Like most of us I pay for the BTN through my carrier. So tomorrow evening the second highest ranked team in the conference is playing and the BTN thinks we need to pay them a little more by carrying the game on BTN2GO. Tired of the crap.
BTN Sux
- Thread starter SIBoiler2
- Start date
I think you can access BTN2GO for free if you have it through your cable provider. I can login to Directv.com and stream it from my phone or laptop. Who is your provider?
What really hacks me off is that ESPN doesn't charge me a fee for their game coverage if my carrier (Dish) carries ESPN but the B1G's own network hoses me to view their shabby online coverage whether I'm already paying for their service or not. Sure it's available a day or so later but if you are taping it you have NO reason not to show it live other than grèed.
BTN does suck. So much so that I don't feel guilty when I use "alternative" methods 
I mean, ESPN did the same thing - but you're currently experiencing the result of that greed because all of these different cable, satellite, etc. picked up ESPN3 and are paying ESPN3.
The Big Ten is most likely trying to move towards a model of cable/internet companies picking up the tab for streaming. But BTN2GO is in its infancy.
In the future, BTN2GO could be picked up by cable/internet companies in Big Ten territory, but highly unlikely outside of it.
No doubt about the greed, and the use of leverage on these media rights, Ibodel. I just stubbornly refuse to further "subsidize" BTN during its "growing pains."
and get off my lawn!
I'm not going to go ballistic because the game is on BTN Plus. After all, I can afford to pay for it if I want to. Or I can listen to Cliz and watch it Friday morning.
That said, I wonder how much the Big Ten Network actually makes off of BTN Plus. I could be wrong but I doubt their subscriber count is very high. Considering the insane profitability of the BTN (revenue sharing was $21.5MM per school last season), I can't imagine BTN Plus is contributing much to the bottom line.
I would like to think some well heeled alumni at some schools could press, AD's and the Big Ten office to negotiate a removal of the subscription requirement and make all games free on BTN2GO.
Shoot, revenues might actually increase if more people are watching as they can charge higher ad prices for the online distribution.
That said, I wonder how much the Big Ten Network actually makes off of BTN Plus. I could be wrong but I doubt their subscriber count is very high. Considering the insane profitability of the BTN (revenue sharing was $21.5MM per school last season), I can't imagine BTN Plus is contributing much to the bottom line.
I would like to think some well heeled alumni at some schools could press, AD's and the Big Ten office to negotiate a removal of the subscription requirement and make all games free on BTN2GO.
Shoot, revenues might actually increase if more people are watching as they can charge higher ad prices for the online distribution.
BTN is awesome. I think it's like $10 for a month of BTN Plus so if seeing the game live means that much to you then quit whining and acting like that $10 is the end of the world.
Keep in mind that this is a crap game that if you really need to see it will probably replay on BTN later in the week where that make-or-break $10 can stay in your mattress.
Keep in mind that this is a crap game that if you really need to see it will probably replay on BTN later in the week where that make-or-break $10 can stay in your mattress.
It's the principle not the cost. Once upon a time the concept of principles was understood in this country. Now everybody runs s she'll game to milk every nickel. BTN was purported to be a carrier of B1G games and I pay for it. But I guess I misunderstood how the BTN scam was designed.
Was it ever purported to carry every single Big Ten game? Has it ever done so? I know I get to see a ton more games than I saw before BTN.
I haven't lived within a 800 miles of IN in 15 years. In three different states with three different carriers, I've been able to watch 98% of the BB and FB games, either through my cable provider or Roku for alternate channels. When I lived in TX, I was watching games when UT fans were scrambling to find a bar with the Longhorn network.
The teeth gnashing over how bad we all of sudden have it is way overplayed.
Used to bother me. I even paid for BTN Plus one year. Didn't think it was worth it. Doesn't bother me anymore. The percentage of Purdue games on network, cable, satellite, Uverse, etc. is very high and all of the significant ones are. It's holiday season, have plenty of other things to do anyway than watch Purdue beat up another cupcake.
Whenever someone says it's not the money, it's the principal of the thing, it's the money. Not sure what the heck "principal" is violated here anyway.
To me, the true value of BTN Plus is for the non revenue sports. It's a way for parents, friends, and high school coaches to follow student athletes they have a vested interest in. I suspect a lot of the subscribers are those types of people.
Back in the late 80s, a friend of mine's daughter played for the Purdue Women's BB team. Her parents traveled to almost all of the conference away games. I think they missed a few (Penn State). It was the only way they could see her play. Now, they might have gone to all those games anyway. But, her extended family and close friends and HS coach would have likely subscribed and watched her if BTN Plus was available. This is a great service that BTN is providing and they probably don't make a lot of money on it and it is something they could have just decided not to bother with. So, we miss a few insignificant Men's BB games that they then decide to televise on BTN Plus. Good trade off for the other sports they cover. Games that probably would be a financial loss for the network because because they can't sell all the advertising. Not many subscribers will tune in to watch Purdue against a directional school. Conference games easily double the viewership because of 2 BIG fan bases plus other BIG school fans tuning in as conference games impact the conference standings. If the opponent is directional school U, the number of fans from that school who tune in will be tiny in comparison to a BIG opponent.
In other words, if it were profitable, BTN would have the game on. There's a reason the State Farm Network televising all the games to Indiana homes is gone. It was no longer profitable. Some games were carried at a loss. Can't do that for long..
Whenever someone says it's not the money, it's the principal of the thing, it's the money. Not sure what the heck "principal" is violated here anyway.
