Comcast, Big Ten Net Nearing Long-Term Carriage Agreement
Comcast and the Big Ten Network (BTN) “are prepared to put nearly two years of bitter negotiations aside to announce a long-term partnership,” according to Teddy Greenstein of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE, whose sources expect the deal to be completed and unveiled this week. A source close to the talks said, "For all intents and purposes, it's done." The deal, which also includes VOD rights, “will nearly double the number of homes” that get BTN, from 30 million to 55 million. In the eight-state Big Ten footprint, the number will grow from 6.5 million to about 13 million. A completed deal would still mean about 5.5 million homes in the Midwest will not have access, but BTN officials hope the Comcast deal will “provide a framework for negotiations” with MSOs Time Warner, Mediacom and Charter. The BTN “completed the deal without caving on its central demand: that the channel be placed on expanded basic, rather than a sports tier, in the eight-state footprint.” Only the Philadelphia market “will be excluded.” Comcast can “eventually move the channel to a more exclusive digital level of service in some systems.” The net's initial asking price was $1.10 per month per subscriber, but sources said that Comcast will pay $0.70-0.80, which still “represents a massive cash influx” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/16).
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