July 19 (Bloomberg) -- Over the past several months, a handful of high-profile Senate races, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Illinois and Nevada, have tilted in the Democrats’ direction. This has sparked hope in President Barack Obama’s party that the November elections may not be so bad after all.
It’s a mirage. All these changes are due to sui generis Republican woes. Today, it’s an even bet Republicans will pick up the 39 House seats necessary to take control and gain a net of more than a half-dozen Senate seats.
What’s lethal for Democrats is that the election is being framed by the economy, and views are locking in, with voters getting more, not less, pessimistic.
Last week’s Bloomberg poll of Americans underscored the deep and pervasive economic pessimism. Most voters say they think the country is really off on the wrong track and remains in a recession, even though the downturn actually ended last September.
A couple groups are especially unsettling for the president and Democrats. Less than one in five independents says the country is on the right track, and a plurality gives Obama negative ratings. In 2008, Obama carried the independent vote 52 percent to 44 percent.
Obama captured 56 percent of women age 30 to 59, who also were major supporters of Democratic congressional candidates in 2006 and 2008. In the survey, more of these women in that age bracket say they think the economy is getting worse rather than better, and more believe that personally they are worse off than when Obama became president.
Economic Performance
Ray Fair, an economist at New Haven, Connecticut-based Yale University who projects electoral results based primarily on economic performance, currently sees Democrats winning 50.5 percent of the House popular vote, which would probably be enough for the party to retain control, though sharply down from the current 255 to 178 split (with two vacancies). This is predicated, he says, on “reasonably strong” economic growth in the third quarter.
Currently, the consensus forecast is for growth of a little less than 3 percent, which probably would reduce Fair’s forecast for Democrats.
Ann Selzer, the Des Moines, Iowa, pollster who conducted the Bloomberg survey, says it will be exceedingly hard to reverse these perceptions about the economy over the next three and a half months. “If Democrats had a bullet that would create jobs without adding to the deficit, maybe,” she says, emphasizing maybe, “that would be an issue to run on.”
The smartest and most credible political strategists from both parties analyze the politics similarly.
Focus on Jobs
“This election is mostly driven by the economy,” says John Weaver, a Republican strategist and former top adviser to that party’s 2008 presidential nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona. “The White House, for reasons inexplicable to me, has chosen not to focus on jobs and the economy; nothing matters more, and Obama doesn’t strike a very empathetic pose at times.”
Geoffrey Garin, one of the top Democratic pollsters and political advisers, says this drives his concerns. “The lack of optimism that people are feeling about the economy really sets the tone for this election,” he says.
The gap between the reality of an economy, which, while struggling, is rebounding from the depths and the public’s perception that it is worse than before reflects communications shortcomings as well as events beyond the control of either the president or his party.
Stimulus Spending
Last week, the administration claimed that its 2009 economic stimulus package saved between 2.5 million and 3.6 million jobs. Many respected private analysts, such as Mark Zandi, chief economist at New York-based Moody’s Analytics Inc., concur.
The public disagrees, costing Democrats a traditional advantage. “Stimulus has become a code word for overspending and deficits, not job creation,” Weaver says. “Democrats have lost that debate amongst swing voters.”
Talk to voters about the stimulus and it’s not uncommon for them to start railing about bailing out the banks or rescuing the inept auto companies. There is less talk about programs that prevented teachers or cops from being laid off or created green jobs.
Garin suspects that the BP Plc oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been a double negative whammy for Obama. It has distracted the White House’s focus from the overarching economic issue. And voters figure that the spill itself has substantial economic consequences.
‘Angry Everywhere’
“People are angry everywhere, from border to border, coast to coast,” Garin worries.
That is apparent in election expert Stu Rothenberg’s recent calculation that 79 House contests are in play or competitive in the November election. Of those, 67 are held by Democrats and while there is concentration in some states -- seven in New York, five in Ohio -- it’s national in scope, affecting Democratic-held seats in 35 states.
So why are Democrats doing better in those handful of Senate races, including Nevada, where Majority Leader Harry Reid was written off for dead in May? The answer is self-inflicted Republican wounds. These are caused either by candidates taking politically unpopular positions, such as privatizing Social Security, or by the party’s purging of its strongest candidates, as in Florida, where it’s possible that Governor Charlie Crist will win as an independent, after being driven out of his party’s primary by a more conservative candidate.
Trending Republican
At the same time, there are at least as many Senate races, including Washington, Wisconsin, California, North Carolina and Indiana, that have moved more in the Republicans’ direction.
Yet Weaver, who expects his party to have a banner November, says the gains may not be enduring and may even signal problems in 2012.
“We’re still the party of the angry white man, and we seem to have not learned anything about reaching out to new voters, Hispanics or younger people,” he says. “Even with our success in November, we’re creating a huge deficit structurally going into the next presidential election.”
That won’t much matter, he says, in the midterm elections. Voters now seem eager to punish the incumbent party for their economic insecuritie
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Bristol Palin
The Huffington Post) – UPDATE: Sarah and Todd Palin said in a statement on NBC’s “Today” on Tuesday that want the best for their children and that Bristol believes in “redemption and forgiveness.” And it seems Bristol blames his mother for her initial break. In a recently published interview with People, Bristol, said that his mother had been a vice presidential candidate, she and Levi and I would be married and have never been divided.
Before: Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston has been hired, and who have shared the news on the cover of Us Weekly, seen below. They have not shared the news with Bristol’s mother, Sarah Palin, who has mocked Levi as “Ricky Hollywood” and reached into his no applicants’ race.
Bristol brilliant, “It is intimidating and frightening to think about what your reaction will be. We hope to jump on board.”
Apparently reconvened three months ago, and took two weeks ago. They told the magazine that are waiting to have S-EX- until marriage, as Bristol is committed to abstinence. Fortunately want a short engagement and hope to marry in the next six weeks. Reconnects when it met to discuss the custody of the son of Tripp, 18 months.
“I really thought were over,” the magazine says Levi. “So when I went, I had no hope. I think we both started talking – and then took a walk Tripp.”
Bristol continues: “When he left that night, we had a hug or a kiss, but I was thinking how different it was. I texted:” I miss you. I love you. I want to be with you again I was in shock.”
Pick us for more of the interview and “exclusive photos, for which the pair allegedly paid. Visible on the cover is new engagement ring Bristol. Levi now has his name tattooed on his ring finger.
Before: Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston has been hired, and who have shared the news on the cover of Us Weekly, seen below. They have not shared the news with Bristol’s mother, Sarah Palin, who has mocked Levi as “Ricky Hollywood” and reached into his no applicants’ race.
Bristol brilliant, “It is intimidating and frightening to think about what your reaction will be. We hope to jump on board.”
Apparently reconvened three months ago, and took two weeks ago. They told the magazine that are waiting to have S-EX- until marriage, as Bristol is committed to abstinence. Fortunately want a short engagement and hope to marry in the next six weeks. Reconnects when it met to discuss the custody of the son of Tripp, 18 months.
“I really thought were over,” the magazine says Levi. “So when I went, I had no hope. I think we both started talking – and then took a walk Tripp.”
Bristol continues: “When he left that night, we had a hug or a kiss, but I was thinking how different it was. I texted:” I miss you. I love you. I want to be with you again I was in shock.”
Pick us for more of the interview and “exclusive photos, for which the pair allegedly paid. Visible on the cover is new engagement ring Bristol. Levi now has his name tattooed on his ring finger.
Bank Of America Online
launching a new “Electronic Banking” account early next month that will charge a monthly fee and 8.95 if the customer wants that the judgments of paper or ATM access to routine declarations.
Otherwise, it’s free for customers who rely solely on the bank’s online and mobile banking platforms and ATM network. In the fall, the account will replace the product CollegeEdge bank checks, which does not carry a charge.
Offer Details
The new account can be opened online, by phone or through a branch. When a customer logs on to Online Banking for the first time a message is the promotion of electronic statements. Customers should also use ATMs to check balances and deposits and withdrawals, or you will be charged the rate and 8.95. ATM service is available for transactions that an ATM can not handle, such as those related currencies.
No initial deposit required, and direct deposit available. If you open a savings account and is eligible for Bank of America “Keep the Change”, which rounds the cost of debit card purchases to the nearest dollar and deposits the difference into a savings account.
Entre racks
Banks of all sizes have been introduced or increased maintenance fees for checking and savings accounts to help offset costs. Most have options for customers to avoid fees, such as using direct deposit or minimum balance.
The industry has also been trying to direct customers to online statements. Few banks have begun to charge for paper returns, but*n*lysts expect more to adopt such a quota.
Bank of America is to emphasize the desirability of the new account for customers who are “ongoing.” The bill was designed to attract young, tech-savvy consumers. But David Owen, payments and products with the executives of Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank said customers who have opened accounts in a test run in Georgia demographics span larger than expected.
More than one third of the audit of the accounts opened in Georgia since November have been eBanking accounts, he said.
Otherwise, it’s free for customers who rely solely on the bank’s online and mobile banking platforms and ATM network. In the fall, the account will replace the product CollegeEdge bank checks, which does not carry a charge.
Offer Details
The new account can be opened online, by phone or through a branch. When a customer logs on to Online Banking for the first time a message is the promotion of electronic statements. Customers should also use ATMs to check balances and deposits and withdrawals, or you will be charged the rate and 8.95. ATM service is available for transactions that an ATM can not handle, such as those related currencies.
No initial deposit required, and direct deposit available. If you open a savings account and is eligible for Bank of America “Keep the Change”, which rounds the cost of debit card purchases to the nearest dollar and deposits the difference into a savings account.
Entre racks
Banks of all sizes have been introduced or increased maintenance fees for checking and savings accounts to help offset costs. Most have options for customers to avoid fees, such as using direct deposit or minimum balance.
The industry has also been trying to direct customers to online statements. Few banks have begun to charge for paper returns, but*n*lysts expect more to adopt such a quota.
Bank of America is to emphasize the desirability of the new account for customers who are “ongoing.” The bill was designed to attract young, tech-savvy consumers. But David Owen, payments and products with the executives of Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank said customers who have opened accounts in a test run in Georgia demographics span larger than expected.
More than one third of the audit of the accounts opened in Georgia since November have been eBanking accounts, he said.
Bank Of America Online
Bank Of America Online:Bank of America is launching a new “Electronic Banking” account early next month that will charge a monthly fee and 8.95 if the customer wants that the judgments of paper or ATM access to routine declarations.
Otherwise, it’s free for customers who rely solely on the bank’s online and mobile banking platforms and ATM network. In the fall, the account will replace the product CollegeEdge bank checks, which does not carry a charge.
Offer Details
The new account can be opened online, by phone or through a branch. When a customer logs on to Online Banking for the first time a message is the promotion of electronic statements. Customers should also use ATMs to check balances and deposits and withdrawals, or you will be charged the rate and 8.95. ATM service is available for transactions that an ATM can not handle, such as those related currencies.
No initial deposit required, and direct deposit available. If you open a savings account and is eligible for Bank of America “Keep the Change”, which rounds the cost of debit card purchases to the nearest dollar and deposits the difference into a savings account.
Banks of all sizes have been introduced or increased maintenance fees for checking and savings accounts to help offset costs. Most have options for customers to avoid fees, such as using direct deposit or minimum balance.
The industry has also been trying to direct customers to online statements. Few banks have begun to charge for paper returns, but*n*lysts expect more to adopt such a quota.
Bank of America is to emphasize the desirability of the new account for customers who are “ongoing.” The bill was designed to attract young, tech-savvy consumers. But David Owen, payments and products with the executives of Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank said customers who have opened accounts in a test run in Georgia demographics span larger than expected.
More than one third of the audit of the accounts opened in Georgia since November have been eBanking accounts, he said.
Otherwise, it’s free for customers who rely solely on the bank’s online and mobile banking platforms and ATM network. In the fall, the account will replace the product CollegeEdge bank checks, which does not carry a charge.
Offer Details
The new account can be opened online, by phone or through a branch. When a customer logs on to Online Banking for the first time a message is the promotion of electronic statements. Customers should also use ATMs to check balances and deposits and withdrawals, or you will be charged the rate and 8.95. ATM service is available for transactions that an ATM can not handle, such as those related currencies.
No initial deposit required, and direct deposit available. If you open a savings account and is eligible for Bank of America “Keep the Change”, which rounds the cost of debit card purchases to the nearest dollar and deposits the difference into a savings account.
Banks of all sizes have been introduced or increased maintenance fees for checking and savings accounts to help offset costs. Most have options for customers to avoid fees, such as using direct deposit or minimum balance.
The industry has also been trying to direct customers to online statements. Few banks have begun to charge for paper returns, but*n*lysts expect more to adopt such a quota.
Bank of America is to emphasize the desirability of the new account for customers who are “ongoing.” The bill was designed to attract young, tech-savvy consumers. But David Owen, payments and products with the executives of Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank said customers who have opened accounts in a test run in Georgia demographics span larger than expected.
More than one third of the audit of the accounts opened in Georgia since November have been eBanking accounts, he said.
2010 British Open: Why Tiger Woods Will Win
ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND - JULY 16: Tiger Woods of the USA hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the second round of the 139th Open Championship on the Old Course, St Andrews on July 16, 2010 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Starting Saturday, the Open will start in earnest, as the cut is made, and everyone knows who the leader is.
Now, it's to the advantage of the earlier players to get around the course before the wind starts howling.
This factor alone should bring Louis Oosthuizen back to the field on Saturday, and caught by Sunday.
I would expect Oosthuizen to card around even on Saturday if he is lucky. Plus three might be a little closer to reality.
This is not the winner of the 2010 British Open. Not even close.
Now in second place at minus seven, is a wind player of the highest caliber in Mark Cakcavecchia, who should hang around right at even par, and stay right in the hunt.
Calcavecchia is also not your British Open Winner.
Somehow, Paul Csaey managed to survive some bad holes to card a minus six for two days, along with Lee Westwood, and Stephen Tiley, both at six under also.
These are not your British Open Winners, although Westwood could be second overall, if things happen like I have foreseen in my dream.
Uh oh, the cat's out of the bag. I am a golf medium and I have dreams about tournaments, It was a wild dream last week as Stricker came through as I saw him clearly winning the John Deere Classic.
Let us look at the list of names at minus five that will not win the British Open—Tom Lehman, Ricky Barnes, Peter Hanson, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Graeme McDowell, Retief Goosen, Sean O'Hair, Jin Jeong, and Alejandro Canizeras.
None of these players will win the British Open, although Retief Goosen gets third.
At four under par are Ignacio Garrido, [again huh?],Robert Karlson, Toru Tanaguchi,[yeah, right], Martin Kaymer, Nick Watney, and Darren Clarke.
None of these players have a chance to win. Oosthizen gets a fourth place on Sunday after getting back into the mix a little with two timely birdies.
No one at minus three or under can win this tournament.
This brings us to the focal point of the dream, Saturdays trip around St. Andrews with one Eldrick "Tiger" Woods.
Tiger will card a three under par for the tournament on Saturday and be two shots behind going into Sundays round.
He plays with Oosthuizen on Sunday in the final group. End of story.
Starting Saturday, the Open will start in earnest, as the cut is made, and everyone knows who the leader is.
Now, it's to the advantage of the earlier players to get around the course before the wind starts howling.
This factor alone should bring Louis Oosthuizen back to the field on Saturday, and caught by Sunday.
I would expect Oosthuizen to card around even on Saturday if he is lucky. Plus three might be a little closer to reality.
This is not the winner of the 2010 British Open. Not even close.
Now in second place at minus seven, is a wind player of the highest caliber in Mark Cakcavecchia, who should hang around right at even par, and stay right in the hunt.
Calcavecchia is also not your British Open Winner.
Somehow, Paul Csaey managed to survive some bad holes to card a minus six for two days, along with Lee Westwood, and Stephen Tiley, both at six under also.
These are not your British Open Winners, although Westwood could be second overall, if things happen like I have foreseen in my dream.
Uh oh, the cat's out of the bag. I am a golf medium and I have dreams about tournaments, It was a wild dream last week as Stricker came through as I saw him clearly winning the John Deere Classic.
Let us look at the list of names at minus five that will not win the British Open—Tom Lehman, Ricky Barnes, Peter Hanson, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Graeme McDowell, Retief Goosen, Sean O'Hair, Jin Jeong, and Alejandro Canizeras.
None of these players will win the British Open, although Retief Goosen gets third.
At four under par are Ignacio Garrido, [again huh?],Robert Karlson, Toru Tanaguchi,[yeah, right], Martin Kaymer, Nick Watney, and Darren Clarke.
None of these players have a chance to win. Oosthizen gets a fourth place on Sunday after getting back into the mix a little with two timely birdies.
No one at minus three or under can win this tournament.
This brings us to the focal point of the dream, Saturdays trip around St. Andrews with one Eldrick "Tiger" Woods.
