While major cable companies continue not to offer the Big Ten Network, the University of Wisconsin Athletics Department sent students and UW fans a letter Friday encouraging Badgers to pressure Charter and Time Warner to offer the channel.

The letter — signed by Chancellor John Wiley, Athletic Director Barry Alvarez and UW Athletic Board Chair Walter Dickey — criticized Charter and Time Warner’s inability to reach an agreement with BTN to offer the channel in its expanded basic package.

“We’ve heard from cable company spokespersons that the Big Ten Network is too expensive,” read the joint statement. “If small cable companies in Wisconsin like Mt. Horeb Telephone Co., or Tech Com in Richland Center or Vernon Telephone Cooperative in Westby can negotiate a price that is acceptable, why can’t Charter and Time Warner do the same?”

Athletic Communications associate director Vince Sweeney said UW athletics has received much criticism from fans upset for not being able to watch BTN, and added the department decided to respond because “much of the criticism was unfounded.”

“A lot of people were waiting for the athletics department to say more about the issue, and we decided — with the increased interest due to our game Saturday — this was the time to come forth and let people know the athletics department’s position regarding the issue,” Sweeney said.

BTN media relations manager Mike Vest said the company would “love to sit down and hammer out a deal” with Charter, but added he does not anticipate that happening anytime soon.

“In the basketball season we’ll have 19 games, and we’ll have about seven women’s basketball games, plus a handful of hockey games,” Vest said. “These are all programming that are important to students. Charter needs to hear the voice of the Badger fans that want to see the Big Ten Network.”

Charter Communications did not respond to a phone call seeking comment Friday.

“We’re not trying to force Charter or Time Warner to do anything,” Sweeney said. “We’re just trying to explain we think that BTN is a good thing in the long run, and the difficulty of the circumstances we’re in now because the larger company cables decided to not offer it.”

In the letter, Badger fans were asked to contact Charter by phone, e-mail or letter to ask the company to add BTN to its basic package, which Charter currently does not offer due to the cost to include the channel in its lineup.

“Let them know that you’re a Badger fan; remind them that they are the temporary holders of a municipally regulated cable franchise in your area and are obligated to respond to your community and its programming mandates,” the letter read.