Big Ten Sports Network Set To Launch, Without Beer Ads

A sports network without beer advertising? It's coming next year when the Big Ten Conference launches a 24-hour network dedicated to the athletic events of its 11 member schools.

The Big Ten Channel, to be majority-owned by the conference and operated in partnership with Fox Cable Networks, won't accept alcohol ads--eschewing the windfall that networks such as ESPN take in from advertisers like Anheuser-Busch and Coors. The Big Ten network launches in August 2007 and will carry live football and basketball games as well as other sports, and classic versions of memorable games.

Big Ten Commissioner James Delany said the 20-year deal with Fox Cable gives the conference veto power over advertising and sponsorships. And the conference believes its brand image will be best served by avoiding the beer category. The majority of Big Ten athletes who will play in games broadcast on the channel won't be old enough to drink, although that has not stopped other networks from accepting alcohol ads during college football and basketball games.

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"It goes to the appeal associated with brand strengthening and brand control," Delany said.

Another potentially awkward situation: The network will allow each Big Ten university to contribute 60 hours of programming a year that could highlight academic achievement, which might contrast with alcohol promotion.

Delany said the Big Ten considered linking with other programmers to launch the network, but opted for Fox because of its record of successfully seeding new networks such as Fox News Channel, Fuel, and the National Geographic Channel.

"The Fox track record of launching channels was incredibly impressive to us," he said.

Delany said he spent considerable time discussing how the Big Ten would maintain control of its brand under the Fox umbrella with a decidedly non-sports executive--National Geographic Society President-CEO John Fahey. Fox (News Corp.) is the majority owner of the National Geographic Channel, although the Society that Fahey oversees plays a role in content management.

Spot sales for the Big Ten Channel in the eight states with Big Ten schools will be handled by channel executives out of its Chicago base. A Fox rep firm will handle national sales.

The network is capitalizing on its affiliation with Fox and its parent News Corp. as it seeks distribution across the country. It has already secured a place in 15.4 million homes with DirecTV, another News Corp. unit.

The Big Ten Channel will compete with an array of cable sports networks, but could pose a particular challenge to the college sports-focused CSTV and ESPNU. CSTV this summer will also launch a channel dedicated to a single conference--The mtn.-MountainWest Sports Network, focusing on the Mountain West Conference--but will be regional.

"We are not concerned and think the increase in distribution options is great for fans who were previously underserved and are now getting the content they desire," said Brian Bedol, President-CEO at CSTV Networks. An ESPN representative said ESPNU is "well-positioned," including with Big Ten games on its schedule.

Separately on Wednesday, the Big Ten announced a new 10-year deal with ABC and ESPN where the Disney units will continue airing its football and basketball games, plus other sports. The deal also covers distribution of games on a slew of new media outlets such as ESPN Mobile, ESPN360 and ESPN VOD.

Fox had been expected to show an interest in securing rights to Saturday afternoon football--to go with the Bowl Championship Series that comes to the network in January--but ABC/ESPN re-upped with the Big Ten during an exclusive negotiating period.

A Fox representative said the network still has an interest, but might not have an opportunity with another conference. "At present, all rights for major Saturday afternoon college football are spoken for, but Fox Sports will certainly look at such programming opportunities if and when we can," the representative said.

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