University Park, Pa. -- The Big Ten Network will air more 600 hours of Penn State programming during its inaugural year, which begins with the August 30 launch of the national network. The Nittany Lions will likely be featured during approximately 200 nights of prime time programming on the Network in 2007-08.
The vast majority of Penn State's 29 varsity sports, if not all, will be featured on the Big Ten Network in 2007-08, in addition to at least 60 hours of institutional, non-athletic programming.
To get the Big Ten Network, Penn State fans should visit http://www.BigTenNetwork.com and enter your zip code, which will then provide a link to the cable providers in your area, as well as DirecTV and Dish Network, to make a request for them to carry the Big Ten Network.
The Big Ten Network's fall programming schedule will be announced soon, but will include at least three Penn State football games, and possibly more, as well as men's and women's soccer contests, women's volleyball and field hockey.
The Nittany Lion football team will be featured on the Big Ten Network's opening weekend of programming, as Penn State hosts Florida International in the season opener on Sept. 1 at noon. The Nittany Lions also will appear on the Big Ten Network on Sept. 15, hosting Buffalo at noon.
The Penn State football team also will make at least one appearance on the Big Ten Network during the eight-game conference schedule. Every Big Ten football team will make at least two appearances on the Network each season. The Big Ten Network will air more than 35 football games each year, with 18 contests already announced for the 2007 season.
The sports programming on the Big Ten Network and alternative platforms also will include:
- More than 105 regular season men's basketball games, with 4-6 weeknight games and 4-7 weekend games per week, as well as games from the Big Ten Tournament;
- More than 55 women's basketball games, including nine games from the Big Ten Tournament;
- A nightly studio show including segments from each campus;
- Women's sports, including basketball, volleyball, soccer, field hockey and softball;
- More than 170 other sporting events, including baseball, soccer, tennis, track and field, swimming and diving and more;
- Classic games and historical footage from ESPN and ABC libraries;
- Original, non-sports programming produced by Big Ten member universities showcasing their academic excellence, talented students and award-winning programs;
- Weekly coaches' shows.
The Big Ten Network is a national television network, available to all cable and satellite providers nationwide, that will allow fans to see their home teams regardless of where they live. The network currently has national agreements in place with DirecTV and AT&T and also a local agreement with Buckeye CableSystem in Toledo, Ohio, for more than 150,000 subscribers in northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan. Additionally, the network has agreements pending with more than 80 other cable operators within the eight states of the Big Ten. In total, the network currently is available to viewers in more than16 million homes.
Launching on August 30, the Big Ten Network is dedicated to covering the Big Ten Conference and its 11 member institutions. The Big Ten Network will provide unprecedented access to an extensive schedule of conference sports events and shows; original programs in academics, the arts and sciences; campus activities; and associated personalities. Sports programming will include live coverage of more major men's and women's events than ever before, along with news, highlights and analysis, all complemented by hours of university-produced campus programming. The network is available to all cable and satellite carriers and television distributors nationwide, with most programs offered in stunning high-definition television (HDTV). The Big Ten Network is a joint venture between subsidiaries of the Big Ten Conference and Fox Cable Networks.
For more information regarding the Big Ten Network, visit http://www.BigTenNetwork.com online.