Aug. 28, 2010
CHICAGO; August 28, 2010 - On the heels of its most successful ratings year, the Big Ten Network will debut several programs in September, enhancing its fall lineup to include new shows about the conference's iconic student-athletes, the current lives of former Big Ten stars in sports and society, and rare footage from the Big Ten of yesteryear.
The new shows, which roll out almost daily beginning Friday, Sept. 3, are Big Ten Icons, The Next Level, Big Ten Film Vault, Big Ten Pulse, Big Ten Football Report, and Big Ten Football Saturday: Kickoff.
"These shows represent a wide array of programming that will definitely appeal to Big Ten fans. We're also thrilled to have more programming that reflects the conference's great history and tradition," Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman said. "We can't wait to introduce fans to these new shows, while continuing to improve and expand on the football-themed shows we introduced last year."
The Big Ten Network saw significant year-over-year ratings increases during the 2009-10 academic year. Based on Nielsen data in the network's nine metered markets, weekend ratings jumped 32 percent. Primetime ratings were up 27 percent and the network's overall year-long average saw an 18 percent increase. The network also set new single-game viewing records in football (Oct. 3: Michigan-Michigan State and Northwestern-Purdue and men's basketball (Feb. 17: Purdue-Ohio State).
Clips of the network's new shows are posted on the network's Facebook and YouTube pages, as well as at www.BigTenNetwork.com.
The Big Ten Network is available to more than 75 million homes across the United States and Canada, and currently has agreements with more than 300 affiliates. The Big Ten Network, though, is not carried by Adams, Blue Ridge and MetroCast cable in Pennsylvania. The network also is not available to Armstrong Cable customers in western Pennsylvania and suburban Youngstown, Ohio. A combined total of more than 35,000 Penn State alumni live in communities served by the four cable providers, in addition to thousands more fans and current Penn State students.
Big Ten Icons (Tuesdays, 9 PM ET): The network's fall programming lineup will be headlined by Big Ten Icons. Hosted by legendary sports broadcaster Keith Jackson, Big Ten Icons is the network's most ambitious project to date. The 20-episode series debuts Saturday, Sept. 18, and then airs Tuesdays at 9 PM ET. The program will count down the most iconic figures in Big Ten history, based on their collegiate playing careers. Each 30-minute documentary will spotlight one Big Ten Icon. Numbers 50 through 21 will be revealed on www.BigTenNetwork.com in advance of the program's television debut.
The Next Level (Thursdays, 8 PM ET): Each episode of The Next Level, which debuts on Sept. 9, will spend a day with former Big Ten stars to learn about their lives in professional sports and society. LaVar Arrington, Dallas Clark, Joe Girardi, Dhani Jones, Muhsin Muhammad, Nick Swisher and others also will re-live their time on campus and share their personal stories of how competing in the Big Ten helped shape their professional careers.
Big Ten Film Vault (Tuesdays, 8 PM ET): With hours of rare footage, some of which has never aired on national television, the Big Ten Film Vault debuts on Sept. 7 and will feature yearbook and highlight shows from the 1940's, 50's, 60's and 70's. Fans will see rare mic'ed up footage of Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler and other Big Ten coaches. The narration for these shows was originally recorded by broadcasting legends such as Chick Hearn, Jack Brickhouse, Tom Harmon and Bill Flemming. The show will be hosted by Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Dierdorf.
Other new shows that will debut on the network this fall include Big Ten Pulse (Thursdays, 9 PM ET), Big Ten Football Report (Fridays, 8 PM ET), and Big Ten Football Saturday: Kickoff (Saturdays, 10 AM ET).
In addition to the new programs, the Big Ten Network will also return 10 shows from last year's schedule. They include: Big Ten Extra Points (Mondays, 7 PM ET), Big Ten's Best (Mondays, 7:30 PM ET), Big Ten Football: Breakdown (Mondays, 8 PM ET), Big Ten Press Pass (formerly Sites and Sounds) (Tuesdays, 8:30 PM ET); The Big Ten Women's Show (Wednesdays, 6:30 PM ET), Big Ten Football and Beyond (Wednesdays, 9 PM ET), Big Ten Football: Behind the Schemes (Thursdays, 8:30 PM ET), The Big Ten's Greatest Games (Fridays, 6 PM ET), Big Ten Tailgate (Fridays, 11 PM ET), Big Ten Football Saturday Pre-Game and Wrap-Up (before and after football games).
The 2010 football season kicks off Thursday, Sept. 2 on the Big Ten Network, with Marshall facing Ohio State and Towson vs. Indiana. Penn State's season opener with Youngstown State is Sept. 4 at 12:00 p.m. on the network. The Nittany Lions and every Big Ten team will make at least one, if not multiple, Big Ten Network appearances during conference play.
Ratings source: Nielsen Arianna Overnights. Metered Markets: Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh.
About the Big Ten Network: A joint venture between the Big Ten Conference and Fox Networks, the Big Ten Network is the first internationally distributed network dedicated to covering one of the premier collegiate conferences in the country. With approximately 350 live sporting events, and nearly all of them in HD, the network is the ultimate destination for Big Ten fans and alumni across the country, allowing them to see their favorite teams, regardless of where they live. The network operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, showcasing a wide array of classic-to-current sports and televising more Olympic sporting events and women's sports than has ever been aired on any other network. Original programming highlights activities and accomplishments of some of the nation's finest universities. Each year, the network offers between 35 and 40 football games, 105 regular season men's basketball games; 55 women's basketball games; dozens of Big Ten Championship events; studio shows; coaches' shows; and classic games.
The network is available to more than 75 million homes across the United States and Canada, and currently has agreements with more than 300 affiliates, including DirecTV, DISH Network, AT&T U-Verse, Verizon FiOS, Atlantic Broadband, Bright House, Cablevision, CATV Service, Inc., Charter, Comcast, Cox (Cleveland, Omaha, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Las Vegas), Insight, Mediacom, Midcontinent, Nittany Media, RCN, Rogers Cable, Canada), Service Electric, Shaw Cable and Shaw Direct (Canada), Time Warner Cable, Western Broadband, Windstream and WOW.