The Big Ten Network may be one step closer to being more widely available in Madison, according to a report released Monday.
According to an article in Street and Smith?s SportsBusiness Journal, Comcast and Fox executives have agreed to provide BTN with their expanded basic package to the eight Big Ten Conference states they cover.
If BTN seals a deal with Comcast, Time Warner and Charter Communications would most likely be next to bring the network to its customers, according to University of Wisconsin telecommunications professor Barry Orton.
?I can?t say it is coming close to the end ? I can?t even say we know where the end is ? but apparently there is some move on the part of the BTN on the Comcast side,? Orton said.
Comcast had originally said it would not offer the channel on the basic package for such a large area but now seems to be considering the idea, according to the report. The report also says BTN has ?relaxed its demand? to launch the channel on expanded basic in the eight-state market.
?If they move from their original position, then we have a possibility for some deals being made,? Orton said.
Comcast spokesperson John Demming said the company has never stopped negotiations with BTN, though the alleged new agreements are ?all speculation? so far.
Charter spokesperson John Miller said there have been no talks about a possible agreement within the company, though they continue to negotiate with BTN.
?Our customers want the option of whether or not to take the Big Ten Network, and we continue to keep an open mind to discussing the issue with [the network],? Miller said. ?Something between the negotiating parties has changed, but nothing to the level of substance that would motivate us to talk to the media in terms of change.?
In an e-mail to The Badger Herald, BTN spokesperson Elizabeth Conlisk declined to say whether a deal with Comcast has been reached.
?We cannot speak specifically to the Sports Business Journal story, other than to say we are continuing our negotiations with Comcast and we continue to make progress,? Conlisk said. ?Beyond that, we cannot comment further.?
