Comments on: DANCING UPON MY PAYCHECK http://markhasty.com/archives/2007/09/13/dancing-upon-my-paycheck/ E AHO LA'ULA Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:56:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Mark http://markhasty.com/archives/2007/09/13/dancing-upon-my-paycheck/#comment-102767 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 16:35:45 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2007/09/13/dancing-upon-my-paycheck/#comment-102767 <b>tlg</b> Naah. We'll just consider the network a jinx. <b>Dan</b> Indeed. Maybe I'm a bad fan, but I really don't want to watch my team stomp a I-AA school flat. It's great to see everything working well, but it doesn't make for great football. Also, my unofficial motto around here is <i>Competition creates competitors</i>, a/k/a the Anti-Snyder Corollary. <b>Jon</b> The Big Ten Network won't make money unless they can deliver enough of an audience to advertisers. That's what greases the skids in television, as we all know. It's true, the lack of compelling games will not build an audience, but in order to bid for first choice of games, they're going to have to have the cash. And they won't have it unless they get ratings. They are going to have to come way, <i>way</i> down from $1.10, or be willing to go on tiers for a year or two. There's no sense in running an expensive network if nobody can see it. Sure, BTN has Fox money behind it, but Fox is a business. If the BTN doesn't turn a profit quickly, they'll bail. <b>Dave</b> Is that price just for ESPN, or does that include ESPN2 and Classic as well? ESPN is probably worth $2.50 a month, and I would LOVE to see the coverage of non-revenue sports that the BTN will provide . . . it would totally remind me of the early days of ESPN when they showed all kinds of goofball sports that no one else would touch. But no way, no how, do I want every channel on cable to think they're worth that kind of money. That's my biggest fear in all this. tlg Naah. We’ll just consider the network a jinx.
Dan Indeed. Maybe I’m a bad fan, but I really don’t want to watch my team stomp a I-AA school flat. It’s great to see everything working well, but it doesn’t make for great football. Also, my unofficial motto around here is Competition creates competitors, a/k/a the Anti-Snyder Corollary.
Jon The Big Ten Network won’t make money unless they can deliver enough of an audience to advertisers. That’s what greases the skids in television, as we all know. It’s true, the lack of compelling games will not build an audience, but in order to bid for first choice of games, they’re going to have to have the cash. And they won’t have it unless they get ratings. They are going to have to come way, way down from $1.10, or be willing to go on tiers for a year or two. There’s no sense in running an expensive network if nobody can see it. Sure, BTN has Fox money behind it, but Fox is a business. If the BTN doesn’t turn a profit quickly, they’ll bail.
Dave Is that price just for ESPN, or does that include ESPN2 and Classic as well? ESPN is probably worth $2.50 a month, and I would LOVE to see the coverage of non-revenue sports that the BTN will provide . . . it would totally remind me of the early days of ESPN when they showed all kinds of goofball sports that no one else would touch. But no way, no how, do I want every channel on cable to think they’re worth that kind of money. That’s my biggest fear in all this.

]]> by: Dave http://markhasty.com/archives/2007/09/13/dancing-upon-my-paycheck/#comment-102766 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 15:07:57 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2007/09/13/dancing-upon-my-paycheck/#comment-102766 ESPN charges, on average, $2.50 per month per subscriber. It's included on nearly every cable package that has more than just local networks, public access, and QVC. Considering that the majority of what I watch on ESPN and ESPN2 is Big Ten sports... I'm perfectly willing to pay a buck to see BTN. ESPN charges, on average, $2.50 per month per subscriber. It’s included on nearly every cable package that has more than just local networks, public access, and QVC. Considering that the majority of what I watch on ESPN and ESPN2 is Big Ten sports… I’m perfectly willing to pay a buck to see BTN.

]]> by: Jon http://markhasty.com/archives/2007/09/13/dancing-upon-my-paycheck/#comment-102765 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:20:03 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2007/09/13/dancing-upon-my-paycheck/#comment-102765 In my opinion, it is just a matter of price point. Eventually the $1.10 will have to come down. I think the Big Ten will eventually make money on this deal if they are willing to wait out the initial losses. Eventually contracts with ABC and ESPN come up for renewal. I can forsee the day where the Big Ten gets a better slate of games and will be more a must for the viewing public than it is right now. Will they make more money on that deal? Who knows. But you are right, the only people that will be clamoring come basketball season are the hard-core basketball fans. Most people are too busy on a winter weeknight to worry about regular season college basketball. They'll watch it if it's on, but shrug their shoulders and live their lives if it isn't. In my opinion, it is just a matter of price point. Eventually the $1.10 will have to come down. I think the Big Ten will eventually make money on this deal if they are willing to wait out the initial losses. Eventually contracts with ABC and ESPN come up for renewal. I can forsee the day where the Big Ten gets a better slate of games and will be more a must for the viewing public than it is right now. Will they make more money on that deal? Who knows.

But you are right, the only people that will be clamoring come basketball season are the hard-core basketball fans. Most people are too busy on a winter weeknight to worry about regular season college basketball. They’ll watch it if it’s on, but shrug their shoulders and live their lives if it isn’t.

]]> by: Dan http://markhasty.com/archives/2007/09/13/dancing-upon-my-paycheck/#comment-102746 Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:13:22 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2007/09/13/dancing-upon-my-paycheck/#comment-102746 I can't even imagine <i>Wisconsin</i> fans wanting to watch the Wisconsin/Citadel game. I don't know where the BTN got the idea that everyone else in the country is clamoring for it. I can’t even imagine Wisconsin fans wanting to watch the Wisconsin/Citadel game. I don’t know where the BTN got the idea that everyone else in the country is clamoring for it.

]]> by: tlg http://markhasty.com/archives/2007/09/13/dancing-upon-my-paycheck/#comment-102745 Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:59:44 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2007/09/13/dancing-upon-my-paycheck/#comment-102745 Apropos to the conversation, I saw App State beat Michigan largely because the Big 10 network was available in Evansville via Insight. Maybe if the Citadel beats Wisconsin, it'll be on basic cable in Milwaukee. Apropos to the conversation, I saw App State beat Michigan largely because the Big 10 network was available in Evansville via Insight. Maybe if the Citadel beats Wisconsin, it’ll be on basic cable in Milwaukee.

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