Tiger will card a three under par for the tournament on Saturday and be two shots behind going into Sundays round.
He plays with Oosthuizen on Sunday in the final group. End of story.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Tiger Woods manages to find way
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland - Shortly before 8 o’clock, along about the time John Daly’s first birdie putt of the day was dropping, some 376 yards away, Tiger Woods made his first appearance of the morning.
As he emerged from the locker room yesterday he was preceded by a gaggle of R&A stewards, uniformed policemen and his own hired muscle. As they circled the green for the second time it became apparent that somebody had taken a wrong turn somewhere along the line. Tiger was plainly lost.
But from then until Woods’ wayward drive off the 17th tee, it was pretty much the only mistake he would make.
The comedy of errors in the search for the practice green coincided with a remarkable change in the weather. The torrential rains that had pelted St. Andrews for the better part of a day abruptly subsided, and with that, the wind vanished as well.
It was awkward. Absolutely weird, Woods said after his opening-round 67 left him within 4 shots of the lead at the 150th British Open. “There wasn’t even a whisper of wind. I’ve never seen that before. You never play a links golf course with no wind.
One of the wonders of the Old Course is that depending on the direction and the velocity of the wind, it can be many different golf courses. In the absence of wind, though, it isn’t much of a golf course at all. Utterly defenseless, it was at the mercy of the morning field, and, Woods quickly realized, you had to go get it.
He could see on the leaderboard what Rory McIlroy (9-under 63), two groups ahead of him, was doing, and he could see what John Daly (66), several groups ahead of McIlroy, was doing as well.
The golf course was there to be had,” Woods said. “By the time I was playing 1 and 18 you had to be 6-under to be in the top 10. You don’t see that at too many majors.
Considering how things have gone for Woods in 2010 it was a most satisfying day. Not a single catcall from the galleries. No lap-dancer jokes, no shouts of “You da man.
(The crowds) have always been respectful and enthusiastic here, he said. “There’s no reason it would have been any different. They were great. We were making a bunch of birdies, so they had a lot to cheer about.
He made the turn 3-under, and then beginning on the 12th hole, rattled off three birdies in a row to get himself to 6-under at a time when McIlroy and Daly were but a shot better.
His first truly bad drive of the day came on the 17th. “I was trying to hit a cut, and I just didn’t trust it,” he said. The 3-wood sailed off into the left rough.
And he still nearly saved par. He looked to be in birdie position on the closing hole as well, when his drive reached the Valley of Sin just in front of the green. Putting from there, Woods left it well short, and had to settle for par.
“With the conditions we had, you had to take advantage,he said. I felt like I did a pretty good job of that today.
As he emerged from the locker room yesterday he was preceded by a gaggle of R&A stewards, uniformed policemen and his own hired muscle. As they circled the green for the second time it became apparent that somebody had taken a wrong turn somewhere along the line. Tiger was plainly lost.
But from then until Woods’ wayward drive off the 17th tee, it was pretty much the only mistake he would make.
The comedy of errors in the search for the practice green coincided with a remarkable change in the weather. The torrential rains that had pelted St. Andrews for the better part of a day abruptly subsided, and with that, the wind vanished as well.
It was awkward. Absolutely weird, Woods said after his opening-round 67 left him within 4 shots of the lead at the 150th British Open. “There wasn’t even a whisper of wind. I’ve never seen that before. You never play a links golf course with no wind.
One of the wonders of the Old Course is that depending on the direction and the velocity of the wind, it can be many different golf courses. In the absence of wind, though, it isn’t much of a golf course at all. Utterly defenseless, it was at the mercy of the morning field, and, Woods quickly realized, you had to go get it.
He could see on the leaderboard what Rory McIlroy (9-under 63), two groups ahead of him, was doing, and he could see what John Daly (66), several groups ahead of McIlroy, was doing as well.
The golf course was there to be had,” Woods said. “By the time I was playing 1 and 18 you had to be 6-under to be in the top 10. You don’t see that at too many majors.
Considering how things have gone for Woods in 2010 it was a most satisfying day. Not a single catcall from the galleries. No lap-dancer jokes, no shouts of “You da man.
(The crowds) have always been respectful and enthusiastic here, he said. “There’s no reason it would have been any different. They were great. We were making a bunch of birdies, so they had a lot to cheer about.
He made the turn 3-under, and then beginning on the 12th hole, rattled off three birdies in a row to get himself to 6-under at a time when McIlroy and Daly were but a shot better.
His first truly bad drive of the day came on the 17th. “I was trying to hit a cut, and I just didn’t trust it,” he said. The 3-wood sailed off into the left rough.
And he still nearly saved par. He looked to be in birdie position on the closing hole as well, when his drive reached the Valley of Sin just in front of the green. Putting from there, Woods left it well short, and had to settle for par.
“With the conditions we had, you had to take advantage,he said. I felt like I did a pretty good job of that today.
Monday, February 15, 2010
BREAKOUT (VIDEO GAME)
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Breakout
North American arcade flyer of Breakout.
North American arcade flyer of Breakout.
Developer(s) Atari, Inc
Publisher(s) Atari, Inc
Designer(s) Nolan Bushnell (conception),
Steve Bristow (conception),
Steve Wozniak (prototype)
Platform(s) Arcade
Release date(s) May 13, 1976
Genre(s) Arcade
Mode(s) Up to 2 players, alternating turns
Input methods Rotary controller; 1 button
Cabinet Upright and cocktail
This article is about the arcade game. For other uses, see Breakout.
Breakout is an arcade game developed by Atari, Inc and introduced on May 13, 1976. It was conceptualized by Nolan Bushnell and Steve Bristow, and influenced by the 1972 arcade game Pong. The game was ported to video game consoles and upgraded to video games such as Super Breakout. In addition, Breakout was the basis and inspiration for books, video games, and the Apple II personal computer.
In the game, a layer of bricks lines the top third of the screen. A ball travels across the screen, bouncing off the top and side walls of the screen. When a brick is hit, the ball bounces away and the brick is destroyed. The player loses a turn when the ball touches the bottom of the screen. To prevent this from happening, the player has a movable paddle to bounce the ball upward, keeping it in play.
The arcade cabinet uses a black and white monitor. However, the monitor has strips of colored cellophane placed over it so that the bricks appear to be in color.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 History and development
* 2 Gameplay
* 3 Re-releases
o 3.1 Ports
o 3.2 Super Breakout
+ 3.2.1 Other platforms
o 3.3 Breakout 2000
o 3.4 IBM PC and PlayStation
o 3.5 Unofficial variations
* 4 Influences
o 4.1 Apple II
o 4.2 Pilgrim in the Microworld
o 4.3 Super Breakout story
o 4.4 Other games
* 5 References
[edit] History and development
Breakout, a discrete logic (non-microprocessor) game, was conceptualized by Nolan Bushnell and Steve Bristow, after the latter had "rejoined" Atari after the merge of Atari subsidiary Kee Games.
They had an idea to turn Pong into a single player game, where the player would use a ball to deplete a wall of bricks without missing the ball on its rebound. Bushnell was certain the game would be popular, and the two partnered to produce a concept. Al Alcorn was assigned as the project manager, and began development with Cyan Engineering in 1975. The same year, Alcorn assigned Steve Jobs to design a prototype. Jobs was offered US$750, with an extra $100 each time a chip was eliminated from the prospected design. Jobs promised to complete a prototype within four days.
Jobs noticed his friend Steve Wozniak—employee of Hewlett-Packard—was capable of producing designs with a small number of chips, and invited him to work on the hardware design with the prospect of splitting the $750 wage. Wozniak had no sketches and instead interpreted the game from its description. To save parts, he had "tricky little designs" difficult to understand for most engineers. Near the end of development, Wozniak considered moving the high score to the screen's top, but Jobs claimed Bushnell wanted it at the bottom; Wozniak was unaware of any truth to his claims. The original deadline was met after Wozniak did not sleep for four days straight. In the end 50 chips were removed from Jobs' original design. This equated to a US$5,000 bonus, which Jobs kept secret from Wozniak, instead only paying him $375.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Atari was unable to use Steve Wozniak's design. By designing the board with as few chips as possible, he also cut down the amount of TTL (transistor-transistor logic) chips to 42. This made the design difficult to manufacture—it was too compact and complicated to be feasible with Atari's manufacturing methods. However, Wozniak claims Atari could not understand the design, and speculates "maybe some engineer there was trying to make some kind of modification to it". Atari ended up designing their own version for production, which contained about 100 TTL chips. Wozniak found the gameplay to be the same as his original creation, and could not find any differences.[7][8][2][3][4][5]
[edit] Gameplay
Breakout begins with eight rows of bricks, with each two rows a different color. The color order from the bottom up is yellow, green, orange and red. Using a single ball, the player must knock down as many bricks as possible by using the walls and/or the paddle below to ricochet the ball against the bricks and eliminate them. If the player's paddle misses the ball's rebound, he or she loses a turn. The player has three turns to try to clear two screens of bricks. Yellow bricks earn one point each, green bricks earn three points, orange bricks earn five points and the top-level red bricks score seven points each. To add to the challenge, the paddle shrinks to one-half its size after the ball has broken through the red row and hit the upper wall. In addition, ball speed increases at specific intervals: after four hits, after twelve hits, and after making contact with the orange and red rows.
The maximum score that one player can achieve is 896, by eliminating two screens of bricks of 448 points each. Once the second screen of bricks is destroyed, the ball in play harmlessly bounces off empty walls until the player finally relinquishes the game, as no additional screens are provided. However, a secret way to score beyond the 896 maximum is to play the game in two-player mode. If Player One completes the first screen on his or her third and last ball, then immediately and deliberately allows the ball to "drain," Player One's second screen is transferred to Player Two as a third screen, allowing Player Two to score a maximum of 1344 points if he or she is adept enough to keep the third ball in play that long. Once the third screen is eliminated, the game is over.
[edit] Re-releases
[edit] Ports
Atari 2600 home version of Breakout.
The original arcade version of Breakout has been officially ported to several systems, such as Video Pinball, the Atari 5200 (included in Super Breakout), which was presented as planet Striae's galactic game event and the Atari 2600, where the game is actually showing the storyline of a prisoner that's trying to escape.
The Atari 2600 port was programmed by Brad Stewart. Stewart had been working on a backup project for the Atari 2600, which was eventually canceled. Consequently, Brad and Ian Shepherd were both available to program Breakout for the Atari 2600. They decided to compete in the original version of Breakout for the programming rights. In the end, Brad won. In development, he didn't receive help of the original designers (and was unaware who they were), and felt that there were few obstacles to overcome. Difficulties arose with the Television Interface Adapter. The game was published in 1978 and was conceptually the same, but with a few key differences. First, there were only six rows of bricks. Second, the player is given five turns to clear two walls instead of three. One notable addition was the Breakthru variant, where the ball does not bounce off of the bricks, but continues through them until it hits the wall. Atari had this term trademarked and used it as a sister term to Breakout in order to describe gameplay, especially in look-alike games and remakes.
[edit] Super Breakout
The success of the game resulted in the development of Super Breakout a couple of years later. While ostensibly very similar to Breakout – the layout, sound, and general behavior of the game is identical – Super Breakout is a microprocessor based game instead of discrete logic, programmed by Asteroids programmer Ed Logg using an early M6502 chip. Super Breakout can therefore be emulated in MAME and is also featured in a number of different Atari compilation packs. The original Breakout has not been featured, since there is no processor in Breakout — the game would have been more "simulated" than emulated.
In Super Breakout, there are three different and more advanced game types from which the player can choose:
* Double gives the player control of two bats at the same time—one placed above the other—and two balls. Losing a life occurs only when both balls go out of play, and points are doubled while the player is able to juggle both balls without losing either.
* Cavity retains the single bat and ball of Breakout, but two other balls are enclosed on the other side of the wall, which the player must free before they, too, can be used to destroy additional bricks. Points are increased for this, but triple points are available if the player can keep all three balls in play.
* Progressive also has the single bat and ball, but as the ball hits the paddle, the entire wall gradually advances downwards step by step, gaining in speed the longer the ball lasts in play.
[edit] Other platforms
Glu Mobile released a licensed cellular phone version of Super Breakout that includes the original game as well as updated gameplay, skins, and modes.[9] In 2008, Atari released the game for the iPhone and iPod Touch via Apple's App Store.
[edit] Breakout 2000
There was also a reinvented Breakout 2000 game for the Atari Jaguar game console. Breakout 2000 was a 3-D version of the arcade classic. Designed for one or two players. The object of the game remained the same but in a 3D playfield. There were a total of ten different Phases to survive, each consisting of five playfields. Each playfield was more difficult to clear than prior one, and each Phase added even more difficulty and features.
The game featured good and bad power-ups somewhat similar to Arkanoid. There were unbreakable bricks, multi-hit bricks and stacked bricks. Ball movement was limited to the lower level of stacked bricks so breaking a lower brick would allow the stacked bricks to fall into the now vacated location. The game also featured a 2 player mode that allowed two people (or a person and the computer) to compete head to head. In this mode a player's ball could loop around to the other player's playfield and break the opponent's bricks. A 2X bonus was awarded for breaking your opponent's bricks.
[edit] IBM PC and PlayStation
Breakout was once again updated for the IBM PC and also for the PlayStation. This version featured an ongoing storyline. In it, the character of Bouncer must rescue Daisy and his friends from the evil Batnix. With advice of Coach Steel, he travels different lands to rescue his friends:
* Tutorial: Bouncer must break out of Batnix's prison to rescue his friends. After that, he must escape a wolf.
* Egypt: Against a backdrop of Egyptian desert sits a giant pyramid, its secrets hidden from view. Only total destruction will unlock all its treasures. Beneath the pyramid are secret tombs through which Bouncer must battle in order to reach the Mummy's Lair, where a final battle will rescue his first friend.
* Farm: Bouncer must use his Breakout skills to defeat sheep, chickens, and ducks to rescue his second friend. After that, he must outrun another wolf.
* Castle: A giant Dragon carries a captive into a majestic, towering medieval castle surrounded by a deep moat. Bouncer must first defeat the knight guards on the drawbridge before he can enter the castle. Once Bouncer has completed several different challenges, he must climb the castle tower to the Dragon’s nest and do battle with the Dragon to save another one of his friends.
* Factory: Batnix has devised an evil robot henchman to guard his captives in his diabolical factory. A series of devious, puzzle-like levels must be negotiated before Bouncer battles the deranged robot to complete his mission.
* Space: Bouncer launches a rocket into space in order to chase the evil Batnix and rescue Daisy. Bouncer must use his Breakout skills to deflect killer asteroids.
[edit] Unofficial variations
Many unofficial variations of Breakout were created for home computer platforms such as Apple II Plus, TRS-80 and PC. A version of the game called "Little Brick Out" was included on the DOS 3.2 System Master disk for the Apple II.
[edit] Influences
See also: Breakout clone
[edit] Apple II
Breakout directly influenced Steve Wozniak's design for the Apple II computer — "A lot of features of the Apple II went in because I had designed Breakout for Atari. I had designed it in hardware. I wanted to write it in software now."[10] This included his design of color graphics circuitry and the now infamous beep and click sound circuitry. It also directly influenced his design of Integer BASIC (which he referred to as "Game Basic"), with his Integer BASIC version of Breakout being the first "proof of concept" application running on the prototype Apple II. His desire to play Breakout on his new computer also led to the addition of a paddle interface, and ultimately the bundling of paddle controllers and a cassette tape containing the code for Breakout for the Apple II's commercial release.
[edit] Pilgrim in the Microworld
Pilgrim in the Microworld is an autobiography by David Sudnow detailing his obsession with Breakout. Sudnow describes studying the game's mechanics, visiting the manufacturer in Silicon Valley, interviewing the programmers, and reading many books dedicated to Breakout.[11]
[edit] Super Breakout story
For Kid Stuff Records, John Braden recorded a 7-in 33 1/3 RPM record telling the story of Super Breakout. This science fiction story dealt with NASA astronaut Captain John Stewart Chang returning from a routine mission transporting titanium ore from Io to space station New California. He encounters a rainbow barrier, presumably a force of nature, that seems to have no end on either side. He has three lobbing missiles of white light that he can bounce off the hull of his shuttle, and they prove able to break through the layers of the force field. With his life support systems failing, what follows is a test of endurance turned game as he strives to break through the barrier in space.
[edit] Other games
* Arcade remakes include Atari's own Super Breakout and Taito's Arkanoid as well as Namco's Quester.
* Handheld devices have had variants included with them as well. The most notable are those designed for rotary control, such as the iPod and the BlackBerry's Brick Breaker. The iriver got Brickmania on the RockBox OS. An earlier handheld variant was Nintendo's Alleyway, released in 1989 for the original Game Boy system.
* Microvision The earliest handheld device with swapable cartridges, ca 1979, shipped with Block Buster, a simplistic Breakout clone.
