Big Ten Network, which got a major boost in buzz with its coverage of Appalachian State's huge upset of Michigan last Saturday, has also just scored on the distribution front today, inking a carriage
deal with EchoStar Communications. The network, co-owned by the conference's 11 schools and Fox, will now be available to Dish subscribers that buy the satellite provider's "America's Top 100"
package. Furthermore, all Dish customers will have the chance to preview BTN until early next year. The Top 100 package reaches 11.6 million homes nationwide, including 2.7 million within the Big Ten
states.
The pact is the second major recent carriage contract for BTN, following an Aug. 29 deal with Insight Communications. It is also talking with Mediacom Corp., but has yet been unable
to come to agreements with Comcast and Time Warner, both of which have balked at terms that call for a $1-a-month subscriber fee within Big Ten territory.
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