Aug. 7, 2007
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., August 7, 2007 -- Mark Silverman, president of the Big Ten Network, will be a special guest on the Sports Jam Network's "Speaking of Sports" program today on radio affiliates throughout the Commonwealth.
Silverman will be a guest on the program at 5:05 p.m. with host Jed Donahue. Listeners can ask questions by calling 1-800-731-1787.
"Speaking of Sports" and all Sports Jam Network programming is heard on more than 20 affiliates in the Commonwealth, including WBLF (970) in State College, and at http://penn.live.advance.net/sportsjamnet/#.
The official launch of the Big Ten Network comes at 8:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 30, two days before the kick-off of the 2007 Big Ten football season. Big Ten Tonight, a nightly studio show, will preview the upcoming season and closely examine all of the weekend's conference teams in action.
The Big Ten Network will air more than 600 hours of Penn State programming during its inaugural year. The vast majority of Penn State's 29 varsity sports, if not all, will be featured on the Big Ten Network in 2007-08, in addition to at least 60 hours of institutional, non-athletic programming.
The Nittany Lion football team's home opener against Florida International (noon, Sept. 1) and home contest against Buffalo (noon, Sept. 15) are set to air on the Big Ten Network. Penn State also will make at least one appearance on the Big Ten Network during the eight-game conference schedule.
The Big Ten Network is a national television network, available to all cable and satellite providers nationwide, that will allow fans to see their home teams regardless of where they live. The network currently has national agreements in place with DirecTV and AT&T and agreements with more than 80 other cable operators within the eight states of the Big Ten. In total, the network currently is available to viewers in more than 16 million homes. The Big Ten Network is a joint venture between subsidiaries of the Big Ten Conference and Fox Cable Networks. The network is dedicated to covering the Big Ten Conference and its 11 member institutions. The Big Ten Network will provide unprecedented access to an extensive schedule of conference sports events and shows; original programs in academics, the arts and sciences; campus activities; and associated personalities. Sports programming will include live coverage of more major men's and women's events than ever before, along with news, highlights and analysis, all complemented by hours of university-produced campus programming.
To get the Big Ten Network, fans should visit http://www.BigTenNetwork.com and enter their zip code, which will then provide a link to the cable or satellite providers in their areas so that they can request the Big Ten Network directly.
Fans who want to receive the Big Ten Network can also call 1-866-WANT-B10 and record a message or be patched through to their cable operator.
Most Penn State students living on the University Park campus will receive the Big Ten Ten Network on the campus cable system, which is available in approximately 8,500 rooms. Most of the Centre Region is served by Comcast Cable, which has not yet indicated it plans to carry the Big Ten Network to tens of thousands of Penn State students, employees, alumni and fans who subscribe to the cable service in State College and the surrounding area.
The sports programming on the Big Ten Network and alternative platforms will include, but is not limited to:
- More than 35 football games each season - More than 105 regular season men's basketball games, with four to six weeknight games and four to seven weekend games per week - A nightly studio show including segments from each campus - Women's sports, including basketball, volleyball, soccer and softball - More than 170 Olympic sporting events including baseball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, swimming and diving, track and field and more - Classic games and historical footage from ESPN and ABC libraries - Original, non-sports programming produced by Big Ten member universities showcasing their academic excellence, talented students and award-winning programs - Weekly coaches shows
For more information regarding the Big Ten Network, visit www.BigTenNetwork.com .