* An updated version called Bebop was made in the 90s.
* Later versions of Turbo Pascal included Breakout, with source code, as an example of the Object Pascal language.
* Currently Sega's newest mini-game on SONIC the Hedgehog (2006) is based on Breakout.[12].
* Peggle is based on a combination of pachinko machines along with the mechanics of Breakout.[13]
* Hardball is a free computer game similar to breakout which was made for the Palm OS.
[edit] References
1. ^ Letters – General Questions Answered, Woz.org
2. ^ a b Wozniak, Steven: "iWoz", a: pages 147–148, b: page 180. W. W. Norton, 2006. ISBN 13:978-0-393-06143-7
3. ^ a b Kent, Steven: The Ultimate History of Video Games, pages 71-73. Three Rivers Press, 2001. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.
4. ^ a b Player 2 Stage 1: The Coin Eaters
5. ^ a b Arcade History: Breakout
6. ^ Classic Gaming: A Complete History of Breakout
7. ^ Phosphor-Dot Fossils: Breakout
8. ^ Gamasutra.com Features - Woz Was Here - Steve Wozniak On His Gaming Past
9. ^ http://www.glu.com/noram/pages/product.aspx?pr=Super+Breakout
10. ^ Connick, Jack. "...And Then There Was Apple". Call-A.P.P.L.E. Oct 1986: 24.
11. ^ When Television Marries Computer; By Howard Gardner - New York Times
12. ^ Sonic the Hedgehog
13. ^ "FEATURE: The Making of Peggle". Edge. 2007-11-27. http://www.edge-online.com/magazine/feature-the-making-ofacirc. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
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Breakout
North American arcade flyer of Breakout.
North American arcade flyer of Breakout.
Developer(s) Atari, Inc
Publisher(s) Atari, Inc
Designer(s) Nolan Bushnell (conception),
Steve Bristow (conception),
Steve Wozniak (prototype)
Platform(s) Arcade
Release date(s) May 13, 1976
Genre(s) Arcade
Mode(s) Up to 2 players, alternating turns
Input methods Rotary controller; 1 button
Cabinet Upright and cocktail
This article is about the arcade game. For other uses, see Breakout.
Breakout is an arcade game developed by Atari, Inc and introduced on May 13, 1976. It was conceptualized by Nolan Bushnell and Steve Bristow, and influenced by the 1972 arcade game Pong. The game was ported to video game consoles and upgraded to video games such as Super Breakout. In addition, Breakout was the basis and inspiration for books, video games, and the Apple II personal computer.
In the game, a layer of bricks lines the top third of the screen. A ball travels across the screen, bouncing off the top and side walls of the screen. When a brick is hit, the ball bounces away and the brick is destroyed. The player loses a turn when the ball touches the bottom of the screen. To prevent this from happening, the player has a movable paddle to bounce the ball upward, keeping it in play.
The arcade cabinet uses a black and white monitor. However, the monitor has strips of colored cellophane placed over it so that the bricks appear to be in color.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 History and development
* 2 Gameplay
* 3 Re-releases
o 3.1 Ports
o 3.2 Super Breakout
+ 3.2.1 Other platforms
o 3.3 Breakout 2000
o 3.4 IBM PC and PlayStation
o 3.5 Unofficial variations
* 4 Influences
o 4.1 Apple II
o 4.2 Pilgrim in the Microworld
o 4.3 Super Breakout story
o 4.4 Other games
* 5 References
[edit] History and development
Breakout, a discrete logic (non-microprocessor) game, was conceptualized by Nolan Bushnell and Steve Bristow, after the latter had "rejoined" Atari after the merge of Atari subsidiary Kee Games.
They had an idea to turn Pong into a single player game, where the player would use a ball to deplete a wall of bricks without missing the ball on its rebound. Bushnell was certain the game would be popular, and the two partnered to produce a concept. Al Alcorn was assigned as the project manager, and began development with Cyan Engineering in 1975. The same year, Alcorn assigned Steve Jobs to design a prototype. Jobs was offered US$750, with an extra $100 each time a chip was eliminated from the prospected design. Jobs promised to complete a prototype within four days.
Jobs noticed his friend Steve Wozniak—employee of Hewlett-Packard—was capable of producing designs with a small number of chips, and invited him to work on the hardware design with the prospect of splitting the $750 wage. Wozniak had no sketches and instead interpreted the game from its description. To save parts, he had "tricky little designs" difficult to understand for most engineers. Near the end of development, Wozniak considered moving the high score to the screen's top, but Jobs claimed Bushnell wanted it at the bottom; Wozniak was unaware of any truth to his claims. The original deadline was met after Wozniak did not sleep for four days straight. In the end 50 chips were removed from Jobs' original design. This equated to a US$5,000 bonus, which Jobs kept secret from Wozniak, instead only paying him $375.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Atari was unable to use Steve Wozniak's design. By designing the board with as few chips as possible, he also cut down the amount of TTL (transistor-transistor logic) chips to 42. This made the design difficult to manufacture—it was too compact and complicated to be feasible with Atari's manufacturing methods. However, Wozniak claims Atari could not understand the design, and speculates "maybe some engineer there was trying to make some kind of modification to it". Atari ended up designing their own version for production, which contained about 100 TTL chips. Wozniak found the gameplay to be the same as his original creation, and could not find any differences.[7][8][2][3][4][5]
[edit] Gameplay
Breakout begins with eight rows of bricks, with each two rows a different color. The color order from the bottom up is yellow, green, orange and red. Using a single ball, the player must knock down as many bricks as possible by using the walls and/or the paddle below to ricochet the ball against the bricks and eliminate them. If the player's paddle misses the ball's rebound, he or she loses a turn. The player has three turns to try to clear two screens of bricks. Yellow bricks earn one point each, green bricks earn three points, orange bricks earn five points and the top-level red bricks score seven points each. To add to the challenge, the paddle shrinks to one-half its size after the ball has broken through the red row and hit the upper wall. In addition, ball speed increases at specific intervals: after four hits, after twelve hits, and after making contact with the orange and red rows.
The maximum score that one player can achieve is 896, by eliminating two screens of bricks of 448 points each. Once the second screen of bricks is destroyed, the ball in play harmlessly bounces off empty walls until the player finally relinquishes the game, as no additional screens are provided. However, a secret way to score beyond the 896 maximum is to play the game in two-player mode. If Player One completes the first screen on his or her third and last ball, then immediately and deliberately allows the ball to "drain," Player One's second screen is transferred to Player Two as a third screen, allowing Player Two to score a maximum of 1344 points if he or she is adept enough to keep the third ball in play that long. Once the third screen is eliminated, the game is over.
[edit] Re-releases
[edit] Ports
Atari 2600 home version of Breakout.
The original arcade version of Breakout has been officially ported to several systems, such as Video Pinball, the Atari 5200 (included in Super Breakout), which was presented as planet Striae's galactic game event and the Atari 2600, where the game is actually showing the storyline of a prisoner that's trying to escape.
The Atari 2600 port was programmed by Brad Stewart. Stewart had been working on a backup project for the Atari 2600, which was eventually canceled. Consequently, Brad and Ian Shepherd were both available to program Breakout for the Atari 2600. They decided to compete in the original version of Breakout for the programming rights. In the end, Brad won. In development, he didn't receive help of the original designers (and was unaware who they were), and felt that there were few obstacles to overcome. Difficulties arose with the Television Interface Adapter. The game was published in 1978 and was conceptually the same, but with a few key differences. First, there were only six rows of bricks. Second, the player is given five turns to clear two walls instead of three. One notable addition was the Breakthru variant, where the ball does not bounce off of the bricks, but continues through them until it hits the wall. Atari had this term trademarked and used it as a sister term to Breakout in order to describe gameplay, especially in look-alike games and remakes.
[edit] Super Breakout
The success of the game resulted in the development of Super Breakout a couple of years later. While ostensibly very similar to Breakout – the layout, sound, and general behavior of the game is identical – Super Breakout is a microprocessor based game instead of discrete logic, programmed by Asteroids programmer Ed Logg using an early M6502 chip. Super Breakout can therefore be emulated in MAME and is also featured in a number of different Atari compilation packs. The original Breakout has not been featured, since there is no processor in Breakout — the game would have been more "simulated" than emulated.
In Super Breakout, there are three different and more advanced game types from which the player can choose:
* Double gives the player control of two bats at the same time—one placed above the other—and two balls. Losing a life occurs only when both balls go out of play, and points are doubled while the player is able to juggle both balls without losing either.
* Cavity retains the single bat and ball of Breakout, but two other balls are enclosed on the other side of the wall, which the player must free before they, too, can be used to destroy additional bricks. Points are increased for this, but triple points are available if the player can keep all three balls in play.
* Progressive also has the single bat and ball, but as the ball hits the paddle, the entire wall gradually advances downwards step by step, gaining in speed the longer the ball lasts in play.
[edit] Other platforms
Glu Mobile released a licensed cellular phone version of Super Breakout that includes the original game as well as updated gameplay, skins, and modes.[9] In 2008, Atari released the game for the iPhone and iPod Touch via Apple's App Store.
[edit] Breakout 2000
There was also a reinvented Breakout 2000 game for the Atari Jaguar game console. Breakout 2000 was a 3-D version of the arcade classic. Designed for one or two players. The object of the game remained the same but in a 3D playfield. There were a total of ten different Phases to survive, each consisting of five playfields. Each playfield was more difficult to clear than prior one, and each Phase added even more difficulty and features.
The game featured good and bad power-ups somewhat similar to Arkanoid. There were unbreakable bricks, multi-hit bricks and stacked bricks. Ball movement was limited to the lower level of stacked bricks so breaking a lower brick would allow the stacked bricks to fall into the now vacated location. The game also featured a 2 player mode that allowed two people (or a person and the computer) to compete head to head. In this mode a player's ball could loop around to the other player's playfield and break the opponent's bricks. A 2X bonus was awarded for breaking your opponent's bricks.
[edit] IBM PC and PlayStation
Breakout was once again updated for the IBM PC and also for the PlayStation. This version featured an ongoing storyline. In it, the character of Bouncer must rescue Daisy and his friends from the evil Batnix. With advice of Coach Steel, he travels different lands to rescue his friends:
* Tutorial: Bouncer must break out of Batnix's prison to rescue his friends. After that, he must escape a wolf.
* Egypt: Against a backdrop of Egyptian desert sits a giant pyramid, its secrets hidden from view. Only total destruction will unlock all its treasures. Beneath the pyramid are secret tombs through which Bouncer must battle in order to reach the Mummy's Lair, where a final battle will rescue his first friend.
* Farm: Bouncer must use his Breakout skills to defeat sheep, chickens, and ducks to rescue his second friend. After that, he must outrun another wolf.
* Castle: A giant Dragon carries a captive into a majestic, towering medieval castle surrounded by a deep moat. Bouncer must first defeat the knight guards on the drawbridge before he can enter the castle. Once Bouncer has completed several different challenges, he must climb the castle tower to the Dragon’s nest and do battle with the Dragon to save another one of his friends.
* Factory: Batnix has devised an evil robot henchman to guard his captives in his diabolical factory. A series of devious, puzzle-like levels must be negotiated before Bouncer battles the deranged robot to complete his mission.
* Space: Bouncer launches a rocket into space in order to chase the evil Batnix and rescue Daisy. Bouncer must use his Breakout skills to deflect killer asteroids.
[edit] Unofficial variations
Many unofficial variations of Breakout were created for home computer platforms such as Apple II Plus, TRS-80 and PC. A version of the game called "Little Brick Out" was included on the DOS 3.2 System Master disk for the Apple II.
[edit] Influences
See also: Breakout clone
[edit] Apple II
Breakout directly influenced Steve Wozniak's design for the Apple II computer — "A lot of features of the Apple II went in because I had designed Breakout for Atari. I had designed it in hardware. I wanted to write it in software now."[10] This included his design of color graphics circuitry and the now infamous beep and click sound circuitry. It also directly influenced his design of Integer BASIC (which he referred to as "Game Basic"), with his Integer BASIC version of Breakout being the first "proof of concept" application running on the prototype Apple II. His desire to play Breakout on his new computer also led to the addition of a paddle interface, and ultimately the bundling of paddle controllers and a cassette tape containing the code for Breakout for the Apple II's commercial release.
[edit] Pilgrim in the Microworld
Pilgrim in the Microworld is an autobiography by David Sudnow detailing his obsession with Breakout. Sudnow describes studying the game's mechanics, visiting the manufacturer in Silicon Valley, interviewing the programmers, and reading many books dedicated to Breakout.[11]
[edit] Super Breakout story
For Kid Stuff Records, John Braden recorded a 7-in 33 1/3 RPM record telling the story of Super Breakout. This science fiction story dealt with NASA astronaut Captain John Stewart Chang returning from a routine mission transporting titanium ore from Io to space station New California. He encounters a rainbow barrier, presumably a force of nature, that seems to have no end on either side. He has three lobbing missiles of white light that he can bounce off the hull of his shuttle, and they prove able to break through the layers of the force field. With his life support systems failing, what follows is a test of endurance turned game as he strives to break through the barrier in space.
[edit] Other games
* Arcade remakes include Atari's own Super Breakout and Taito's Arkanoid as well as Namco's Quester.
* Handheld devices have had variants included with them as well. The most notable are those designed for rotary control, such as the iPod and the BlackBerry's Brick Breaker. The iriver got Brickmania on the RockBox OS. An earlier handheld variant was Nintendo's Alleyway, released in 1989 for the original Game Boy system.
* Microvision The earliest handheld device with swapable cartridges, ca 1979, shipped with Block Buster, a simplistic Breakout clone.
* An updated version called Bebop was made in the 90s.
* Later versions of Turbo Pascal included Breakout, with source code, as an example of the Object Pascal language.
* Currently Sega's newest mini-game on SONIC the Hedgehog (2006) is based on Breakout.[12].
* Peggle is based on a combination of pachinko machines along with the mechanics of Breakout.[13]
* Hardball is a free computer game similar to breakout which was made for the Palm OS.
[edit] References
1. ^ Letters – General Questions Answered, Woz.org
2. ^ a b Wozniak, Steven: "iWoz", a: pages 147–148, b: page 180. W. W. Norton, 2006. ISBN 13:978-0-393-06143-7
3. ^ a b Kent, Steven: The Ultimate History of Video Games, pages 71-73. Three Rivers Press, 2001. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.
4. ^ a b Player 2 Stage 1: The Coin Eaters
5. ^ a b Arcade History: Breakout
6. ^ Classic Gaming: A Complete History of Breakout
7. ^ Phosphor-Dot Fossils: Breakout
8. ^ Gamasutra.com Features - Woz Was Here - Steve Wozniak On His Gaming Past
9. ^ http://www.glu.com/noram/pages/product.aspx?pr=Super+Breakout
10. ^ Connick, Jack. "...And Then There Was Apple". Call-A.P.P.L.E. Oct 1986: 24.
11. ^ When Television Marries Computer; By Howard Gardner - New York Times
12. ^ Sonic the Hedgehog
13. ^ "FEATURE: The Making of Peggle". Edge. 2007-11-27. http://www.edge-online.com/magazine/feature-the-making-ofacirc. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
BIG TEN NETWORK
Big Ten Network
Big Ten Network.svg
Big Ten Network Logo
Launched August 30, 2007
Owned by Big Ten Conference (51%)
Fox Cable Networks (News Corporation) (49%)
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
720p (HDTV)
Slogan This is Big Ten Country, This is Where it Lives
Country United States
Language English
Broadcast area United States
Canada
Headquarters Chicago, Illinois
Sister channel(s) Fox Sports (broadcast operation)
FSN (North, Wisconsin, Midwest, Detroit, Indiana, Ohio & Pittsburgh)
Fox College Sports
Website BigTenNetwork.com
See also External links
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV (U.S.) 610 (SD/HD)
extra football game channels SD: 609, 611, 612, 615
extra football game channels HD: same plus -1
1610 Video on demand
Dish Network (U.S.) 439 (SD)
9500 (HD)
extra football game channels SD: 5440-5443
extra football game channels HD: 9501-9504
Shaw Direct (Canada) 410 (SD)
265 (HD)
extra football game channels : varies
Cable
Available on most U.S. cable systems Main: BTN Channel Finder
Overflow: BTN Game Finder
Shaw Communications (Canada) See above
Rogers Communications (Canada) See above
IPTV
AT&T U-verse (U.S.) 650 (SD)
1650 (HD)
extra football game channels : 1651-1654
Internet television
Big Ten Ticket (by subscription, outside of US and Canada) www.BigTenTicket.com
The Big Ten Network (sometimes unofficially abbreviated BTN) is an American regional sports network dedicated to the Big Ten Conference. Available to approximately 73 million[1] households nationwide in the United States and Canada, it is the first internationally distributed network dedicated to covering a single college conference.
