Big Ten Conference on Television
Over the last few years, the Big Ten has reached a series of milestone agreements to provide the conference with its greatest television exposure ever, including extension with CBS (for basketball), and ABC/ESPN (for football, basketball and volleyball) and the creation of the Big Ten Network, a national network devoted to Big Ten athletic and academic programs. The conference's media agreements will result in the broadcast of more than 500 events nationally and regionally each year, compared to 300 events in the final year of the previous agreements.
2009-2010 Television Schedules:
Full Big Ten Network Schedule
2009-10 Television Schedule (By Sport):
Football
Big Ten Highlights Online:
Big Ten Network Highlights, Video
Big Ten Network Highlights, Video (Archive)
Big Ten Public Service Announcements:
Big Ten Conference YouTube Channel
Big Ten Conference on Facebook
Television Partners:
ABC/ESPN
In June of 2006, the Big Ten signed a new 10-year national rights contract with ABC/ESPN. Big Ten action has been featured on ABC since 1966 and on ESPN since 1979, the network's first year. The new agreement, which began during the 2007-08 season, includes up to 41 televised Big Ten football games - up to 17 on ABC and up to 25 on ESPN or ESPN2. In addition, all regional afternoon football games aired on ABC will be aired by ESPN/ESPN2 in outer-markets, making these games nationally available. For men's basketball, approximately 60 games will air on an ESPN network (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN360), including contests on Tuesday and Thursday of the conference season, plus up to eight Saturday games during conference play. For women's basketball and volleyball, a total of 100 events will appear on an ESPN network over the course of the agreement, including the championship games of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament. Additionally, through ESPN's collection of new media outlets such as ESPN.com, Mobile ESPN, ESPN360, and ESPN VOD, fans will receive live events (including simulcasts), extended video highlights including in-progress games, features and more. Big Ten coverage will also be available on ESPN Classic and throughout the world through ESPN International.
Big Ten Network
In June of 2006, the Big Ten announced the creation of the Big Ten Network, a national network devoted to Big Ten athletic and academic programs. Available to all cable and satellite providers nationwide, with most programs offered in stunning high-definition television (HDTV), the network will allow fans to see their home teams, regardless of where they live.
The programming on the Big Ten Network and alternative-network controlled platforms will include, but is not limited to:
More than 35 football games each season
More than 105 regular season men's basketball games
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, diving and more
Classic games and historical footage from ESPN and ABC libraries
Original campus programming produced by Big Ten member universities showcasing their academic excellence, talented students and award-winning programs
Weekly coaches shows
Big Ten Network Celebrates Anniversary of Launch
CBS Sports
In December of 2004, the Big Ten announced a multi-year agreement with CBS Sports to extend the network's broadcast rights for conference basketball games through the 2009-10 campaign. The agreement guarantees Big Ten teams 26 appearances per season with the possibility of up to 30 apperances beginning with the 2008-09 campaign. That total includes the semifinals and championship game of the annual Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament, which have been broadcast by CBS every year since the inaugural event in 1998 and have ranked among the network's highest-rated regular-season games each season. In addition, CBS will have the opportunity to select a wildcard game on each of the final three weekends of Big Ten play. Additional apperances by Big Ten women's basketball teams will also be featured on CBS. CBS has been the national network home for Big Ten men's basketball since the 1991-92 campaign.
CBS College Sports
The Big Ten Conference is in the sixth year of an agreement with the CBS College Sports Network (formerly known as CSTV), which may televise select men's and women's Big Ten Championships in addition to select regular-season contests.
