Every once in awhile something gets me riled up. Recently, I received an email stating that the newly formed Big Ten Network is not airing the Men';s and Women';s Big Ten Cross Country Championships to be held at the Ohio State University Golf Course on Sunday, October 28th. The email sent to me went on to say that the Big Ten Network has shown football, volleyball, soccer and field hockey.

I live an area where my cable provider, Time Warner, has said no to the Big Ten Network so far. I have only watched the channel once on a Saturday afternoon at a restaurant. The conflict between the Big Ten Network and Time Warner seems to stem from the Big Ten Network wanting Time Warner to provide their programming on the Time Warner Basic Plan and give the Big Ten Network $1.10 of each subscriber basic fee. I have only had a few economics classes, but I have to side with Time Warner on this issue. Time Warner has said that they would add the Big Ten Network to their sports package but not to their Basic Plan and they are not willing to give $1.10 for the programming when some other markets are only paying ten cents for the Big Ten Network.

In September during the conflict between Time Warner and the Big Ten Network I read and heard advertisements about how Time Warner was not playing fair and that Time Warner customers should contact them and say they want the Big Ten Network. The Big Ten Network in their promotions stated how they cover all Big Ten sports...

Well if the Big Ten Network wanted me to speak out for their programming...I would like to encourage all of the runners in Ohio and the Big Ten institution states to speak out for coverage of cross-country on the Big Ten Network. Contact the Big Ten Network office and tell them you want to see them cover the Big Ten Men';s and Women';s Cross Country Championships in Columbus, Ohio on October 28th.

Here are the contacts for the Big Ten Network office -
http://www.bigtennetwork.com/contact
bigtennetwork@gmail.com

Elizabeth Conlisk, VP/Communications - Big Ten Network
elizabeth.conlisk@bigtennetwork.com

Mike Vest, Media Relations Manager - Big Ten Network
mike.vest@bigtennetwork.com

It seems that the Big Ten Network might be losing the public relations battle. When I attended the Ohio State-Akron football game, a Big Ten Network advertisement was given over the public announcement system and a loud stream of boos followed their message.
It was brought to my attention in the email that the Big Ten Network has cover all of the fall sports except cross country.

In looking at girls'; fall sports in Ohio, cross-country is the second most popular sport in both the number of high schools that offer the sport and in the number of athletes participating. Volleyball (796) has the most schools offering this girls sport in Ohio high
schools. Girls'; cross country ranks second with 506 schools followed by girls';
soccer (470), girls'; tennis (410), girls'; golf (241) and girls'; field hockey (34).

At the National level the top ten sports offering at high schools are as follows:

Ten Most Popular Girls Sports
Number of Schools

1. Basketball 17,275
2. Track and Field - Outdoor 15,417
3. Softball - Fast Pitch 14,710
4. Volleyball 14,578
5. Cross Country 12,989
6. Soccer 9,970
7. Tennis 9,816
8. Golf 8,816
9. Swimming and Diving 6,559
10. Competitive Spirit Squads 3,914

Ten Most Popular Boy Sports
Number of Schools

1. Basketball 17,535
2. Track and Field - Outdoor 15,497
3. Baseball 15,290
4. Football - 11-player 13,727
5. Golf 13,267
6. Cross Country 13,110
7. Soccer 10,580
8. Wrestling 9,744
9. Tennis 9,706
10. Swimming and Diving 6,224

At the Division I collegiate level there are 315 women';s cross-country programs and only 77 field hockey teams. All eleven Big Ten institutions sponsor a women';s cross-country team while only seven offer field hockey. So, I do not understand why field hockey has been shown on the Big Ten Network but not cross-country.

In the last two years EIGHT of the Big Ten institutions has had either a men';s
or a women's cross country team or both at the NCAA Division I National Cross Country Championships. A few facts on the success of the cross-country programs in the
Big Ten the past two seasons at the NCAA Cross Country Championships:

Women 2006

Michigan 3rd
Wisconsin 4th
Illinois 8th
Minnesota 11th
Michigan State 12th
Iowa 17th

Men 2006

Wisconsin 2nd
Michigan State 17th
Iowa 28th

&

Women 2005

Illinois 5th
Michigan 6th
Minnesota 9th
Wisconsin 20th
Michigan State 30th

Men 2005

Wisconsin - National Champions
Ohio State 11th
Iowa 19th
Minnesota 20th
Indiana 29th

After receiving the email about the lack of cross-country coverage I decided to email and call the Big Ten Network. Below are my correspondences with the Big Ten Network.