To me, the true value of BTN Plus is for the non revenue sports. It's a way for parents, friends, and high school coaches to follow student athletes they have a vested interest in. I suspect a lot of the subscribers are those types of people.
Back in the late 80s, a friend of mine's daughter played for the Purdue Women's BB team. Her parents traveled to almost all of the conference away games. I think they missed a few (Penn State). It was the only way they could see her play. Now, they might have gone to all those games anyway. But, her extended family and close friends and HS coach would have likely subscribed and watched her if BTN Plus was available. This is a great service that BTN is providing and they probably don't make a lot of money on it and it is something they could have just decided not to bother with. So, we miss a few insignificant Men's BB games that they then decide to televise on BTN Plus. Good trade off for the other sports they cover. Games that probably would be a financial loss for the network because because they can't sell all the advertising. Not many subscribers will tune in to watch Purdue against a directional school. Conference games easily double the viewership because of 2 BIG fan bases plus other BIG school fans tuning in as conference games impact the conference standings. If the opponent is directional school U, the number of fans from that school who tune in will be tiny in comparison to a BIG opponent.
In other words, if it were profitable, BTN would have the game on. There's a reason the State Farm Network televising all the games to Indiana homes is gone. It was no longer profitable. Some games were carried at a loss. Can't do that for long..
let's put it in perspective. 10/month is a netflix streaming subscription for 2 concurrent streams in HD. so...ya. give me a reliable 1080p and ok.
I haven't missed a game in probably 4-5 years. I get BTN plus for the month of November every year and the broadcast is awful but at least it's something and you're still watching basketball. It's just a bit of a bummer that they're putting a btn+ game in December for the 15th ranked team in the country.
I understand that MSU/Oakland is definitely going to be better ratings and probably a much closer game so I can't complain about that choice. I would just love to not have to pay for a month of kind of a mediocre service that I'm only going to use once as opposed to paying to see just that game or get it broadcasted for free on btn2go.
I understand that MSU/Oakland is definitely going to be better ratings and probably a much closer game so I can't complain about that choice. I would just love to not have to pay for a month of kind of a mediocre service that I'm only going to use once as opposed to paying to see just that game or get it broadcasted for free on btn2go.
I'm sure it's an either-or situation for you. That last $10 to your name is going to Netflix every month.
no i didn't make that point. I just showed what the expectation is for a 10/month service.
That's kind of the way they made it sound & sold everyone on it when they started it. It's also, not the $10, it's the crappy feed they have on +
If it wasn't for the BTN, we wouldn't have Brohm as our new coach and Painter may have a Columbia, MO mailing address.
I'd venture that if weren't for entities like BTN and other conference networks coaches would have to work for a lot less money like they did before the money machines existed. It's all relative.
You remember it way different than I do. I remember being told we'd get all home football games on BTN or through a TV partner. Don't remember any guarantees regarding basketball. I'm pretty happy that I have an opportunity to watch almost every game on the schedule even if they all aren't BTN. Before BTN I only got to see a handful of games each year and I live in the state of Indiana.
"This brand new free airplane Wi-Fi quit working. That's BS!"
I beg to differ...
I do remember it differently. That's the shit-filled twinkie they sold us, when the State Farm Network died, and BTN was born. We saw commercial after commercial saying that we were gonna need BTN to watch the non-national (ESPN) or non-conference games. Remember: "Write your TV provider and demand they add BTN"?
I was one of those "suckers" that was goaded into writing my TV provider, and threatened to cancel my subscription if they did't pick up the network. Sure, there'd be a couple holiday tourney games not covered, but the deal was that they said they were gonna cover the games regionally, so local cable providers would carry the local team's games (meaning in Lafayette, you'd get to see Purdue games).
And I do consider it a principle thing. We were lied to, and then the whole bait & switch crap started once they were firmly entrenched in our Comcast lineup. They didn't have BTN Plus, and ToGo when they first started out; that was something they phased in, after they decided that the cable TV revenue wasn't enough.
Further, I wouldn't even have such a problem doing the one month sub. (and then cancelling), but I did it 2 years in a row, and they screwed it up both times (BTN).
They didn't have any trouble charging my credit card, but I missed like 80% of the games I purchased, because they never could get my account activated correctly, (even when I called, and called, and called).
The first year I subscribed, it was so bad that we only got to watch the last 10 minutes of the last directional U game, after the Boilers were up 30, and all the non-scholly player had subbed in. BTN didn't seem to care, (they barely even apologized); they knew when they had you over a barrel. It's all a big racket.
I guess my question would be, "Are you saying that Purdue and Purdue fans would be better off without the BTN?"
If your answer is yes I simply do not understand.
I well remember it being virtually impossible for me to get video access to either Boiler Football or Men's Basketball, let alone other sports. I also remember the lack of money being available for the athletic programs.
While the BTN certainly hasn't provided a full resolution, the situation is enormously improved. Not perfect but quite acceptable in comparison to history.
If your answer is yes I simply do not understand.
I well remember it being virtually impossible for me to get video access to either Boiler Football or Men's Basketball, let alone other sports. I also remember the lack of money being available for the athletic programs.
While the BTN certainly hasn't provided a full resolution, the situation is enormously improved. Not perfect but quite acceptable in comparison to history.
Because before BTN, the game would have been available...and, because when BTN was created, it (BTN representatives and B1G officials) said that would not change...so they did not blatantly lie, as it is still available, they just failed to mention that you would have to pay even more to watch it...despite the fact that they have the means by which to make it available at no charge as was the case before they stepped in and took that away.
Bottom line, people in Indiana who already had access to Purdue games locally are a lot more annoyed with the BTN than those of us who couldn't because we moved out of state.
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