The network is a 20-year joint project of the Big Ten Conference, and Fox Cable Networks (a division of News Corporation).
It is headquartered in the former Montgomery Ward & Co. catalog building at 600 W. Chicago Avenue in Chicago, Illinois.[2]
The Big Ten Network is majority-owned (51%) by the Big Ten Conference, with Fox Cable Networks holding a minority interest (49%).[3] Fox handles the administration and affiliate sales operations of the channel. The conference officially announced the formation of the network on June 21, 2006.
The network, which launched August 30, 2007, 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 the Big Ten universities. Each year, the network offers approximately 35-40 football games, 105 regular season men’s basketball games; 55 women’s basketball games; dozens of Big Ten Championship events; nightly studio shows; coaches’ shows; and classic games. The network has a commitment to "event equality", meaning that it will produce and distribute an equal number of men's and women's events across all platforms, within three years of being on the air.[4]
The network currently has agreements with more than 300 providers[5]. It is carried nationally on DirecTV, Dish Network, AT&T U-Verse and Verizon FiOS, and regionally on Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications, Insight Communications, Mediacom Communications, Time Warner Cable, Cable One and Cablevision. The network is available on cable in 19 of the 20 largest U.S. media markets.[6]
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Executive personnel
* 2 On-air talent
o 2.1 Studio Hosts
o 2.2 Play-by-Play Announcers
+ 2.2.1 Football
+ 2.2.2 Men's Basketball
+ 2.2.3 Women's Basketball
+ 2.2.4 Baseball
+ 2.2.5 Sideline reporters
+ 2.2.6 Ice Hockey
+ 2.2.7 Wrestling
* 3 Live sports coverage
o 3.1 Football
o 3.2 Men's Basketball
o 3.3 Women's Basketball
o 3.4 Baseball
o 3.5 Ice Hockey
o 3.6 Olympic Sports
o 3.7 Big Ten Championships
o 3.8 Online streams
* 4 Regular shows
o 4.1 New football shows in 2009
o 4.2 New basketball shows in 2010
* 5 Program milestones
* 6 Notable games
* 7 Big Ten Network HD
* 8 Football overflow feeds
* 9 Big Ten Network On Demand
* 10 Carriage
o 10.1 Carriage deal agreements
+ 10.1.1 2007
+ 10.1.2 2008
+ 10.1.3 2009
o 10.2 Canadian carriage
* 11 Similar channels
* 12 External links
* 13 References
[edit] Executive personnel
Mark Silverman is the first President of the network. He was formerly a General Manager and Senior Vice President of ABC Cable Networks Group.[7]
[edit] On-air talent
This section's tone or style may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. Specific concerns may be found on the talk page. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (October 2009)
[edit] Studio Hosts
* Dave Revsine[8], who spent 11 years at ESPN
* Mike Hall, winner of the first season of ESPN's Dream Job
* Rick Pizzo
* Brent Stover
* Lisa Cornwell
* Brittany Payton
* Melanie Collins
[edit] Play-by-Play Announcers
* Ari Wolfe
* Gus Johnson, known as "the voice of March Madness", primarily employed by CBS Sports and the New York Knicks
* Thom Brennaman, who has called the BCS, NFL and MLB on FOX
* Wayne Larrivee, long time Big Ten play-by-play announcer and former voice of the Chicago Bears, Cubs, Bulls, Kansas City Chiefs and current voice for the Green Bay Packers Radio Network
* Tom Hamilton, long time Big Ten play-by-play announcer and current radio voice of the Cleveland Indians
* Dave Revsine
* Mark Neely, current TV play-by-play announcer for the San Diego Padres
* Matt Devlin, current TV play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Raptors
* Mike Crispino, also works for MSG
* Brian Barnhart, voice of the Fighting Illini
* Leah Secondo
* Brent Stover
* Tracy Warren
* Tom Werme
[edit] Football
Analysts
* Rod Woodson, former Purdue All-American defensive back and current analyst for NFL Network
* Charles Davis, also an analyst for FOX and NFL Network
* Gerry DiNardo, former Indiana head coach
* Howard Griffith, former Illinois running back
* Chris Martin, former Northwestern defensive back
* Glen Mason, former Minnesota head coach and Ohio State linebacker
* Tony McGee, former Michigan tight end
* Ian Allen, former Purdue lineman
* Anthony Herron, former Iowa defensive lineman
* Kenny Jackson, former Penn State coach
* Troy Vincent, former Wisconsin defensive back
* Kyle Brady, Big Ten Football Saturday: Pre-Game Show
[edit] Men's Basketball
Analysts
* Jimmy Jackson, former Ohio State player
* Gene Keady, former Purdue coach
* Dan Dakich, former Indiana player and interim coach
* Tim Doyle, former Northwestern player
* Gregory Kelser, former Michigan State player
* Shon Morris, former Northwestern player
* Steve Smith, former Michigan State player
* Trent Tucker, former Minnesota player
* Kendall Gill, former Illinois player
* John Laskowski, former Indiana player
* Roy Marble, former Iowa player
* Tim McCormick, former Michigan player
* Spencer Tollackson, former Minnesota player
* Bill Hosket, Jr., former Ohio State player
* Jimmy King, former Michigan player
[edit] Women's Basketball
Analysts
* Stephanie White, former Purdue player
* Mary Murphy, former Northwestern player and Wisconsin coach
* Vera Jones, former Indiana assistant coach
* Brenda VanLengen, former Nebraska coach
[edit] Baseball
Analysts
* Cal Eldred, former major leaguer and Iowa pitcher
* Danan Hughes, former Iowa outfielder and NFL wide receiver
* Scott Pose, Iowa native and former MLB outfielder
[edit] Sideline reporters
* Charissa Thompson
* Mike Hall
* Shireen Saski
* Anthony Herron
* Rebecca Haarlow
* Melanie Collins
[edit] Ice Hockey
Play-By-Play
* Matt Rosen
Analyst
* Rob Andringa
* Darby Hendrickson
* Adam Burish
[edit] Wrestling
Announcers
* Tim Johnson
* Ken Chertow
* Jake Herbert
* Dan Gable
[edit] Live sports coverage
[edit] Football
* Through the creation of the Big Ten Network, every home Big Ten football game is televised
* Each team is guaranteed to make a minimum of two appearances on the network per year and one of those must be a conference game
* The network televises approximately 35-40 football games each fall and all of them are available in high definition
[edit] Men's Basketball
* Through the creation of the Big Ten Network, every home Big Ten basketball game is produced
* Each Big Ten men's basketball team makes approximately 10-20 appearances a season on the Big Ten Network
* The network televises approximately 60-65 in-conference match-ups, plus selected Big Ten Tournament contests, and virtually all of those games are produced in high definition
* The network streams a select number of non-conference and exhibition games live on www.BigTenNetwork.com
* The network has a set on-site at the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis, with anchors providing coverage and analysis of all the action
[edit] Women's Basketball
* Each Big Ten women's basketball team makes approximately 8-10 appearances on the Big Ten Network
* In all, the network televises approximately 50-60 regular season games plus approximately nine Big Ten Basketball Tournament games and all of these games are produced in high definition
* The network streams dozens of games live on www.BigTenNetwork.com, giving Big Ten women’s basketball the most exposure of any conference in the country
* The network has a set on-site at the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis, with anchors providing coverage and analysis of all the action
[edit] Baseball
* The Big Ten Network televises approximately 25 baseball games each spring, all in HD
* Each Big Ten baseball team makes approximately 5-8 appearances on the Big Ten Network
* In 2009, the network televised the Big Ten Baseball Tournament from start to finish
[edit] Ice Hockey
* The Big Ten Network televises approximately 10 hockey games, all in HD, and more than 20 live streamed games
[edit] Olympic Sports
* The Big Ten Network televises more than 170 NCAA-sponsored events in both men's and women's sports such as hockey, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, track and field, swimming and diving, etc.
[edit] Big Ten Championships
* The Big Ten Network televises 19 Big Ten Championships and Tournaments, including baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s field hockey, men’s and women’s golf, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field and men’s wrestling.[9]
[edit] Online streams
In the 2009-10 school year, BTN began charging $2.99 per event for online feeds due to their significant financial investment in the latest streaming technology.[10]
[edit] Regular shows
* Big Ten Tonight: A weekly thirty-minute show similar to ESPN's SportsCenter only offering highlights and discussion of Big Ten football, basketball and other sports. Dave Revsine, Rick Pizzo, Mike Hall and Lisa Cornwell anchor. Other reporters and analysts appear depending on the sport being discussed. Airs Sundays.
* Big Ten Football Saturday: On Saturdays during football season, the day's games are discussed and highlights are shown. There's the pre-game, halftime, and post-game editions for all games. Dave Revsine hosts and Gerry DiNardo (who they call "Coach") and Howard Griffith provide analysis.
* Big Ten Friday Tailgate: 90 minute light hearted and irreverent show airing on Friday nights that looks at campus life surrounding football weekends. The hosts are Mike Hall, Charissa Thompson, and Chicago area improv actors Jordan Klepper, Steve Waltien, and Tim Baltz.
* Big Ten Tip-Off Show: A pre-game show in which the day's basketball games are discussed. Hosted by Dave Revsine. Gene Keady, Jimmy Jackson, Tim Doyle and Kendall Gill provide analysis.
* Coaches Q&A: Excerpts from the week's press conferences
* The Big Ten's Greatest Games: Classic football and basketball games, usually with the meaningless parts edited out to fit time constraints.
* The Big Ten Women's Show: Covers women's sports throughout the conference. Airs at 10 PM ET on Mondays.
* The Big Ten Quad: a weekly sports discussion show with Big Ten legends.
* Big Ten Cookout: a half hour cooking/tailgate show that airs live on Saturdays at 10 AM ET. It is hosted by Melanie Collins from a different Big Ten campus every week. The chefs are Julius Russell and Ben Walanka.
* The Big Ten's Best: a weekly countdown show with lists of the top 10 Big Ten teams or players in a certain category, such as "best running backs of the 1990's" or "best quarterbacks of the 1980's". It is hosted by Charissa Thompson.
* Various coach's shows.
* University Showcase - a program block of non-sports campus produced programs. Each school has equal time.
[edit] New football shows in 2009
The network will debut four new football shows, beginning in September 2009, dedicated specifically to Big Ten football. They are:
Big Ten Football: Breakdown Every week, Big Ten coaches and players review the previous week’s game film, looking for the positives and the negatives. Network analysts will give fans a look at the nuances of the game and what affected the teams’ success. Airs Tuesdays at 10 PM ET.
Big Ten Football: Sites & Sounds The show includes segments from press conferences, media interviews and the games, as well as other behind-the-scenes footage,s hosted from the network's Chicago studios. Airs Wednesdays at 10 PM ET.
Big Ten Football: Behind the Schemes The network's resident head coaches go head-to-head each week, breaking down film and putting together game plans for the upcoming week’s games. Airs Thursdays at 10 PM ET.
Big Ten Football… & Beyond The show previews the weekend’s games with reports from each Big Ten stadium and takes a look at key national match-ups that could impact Big Ten postseason plans. Airs Fridays at 10 PM ET.
[edit] New basketball shows in 2010
The network will debut three new basketball shows, beginning in January 2010, dedicated specifically to Big Ten basketball[11]. They are:
The Journey: Big Ten Basketball 2010 Espisodes will follow multiple teams each week throughout the season letting fans experience the conference's 10-week schedule in a documentary-style format. Airs Sundays at 9 PM ET.
Big Ten Hoops: On Campus Mike Hall, Jim Jackson, Tiffany Simons and Natalie Kane will visit a different campus each week to showcase the loyalty, passion and tradition that defines Big Ten basketball and their fans. Hour-long show airs Fridays at 10 PM ET>
This Week in Big Ten Basketball Dave Revsine hosts the show alongside Jim Jackson and Dan Dakich. The show will provide a comprehensive breakdown of all of the Big Ten hoops action of the week. Airs Sundays at 9:30 PM ET.
[edit] Program milestones
* First program: Big Ten Tonight, August 30, 2007 at 8 p.m. ET
* First live football games: Four regional college football telecasts on September 1 at noon ET, including Appalachian State's historic upset win over Michigan
* First women's sports event: Syracuse at Michigan State, soccer, September 2
* First men's non-revenue sports event: UCLA at Indiana, soccer, September 2
[edit] Notable games
* September 1, 2007: Appalachian State vs. Michigan (Football). In the first football game ever broadcast by the network, Football Championship Subdivision team Appalachian State pulls off a 34-32 upset over the then-number-five Michigan, blocking a field goal on the game's final play.
* November 17, 2007: Indiana vs. Purdue (Football). A last-second field goal propels Indiana to its first bowl game in 13 years for their late coach Terry Hoeppner.
* February 24, 2008: Indiana vs. Northwestern (Men's Basketball). The Hoosiers edge the Wildcats in the first game under interim head coach Dan Dakich, after a scandal involving unauthorized telephone calls to recruits forced Kelvin Sampson to resign. Tom Crean later became the permanent successor and Dakich later became an analyst for the Big Ten Network.
* March 14, 2008: Minnesota vs. Indiana (Men's Basketball). Trailing by 1 with 1.5 seconds left, Minnesota's Blake Hoffarber hauls in a 75-foot inbounds pass, spins away from two defenders and nails an off-balance desperation heave to beat the Hoosiers.
* Octoboer 3, 2009: Michigan vs. Michigan State and Northwestern vs. Purdue (Football). The network's most-viewed football Saturday featured Michigan State defeating the Wolverines in overtime 26-20 and Northwestern's come-from-behind-win at Purdue 27-21.
[edit] Big Ten Network HD
Big Ten Network HD is a 720p high definition simulcast of Big Ten Network which launched simultaneously to the regular channel. It is available nationally on Verizon FiOs, AT&T U-verse, DirecTV and Dish Network; and regionally on Cablevision, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Cox Communications, Mediacom, and several other cable television systems. In Canada, it is available nationally on Shaw Direct and regionally on Shaw Communications. All of its original programs and studio shows are in HD, as well as nearly all of its sporting events and some of its school-produced coaches and campus shows. Big Ten Network HD utilizes stylized pillarboxes for programs not available in HD. The channel has announced it will produce all of its football games in HD in 2009.[6]
[edit] Football overflow feeds
Many times on football Saturdays, the Big Ten Network produces multiple games that air at the same time. The network designates one game as its national game, which is shown on the main channel on satellite systems. The remaining games air on the main channel in the local markets and on the extra football game channels in the remaining markets. Most cable systems inside the Big Ten's eight states offer these Big Ten Network extra football game channels or "out-of-market" feeds. All the extra football game channel feeds are available nationally on DirecTV and Dish Network; and regionally on AT&T U-verse, many Comcast systems, and several other cable systems. Some systems offer only some of the extra football game channel feeds. Other systems don't offer any overflow feeds at all. DirecTV and Dish Network offer all games in HD. However, some cable systems offer only the game on the main channel in HD and the rest in SD.
[edit] Big Ten Network On Demand
Big Ten Network On Demand, offers viewers BTN's programming such as Big Ten Tonight, The Journey, Big Ten Quad and Big Ten Short Stories, original specials, press conferences and highlights specific to each school, as well as magazine and coaches' shows. DirecTV and Dish Network subscribers get content for all 11 schools, while cable customers only receive content for the school(s) in their state. Most content is also offered in HD. The channel's website, www.BigTenNetwork.com, also has a large amount of video on demand content for all 11 schools which is free to all internet users.
[edit] Carriage
Carriage negotiations with several major cable companies were stalled for several months because the cable providers wanted to put the channel on a sports tier and charge only customers who wanted it, and Big Ten Network wanted to put it on extended basic so that cable customers would not have to pay extra for it. However, when the nation's largest cable provider Comcast reached a deal on June 19, 2008,[12] (and began adding the channel on August 15, 2008), the other major providers in the Big Ten Region (Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable, etc.) followed suit.
[edit] Carriage deal agreements
[edit] 2007
DirecTV and AT&T U-Verse were the only major television providers to carry the channel at launch.[13] Dish Network added it a week later.[14] 250 small cable systems carried it at launch as well.
[edit] 2008
In late summer and early autumn 2008, several large cable companies in The Big Ten Region reached carriage agreements with The Big Ten Network. With these announcements, The Big Ten Network now reaches every major cable TV provider in the Big Ten Region.
* On August 23, 2008, Cedar Rapids, Iowa newspaper The Gazette reported that sources close to negotiations between the network and Mediacom said the two sides have reached an agreement in principle. On August 28 the official announcement was made.[15][16] Mediacom provides service to most of Iowa, including Iowa City, where the Big Ten's University of Iowa is located.
* On August 25, 2008, it was announced in a joint statement that Time Warner Cable and The Big Ten Network reached a carriage deal. Time Warner now carries the channel on its expanded basic service in the eight states where Big Ten schools operate.[17][18]
* On August 26, 2008, an agreement between The Big Ten Network and Charter Communications was announced [19].
