The Big Ten Network might well turn out to be a good thing for University of Wisconsin fans when it is launched later this year.
More likely, though, the Big Ten’s venture into television will result in changes – some short-term, some long-term – that viewers won’t consider positive. It’s not an exhaustive list, but here are five potentially negative consequences for fans:
1. The Big Ten can’t strike a deal with the major cable providers (including Charter in Madison) and a significant number of football and basketball games won’t be available to viewers who now get them on ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2 or in local syndication from ESPN Plus.