidents, faculty, administrators, players, coaches, alumni and fans, we congratulate Comcast and the Big Ten Network on reaching an agreement to bring Big Ten programming to millions of fans in the eight Big Ten states and millions more alumni and fans nationwide," said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. "We are very pleased with this partnership between the Big Ten Network and Comcast, the nation's largest cable operator. Big Ten fans and Comcast customers will now be able to see the network on linear television, in high definition, and through Video-on-Demand and broadband applications. The network remains committed to working with the remaining cable operators in Iowa, Ohio and Wisconsin so that their customers will have the network as well."