* On August 26, 2008, The Indianapolis Star reported that Brighthouse Networks and The Big Ten Network are "very close to a deal".[20].
* On August 28, 2008, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that Cox Communications had reached a deal to carry the Big Ten Network.[21]
* On September 30, 2008, Broadstripe added the channel to its systems in Michigan.[22]
[edit] 2009
* On June 23, 2009, Cablevision added the channel in both standard and high definition.[23]
* On August 25, 2009, Atlantic Broadband and BTN reached a carriage agreement. The channel will be added in standard definition and high definition on September 1, 2009 to customers in central and northern Pennsylvania.[24]
* On December 28, 2009, Charter Communications and BTN reached an agreement to provide the network to Charter customers in St. Louis and Southern Illinois. Charter will launch the BTN on its Expanded Basic-Digital level of service, channel 414.[25]
[edit] Canadian carriage
In September 2008, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission officially approved a request by Shaw Communications to allow carriage of the Big Ten Network in Canada on digital cable television. Although CTVglobemedia brought up concerns about it competing with TSN (a major Canadian sports network, which airs some college sports), it was determined that it wouldn't be competitive due to its consideration as a "very niche service".[26] Big Ten Network became available to Shaw customers on December 3, 2008. Canadian satellite provider Shaw Direct also carries the Big Ten Network. The channel became available on Rogers Communications in Ontario and New Brunswick on October 22, 2009. [27]
[edit] Similar channels
Other channels that show only college sports include:
* MountainWest Sports Network - the only other one-conference college network, shows sports involving Mountain West Conference schools only.
* ESPNU
* CBS College Sports Network
* Fox College Sports
[edit] External links
* Big Ten Network Official Facebook Page
* Big Ten Network Official Twitter Page
[edit] References
1. ^ http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/index.asp
2. ^ Chicago Business News, Analysis & Articles | Former Ward's building to house Big Ten Network | Crain's
3. ^ Pac-10 Isn't Planning to Launch a Network - Los Angeles Times
4. ^ Big Ten Announces Commitment to Event Equality for Men and Women on Big Ten Network :: National network pledges to equal number of men's and women's events by third year
5. ^ http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011210aaa.html
6. ^ a b "Big Ten Network Kicks Off Third Season: Live football coverage begins Thursday night". CBS Interactive. 2009-09-01. http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090109aab.html. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
7. ^ Mark Silverman Named President of Big Ten Network :: Former Disney-ABC Executive to Lead
8. ^ News - Big Ten Network
9. ^ Big Ten Network Fact Sheet
10. ^ BTN Online streaming events - FAQ's
11. ^ http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/Network-to-Launch-Three-New-Basketball-Shows-in-January.asp
12. ^ Big Ten Network Press Release June 19, 2008
13. ^ The Big Ten Conference Announces Media Agreements Increasing National Coverage of Big Ten Sports
14. ^ DISH Network Adds Big Ten Network
15. ^ GazetteOnline.com, Mediacom, BTN reach a deal.
16. ^ Mediacom Communications to Launch Big Ten Network
17. ^ Time Warner Cable to carry Big Ten Network on expanded basic this fall
18. ^ Time Warner, Big Ten Network Strike Carriage Deal
19. ^ Charter reaches deal with Big Ten Network
20. ^ Brighthouse and Big Ten Network close to deal
21. ^ Cox Cable finalizes Big Ten Network deal
22. ^ Broadstripe Delivers Big Ten Network in Michigan
23. ^ Optimum Cable - Sports Pack Information
24. ^ Multichannel News August 25, 2009 Atlantic Broadband Catches Big Ten Network Deal - Pact Kicks Off In Time For Carrier's Keystone Customers To Watch Penn State Action
25. ^ http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/Charter-Brings-Big-Ten-Network-to-St-Louis-and-Southern-IL.asp
26. ^ "Shaw gets okay to distribute Big Ten Network". DigitalHome.ca. http://www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/2803/279/. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
27. ^ Big Ten Network Press Release October 22, 2009 Big Ten Network Now Available on Rogers Cable
Big Ten Network.svg
Big Ten Network Logo
Launched August 30, 2007
Owned by Big Ten Conference (51%)
Fox Cable Networks (News Corporation) (49%)
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
720p (HDTV)
Slogan This is Big Ten Country, This is Where it Lives
Country United States
Language English
Broadcast area United States
Canada
Headquarters Chicago, Illinois
Sister channel(s) Fox Sports (broadcast operation)
FSN (North, Wisconsin, Midwest, Detroit, Indiana, Ohio & Pittsburgh)
Fox College Sports
Website BigTenNetwork.com
See also External links
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV (U.S.) 610 (SD/HD)
extra football game channels SD: 609, 611, 612, 615
extra football game channels HD: same plus -1
1610 Video on demand
Dish Network (U.S.) 439 (SD)
9500 (HD)
extra football game channels SD: 5440-5443
extra football game channels HD: 9501-9504
Shaw Direct (Canada) 410 (SD)
265 (HD)
extra football game channels : varies
Cable
Available on most U.S. cable systems Main: BTN Channel Finder
Overflow: BTN Game Finder
Shaw Communications (Canada) See above
Rogers Communications (Canada) See above
IPTV
AT&T U-verse (U.S.) 650 (SD)
1650 (HD)
extra football game channels : 1651-1654
Internet television
Big Ten Ticket (by subscription, outside of US and Canada) www.BigTenTicket.com
The Big Ten Network (sometimes unofficially abbreviated BTN) is an American regional sports network dedicated to the Big Ten Conference. Available to approximately 73 million[1] households nationwide in the United States and Canada, it is the first internationally distributed network dedicated to covering a single college conference.
The network is a 20-year joint project of the Big Ten Conference, and Fox Cable Networks (a division of News Corporation).
It is headquartered in the former Montgomery Ward & Co. catalog building at 600 W. Chicago Avenue in Chicago, Illinois.[2]
The Big Ten Network is majority-owned (51%) by the Big Ten Conference, with Fox Cable Networks holding a minority interest (49%).[3] Fox handles the administration and affiliate sales operations of the channel. The conference officially announced the formation of the network on June 21, 2006.
The network, which launched August 30, 2007, 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 the Big Ten universities. Each year, the network offers approximately 35-40 football games, 105 regular season men’s basketball games; 55 women’s basketball games; dozens of Big Ten Championship events; nightly studio shows; coaches’ shows; and classic games. The network has a commitment to "event equality", meaning that it will produce and distribute an equal number of men's and women's events across all platforms, within three years of being on the air.[4]
The network currently has agreements with more than 300 providers[5]. It is carried nationally on DirecTV, Dish Network, AT&T U-Verse and Verizon FiOS, and regionally on Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications, Insight Communications, Mediacom Communications, Time Warner Cable, Cable One and Cablevision. The network is available on cable in 19 of the 20 largest U.S. media markets.[6]
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Executive personnel
* 2 On-air talent
o 2.1 Studio Hosts
o 2.2 Play-by-Play Announcers
+ 2.2.1 Football
+ 2.2.2 Men's Basketball
+ 2.2.3 Women's Basketball
+ 2.2.4 Baseball
+ 2.2.5 Sideline reporters
+ 2.2.6 Ice Hockey
+ 2.2.7 Wrestling
* 3 Live sports coverage
o 3.1 Football
o 3.2 Men's Basketball
o 3.3 Women's Basketball
o 3.4 Baseball
o 3.5 Ice Hockey
o 3.6 Olympic Sports
o 3.7 Big Ten Championships
o 3.8 Online streams
* 4 Regular shows
o 4.1 New football shows in 2009
o 4.2 New basketball shows in 2010
* 5 Program milestones
* 6 Notable games
* 7 Big Ten Network HD
* 8 Football overflow feeds
* 9 Big Ten Network On Demand
* 10 Carriage
o 10.1 Carriage deal agreements
+ 10.1.1 2007
+ 10.1.2 2008
+ 10.1.3 2009
o 10.2 Canadian carriage
* 11 Similar channels
* 12 External links
* 13 References
[edit] Executive personnel
Mark Silverman is the first President of the network. He was formerly a General Manager and Senior Vice President of ABC Cable Networks Group.[7]
[edit] On-air talent
This section's tone or style may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. Specific concerns may be found on the talk page. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (October 2009)
[edit] Studio Hosts
* Dave Revsine[8], who spent 11 years at ESPN
* Mike Hall, winner of the first season of ESPN's Dream Job
* Rick Pizzo
* Brent Stover
* Lisa Cornwell
* Brittany Payton
* Melanie Collins
[edit] Play-by-Play Announcers
* Ari Wolfe
* Gus Johnson, known as "the voice of March Madness", primarily employed by CBS Sports and the New York Knicks
* Thom Brennaman, who has called the BCS, NFL and MLB on FOX
* Wayne Larrivee, long time Big Ten play-by-play announcer and former voice of the Chicago Bears, Cubs, Bulls, Kansas City Chiefs and current voice for the Green Bay Packers Radio Network
* Tom Hamilton, long time Big Ten play-by-play announcer and current radio voice of the Cleveland Indians
* Dave Revsine
* Mark Neely, current TV play-by-play announcer for the San Diego Padres
* Matt Devlin, current TV play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Raptors
* Mike Crispino, also works for MSG
* Brian Barnhart, voice of the Fighting Illini
* Leah Secondo
* Brent Stover
* Tracy Warren
* Tom Werme
[edit] Football
Analysts
* Rod Woodson, former Purdue All-American defensive back and current analyst for NFL Network
* Charles Davis, also an analyst for FOX and NFL Network
* Gerry DiNardo, former Indiana head coach
* Howard Griffith, former Illinois running back
* Chris Martin, former Northwestern defensive back
* Glen Mason, former Minnesota head coach and Ohio State linebacker
* Tony McGee, former Michigan tight end
* Ian Allen, former Purdue lineman
* Anthony Herron, former Iowa defensive lineman
* Kenny Jackson, former Penn State coach
* Troy Vincent, former Wisconsin defensive back
* Kyle Brady, Big Ten Football Saturday: Pre-Game Show
[edit] Men's Basketball
Analysts
* Jimmy Jackson, former Ohio State player
* Gene Keady, former Purdue coach
* Dan Dakich, former Indiana player and interim coach
* Tim Doyle, former Northwestern player
* Gregory Kelser, former Michigan State player
* Shon Morris, former Northwestern player
* Steve Smith, former Michigan State player
* Trent Tucker, former Minnesota player
* Kendall Gill, former Illinois player
* John Laskowski, former Indiana player
* Roy Marble, former Iowa player
* Tim McCormick, former Michigan player
* Spencer Tollackson, former Minnesota player
* Bill Hosket, Jr., former Ohio State player
* Jimmy King, former Michigan player
[edit] Women's Basketball
Analysts
* Stephanie White, former Purdue player
* Mary Murphy, former Northwestern player and Wisconsin coach
* Vera Jones, former Indiana assistant coach
* Brenda VanLengen, former Nebraska coach
[edit] Baseball
Analysts
* Cal Eldred, former major leaguer and Iowa pitcher
* Danan Hughes, former Iowa outfielder and NFL wide receiver
* Scott Pose, Iowa native and former MLB outfielder
[edit] Sideline reporters
* Charissa Thompson
* Mike Hall
* Shireen Saski
* Anthony Herron
* Rebecca Haarlow
* Melanie Collins
[edit] Ice Hockey
Play-By-Play
* Matt Rosen
Analyst
* Rob Andringa
* Darby Hendrickson
* Adam Burish
[edit] Wrestling
Announcers
* Tim Johnson
* Ken Chertow
* Jake Herbert
* Dan Gable
[edit] Live sports coverage
[edit] Football
* Through the creation of the Big Ten Network, every home Big Ten football game is televised
* Each team is guaranteed to make a minimum of two appearances on the network per year and one of those must be a conference game
* The network televises approximately 35-40 football games each fall and all of them are available in high definition
[edit] Men's Basketball
* Through the creation of the Big Ten Network, every home Big Ten basketball game is produced
* Each Big Ten men's basketball team makes approximately 10-20 appearances a season on the Big Ten Network
* The network televises approximately 60-65 in-conference match-ups, plus selected Big Ten Tournament contests, and virtually all of those games are produced in high definition
* The network streams a select number of non-conference and exhibition games live on www.BigTenNetwork.com
* The network has a set on-site at the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis, with anchors providing coverage and analysis of all the action
[edit] Women's Basketball
* Each Big Ten women's basketball team makes approximately 8-10 appearances on the Big Ten Network
* In all, the network televises approximately 50-60 regular season games plus approximately nine Big Ten Basketball Tournament games and all of these games are produced in high definition
* The network streams dozens of games live on www.BigTenNetwork.com, giving Big Ten women’s basketball the most exposure of any conference in the country
* The network has a set on-site at the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis, with anchors providing coverage and analysis of all the action
[edit] Baseball
* The Big Ten Network televises approximately 25 baseball games each spring, all in HD
* Each Big Ten baseball team makes approximately 5-8 appearances on the Big Ten Network
* In 2009, the network televised the Big Ten Baseball Tournament from start to finish
[edit] Ice Hockey
* The Big Ten Network televises approximately 10 hockey games, all in HD, and more than 20 live streamed games
[edit] Olympic Sports
* The Big Ten Network televises more than 170 NCAA-sponsored events in both men's and women's sports such as hockey, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, track and field, swimming and diving, etc.
[edit] Big Ten Championships
* The Big Ten Network televises 19 Big Ten Championships and Tournaments, including baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s field hockey, men’s and women’s golf, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field and men’s wrestling.[9]
[edit] Online streams
In the 2009-10 school year, BTN began charging $2.99 per event for online feeds due to their significant financial investment in the latest streaming technology.[10]
[edit] Regular shows
* Big Ten Tonight: A weekly thirty-minute show similar to ESPN's SportsCenter only offering highlights and discussion of Big Ten football, basketball and other sports. Dave Revsine, Rick Pizzo, Mike Hall and Lisa Cornwell anchor. Other reporters and analysts appear depending on the sport being discussed. Airs Sundays.
* Big Ten Football Saturday: On Saturdays during football season, the day's games are discussed and highlights are shown. There's the pre-game, halftime, and post-game editions for all games. Dave Revsine hosts and Gerry DiNardo (who they call "Coach") and Howard Griffith provide analysis.
* Big Ten Friday Tailgate: 90 minute light hearted and irreverent show airing on Friday nights that looks at campus life surrounding football weekends. The hosts are Mike Hall, Charissa Thompson, and Chicago area improv actors Jordan Klepper, Steve Waltien, and Tim Baltz.
* Big Ten Tip-Off Show: A pre-game show in which the day's basketball games are discussed. Hosted by Dave Revsine. Gene Keady, Jimmy Jackson, Tim Doyle and Kendall Gill provide analysis.
* Coaches Q&A: Excerpts from the week's press conferences
* The Big Ten's Greatest Games: Classic football and basketball games, usually with the meaningless parts edited out to fit time constraints.
* The Big Ten Women's Show: Covers women's sports throughout the conference. Airs at 10 PM ET on Mondays.
* The Big Ten Quad: a weekly sports discussion show with Big Ten legends.
* Big Ten Cookout: a half hour cooking/tailgate show that airs live on Saturdays at 10 AM ET. It is hosted by Melanie Collins from a different Big Ten campus every week. The chefs are Julius Russell and Ben Walanka.
* The Big Ten's Best: a weekly countdown show with lists of the top 10 Big Ten teams or players in a certain category, such as "best running backs of the 1990's" or "best quarterbacks of the 1980's". It is hosted by Charissa Thompson.
* Various coach's shows.
* University Showcase - a program block of non-sports campus produced programs. Each school has equal time.
[edit] New football shows in 2009
The network will debut four new football shows, beginning in September 2009, dedicated specifically to Big Ten football. They are:
Big Ten Football: Breakdown Every week, Big Ten coaches and players review the previous week’s game film, looking for the positives and the negatives. Network analysts will give fans a look at the nuances of the game and what affected the teams’ success. Airs Tuesdays at 10 PM ET.
Big Ten Football: Sites & Sounds The show includes segments from press conferences, media interviews and the games, as well as other behind-the-scenes footage,s hosted from the network's Chicago studios. Airs Wednesdays at 10 PM ET.
Big Ten Football: Behind the Schemes The network's resident head coaches go head-to-head each week, breaking down film and putting together game plans for the upcoming week’s games. Airs Thursdays at 10 PM ET.
Big Ten Football… & Beyond The show previews the weekend’s games with reports from each Big Ten stadium and takes a look at key national match-ups that could impact Big Ten postseason plans. Airs Fridays at 10 PM ET.
