The Big Sky Conference isn’t big enough for TV but starting this fall fans of its nine schools will be able to watch more than 300 games via its own network: the online-only Big Sky TV. The conference has a three-year deal with Salt Lake City-based SportsCast Network (SCN) to handle the video streaming. A season-long pass is $99.95 for the conference, $59.95 for a one school. Month-long passes are $49.95 for the conference or a single school. The deal includes live and VOD games, live chat during games, radio feeds and real-time stats.
The Ivy League is taking it a little more slowly; commissioner Jeff Orleans told the AP he expects most of the league’s events to be online within seven years, which seems like a long wait given the rapid pace of technology. Orleans: “We can produce our own television and reach, literally, the entire world on the Web, without having to go through the issues of, is there cable availability? Is there satellite availability? Is there advertising support?”
The revenue model isn’t a replica of TV. AP has some of the details from Big Sky: the money goes directly to the schools, which keep the rights and provide the feeds. In addition to the subscriptions, schools can sell advertising. Profits are split with SportsCast.
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