University Park, Pa. -- Big Ten Network studio host Dave Revsine and football studio analyst Gerry DiNardo is on the Penn State campus today as the third stop on their tour of all the Big Ten institutions.
Revsine, DiNardo and analyst Howard Griffith are the Big Ten Network's football studio team and fans will see a lot of them when the Network launches Aug. 30. Revsine is the host of "Big Ten Tonight," the Network's signature studio-based news, information and highlight show that will air nightly.
Revsine and DiNardo met with Coach Joe Paterno and attended practice during their visit to Happy Valley.
"I went to a Big Ten school and watched Big Ten games growing up," said Revsine, a Northwestern graduate who left ESPN after 10 years to join the Big Ten Network. "Howard played in the Big Ten (Illinois) and Gerry coached in this league (Indiana), so we all know this conference well. We understand that the Land Grant Trophy is important. The schools in the Big Ten Conference are interwoven into the fabric of their states."
"This a great opportunity to be involved in college football 12 months a year," stated DiNardo. "To be at Penn State on August 13 and to be able and talk about college football anytime during the year is something I was not able to do before."
Revsine was emphatic when asked about distribution for the Big Ten Network.
"It should be part of the basic (cable) package (in the Big Ten states)," he stated. "Are you going to tell me there are 70 channels more compelling than Big Ten programming? I don't think so in a state like Pennsylvania."
The official launch of the Big Ten Network is Aug. 30, two days before the kick-off of the 2007 Big Ten college football season. "Big Ten Tonight," a nightly studio show hosted by Revsine, will preview the upcoming season and closely examine all of the weekend's conference teams in action. The network will televise more than 400 live events, including more high-definition programming than any other new network in television history. The network announced a commitment to gender equality by 2010, when all Big Ten Network-controlled television, Internet and mobile media will provide equal men's and women's athletic coverage.
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 agreements 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 than 16 million homes. The Big Ten Network is a joint venture between subsidiaries of the Big Ten Conference and Fox Cable Networks.
The 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 Big Ten Network will air more than 600 hours of Penn State programming during its inaugural year. 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.
A minimum of three Penn State football games will air on the Big Ten Network this season. The Nittany Lions' season opener against Florida International (Sept. 1, noon) and home contest against Buffalo (Sept. 15, noon) are set to air on the network. Penn State also will make at least one appearance on the Big Ten Network during the eight-game conference schedule.
To get the Big Ten Network, fans should call 1-866-WANT-B10 and record a message or be patched through to their cable operator and request that the network be a part of their expanded basic package. Comcast customers should call 1-215-665-1700 to request the Big Ten Network.
For more information regarding the Big Ten Network, visit http://www.bigtennetwork.com online.