Many fans throughout Wisconsin will not be able to cheer on the Badgers as they play Ohio State University this Saturday because the game will only be aired on the Big Ten Network, a company currently unaffiliated with Charter Communications. Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, and Rep. Kitty Rhoades, R-Hudson announced Tuesday they will try to make games, like the one this Saturday, more accessible to fans with the Fair Access to Networks Bill. “In my wildest dreams I never thought that a game [with] the importance of the Wisconsin-Ohio State game would not be available on the big networks,” Hansen said. “The only way you’re going to get to see it is to go to the local pub.” The bipartisan team is drafting legislation that would create a process to settle negotiations and between cable companies and sports networks. According to Hansen, the bill would provide a third-party arbitrator to help two companies, such as Charter and the Big Ten Network, come to an agreement. According to Hansen, current law does not expressly prohibit this type of legislation, and the bill, still in the drafting stage, seems to have plenty of potential. “We feel we have a strong case here,” Hansen said. “We have had a lot of response from people who want to be on the bill, and the bill isn’t even out there yet.” Charter Communications does not carry the Big Ten Network as any part of its programming, and the two companies have yet to come to an agreement on which customers the Big Ten Network should be available to. According to Charter Communications director John Miller, Charter has not agreed to carry the Big Ten Network as part of its basic cable package because it would mean raising all customer costs to include a channel that not all customers desire. “Customers that aren’t sports fans have the ability to pass,” Miller said. “We think that’s a fair and reasonable position to have.” Charter offers its customers special interest tiers at an extra cost, according to Miller, and has offered to include the network in the sports category. Elizabeth Conlisk, Big Ten Network vice president of communications, said the Big Ten Network is demanding inclusion in the widely offered basic cable package because the service should be available at no additional cost to customers. “We think if you live in the state of Wisconsin, you should be able to see the Big Ten Network as part of your basic service,” Conlisk said. Miller said the new legislation isn’t the right solution to the issue. Private businesses, he added, want as little government involvement as possible, and federal laws might prohibit the government from getting too involved in programming and pricing. Miller added legislation in a different direction would be a more suitable solution. “I think the greater issue … is for legislation to look at leagues that now are starting their own networks,” Miller said. “That to me has long-range, long-term implications that I don’t think have the best interests of the viewer in mind.” Conlisk said the network hasn’t seen the legislation and is therefore unable to comment further.