The Big Ten Network expects "to broadcast four to six" Maryland football games this season and "as many as 20 men’s basketball games," according to Jeff Barker of the Baltimore SUN. Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman said of new conference members Maryland and Rutgers, “We need to come on the air as if these schools have been part of the Big Ten forever.” He added that the net is in the “process of recruiting new on-air talent and that he doesn't want it to be viewed ‘as only a promotional mouthpiece’ for the conference.” Barker notes Maryland fans for years have “complained that too many” football games ended up “relegated to ESPN's Internet streams instead of broadcast on live television.” The Big Ten Network this coming school year plans to “broadcast dozens of games” across Maryland men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, baseball and other sports. Lacrosse also is “part of the offerings.” Maryland’s men's soccer coach Sasho Cirovski said that he has been told that “four of his team's games will be televised next season by the network.” The net said that it has deals in place in Maryland “allowing cable and satellite customers in the state to obtain the network without subscribing to a separate sports tier.” In addition to the Big Ten Net's telecasts, other Maryland football and basketball games “will be televised as well, but it's not yet certain by whom.” Maryland's football team plays “two nonconference opponents on the road: South Florida and Syracuse.” For nonconference away games, the home team's conference has TV rights agreements "that dictate whether games will be shown.” CBS Sports Network is “airing the South Florida game" (Baltimore SUN, 7/1).
