The conference announced a landmark 20-year agreement with Fox Cable networks in the creation of the Big Ten Channel. The channel, which will be distributed by DirecTV starting in August, 2007, will feature sports programming as well as non-athletic programming 24 hours a day. League commissioner Jim Delany and Fox Sports Networks President Bob Thompson said the channel will also be available to cable distributors throughout the Big Ten coverage area as well as nationally.
The Big Ten also extended its relationship with ABC/ESPN in a 10-year agreement that reportedly is worth $50 million per year.