Listed below are my emails and the replies from the Big Ten Network...
--
I have read that the Big Ten Network would be covering all Big Ten sports.
Could you please let me know what coverage you have for men and women cross
country this fall?

Will they be covering the Big Ten Cross Country Championships in Columbus
later this month?

Matt McGowan
330 Spellman
Granville, OH 43023
--
Reply

We will not be airing the Big Ten Cross country Championships this year. Hope to air it in the future.

Sincerely,

The Big Ten Network web team
--
Dear...

I was wondering when you would have any coverage of men's cross country and
women's cross-country on the Big Ten Network. I know you have already
covered the following fall sports; football, field hockey, soccer and
volleyball.

In looking at the Big Ten Network July 2, 2007 Press Release it states..
Launching this August, the Big Ten Network is dedicated to covering the Big
Ten Conference and its 11 member institutions. The Big Ten Network will
provide unprecedented access to an extensive schedule of conference sports
events and shows;

In looking at you web site Fact Sheets it says

Sports televised: Football, men's basketball, women's basketball and other
NCAA-sponsored sports...The Big Ten Network will carry a combined total of at least 170 NCAA-sponsored events like hockey, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, track and field, swimming and diving, etc

Also in your June 21, 2006 press release announcing the start of the Big Ten
Network it states.... The Big Ten Network is dedicated to covering both the
athletic and academic content of the Big Ten member institutions on a national
level. Showcasing a wide array of sports as well as original programming
produced by the conference's 11 institutions.

However, to date I have not seen any coverage of cross country races on the
Big Ten Network. Could you please explain to me how field hockey is covered
and men's and women's cross country is not. In looking at girls/women fall
sports in Ohio cross country is the second most popular sport in both number
of high schools which offer the sport and number of athletes participating.
Volleyball (796) has the most school offering this girls sport in Ohio high
schools. Girls cross country ranks second with 506 schools followed by girls
soccer (470), girls tennis (410), girls golf (241) and girls field hockey (34). I would assume the numbers are similar in the other States, which have Big Ten institutions.
I would also assume of the fall women sports in college; cross-country would
also rank at the top of the list with the numbers of schools, which have cross
country as a NCAA-sponsored sports

So, my main questions are:

1) Why is there NO coverage of Men's and Women's Cross Country races on the
Big Ten Network?

2) Why is the Big Ten Network NOT covering the Big Ten Cross Country
Championships in Columbus, Ohio on October 28th?

I appreciate you answering the above questions as I have had a number of high
school cross country athletes and coaches wondering why cross country is the
only fall sport not covered on the Big Ten Network.

Also, cross country is the only fall sport where all of the Big Ten institutions will be competing against each other as both the men and a women cross country teams will be in one location on one day at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships, Sunday, October 28th in Columbus, Ohio.

In the last two years EIGHT of the Big Ten institutions has had either a men
or a women's cross country team or both at the NCAA Cross Country
Championships. A few facts on the success of the cross country programs in the
Big Ten the past two seasons at the NCAA Cross Country Championships:

Women 2006
Michigan 3rd
Wisconsin 4th
Illinois 8th
Minnesota 11th
Michigan State 12th
Iowa 17th

Men 2006
Wisconsin Runner Up
Michigan State 17th
Iowa 28th

Women 2005
Illinois 5th
Michigan 6th
Minnesota 9th
Wisconsin 20th
Michigan State 30th

Men 2005
Wisconsin - National Champions
Ohio State 11th
Iowa 19th
Minnesota 20th
Indiana 29th

Sincerely,

Matt McGowan
editor, RUNOHIO
www.runohio.com
--

Reply

Matt,
Thanks a lot for the email and all the information.

As you mentioned, we will not televise the Big Ten Cross Country
Championships later this month.

In our first year, we have extremely ambitious plans to televise 400
live events right out of the gate. As the network grows, we hope to be
able to televise that event in future years.

We will be televising the Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships
this winter and the Outdoor Track & Field Championships next spring.

Once again, thanks for the email and your interest in the Big Ten
Network.

Sincerely,
xxxx

--

another reply

Hi Matt,

I've forwarded your email to our VP of programming who will be in touch.

Best,

xxxxxxxxx

--

Dear xxxx,

I still am trying to figure out how you decide what you cover on the Big Ten
Network and what you don't cover...Could you please tell me the process of how
the Big Ten Network determines what you cover and what you don't.