[edit] New basketball shows in 2010
The network will debut three new basketball shows, beginning in January 2010, dedicated specifically to Big Ten basketball[11]. They are:
The Journey: Big Ten Basketball 2010 Espisodes will follow multiple teams each week throughout the season letting fans experience the conference's 10-week schedule in a documentary-style format. Airs Sundays at 9 PM ET.
Big Ten Hoops: On Campus Mike Hall, Jim Jackson, Tiffany Simons and Natalie Kane will visit a different campus each week to showcase the loyalty, passion and tradition that defines Big Ten basketball and their fans. Hour-long show airs Fridays at 10 PM ET>
This Week in Big Ten Basketball Dave Revsine hosts the show alongside Jim Jackson and Dan Dakich. The show will provide a comprehensive breakdown of all of the Big Ten hoops action of the week. Airs Sundays at 9:30 PM ET.
[edit] Program milestones
* First program: Big Ten Tonight, August 30, 2007 at 8 p.m. ET
* First live football games: Four regional college football telecasts on September 1 at noon ET, including Appalachian State's historic upset win over Michigan
* First women's sports event: Syracuse at Michigan State, soccer, September 2
* First men's non-revenue sports event: UCLA at Indiana, soccer, September 2
[edit] Notable games
* September 1, 2007: Appalachian State vs. Michigan (Football). In the first football game ever broadcast by the network, Football Championship Subdivision team Appalachian State pulls off a 34-32 upset over the then-number-five Michigan, blocking a field goal on the game's final play.
* November 17, 2007: Indiana vs. Purdue (Football). A last-second field goal propels Indiana to its first bowl game in 13 years for their late coach Terry Hoeppner.
* February 24, 2008: Indiana vs. Northwestern (Men's Basketball). The Hoosiers edge the Wildcats in the first game under interim head coach Dan Dakich, after a scandal involving unauthorized telephone calls to recruits forced Kelvin Sampson to resign. Tom Crean later became the permanent successor and Dakich later became an analyst for the Big Ten Network.
* March 14, 2008: Minnesota vs. Indiana (Men's Basketball). Trailing by 1 with 1.5 seconds left, Minnesota's Blake Hoffarber hauls in a 75-foot inbounds pass, spins away from two defenders and nails an off-balance desperation heave to beat the Hoosiers.
* Octoboer 3, 2009: Michigan vs. Michigan State and Northwestern vs. Purdue (Football). The network's most-viewed football Saturday featured Michigan State defeating the Wolverines in overtime 26-20 and Northwestern's come-from-behind-win at Purdue 27-21.
[edit] Big Ten Network HD
Big Ten Network HD is a 720p high definition simulcast of Big Ten Network which launched simultaneously to the regular channel. It is available nationally on Verizon FiOs, AT&T U-verse, DirecTV and Dish Network; and regionally on Cablevision, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Cox Communications, Mediacom, and several other cable television systems. In Canada, it is available nationally on Shaw Direct and regionally on Shaw Communications. All of its original programs and studio shows are in HD, as well as nearly all of its sporting events and some of its school-produced coaches and campus shows. Big Ten Network HD utilizes stylized pillarboxes for programs not available in HD. The channel has announced it will produce all of its football games in HD in 2009.[6]
[edit] Football overflow feeds
Many times on football Saturdays, the Big Ten Network produces multiple games that air at the same time. The network designates one game as its national game, which is shown on the main channel on satellite systems. The remaining games air on the main channel in the local markets and on the extra football game channels in the remaining markets. Most cable systems inside the Big Ten's eight states offer these Big Ten Network extra football game channels or "out-of-market" feeds. All the extra football game channel feeds are available nationally on DirecTV and Dish Network; and regionally on AT&T U-verse, many Comcast systems, and several other cable systems. Some systems offer only some of the extra football game channel feeds. Other systems don't offer any overflow feeds at all. DirecTV and Dish Network offer all games in HD. However, some cable systems offer only the game on the main channel in HD and the rest in SD.
[edit] Big Ten Network On Demand
Big Ten Network On Demand, offers viewers BTN's programming such as Big Ten Tonight, The Journey, Big Ten Quad and Big Ten Short Stories, original specials, press conferences and highlights specific to each school, as well as magazine and coaches' shows. DirecTV and Dish Network subscribers get content for all 11 schools, while cable customers only receive content for the school(s) in their state. Most content is also offered in HD. The channel's website, www.BigTenNetwork.com, also has a large amount of video on demand content for all 11 schools which is free to all internet users.
[edit] Carriage
Carriage negotiations with several major cable companies were stalled for several months because the cable providers wanted to put the channel on a sports tier and charge only customers who wanted it, and Big Ten Network wanted to put it on extended basic so that cable customers would not have to pay extra for it. However, when the nation's largest cable provider Comcast reached a deal on June 19, 2008,[12] (and began adding the channel on August 15, 2008), the other major providers in the Big Ten Region (Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable, etc.) followed suit.
[edit] Carriage deal agreements
[edit] 2007
DirecTV and AT&T U-Verse were the only major television providers to carry the channel at launch.[13] Dish Network added it a week later.[14] 250 small cable systems carried it at launch as well.
[edit] 2008
In late summer and early autumn 2008, several large cable companies in The Big Ten Region reached carriage agreements with The Big Ten Network. With these announcements, The Big Ten Network now reaches every major cable TV provider in the Big Ten Region.
* On August 23, 2008, Cedar Rapids, Iowa newspaper The Gazette reported that sources close to negotiations between the network and Mediacom said the two sides have reached an agreement in principle. On August 28 the official announcement was made.[15][16] Mediacom provides service to most of Iowa, including Iowa City, where the Big Ten's University of Iowa is located.
* On August 25, 2008, it was announced in a joint statement that Time Warner Cable and The Big Ten Network reached a carriage deal. Time Warner now carries the channel on its expanded basic service in the eight states where Big Ten schools operate.[17][18]
* On August 26, 2008, an agreement between The Big Ten Network and Charter Communications was announced [19].
* On August 26, 2008, The Indianapolis Star reported that Brighthouse Networks and The Big Ten Network are "very close to a deal".[20].
* On August 28, 2008, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that Cox Communications had reached a deal to carry the Big Ten Network.[21]
* On September 30, 2008, Broadstripe added the channel to its systems in Michigan.[22]
[edit] 2009
* On June 23, 2009, Cablevision added the channel in both standard and high definition.[23]
* On August 25, 2009, Atlantic Broadband and BTN reached a carriage agreement. The channel will be added in standard definition and high definition on September 1, 2009 to customers in central and northern Pennsylvania.[24]
* On December 28, 2009, Charter Communications and BTN reached an agreement to provide the network to Charter customers in St. Louis and Southern Illinois. Charter will launch the BTN on its Expanded Basic-Digital level of service, channel 414.[25]
[edit] Canadian carriage
In September 2008, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission officially approved a request by Shaw Communications to allow carriage of the Big Ten Network in Canada on digital cable television. Although CTVglobemedia brought up concerns about it competing with TSN (a major Canadian sports network, which airs some college sports), it was determined that it wouldn't be competitive due to its consideration as a "very niche service".[26] Big Ten Network became available to Shaw customers on December 3, 2008. Canadian satellite provider Shaw Direct also carries the Big Ten Network. The channel became available on Rogers Communications in Ontario and New Brunswick on October 22, 2009. [27]
[edit] Similar channels
Other channels that show only college sports include:
* MountainWest Sports Network - the only other one-conference college network, shows sports involving Mountain West Conference schools only.
* ESPNU
* CBS College Sports Network
* Fox College Sports
[edit] External links
* Big Ten Network Official Facebook Page
* Big Ten Network Official Twitter Page
[edit] References
1. ^ http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/index.asp
2. ^ Chicago Business News, Analysis & Articles | Former Ward's building to house Big Ten Network | Crain's
3. ^ Pac-10 Isn't Planning to Launch a Network - Los Angeles Times
4. ^ Big Ten Announces Commitment to Event Equality for Men and Women on Big Ten Network :: National network pledges to equal number of men's and women's events by third year
5. ^ http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011210aaa.html
6. ^ a b "Big Ten Network Kicks Off Third Season: Live football coverage begins Thursday night". CBS Interactive. 2009-09-01. http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090109aab.html. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
7. ^ Mark Silverman Named President of Big Ten Network :: Former Disney-ABC Executive to Lead
8. ^ News - Big Ten Network
9. ^ Big Ten Network Fact Sheet
10. ^ BTN Online streaming events - FAQ's
11. ^ http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/Network-to-Launch-Three-New-Basketball-Shows-in-January.asp
12. ^ Big Ten Network Press Release June 19, 2008
13. ^ The Big Ten Conference Announces Media Agreements Increasing National Coverage of Big Ten Sports
14. ^ DISH Network Adds Big Ten Network
15. ^ GazetteOnline.com, Mediacom, BTN reach a deal.
16. ^ Mediacom Communications to Launch Big Ten Network
17. ^ Time Warner Cable to carry Big Ten Network on expanded basic this fall
18. ^ Time Warner, Big Ten Network Strike Carriage Deal
19. ^ Charter reaches deal with Big Ten Network
20. ^ Brighthouse and Big Ten Network close to deal
21. ^ Cox Cable finalizes Big Ten Network deal
22. ^ Broadstripe Delivers Big Ten Network in Michigan
23. ^ Optimum Cable - Sports Pack Information
24. ^ Multichannel News August 25, 2009 Atlantic Broadband Catches Big Ten Network Deal - Pact Kicks Off In Time For Carrier's Keystone Customers To Watch Penn State Action
25. ^ http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/Charter-Brings-Big-Ten-Network-to-St-Louis-and-Southern-IL.asp
26. ^ "Shaw gets okay to distribute Big Ten Network". DigitalHome.ca. http://www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/2803/279/. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
27. ^ Big Ten Network Press Release October 22, 2009 Big Ten Network Now Available on Rogers Cable
BIG TEN NETWORK
Big Ten Network
Big Ten Network.svg
Big Ten Network Logo
Launched August 30, 2007
Owned by Big Ten Conference (51%)
Fox Cable Networks (News Corporation) (49%)
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
720p (HDTV)
Slogan This is Big Ten Country, This is Where it Lives
Country United States
Language English
Broadcast area United States
Canada
Headquarters Chicago, Illinois
Sister channel(s) Fox Sports (broadcast operation)
FSN (North, Wisconsin, Midwest, Detroit, Indiana, Ohio & Pittsburgh)
Fox College Sports
Website BigTenNetwork.com
See also External links
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV (U.S.) 610 (SD/HD)
extra football game channels SD: 609, 611, 612, 615
extra football game channels HD: same plus -1
1610 Video on demand
Dish Network (U.S.) 439 (SD)
9500 (HD)
extra football game channels SD: 5440-5443
extra football game channels HD: 9501-9504
Shaw Direct (Canada) 410 (SD)
265 (HD)
extra football game channels : varies
Cable
Available on most U.S. cable systems Main: BTN Channel Finder
Overflow: BTN Game Finder
Shaw Communications (Canada) See above
Rogers Communications (Canada) See above
IPTV
AT&T U-verse (U.S.) 650 (SD)
1650 (HD)
extra football game channels : 1651-1654
Internet television
Big Ten Ticket (by subscription, outside of US and Canada) www.BigTenTicket.com
The Big Ten Network (sometimes unofficially abbreviated BTN) is an American regional sports network dedicated to the Big Ten Conference. Available to approximately 73 million[1] households nationwide in the United States and Canada, it is the first internationally distributed network dedicated to covering a single college conference.
The network is a 20-year joint project of the Big Ten Conference, and Fox Cable Networks (a division of News Corporation).
It is headquartered in the former Montgomery Ward & Co. catalog building at 600 W. Chicago Avenue in Chicago, Illinois.[2]
The Big Ten Network is majority-owned (51%) by the Big Ten Conference, with Fox Cable Networks holding a minority interest (49%).[3] Fox handles the administration and affiliate sales operations of the channel. The conference officially announced the formation of the network on June 21, 2006.
The network, which launched August 30, 2007, 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 the Big Ten universities. Each year, the network offers approximately 35-40 football games, 105 regular season men’s basketball games; 55 women’s basketball games; dozens of Big Ten Championship events; nightly studio shows; coaches’ shows; and classic games. The network has a commitment to "event equality", meaning that it will produce and distribute an equal number of men's and women's events across all platforms, within three years of being on the air.[4]
The network currently has agreements with more than 300 providers[5]. It is carried nationally on DirecTV, Dish Network, AT&T U-Verse and Verizon FiOS, and regionally on Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications, Insight Communications, Mediacom Communications, Time Warner Cable, Cable One and Cablevision. The network is available on cable in 19 of the 20 largest U.S. media markets.[6]
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Executive personnel
* 2 On-air talent
o 2.1 Studio Hosts
o 2.2 Play-by-Play Announcers
+ 2.2.1 Football
+ 2.2.2 Men's Basketball
+ 2.2.3 Women's Basketball
+ 2.2.4 Baseball
+ 2.2.5 Sideline reporters
+ 2.2.6 Ice Hockey
+ 2.2.7 Wrestling
* 3 Live sports coverage
o 3.1 Football
o 3.2 Men's Basketball
o 3.3 Women's Basketball
o 3.4 Baseball
o 3.5 Ice Hockey
o 3.6 Olympic Sports
o 3.7 Big Ten Championships
o 3.8 Online streams
* 4 Regular shows
o 4.1 New football shows in 2009
o 4.2 New basketball shows in 2010
* 5 Program milestones
* 6 Notable games
* 7 Big Ten Network HD
* 8 Football overflow feeds
* 9 Big Ten Network On Demand
* 10 Carriage
o 10.1 Carriage deal agreements
+ 10.1.1 2007
+ 10.1.2 2008
+ 10.1.3 2009
o 10.2 Canadian carriage
* 11 Similar channels
* 12 External links
* 13 References
[edit] Executive personnel
Mark Silverman is the first President of the network. He was formerly a General Manager and Senior Vice President of ABC Cable Networks Group.[7]
[edit] On-air talent
This section's tone or style may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. Specific concerns may be found on the talk page. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (October 2009)
[edit] Studio Hosts
* Dave Revsine[8], who spent 11 years at ESPN
* Mike Hall, winner of the first season of ESPN's Dream Job
* Rick Pizzo
* Brent Stover
* Lisa Cornwell
* Brittany Payton
* Melanie Collins
[edit] Play-by-Play Announcers
* Ari Wolfe
* Gus Johnson, known as "the voice of March Madness", primarily employed by CBS Sports and the New York Knicks
* Thom Brennaman, who has called the BCS, NFL and MLB on FOX
* Wayne Larrivee, long time Big Ten play-by-play announcer and former voice of the Chicago Bears, Cubs, Bulls, Kansas City Chiefs and current voice for the Green Bay Packers Radio Network
* Tom Hamilton, long time Big Ten play-by-play announcer and current radio voice of the Cleveland Indians
* Dave Revsine
* Mark Neely, current TV play-by-play announcer for the San Diego Padres
* Matt Devlin, current TV play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Raptors
* Mike Crispino, also works for MSG
* Brian Barnhart, voice of the Fighting Illini
* Leah Secondo
* Brent Stover
* Tracy Warren
* Tom Werme
[edit] Football
Analysts
* Rod Woodson, former Purdue All-American defensive back and current analyst for NFL Network
* Charles Davis, also an analyst for FOX and NFL Network
* Gerry DiNardo, former Indiana head coach
* Howard Griffith, former Illinois running back
* Chris Martin, former Northwestern defensive back
* Glen Mason, former Minnesota head coach and Ohio State linebacker
* Tony McGee, former Michigan tight end
* Ian Allen, former Purdue lineman
* Anthony Herron, former Iowa defensive lineman
* Kenny Jackson, former Penn State coach
* Troy Vincent, former Wisconsin defensive back
* Kyle Brady, Big Ten Football Saturday: Pre-Game Show
[edit] Men's Basketball
Analysts
* Jimmy Jackson, former Ohio State player
* Gene Keady, former Purdue coach
* Dan Dakich, former Indiana player and interim coach
* Tim Doyle, former Northwestern player
* Gregory Kelser, former Michigan State player
* Shon Morris, former Northwestern player
* Steve Smith, former Michigan State player
* Trent Tucker, former Minnesota player
* Kendall Gill, former Illinois player
* John Laskowski, former Indiana player
* Roy Marble, former Iowa player
* Tim McCormick, former Michigan player
* Spencer Tollackson, former Minnesota player
* Bill Hosket, Jr., former Ohio State player
* Jimmy King, former Michigan player
[edit] Women's Basketball
Analysts
* Stephanie White, former Purdue player
* Mary Murphy, former Northwestern player and Wisconsin coach
* Vera Jones, former Indiana assistant coach
* Brenda VanLengen, former Nebraska coach
[edit] Baseball
Analysts
* Cal Eldred, former major leaguer and Iowa pitcher
* Danan Hughes, former Iowa outfielder and NFL wide receiver
* Scott Pose, Iowa native and former MLB outfielder
[edit] Sideline reporters
* Charissa Thompson
* Mike Hall
* Shireen Saski
* Anthony Herron
* Rebecca Haarlow
* Melanie Collins
[edit] Ice Hockey
Play-By-Play
* Matt Rosen
Analyst
* Rob Andringa
* Darby Hendrickson
* Adam Burish
[edit] Wrestling
Announcers
* Tim Johnson
* Ken Chertow
* Jake Herbert
* Dan Gable
[edit] Live sports coverage
[edit] Football
* Through the creation of the Big Ten Network, every home Big Ten football game is televised
* Each team is guaranteed to make a minimum of two appearances on the network per year and one of those must be a conference game
* The network televises approximately 35-40 football games each fall and all of them are available in high definition
[edit] Men's Basketball
* Through the creation of the Big Ten Network, every home Big Ten basketball game is produced
* Each Big Ten men's basketball team makes approximately 10-20 appearances a season on the Big Ten Network
* The network televises approximately 60-65 in-conference match-ups, plus selected Big Ten Tournament contests, and virtually all of those games are produced in high definition
* The network streams a select number of non-conference and exhibition games live on www.BigTenNetwork.com
* The network has a set on-site at the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis, with anchors providing coverage and analysis of all the action
[edit] Women's Basketball
* Each Big Ten women's basketball team makes approximately 8-10 appearances on the Big Ten Network
* In all, the network televises approximately 50-60 regular season games plus approximately nine Big Ten Basketball Tournament games and all of these games are produced in high definition
* The network streams dozens of games live on www.BigTenNetwork.com, giving Big Ten women’s basketball the most exposure of any conference in the country
* The network has a set on-site at the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis, with anchors providing coverage and analysis of all the action
[edit] Baseball
* The Big Ten Network televises approximately 25 baseball games each spring, all in HD
* Each Big Ten baseball team makes approximately 5-8 appearances on the Big Ten Network
* In 2009, the network televised the Big Ten Baseball Tournament from start to finish
[edit] Ice Hockey
* The Big Ten Network televises approximately 10 hockey games, all in HD, and more than 20 live streamed games
[edit] Olympic Sports
* The Big Ten Network televises more than 170 NCAA-sponsored events in both men's and women's sports such as hockey, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, track and field, swimming and diving, etc.
