1. The Progress of the Big Ten Network John A. Fortunato, Ph. D. Fordham University College Sport Research Institute Conference University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill April 18, 2009

2. Big Ten Network Facts 20-year joint venture Big Ten Conference and Fox Cable Networks (Big Ten 51% ownership) Launch Date: August 30, 2007 First network to reach 30 million subscribers within first 30 days on air Programming 24 hr/day, 365 days/year Created to provide the conference with more national exposure

3. Why Start the Network? Economic Business Model: –Advertisers and Cable Subscription Fees –ESPN $4 per month per subscriber Outreach 98 million homes Approximate subscriber revenue $4.7 billion

4. Why Start the Network? Brand Exposure/Outreach Public Relations Nature of the Sports Fan

5. Criteria for Success Brand Exposure/Outreach: Agreements with cable companies Viewership: Ratings Public Relations/Brand Building

6. The Sports Brand Sports teams/leagues thought of as brands Brand Quality/Image Brand Awareness Brand Equity

7. The Sports Audience Loyal Satisfaction of emotional needs Fan Identification Consistent in Behavior Interest in favorites teams’ games Interest in games when rival teams are playing

8. Public Relations Literature Advocates for the organization Most Positive Light Control Image Eliminate Media Gatekeeper

9. Big Ten Network Outreach Distribution agreements with more than 250 cable operators (Comcast $.70/month) Inside the 8 Big Ten states: expanded basic level (Philadelphia: digital service level) Outside the Big Ten states: cable operators can make it available on any level Video-on-Demand Online Streaming

10. Big Ten Exposure: Programming Approximately 400 live events annually –Football: 35-40 games (each team guaranteed 2 appearances per year) –Men’s Basketball: 60-65 in-conference games (each team approximately 15-20 appearances per year) –Women’s Basketball: 50-60 games, plus as many as 9 Big Ten Tournament games (each team approximately 8-10 appearances per year)

11. Programming NCAA Sponsored “Olympic Sports” 17 Big Ten Championships/Tournaments Original Programming –Big Ten Tonight –Friday Night Tailgate –The Journey ( Illinois Football; Minnesota basketball ) –Big Ten Football Saturday –Big Ten’s Greatest Games –Big Ten Legends

12. Big Ten Brand Exposure: Football 2008 total games televised national TV Big Ten 888786 Big 12 967667 ACC 968064 Big East 696644 Pac-10 766647 SEC 976246

13. Big Ten Brand Exposure: Basketball 2008-2009 total games televised national TV Big Ten 262214208 Big 12 263214104 ACC 259185105 Big East 343243120 Pac-10 22613867 SEC 28717376

14. Big 10 Network Ratings Increase for football 113% from 0.8 in 2007 to 1.7 in 2008 Doubled household impressions in some markets –Columbus, Ohio: avg. 10.3 HH in 2007 to 24.4 HH in 2008 –Detroit, Michigan: avg. 2.4 HH in 2007 to 6.2 HH in 2008

15. The Sports Fan: Would it work for other Conferences Big 10 v. SEC

16. Enrollment Big 10 Universities (11): 444,000 8 of top 15 university enrollments –Ohio State University – 1 –University of Minnesota - 4 –Michigan State University – 8 –Penn State University – 10 –University of Wisconsin – 12 –University of Illinois – 13 –University of Michigan – 14 –Purdue University - 15

17. Big 10 v. SEC Enrollment SEC Universities (12): 320,000 1 university in the top 15 –University of Florida - 3

18. Big 10 v. SEC Television Market Size Big 10: 7 of top 25 TV Markets –Chicago - 3 –Philadelphia - 4 –Detroit - 11 –Minneapolis/St. Paul - 15 –Cleveland/Akron - 17 –Pittsburgh - 23 –Indianapolis - 25

19. Big 10 v. SEC Television Market Size SEC: 2 of top 25 TV markets –Atlanta – 8 –Orlando/Daytona Beach - 19