Again, the popularity of cross-country at the high school and college level
seems to be enough to warrant your coverage

Plus, both the men';s and women';s cross country programs from the Big Ten
institutions will be at one location on one day running a looped course around
the OSU Golf Course.

Could you not have the local Fox affiliate be on hand to show the start of the
race and then at least the finish. With a looped course it would seem
possible to show more of the races.

Plus, with the success of both the men and women Big Ten cross country teams
at the NCAA National Cross Country Championships it would seem this sport
should be covered by a network like yours.

Also, when you talk about academics at the various Big Ten institutions, it
has been my experience that the cross country programs have one of the highest
Grade Point Averages of all NCAA sanctioned sports.

It is hard for me to understand how the Big Ten Network can cover less popular
sports and not cover cross country, especially in an event which will have
both men and women teams running from all of the Big Ten institutions on one
day at one site.

Sincerely,

Matt McGowan
editor, RUNOHIO
www.runohio.com

--

Dear xxxxxxxx,

Thank you for forwarding my letter to programming...

I am going to do a story on the Big Ten Cross Country Championships in RUNOHIO
and I am trying to figure out why this event is not being covered by the Big Ten Network.
--
reply

Matt,
I cannot share any information regarding the selection process for
programming.

It's certainly possible the cross country championships will receive
coverage through on Big Ten Tonight and the Big Ten Women's Show, but we
are not televising the 2007 event live. It is possible that in future
years we will carry the event, as I mentioned in my last email.

Also, I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that we are televising
the indoor and outdoor track championship this season.

xxxx

--

Dear xxxxxxx,

Also, just wanted to share these stats with you about the popularity of
various sports in high school. These are the most current information
National Federation of State High School Associations. As you can see cross
country is one of the top boys and girls sports from the number of schools
which offer it and from the number participants. Cross Country is also the
second most popular fall sport.

2005-06 National Facts

Ten Most Popular Girls Sports

Number of Schools

1. Basketball 17,275
2. Track and Field - Outdoor 15,417
3. Softball - Fast Pitch 14,710
4. Volleyball 14,578
5. Cross Country 12,989
6. Soccer 9,970
7. Tennis 9,816
8. Golf 8,816
9. Swimming and Diving 6,559
10. Competitive Spirit Squads 3,914

Number of Participants

1. Basketball 452,929
2. Track and Field - Outdoor 439,200
3. Volleyball 390,034
4. Softball - Fast Pitch 369,094
5. Soccer 321,555
6. Cross Country 175,954
7. Tennis 173,753
8. Swimming and Diving 147,413
9. Competitive Spirit Squads 98,570
10. Golf 64,195

Ten Most Popular Boy Sports

Number of Schools

1. Basketball 17,535
2. Track and Field - Outdoor 15,497
3. Baseball 15,290
4. Football - 11-player 13,727
5. Golf 13,267
6. Cross Country 13,110
7. Soccer 10,580
8. Wrestling 9,744
9. Tennis 9,706
10. Swimming and Diving 6,224

Number of Boys Participants

1. Football - 11-player 1,071,775
2. Basketball 546,335
3. Track and Field - Outdoor 533,985
4. Baseball 470,671
5. Soccer 358,935
6. Wrestling 251,534
7. Cross Country 208,303
8. Golf 161,284
9. Tennis 153,006
10. Swimming and Diving 107,468

Sincerely,

Matt McGowan
RUNOHIO, editor
www.runohio.com

--

xxxx,

Thank you for your responses to my emails.

Is there anyone else in the Big Ten Network organization who might be able to
answer my questions before I write my story for RUNOHIO about the Big Ten
Cross Country Championships.

I also plan to include information from your site about the purpose of the Big
Ten Network and responses I have received to date on the Big Ten Network not
covering the event.

I also hope to have my article and information posted on other running related
websites message boards.

Sincerely,

Matt McGowan
RUNOHIO, editor
www.runohio.com

--

reply

Matt,
No, there is not. Media inquiries can be sent to me.

Thanks for the heads-up about the article. If you have any more
questions, I'll do my best to help. Just let me know.

Hope you have a great weekend.

xxxx

--

--

Again, make your voice heard by contacting the Big Ten network office....

http://www.bigtennetwork.com/contact
bigtennetwork@gmail.com

Elizabeth Conlisk, VP/Communications - Big Ten Network
elizabeth.conlisk@bigtennetwork.com

Mike Vest, Media Relations Manager - Big Ten Network
mike.vest@bigtennetwork.com