[edit] Big Ten Championships
* The Big Ten Network televises 19 Big Ten Championships and Tournaments, including baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s field hockey, men’s and women’s golf, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field and men’s wrestling.[9]
[edit] Online streams
In the 2009-10 school year, BTN began charging $2.99 per event for online feeds due to their significant financial investment in the latest streaming technology.[10]
[edit] Regular shows
* Big Ten Tonight: A weekly thirty-minute show similar to ESPN's SportsCenter only offering highlights and discussion of Big Ten football, basketball and other sports. Dave Revsine, Rick Pizzo, Mike Hall and Lisa Cornwell anchor. Other reporters and analysts appear depending on the sport being discussed. Airs Sundays.
* Big Ten Football Saturday: On Saturdays during football season, the day's games are discussed and highlights are shown. There's the pre-game, halftime, and post-game editions for all games. Dave Revsine hosts and Gerry DiNardo (who they call "Coach") and Howard Griffith provide analysis.
* Big Ten Friday Tailgate: 90 minute light hearted and irreverent show airing on Friday nights that looks at campus life surrounding football weekends. The hosts are Mike Hall, Charissa Thompson, and Chicago area improv actors Jordan Klepper, Steve Waltien, and Tim Baltz.
* Big Ten Tip-Off Show: A pre-game show in which the day's basketball games are discussed. Hosted by Dave Revsine. Gene Keady, Jimmy Jackson, Tim Doyle and Kendall Gill provide analysis.
* Coaches Q&A: Excerpts from the week's press conferences
* The Big Ten's Greatest Games: Classic football and basketball games, usually with the meaningless parts edited out to fit time constraints.
* The Big Ten Women's Show: Covers women's sports throughout the conference. Airs at 10 PM ET on Mondays.
* The Big Ten Quad: a weekly sports discussion show with Big Ten legends.
* Big Ten Cookout: a half hour cooking/tailgate show that airs live on Saturdays at 10 AM ET. It is hosted by Melanie Collins from a different Big Ten campus every week. The chefs are Julius Russell and Ben Walanka.
* The Big Ten's Best: a weekly countdown show with lists of the top 10 Big Ten teams or players in a certain category, such as "best running backs of the 1990's" or "best quarterbacks of the 1980's". It is hosted by Charissa Thompson.
* Various coach's shows.
* University Showcase - a program block of non-sports campus produced programs. Each school has equal time.
[edit] New football shows in 2009
The network will debut four new football shows, beginning in September 2009, dedicated specifically to Big Ten football. They are:
Big Ten Football: Breakdown Every week, Big Ten coaches and players review the previous week’s game film, looking for the positives and the negatives. Network analysts will give fans a look at the nuances of the game and what affected the teams’ success. Airs Tuesdays at 10 PM ET.
Big Ten Football: Sites & Sounds The show includes segments from press conferences, media interviews and the games, as well as other behind-the-scenes footage,s hosted from the network's Chicago studios. Airs Wednesdays at 10 PM ET.
Big Ten Football: Behind the Schemes The network's resident head coaches go head-to-head each week, breaking down film and putting together game plans for the upcoming week’s games. Airs Thursdays at 10 PM ET.
Big Ten Football… & Beyond The show previews the weekend’s games with reports from each Big Ten stadium and takes a look at key national match-ups that could impact Big Ten postseason plans. Airs Fridays at 10 PM ET.
[edit] New basketball shows in 2010
The network will debut three new basketball shows, beginning in January 2010, dedicated specifically to Big Ten basketball[11]. They are:
The Journey: Big Ten Basketball 2010 Espisodes will follow multiple teams each week throughout the season letting fans experience the conference's 10-week schedule in a documentary-style format. Airs Sundays at 9 PM ET.
Big Ten Hoops: On Campus Mike Hall, Jim Jackson, Tiffany Simons and Natalie Kane will visit a different campus each week to showcase the loyalty, passion and tradition that defines Big Ten basketball and their fans. Hour-long show airs Fridays at 10 PM ET>
This Week in Big Ten Basketball Dave Revsine hosts the show alongside Jim Jackson and Dan Dakich. The show will provide a comprehensive breakdown of all of the Big Ten hoops action of the week. Airs Sundays at 9:30 PM ET.
[edit] Program milestones
* First program: Big Ten Tonight, August 30, 2007 at 8 p.m. ET
* First live football games: Four regional college football telecasts on September 1 at noon ET, including Appalachian State's historic upset win over Michigan
* First women's sports event: Syracuse at Michigan State, soccer, September 2
* First men's non-revenue sports event: UCLA at Indiana, soccer, September 2
[edit] Notable games
* September 1, 2007: Appalachian State vs. Michigan (Football). In the first football game ever broadcast by the network, Football Championship Subdivision team Appalachian State pulls off a 34-32 upset over the then-number-five Michigan, blocking a field goal on the game's final play.
* November 17, 2007: Indiana vs. Purdue (Football). A last-second field goal propels Indiana to its first bowl game in 13 years for their late coach Terry Hoeppner.
* February 24, 2008: Indiana vs. Northwestern (Men's Basketball). The Hoosiers edge the Wildcats in the first game under interim head coach Dan Dakich, after a scandal involving unauthorized telephone calls to recruits forced Kelvin Sampson to resign. Tom Crean later became the permanent successor and Dakich later became an analyst for the Big Ten Network.
* March 14, 2008: Minnesota vs. Indiana (Men's Basketball). Trailing by 1 with 1.5 seconds left, Minnesota's Blake Hoffarber hauls in a 75-foot inbounds pass, spins away from two defenders and nails an off-balance desperation heave to beat the Hoosiers.
* Octoboer 3, 2009: Michigan vs. Michigan State and Northwestern vs. Purdue (Football). The network's most-viewed football Saturday featured Michigan State defeating the Wolverines in overtime 26-20 and Northwestern's come-from-behind-win at Purdue 27-21.
[edit] Big Ten Network HD
Big Ten Network HD is a 720p high definition simulcast of Big Ten Network which launched simultaneously to the regular channel. It is available nationally on Verizon FiOs, AT&T U-verse, DirecTV and Dish Network; and regionally on Cablevision, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Cox Communications, Mediacom, and several other cable television systems. In Canada, it is available nationally on Shaw Direct and regionally on Shaw Communications. All of its original programs and studio shows are in HD, as well as nearly all of its sporting events and some of its school-produced coaches and campus shows. Big Ten Network HD utilizes stylized pillarboxes for programs not available in HD. The channel has announced it will produce all of its football games in HD in 2009.[6]
[edit] Football overflow feeds
Many times on football Saturdays, the Big Ten Network produces multiple games that air at the same time. The network designates one game as its national game, which is shown on the main channel on satellite systems. The remaining games air on the main channel in the local markets and on the extra football game channels in the remaining markets. Most cable systems inside the Big Ten's eight states offer these Big Ten Network extra football game channels or "out-of-market" feeds. All the extra football game channel feeds are available nationally on DirecTV and Dish Network; and regionally on AT&T U-verse, many Comcast systems, and several other cable systems. Some systems offer only some of the extra football game channel feeds. Other systems don't offer any overflow feeds at all. DirecTV and Dish Network offer all games in HD. However, some cable systems offer only the game on the main channel in HD and the rest in SD.
[edit] Big Ten Network On Demand
Big Ten Network On Demand, offers viewers BTN's programming such as Big Ten Tonight, The Journey, Big Ten Quad and Big Ten Short Stories, original specials, press conferences and highlights specific to each school, as well as magazine and coaches' shows. DirecTV and Dish Network subscribers get content for all 11 schools, while cable customers only receive content for the school(s) in their state. Most content is also offered in HD. The channel's website, www.BigTenNetwork.com, also has a large amount of video on demand content for all 11 schools which is free to all internet users.
[edit] Carriage
Carriage negotiations with several major cable companies were stalled for several months because the cable providers wanted to put the channel on a sports tier and charge only customers who wanted it, and Big Ten Network wanted to put it on extended basic so that cable customers would not have to pay extra for it. However, when the nation's largest cable provider Comcast reached a deal on June 19, 2008,[12] (and began adding the channel on August 15, 2008), the other major providers in the Big Ten Region (Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable, etc.) followed suit.
[edit] Carriage deal agreements
[edit] 2007
DirecTV and AT&T U-Verse were the only major television providers to carry the channel at launch.[13] Dish Network added it a week later.[14] 250 small cable systems carried it at launch as well.
[edit] 2008
In late summer and early autumn 2008, several large cable companies in The Big Ten Region reached carriage agreements with The Big Ten Network. With these announcements, The Big Ten Network now reaches every major cable TV provider in the Big Ten Region.
* On August 23, 2008, Cedar Rapids, Iowa newspaper The Gazette reported that sources close to negotiations between the network and Mediacom said the two sides have reached an agreement in principle. On August 28 the official announcement was made.[15][16] Mediacom provides service to most of Iowa, including Iowa City, where the Big Ten's University of Iowa is located.
* On August 25, 2008, it was announced in a joint statement that Time Warner Cable and The Big Ten Network reached a carriage deal. Time Warner now carries the channel on its expanded basic service in the eight states where Big Ten schools operate.[17][18]
* On August 26, 2008, an agreement between The Big Ten Network and Charter Communications was announced [19].
* On August 26, 2008, The Indianapolis Star reported that Brighthouse Networks and The Big Ten Network are "very close to a deal".[20].
* On August 28, 2008, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that Cox Communications had reached a deal to carry the Big Ten Network.[21]
* On September 30, 2008, Broadstripe added the channel to its systems in Michigan.[22]
[edit] 2009
* On June 23, 2009, Cablevision added the channel in both standard and high definition.[23]
* On August 25, 2009, Atlantic Broadband and BTN reached a carriage agreement. The channel will be added in standard definition and high definition on September 1, 2009 to customers in central and northern Pennsylvania.[24]
* On December 28, 2009, Charter Communications and BTN reached an agreement to provide the network to Charter customers in St. Louis and Southern Illinois. Charter will launch the BTN on its Expanded Basic-Digital level of service, channel 414.[25]
[edit] Canadian carriage
In September 2008, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission officially approved a request by Shaw Communications to allow carriage of the Big Ten Network in Canada on digital cable television. Although CTVglobemedia brought up concerns about it competing with TSN (a major Canadian sports network, which airs some college sports), it was determined that it wouldn't be competitive due to its consideration as a "very niche service".[26] Big Ten Network became available to Shaw customers on December 3, 2008. Canadian satellite provider Shaw Direct also carries the Big Ten Network. The channel became available on Rogers Communications in Ontario and New Brunswick on October 22, 2009. [27]
[edit] Similar channels
Other channels that show only college sports include:
* MountainWest Sports Network - the only other one-conference college network, shows sports involving Mountain West Conference schools only.
* ESPNU
* CBS College Sports Network
* Fox College Sports
[edit] External links
* Big Ten Network Official Facebook Page
* Big Ten Network Official Twitter Page
[edit] References
1. ^ http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/index.asp
2. ^ Chicago Business News, Analysis & Articles | Former Ward's building to house Big Ten Network | Crain's
3. ^ Pac-10 Isn't Planning to Launch a Network - Los Angeles Times
4. ^ Big Ten Announces Commitment to Event Equality for Men and Women on Big Ten Network :: National network pledges to equal number of men's and women's events by third year
5. ^ http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011210aaa.html
6. ^ a b "Big Ten Network Kicks Off Third Season: Live football coverage begins Thursday night". CBS Interactive. 2009-09-01. http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090109aab.html. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
7. ^ Mark Silverman Named President of Big Ten Network :: Former Disney-ABC Executive to Lead
8. ^ News - Big Ten Network
9. ^ Big Ten Network Fact Sheet
10. ^ BTN Online streaming events - FAQ's
11. ^ http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/Network-to-Launch-Three-New-Basketball-Shows-in-January.asp
12. ^ Big Ten Network Press Release June 19, 2008
13. ^ The Big Ten Conference Announces Media Agreements Increasing National Coverage of Big Ten Sports
14. ^ DISH Network Adds Big Ten Network
15. ^ GazetteOnline.com, Mediacom, BTN reach a deal.
16. ^ Mediacom Communications to Launch Big Ten Network
17. ^ Time Warner Cable to carry Big Ten Network on expanded basic this fall
18. ^ Time Warner, Big Ten Network Strike Carriage Deal
19. ^ Charter reaches deal with Big Ten Network
20. ^ Brighthouse and Big Ten Network close to deal
21. ^ Cox Cable finalizes Big Ten Network deal
22. ^ Broadstripe Delivers Big Ten Network in Michigan
23. ^ Optimum Cable - Sports Pack Information
24. ^ Multichannel News August 25, 2009 Atlantic Broadband Catches Big Ten Network Deal - Pact Kicks Off In Time For Carrier's Keystone Customers To Watch Penn State Action
25. ^ http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/Charter-Brings-Big-Ten-Network-to-St-Louis-and-Southern-IL.asp
26. ^ "Shaw gets okay to distribute Big Ten Network". DigitalHome.ca. http://www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/2803/279/. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
27. ^ Big Ten Network Press Release October 22, 2009 Big Ten Network Now Available on Rogers Cable
Big Ten Network.svg
Big Ten Network Logo
Launched August 30, 2007
Owned by Big Ten Conference (51%)
Fox Cable Networks (News Corporation) (49%)
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
720p (HDTV)
Slogan This is Big Ten Country, This is Where it Lives
Country United States
Language English
Broadcast area United States
Canada
Headquarters Chicago, Illinois
Sister channel(s) Fox Sports (broadcast operation)
FSN (North, Wisconsin, Midwest, Detroit, Indiana, Ohio & Pittsburgh)
Fox College Sports
Website BigTenNetwork.com
See also External links
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV (U.S.) 610 (SD/HD)
extra football game channels SD: 609, 611, 612, 615
extra football game channels HD: same plus -1
1610 Video on demand
Dish Network (U.S.) 439 (SD)
9500 (HD)
extra football game channels SD: 5440-5443
extra football game channels HD: 9501-9504
Shaw Direct (Canada) 410 (SD)
265 (HD)
extra football game channels : varies
Cable
Available on most U.S. cable systems Main: BTN Channel Finder
Overflow: BTN Game Finder
Shaw Communications (Canada) See above
Rogers Communications (Canada) See above
IPTV
AT&T U-verse (U.S.) 650 (SD)
1650 (HD)
extra football game channels : 1651-1654
Internet television
Big Ten Ticket (by subscription, outside of US and Canada) www.BigTenTicket.com
The Big Ten Network (sometimes unofficially abbreviated BTN) is an American regional sports network dedicated to the Big Ten Conference. Available to approximately 73 million[1] households nationwide in the United States and Canada, it is the first internationally distributed network dedicated to covering a single college conference.
