Residual Forces

Well, RT Rybak’s little plan to have some grand day of the Pyramid Scheme, Big 10 Network Day, is simply exposing more of the power and money grab that the U is after.

(WCCO) It’s Big Ten Network Day in Minneapolis. Mayor R.T. Rybak made that official declaration today. The trouble is, the Big Ten Network can’t be seen by any Comcast Cable customers. That covers most of the Twin Cities area.

Now the two sides are working to get the public on their side. It was supposed to be a day of celebration for unprecedented access to gopher sports. But it seems even the mayor didn’t want to become embroiled in the battle to televise big ten Sports in Minnesota.

Didn’t want to get involved? Didn’t want to get involved? And pigs can fly. The entire Big 10 Network Day idea by Rybak is Rybak getting involved, and trying to use his power to affect the outcome of the debate.

Since before the Big Ten network launched, negotiations were underway to broadcast Gopher sports on Comcast cable’s basic service, but four games into the season, still no deal.

“We would hope all our fans would have access to seeing us every week . It’s not the case we’re disappointed but we realize we’re committed to this relationship and hopefully this will be satisfied,” said Maturi.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that ‘fans’ had the option to see them every (almost) week, BEFORE this new Gopher only network was dreamt up. You used to be able to flip on cable and scan around to see various Gopher sports, but now, they want to ….. well, make you pay a premium to see any Gopher sports.

The fight to win loyalty of the fans has blanketed the air waves with an ad blitz on both sides.

“The Big Ten Network wants to force cable customers to pay for their channel even if they don’t want it. We think that’s wrong,”

“Call your cable company tell them you want the Big Ten network,”

In the end, the fans are the biggest losers.

That’s wrong, free choice will be the biggest loser if the U of M has its way. Forcing people to pay for something they don’t want is just plain wrong.

I hate to break it to the powerbrokers in Minnesota, but not everyone in this state thinks the U is the most important thing going. And the sports program there is about as pride worthy as, well, the Vikings. No offense to people, but for the amount of money dedicated to sports instead of educating students, is shameful.

The atheletes have been repeatedly busted for cheating, some have had absolute thugs off the field, and playing with our state name on their jersey. And well, as some fans I know say, they suck this year and aren’t worth watching.

The U is a learning institution, isn’t it? Not an entertainment company.

In a written statement Comcast spokesperson Mary Beth Schubert said:

“The overwhelming majority of our customers do not want to pay Fox and the Big Ten the hundreds of millions of dollars they are demanding.”

And that really is the sticking point for me, and proof that this is just a scheme. The U is demanding that Comcast take away their customer’s free choice. The U is demanding that the Big 10 network get thrown into the basic package, that way subscriber numbers will be up, WAY up over the reality of actual fans who want to watch Gopher sports. And all so millions and millions of dollars will flow into the U’s coffers.

Of course it all comes down to revenue for this learning institution. If they did end up being a premium option channel on Comcast, and only the Gopher fans who are willing to pay for the product that is on the fields and courts, the U knows they’d be the biggest losers.

There are no new talks scheduled.

And that is a problem?

Hold fast Comcast. Don’t give in.