BTN and Gopher games

[Winnipegopher]

When BTN showed up I was ecstatic. In Canada, we don't have ESPN or FSN and there were many years when I was only able to watch 1-2 football games and a similar amount of basketball. Then BTN came and things changed (for me) dramatically. Most Gopher football and basketball games were on- until this year. Very regularly they offered secondary channels when the game wasn't on the main BTN- this year not so much.

I think there were only 3 or 4 football games on BTN (Kent, Ohio, Michigan, maybe Iowa) and so far this year, one basketball game. The rest of the football was on low level ESPN which is a wasteland for me.

I guess my question is.. Is BTN changing? I pretty much choose my cable provider based on BTN (only Shaw offers in Winnipeg) and could save money elsewhere. Am I misguided in believing that BTN is going away from an emphasis on live games?

 

[gophersfan]

The Michigan game was on ESPN. Kent State, Ohio, Northwestern, Iowa and Wisconsin were on BTN.

 

[Winnipegopher]

The Michigan game was on ESPN. Kent State, Ohio, Northwestern, Iowa and Wisconsin were on BTN.

Thanks. And NU was moved because of weather troubles on another game (I had taped it and was away). I went to Kent (Yay?) just watched Ohio, Iowa and Wisconsin.

 

[howeda7]

When BTN showed up I was ecstatic. In Canada, we don't have ESPN or FSN and there were many years when I was only able to watch 1-2 football games and a similar amount of basketball. Then BTN came and things changed (for me) dramatically. Most Gopher football and basketball games were on- until this year. Very regularly they offered secondary channels when the game wasn't on the main BTN- this year not so much.

I think there were only 3 or 4 football games on BTN (Kent, Ohio, Michigan, maybe Iowa) and so far this year, one basketball game. The rest of the football was on low level ESPN which is a wasteland for me.

I guess my question is.. Is BTN changing? I pretty much choose my cable provider based on BTN (only Shaw offers in Winnipeg) and could save money elsewhere. Am I misguided in believing that BTN is going away from an emphasis on live games?

The # of non-conference basketball games was low (2). But 16 or 17 of the 18 conference games will be on BTN if you're feeling brave enough to watch the carnage.

 

[GoUgophers]

Every single fanbase in the league complains about this, particularly in basketball when there are just too many games with a 14 team league to show enough of them to make everyone happy.

Football is going to be based mostly on how good and competitive your team is. At 5-7 you don't really have any room to complain which stations are picking up the games. They're all on national TV, anyways. If it's really that big of a deal to you, I suggest that you repatriate.

 

[GoUgophers]

Am I misguided in believing that BTN is going away from an emphasis on live games?

Pretty much the entire reason that the BTN even exists is to show live sporting events. So "misguided" would be one of the nicer ways of describing your observation.

 

[freshtrout]

The BTN's definition of 'live' has changed with their love affair with streaming games and pretending that they are doing us a great service.

 

[GoUgophers]

The BTN's definition of 'live' has changed with their love affair with streaming games and pretending that they are doing us a great service.

And what exactly would be your solution? All football games are shown on live TV, and there are just too many basketball games and events for other sports to possibly show all of them on a live broadcast (or even replay). What concrete solution have you devised to fix this problem?

 

[freshtrout]

Well for starters, they could step up and use their alternate channels. When they stream games they have two announcers and camera folks already in place. So the infrastructure is there. See, the BTN doesn't see this as a 'problem' - they tout it as a positive outcome for their subscribers, for an extra fee of course.

 

[gophersfan]

Thanks. And NU was moved because of weather troubles on another game (I had taped it and was away). I went to Kent (Yay?) just watched Ohio, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Northwestern game was scheduled for the BTN and was not moved. it started at it scheduled time of 11 am and never moved.

 

[Ope3]

Michigan/Maryland

Northwestern game was scheduled for the BTN and was not moved. it started at it scheduled time of 11 am and never moved.

Due to a hurricane the Michigan/Maryland game that was supposed to be prime time on BTN was moved to 11am. That meant the Minnesota/Northwestern game was moved to BTN auxiliary channels.

As for basketball, it's pretty clear that games against less than marquee schools will not be shown live on BTN. I think they are doing the Gopher fans a huge favor this year.

 

[station19]

And what exactly would be your solution? All football games are shown on live TV, and there are just too many basketball games and events for other sports to possibly show all of them on a live broadcast (or even replay). What concrete solution have you devised to fix this problem?

BTN is all about football and men's BB. Same as every school, they pay the bills. Too often when Gopher BB has a non-con game on BTN+...and BTN is carrying the 9th rerun of BTN Live, or some women's gymnastics match.

