Thank you Comcatst. Not.

***Note from my University in regards to the Big Ten Network***
Dear University of Minnesota Alumnus:

We want to bring you up to date on the Big Ten Network (BTN). With many of our
Gopher football games being aired on the Big Ten Network and with 19 men’s
basketball games and 10 women’s basketball games scheduled to be aired, we have
received phone calls, letters, and e-mails from Gopher fans who are frustrated
that those broadcasts are not available on the state’s largest cable systems.

The Big Ten Network, which launched just three months ago, has been in the
works for nearly three years. Its development included input from conference
officials, university presidents, athletic directors, faculty representatives,
and others. In their opinion, the establishment of a network that would focus
on our schools and student-athletes was the right thing to do to ensure the
long-term stability of Big Ten athletics from a recruiting standpoint, a
financial standpoint, and a marketing standpoint.

From the outset, the network was offered to all satellite and cable providers.
The only non-negotiable BTN demand was that the network be included in the
expanded basic package within the Big Ten region. Within 30 days of launch, BTN
was in nearly 30 million homes nationwide—the most successful launch of its
kind in cable television history. It is being carried on DIRECTV, Dish Network,
and approximately 157 cable systems, including several in the state of
Minnesota, and all are offering the Big Ten Network on their expanded basic
lineup at no additional charge to subscribers.

Unfortunately, the three major cable carriers in Minnesota—Comcast, Charter,
and Mediacom—have chosen not to carry the Big Ten Network. The local contacts
of those companies have a long history of supporting Gopher athletics, but the
decision not to carry the network is being made outside of Minnesota.

We’ve heard from cable company spokespeople that BTN is too expensive. But if
small cable companies in Minnesota such as Hiawatha Broadband in Winona,
Consolidated Telephone Company in Brainerd, and Ace Communications in Houston
can negotiate a price that is acceptable, why can’t Comcast, Charter, and
Mediacom do the same?

We’ve heard from the cable companies that the Big Ten Network does not belong
on expanded basic cable, and that their customers shouldn’t have to pay for a
channel they may not watch. Review the lineup of 70 or so channels that are
currently included on your expanded basic cable package; we think you’ll agree
that the Big Ten Network would be among the more popular channels in that
lineup. Again, if the smaller cable operators, DIRECTV, and Dish are placing it
on expanded basic, why can’t Comcast, Charter, and Mediacom?

We’ve heard cable spokespeople say that you don’t need to get BTN because all
the good games are on ABC, ESPN, and other stations already on their expanded
basic. We would suggest that Gopher fans don’t need to be told by the cable
companies which games are “the good games.” Most Gopher fans would agree that
the good games are those in which the Gophers play. Our last football game
against Wisconsin was a great example.

The role of our athletic department and university—much like the role of the
local folks at Comcast, Charter, and Mediacom—is limited. We are doing all we
can to assist the Big Ten Network staff in their negotiations. But, simply put,
until the major cable companies are willing to negotiate, our role in the
process will remain extremely limited.

We’ve often been asked if there is anything Gopher fans can do to help us work
our way through this situation. Here are a few suggestions:

First, when discussing this issue, please share the information in this letter.
There are always two sides to a story, and we think the information in this
letter can help counter some of the misinformation in the numerous negative ads
being run by some cable companies.

Second, if you feel comfortable doing so, we ask that you continue to try to
contact your local cable provider and let them know that you want the Big Ten
Network on your expanded basic lineup, and that even though you have not made
the switch to satellite, that doesn’t mean you don’t have an interest in BTN.
Tell them you’re a Gopher fan; remind them that they are the temporary holders
of a municipally-regulated cable franchise in your area and are obligated to
respond to your community and its programming mandates.

Finally, please understand that most of you do have options. The Big Ten
Network is available throughout Minnesota on DIRECTV and Dish Network.
Switching from cable to satellite is not something that everyone wants to do,
but it is available and it is an option to most households in Minnesota.
Increasingly, it is an option that is being acted upon. In the state of
Minnesota, for instance, we’re told that nearly 30 percent of households now
have satellite TV and that number continues to rise.

In summary, a successful Big Ten Network is good for the University of
Minnesota and Gopher athletics. It provides unprecedented marketing
opportunities, a distinct recruiting advantage, and a steady, guaranteed stream
of incremental revenue over a 20-year period that will help Minnesota remain a
nationally competitive athletic department. It’s a network about your
student-athletes, your teams, and your school. We want to thank all of you who
have contacted us in recent weeks. We hear you. We share your concerns. Please
know that we will continue our efforts to bring broad distribution of the Big
Ten Network to Gopher fans in every corner of this great state of Minnesota.

Thank you for your patience and for your continued support of Golden Gopher
Athletics.

Go Gophers!

Bob Bruininks Joel Maturi
President Director of Athletics

----------------------------------------------------------------------
University of Minnesota
Department of Alumni Relations
200 Oak Street, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55455-2040
800-862-5867 umalumni@umn.edu


I guess a certain cable company will be getting a few letters and phone calls from someone.