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Big Ten Network to Double Wrestling Coverage in 2009-10

Network to cover 26 events on either television or internet

October 20, 2009

CHICAGO -- The Big Ten Network will double its coverage of wrestling this season, with television coverage of the Big Ten Championships, the Midlands Classic and nine duals. In addition, the network will stream 15 more duals on www.BigTenNetwork.com.

“Once again, the Big Ten is the nation’s most dominant wrestling conference, and we’re pleased to bring fans even more wrestling coverage than ever before,” Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman said.

Coverage begins on Dec. 10 with an in-state battle between Iowa and Northern Iowa. The action heats up in January with the Midlands Classic in Evanston, which will be televised at 6 PM on Jan. 3.

The network will televise a dual match on many Friday and Sunday nights in January and February, culminating with live coverage of the Big Ten Championships at 1 PM on Sunday, March 7, from the campus of the University of Michigan.

Nearly all of the televised events will air live, or on a same-day delay basis to avoid schedule conflicts with men’s basketball and hockey. Streamed events will be available live and on-demand at www.BigTenNetwork.com.

The network has made a significant financial investment to provide fans with a high-quality streaming experience that is comparable to watching an event in high definition.

Every Big Ten Conference team was ranked in the final 2009 InterMat top 25 poll, including No. 1 Iowa, No, 2 Ohio State, No. 8 Illinois, No. 9 Wisconsin, No. 11 Michigan, No. 13 Northwestern, No. 15 Minnesota, No. 17 Penn State, No. 23 Purdue, No. 24 Indiana and No. 25 Michigan State.

The Big Ten Network is now available to up to 73 million homes across North America through satellite providers such as DIRECTV, DISH Network and Shaw Direct (Canada), telco companies such as Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-Verse, and on cable in 19 of the nation’s top 20 media markets. Fans can find the channel specific to their area and provider by entering their zip code at www.bigtennetwork.com/channelfinder.

2009-10 BIG TEN NETWORK WRESTLING SCHEDULE

Event	Air Date	Air Time	Outlet
Northern Iowa at Iowa	Thursday, Dec. 10	6 PM (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Midlands Classic	Sunday, Jan. 3	6 PM (delay)	Big Ten Network
Oklahoma State at Iowa	Sunday, Jan. 17	6 PM (delay)	Big Ten Network
Illinois at Penn State	Friday, Jan. 22	6 PM (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Minnesota at Michigan State	Friday, Jan. 22	6 PM (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Indiana at Wisconsin	Friday, Jan. 22	7 PM (LIVE)	Big Ten Network
Illinois at Michigan State	Sunday, Jan. 24	12 PM (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Penn State at Ohio State	Sunday, Jan. 24	6 PM (same-day delay)	Big Ten Network
Wisconsin at Minnesota	Friday, Jan. 29	6 PM (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Penn State at Iowa	Friday, Jan. 29	TBD (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Penn State at Wisconsin	Sunday, Jan. 31	1 PM (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Illinois at Northwestern	Sunday, Jan. 31	6 PM (same-day delay)	Big Ten Network
Michigan State at Iowa	Sunday, Jan. 31	TBD (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Northwestern at Penn State	Friday, Feb. 5	6 PM (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Minnesota at Illinois	Friday, Feb. 5	7 PM (LIVE)	Big Ten Network
Purdue at Michigan State	Sunday, Feb. 7	6 PM (same-day delay)	Big Ten Network
Michigan State at Penn State	Friday, Feb. 12	6 PM (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Northwestern at Iowa	Friday, Feb. 12	TBD (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Iowa at Minnesota	Sunday, Feb. 14	6 PM (LIVE)	Big Ten Network
Northwestern at Wisconsin	Friday, Feb. 19	6 PM (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Penn State at Minnesota	Friday, Feb. 19	6 PM (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Ohio State at Iowa	Friday, Feb. 19	9:30 PM ET (same-day delay)	Big Ten Network
Indiana at Michigan State	Sunday, Feb. 21	12 PM (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Iowa at Wisconsin	Sunday, Feb. 21	12 PM (LIVE)	BigTenNetwork.com
Michigan at Northwestern	Sunday, Feb. 21	6 PM (LIVE)	Big Ten Network
Big Ten Championships	Sunday, March 7	1 PM (LIVE)	Big Ten Network

About the Big Ten Network: The Big Ten Network is the first nationally distributed network dedicated to covering one of the premier collegiate conferences in the country. With approximately 350 live events, and nearly all of them in HD, the network is the ultimate destination for Big Ten fans and alumni across the country, allowing them to see their favorite teams, regardless of where they live. The network operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, showcasing a wide array of classic-to-current sports and televising more Olympic sporting events and women’s sports than has ever been aired on any other network. Original programming highlights activities and accomplishments of some of the nation’s finest universities. Each year, the network offers between 35 and 40 football games, 105 regular season men’s basketball games; 55 women’s basketball games; dozens of Big Ten Championship events; Big Ten Tonight, a nightly studio show; coaches’ shows; and classic games. Available to all cable and satellite providers nationwide and in Canada, the network currently has agreements with more than 300 affiliates, including AT&T U-Verse, Atlantic Broadband, Cablevision, Charter, Comcast, Cox (Cleveland, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas), DirecTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Shaw Cable and Shaw Direct (Canada), Time Warner Cable and Verizon FiOS. For updated information on the Big Ten Network, go to www.BigTenNetwork.com.