In the early season non-con,..even a replay would be better than nothing. Many of us junkies like to check out the new guys.

There is most definitely room for improvement.

 

[GoUgophers]

Well for starters, they could step up and use their alternate channels. When they stream games they have two announcers and camera folks already in place. So the infrastructure is there. See, the BTN doesn't see this as a 'problem' - they tout it as a positive outcome for their subscribers, for an extra fee of course.

Straight from the BTN site:

The “Extra Football Game Channels” are only available to BTN TV during the football Saturdays because of capacity issues with our cable and satellite providers. The non-conference basketball season overlaps with dozens of other sporting events, including NHL, NBA and other regional football and basketball games. Therefore, our cable and satellite partners are unable to offer this space to us, even though our Extra Football Game Channels may still continue to appear on your channel guide. During the conference portion of the basketball season, the Big Ten schedules games in such a way where there is no need for “Extra Football Game Channels.” - See more at: http://btn.com/btn-gamefinder/#sthash.IciuJiza.dpuf

 

[CentralGopher]

Due to a hurricane the Michigan/Maryland game that was supposed to be prime time on BTN was moved to 11am. That meant the Minnesota/Northwestern game was moved to BTN auxiliary channels.

As for basketball, it's pretty clear that games against less than marquee schools will not be shown live on BTN. I think they are doing the Gopher fans a huge favor this year.

Youre right, were Not missing much this year but northwestern vs some team nobody has heard about is hardly maquee either. How i miss the days before btn.

 

[station19]

Straight from the BTN site:

The “Extra Football Game Channels” are only available to BTN TV during the football Saturdays because of capacity issues with our cable and satellite providers. The non-conference basketball season overlaps with dozens of other sporting events, including NHL, NBA and other regional football and basketball games. Therefore, our cable and satellite partners are unable to offer this space to us, even though our Extra Football Game Channels may still continue to appear on your channel guide. During the conference portion of the basketball season, the Big Ten schedules games in such a way where there is no need for “Extra Football Game Channels.” - See more at: http://btn.com/btn-gamefinder/#sthash.IciuJiza.dpuf

Translation: The cable/satellite want more money than BTN is willing to pay.

 

[Maximus]

BTN is all about football and men's BB. Same as every school, they pay the bills. Too often when Gopher BB has a non-con game on BTN+...and BTN is carrying the 9th rerun of BTN Live, or some women's gymnastics match.

Gopher BB has had five non conference games on BTN+ the last two years....all five times BTN was showing other live MBB games.

 

[Maximus]

How i miss the days before btn.

The year before BTN, two big ten games were shown tape delayed. 8 other big ten games were only televised in the metro area. Four of the non con games had no tv/no internet.

 

[station19]

Gopher BB has had five non conference games on BTN+ the last two years....all five times BTN was showing other live MBB games.

Sorry but I have checked often and that is not true.

Not worth arguing about though.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Youre right, were Not missing much this year but northwestern vs some team nobody has heard about is hardly maquee either. How i miss the days before btn.

My guess is most everyone who lives outside of Minnesota disagrees with you.

 

[Maximus]

Sorry but I have checked often and that is not true.

Not worth arguing about though.

No ill intent on my part. It could easily be the games that ESPN selected as part of their package and hid on ESPN3 when BTN had nothing going on.

2014-15
MN vs. Franklin Pierce
BTN showing SMU at Indiana

MN vs. UMBC
BTN showing Lamar at Indiana then Boise at Wisconsin

MN vs. UNC Wilmington
BTN showing Wright State at Ohio State

2015-16
MN vs. UMKC
BTN showing Mt St Mary at Maryland then WIU at Wisconsin <--worth missing Gopher game for that

MN vs. South Dakota
BTN showing New Mexico at Purdue then VMI at Ohio State

 

[station19]

No ill intent on my part. It could easily be the games that ESPN selected as part of their package and hid on ESPN3 when BTN had nothing going on.

2014-15
MN vs. Franklin Pierce
BTN showing SMU at Indiana

MN vs. UMBC
BTN showing Lamar at Indiana then Boise at Wisconsin

MN vs. UNC Wilmington
BTN showing Wright State at Ohio State

2015-16
MN vs. UMKC
BTN showing Mt St Mary at Maryland then WIU at Wisconsin <--worth missing Gopher game for that

MN vs. South Dakota
BTN showing New Mexico at Purdue then VMI at Ohio State

Always possible there may have been a women's game I was checking in there.