Pyramid Scheme Alert, Rybak’s Big 10 Network Day
Posted by Andy on September 26th, 2007
The Big 10 Network is simply a funding scheme for major Universities, and as usual, these Universities which are addicted to your money, are trying to get Politicians to intervene in the free markets.
You see, right now, Big 10 Network is pretty hard to get. People have to want it so badly to go get it themselves, but if the planners of the scheme have their way, they’ll get lawmakers to force cable and satellite networks to add the network to the basic packages.
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak declared Friday, Sept. 28 as ‘Minnesota Big Ten Network Day.’
Rybak’s announcement came as a shock, due to the fledgling new network not being able to be received by most Minnesota cable customers.
Only Direct TV customers will be able to watch the Gophers on television this year. Normal cable subscribers will not be able to watch Gopher’s basketball games on television either. (source KSTP)
Why is that bad?
Because you will pay a few bucks for the Network whether you want it or not. Cable and satellite networks will have to pay Big 10 Network a certain amount for each and every subscriber.
Taking the failed scheme from a few thousand subscribers to literally millions, and the revenue flowing into the U will go up by millions and millions and millions. If Comcast is forced to add this, it will cost them millions. And what happens when a company is forced to do something in a more expensive way?
They raise their rates.
Not only do Minnesota taxpayers (not to mention tuition paying students) pay through the nose for the U, now they want to make watching TV more expensive.
These people spend more time trying to figure out how to get their hands on more of your money than they do educating students it seems.
Yes it is your money.
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September 26th, 2007 at 10:15 am
More people might be interested in the network if the local team looked like they could actually win a Big10 game some time this year.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
fwiw, Dish Network has Big 10 Network now too
[edit] Comcast, that’s all i have to say, no matter this issue or not, Cable companies are terrible.
September 26th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Grrr, watch the language liberal.
Yeah but this scheme by the U is worse.
September 27th, 2007 at 8:59 am
It’s not really a scheme by the U of MN, it’s a business decision by the entire Big 10 — A bad one it looks like. Instead of selling game rights to ESPN, FSN, local network affiliates, etc for a portion of the potential TV revenue, the Big 10 is trying to keep 100% of the pot. It’s like Ted Turner owning the Braves and the network that broadcasts them. But it’s turning out more like the failed attempt the Twins tried with Victory Sports.
You are, however, right on with your analysis about the mayor promoting the network with his proclamation.
September 27th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
My favorute part:
“The Big Ten Network provides national exposure to the excellent programs at the University of Minnesota,” Mayor Rybak said. “The Network offers unprecedented access to conference sports, events, shows, original programming in academics, the arts and sciences, and campus activity providing access to the vast resources of the University to a wider audience.”
http://www.gophersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8400&ATCLID=1249334
Only Rybak could equate taking away 5 Gopher hockey games from Comcast users as “unprecedented access”