The network is a 20-year joint project of the Big Ten Conference, and Fox Cable Networks (a division of News Corporation).
It is headquartered in the former Montgomery Ward & Co. catalog building at 600 W. Chicago Avenue in Chicago, Illinois.[2]
The Big Ten Network is majority-owned (51%) by the Big Ten Conference, with Fox Cable Networks holding a minority interest (49%).[3] Fox handles the administration and affiliate sales operations of the channel. The conference officially announced the formation of the network on June 21, 2006.
The network, which launched August 30, 2007, 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 the Big Ten universities. Each year, the network offers approximately 35-40 football games, 105 regular season men’s basketball games; 55 women’s basketball games; dozens of Big Ten Championship events; nightly studio shows; coaches’ shows; and classic games. The network has a commitment to "event equality", meaning that it will produce and distribute an equal number of men's and women's events across all platforms, within three years of being on the air.[4]
The network currently has agreements with more than 300 providers[5]. It is carried nationally on DirecTV, Dish Network, AT&T U-Verse and Verizon FiOS, and regionally on Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications, Insight Communications, Mediacom Communications, Time Warner Cable, Cable One and Cablevision. The network is available on cable in 19 of the 20 largest U.S. media markets.[6]
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Executive personnel
* 2 On-air talent
o 2.1 Studio Hosts
o 2.2 Play-by-Play Announcers
+ 2.2.1 Football
+ 2.2.2 Men's Basketball
+ 2.2.3 Women's Basketball
+ 2.2.4 Baseball
+ 2.2.5 Sideline reporters
+ 2.2.6 Ice Hockey
+ 2.2.7 Wrestling
* 3 Live sports coverage
o 3.1 Football
o 3.2 Men's Basketball
o 3.3 Women's Basketball
o 3.4 Baseball
o 3.5 Ice Hockey
o 3.6 Olympic Sports
o 3.7 Big Ten Championships
o 3.8 Online streams
* 4 Regular shows
o 4.1 New football shows in 2009
o 4.2 New basketball shows in 2010
* 5 Program milestones
* 6 Notable games
* 7 Big Ten Network HD
* 8 Football overflow feeds
* 9 Big Ten Network On Demand
* 10 Carriage
o 10.1 Carriage deal agreements
+ 10.1.1 2007
+ 10.1.2 2008
+ 10.1.3 2009
o 10.2 Canadian carriage
* 11 Similar channels
* 12 External links
* 13 References
[edit] Executive personnel
Mark Silverman is the first President of the network. He was formerly a General Manager and Senior Vice President of ABC Cable Networks Group.[7]
[edit] On-air talent
This section's tone or style may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. Specific concerns may be found on the talk page. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (October 2009)
[edit] Studio Hosts
* Dave Revsine[8], who spent 11 years at ESPN
* Mike Hall, winner of the first season of ESPN's Dream Job
* Rick Pizzo
* Brent Stover
* Lisa Cornwell
* Brittany Payton
* Melanie Collins
[edit] Play-by-Play Announcers
* Ari Wolfe
* Gus Johnson, known as "the voice of March Madness", primarily employed by CBS Sports and the New York Knicks
* Thom Brennaman, who has called the BCS, NFL and MLB on FOX
* Wayne Larrivee, long time Big Ten play-by-play announcer and former voice of the Chicago Bears, Cubs, Bulls, Kansas City Chiefs and current voice for the Green Bay Packers Radio Network
* Tom Hamilton, long time Big Ten play-by-play announcer and current radio voice of the Cleveland Indians
* Dave Revsine
* Mark Neely, current TV play-by-play announcer for the San Diego Padres
* Matt Devlin, current TV play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Raptors
* Mike Crispino, also works for MSG
* Brian Barnhart, voice of the Fighting Illini
* Leah Secondo
* Brent Stover
* Tracy Warren
* Tom Werme
[edit] Football
Analysts
* Rod Woodson, former Purdue All-American defensive back and current analyst for NFL Network
* Charles Davis, also an analyst for FOX and NFL Network
* Gerry DiNardo, former Indiana head coach
* Howard Griffith, former Illinois running back
* Chris Martin, former Northwestern defensive back
* Glen Mason, former Minnesota head coach and Ohio State linebacker
* Tony McGee, former Michigan tight end
* Ian Allen, former Purdue lineman
* Anthony Herron, former Iowa defensive lineman
* Kenny Jackson, former Penn State coach
* Troy Vincent, former Wisconsin defensive back
* Kyle Brady, Big Ten Football Saturday: Pre-Game Show
[edit] Men's Basketball
Analysts
* Jimmy Jackson, former Ohio State player
* Gene Keady, former Purdue coach
* Dan Dakich, former Indiana player and interim coach
* Tim Doyle, former Northwestern player
* Gregory Kelser, former Michigan State player
* Shon Morris, former Northwestern player
* Steve Smith, former Michigan State player
* Trent Tucker, former Minnesota player
* Kendall Gill, former Illinois player
* John Laskowski, former Indiana player
* Roy Marble, former Iowa player
* Tim McCormick, former Michigan player
* Spencer Tollackson, former Minnesota player
* Bill Hosket, Jr., former Ohio State player
* Jimmy King, former Michigan player
[edit] Women's Basketball
Analysts
* Stephanie White, former Purdue player
* Mary Murphy, former Northwestern player and Wisconsin coach
* Vera Jones, former Indiana assistant coach
* Brenda VanLengen, former Nebraska coach
[edit] Baseball
Analysts
* Cal Eldred, former major leaguer and Iowa pitcher
* Danan Hughes, former Iowa outfielder and NFL wide receiver
* Scott Pose, Iowa native and former MLB outfielder
[edit] Sideline reporters
* Charissa Thompson
* Mike Hall
* Shireen Saski
* Anthony Herron
* Rebecca Haarlow
* Melanie Collins
[edit] Ice Hockey
Play-By-Play
* Matt Rosen
Analyst
* Rob Andringa
* Darby Hendrickson
* Adam Burish
[edit] Wrestling
Announcers
* Tim Johnson
* Ken Chertow
* Jake Herbert
* Dan Gable
[edit] Live sports coverage
[edit] Football
* Through the creation of the Big Ten Network, every home Big Ten football game is televised
* Each team is guaranteed to make a minimum of two appearances on the network per year and one of those must be a conference game
* The network televises approximately 35-40 football games each fall and all of them are available in high definition
[edit] Men's Basketball
* Through the creation of the Big Ten Network, every home Big Ten basketball game is produced
* Each Big Ten men's basketball team makes approximately 10-20 appearances a season on the Big Ten Network
* The network televises approximately 60-65 in-conference match-ups, plus selected Big Ten Tournament contests, and virtually all of those games are produced in high definition
* The network streams a select number of non-conference and exhibition games live on www.BigTenNetwork.com
* The network has a set on-site at the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis, with anchors providing coverage and analysis of all the action
[edit] Women's Basketball
* Each Big Ten women's basketball team makes approximately 8-10 appearances on the Big Ten Network
* In all, the network televises approximately 50-60 regular season games plus approximately nine Big Ten Basketball Tournament games and all of these games are produced in high definition
* The network streams dozens of games live on www.BigTenNetwork.com, giving Big Ten women’s basketball the most exposure of any conference in the country
* The network has a set on-site at the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis, with anchors providing coverage and analysis of all the action
[edit] Baseball
* The Big Ten Network televises approximately 25 baseball games each spring, all in HD
* Each Big Ten baseball team makes approximately 5-8 appearances on the Big Ten Network
* In 2009, the network televised the Big Ten Baseball Tournament from start to finish
[edit] Ice Hockey
* The Big Ten Network televises approximately 10 hockey games, all in HD, and more than 20 live streamed games
[edit] Olympic Sports
* The Big Ten Network televises more than 170 NCAA-sponsored events in both men's and women's sports such as hockey, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, track and field, swimming and diving, etc.
[edit] Big Ten Championships
* The Big Ten Network televises 19 Big Ten Championships and Tournaments, including baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s field hockey, men’s and women’s golf, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field and men’s wrestling.[9]
[edit] Online streams
In the 2009-10 school year, BTN began charging $2.99 per event for online feeds due to their significant financial investment in the latest streaming technology.[10]
[edit] Regular shows
* Big Ten Tonight: A weekly thirty-minute show similar to ESPN's SportsCenter only offering highlights and discussion of Big Ten football, basketball and other sports. Dave Revsine, Rick Pizzo, Mike Hall and Lisa Cornwell anchor. Other reporters and analysts appear depending on the sport being discussed. Airs Sundays.
* Big Ten Football Saturday: On Saturdays during football season, the day's games are discussed and highlights are shown. There's the pre-game, halftime, and post-game editions for all games. Dave Revsine hosts and Gerry DiNardo (who they call "Coach") and Howard Griffith provide analysis.
* Big Ten Friday Tailgate: 90 minute light hearted and irreverent show airing on Friday nights that looks at campus life surrounding football weekends. The hosts are Mike Hall, Charissa Thompson, and Chicago area improv actors Jordan Klepper, Steve Waltien, and Tim Baltz.
* Big Ten Tip-Off Show: A pre-game show in which the day's basketball games are discussed. Hosted by Dave Revsine. Gene Keady, Jimmy Jackson, Tim Doyle and Kendall Gill provide analysis.
* Coaches Q&A: Excerpts from the week's press conferences
* The Big Ten's Greatest Games: Classic football and basketball games, usually with the meaningless parts edited out to fit time constraints.
* The Big Ten Women's Show: Covers women's sports throughout the conference. Airs at 10 PM ET on Mondays.
* The Big Ten Quad: a weekly sports discussion show with Big Ten legends.
* Big Ten Cookout: a half hour cooking/tailgate show that airs live on Saturdays at 10 AM ET. It is hosted by Melanie Collins from a different Big Ten campus every week. The chefs are Julius Russell and Ben Walanka.
* The Big Ten's Best: a weekly countdown show with lists of the top 10 Big Ten teams or players in a certain category, such as "best running backs of the 1990's" or "best quarterbacks of the 1980's". It is hosted by Charissa Thompson.
* Various coach's shows.
* University Showcase - a program block of non-sports campus produced programs. Each school has equal time.
[edit] New football shows in 2009
The network will debut four new football shows, beginning in September 2009, dedicated specifically to Big Ten football. They are:
Big Ten Football: Breakdown Every week, Big Ten coaches and players review the previous week’s game film, looking for the positives and the negatives. Network analysts will give fans a look at the nuances of the game and what affected the teams’ success. Airs Tuesdays at 10 PM ET.
Big Ten Football: Sites & Sounds The show includes segments from press conferences, media interviews and the games, as well as other behind-the-scenes footage,s hosted from the network's Chicago studios. Airs Wednesdays at 10 PM ET.
Big Ten Football: Behind the Schemes The network's resident head coaches go head-to-head each week, breaking down film and putting together game plans for the upcoming week’s games. Airs Thursdays at 10 PM ET.
Big Ten Football… & Beyond The show previews the weekend’s games with reports from each Big Ten stadium and takes a look at key national match-ups that could impact Big Ten postseason plans. Airs Fridays at 10 PM ET.
[edit] New basketball shows in 2010
The network will debut three new basketball shows, beginning in January 2010, dedicated specifically to Big Ten basketball[11]. They are:
The Journey: Big Ten Basketball 2010 Espisodes will follow multiple teams each week throughout the season letting fans experience the conference's 10-week schedule in a documentary-style format. Airs Sundays at 9 PM ET.
Big Ten Hoops: On Campus Mike Hall, Jim Jackson, Tiffany Simons and Natalie Kane will visit a different campus each week to showcase the loyalty, passion and tradition that defines Big Ten basketball and their fans. Hour-long show airs Fridays at 10 PM ET>
This Week in Big Ten Basketball Dave Revsine hosts the show alongside Jim Jackson and Dan Dakich. The show will provide a comprehensive breakdown of all of the Big Ten hoops action of the week. Airs Sundays at 9:30 PM ET.
[edit] Program milestones
* First program: Big Ten Tonight, August 30, 2007 at 8 p.m. ET
* First live football games: Four regional college football telecasts on September 1 at noon ET, including Appalachian State's historic upset win over Michigan
* First women's sports event: Syracuse at Michigan State, soccer, September 2
* First men's non-revenue sports event: UCLA at Indiana, soccer, September 2
[edit] Notable games
* September 1, 2007: Appalachian State vs. Michigan (Football). In the first football game ever broadcast by the network, Football Championship Subdivision team Appalachian State pulls off a 34-32 upset over the then-number-five Michigan, blocking a field goal on the game's final play.
* November 17, 2007: Indiana vs. Purdue (Football). A last-second field goal propels Indiana to its first bowl game in 13 years for their late coach Terry Hoeppner.
* February 24, 2008: Indiana vs. Northwestern (Men's Basketball). The Hoosiers edge the Wildcats in the first game under interim head coach Dan Dakich, after a scandal involving unauthorized telephone calls to recruits forced Kelvin Sampson to resign. Tom Crean later became the permanent successor and Dakich later became an analyst for the Big Ten Network.
* March 14, 2008: Minnesota vs. Indiana (Men's Basketball). Trailing by 1 with 1.5 seconds left, Minnesota's Blake Hoffarber hauls in a 75-foot inbounds pass, spins away from two defenders and nails an off-balance desperation heave to beat the Hoosiers.
* Octoboer 3, 2009: Michigan vs. Michigan State and Northwestern vs. Purdue (Football). The network's most-viewed football Saturday featured Michigan State defeating the Wolverines in overtime 26-20 and Northwestern's come-from-behind-win at Purdue 27-21.
[edit] Big Ten Network HD
Big Ten Network HD is a 720p high definition simulcast of Big Ten Network which launched simultaneously to the regular channel. It is available nationally on Verizon FiOs, AT&T U-verse, DirecTV and Dish Network; and regionally on Cablevision, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Cox Communications, Mediacom, and several other cable television systems. In Canada, it is available nationally on Shaw Direct and regionally on Shaw Communications. All of its original programs and studio shows are in HD, as well as nearly all of its sporting events and some of its school-produced coaches and campus shows. Big Ten Network HD utilizes stylized pillarboxes for programs not available in HD. The channel has announced it will produce all of its football games in HD in 2009.[6]
[edit] Football overflow feeds
Many times on football Saturdays, the Big Ten Network produces multiple games that air at the same time. The network designates one game as its national game, which is shown on the main channel on satellite systems. The remaining games air on the main channel in the local markets and on the extra football game channels in the remaining markets. Most cable systems inside the Big Ten's eight states offer these Big Ten Network extra football game channels or "out-of-market" feeds. All the extra football game channel feeds are available nationally on DirecTV and Dish Network; and regionally on AT&T U-verse, many Comcast systems, and several other cable systems. Some systems offer only some of the extra football game channel feeds. Other systems don't offer any overflow feeds at all. DirecTV and Dish Network offer all games in HD. However, some cable systems offer only the game on the main channel in HD and the rest in SD.
[edit] Big Ten Network On Demand
Big Ten Network On Demand, offers viewers BTN's programming such as Big Ten Tonight, The Journey, Big Ten Quad and Big Ten Short Stories, original specials, press conferences and highlights specific to each school, as well as magazine and coaches' shows. DirecTV and Dish Network subscribers get content for all 11 schools, while cable customers only receive content for the school(s) in their state. Most content is also offered in HD. The channel's website, www.BigTenNetwork.com, also has a large amount of video on demand content for all 11 schools which is free to all internet users.
[edit] Carriage
Carriage negotiations with several major cable companies were stalled for several months because the cable providers wanted to put the channel on a sports tier and charge only customers who wanted it, and Big Ten Network wanted to put it on extended basic so that cable customers would not have to pay extra for it. However, when the nation's largest cable provider Comcast reached a deal on June 19, 2008,[12] (and began adding the channel on August 15, 2008), the other major providers in the Big Ten Region (Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable, etc.) followed suit.
[edit] Carriage deal agreements
[edit] 2007
DirecTV and AT&T U-Verse were the only major television providers to carry the channel at launch.[13] Dish Network added it a week later.[14] 250 small cable systems carried it at launch as well.
[edit] 2008
In late summer and early autumn 2008, several large cable companies in The Big Ten Region reached carriage agreements with The Big Ten Network. With these announcements, The Big Ten Network now reaches every major cable TV provider in the Big Ten Region.
* On August 23, 2008, Cedar Rapids, Iowa newspaper The Gazette reported that sources close to negotiations between the network and Mediacom said the two sides have reached an agreement in principle. On August 28 the official announcement was made.[15][16] Mediacom provides service to most of Iowa, including Iowa City, where the Big Ten's University of Iowa is located.
* On August 25, 2008, it was announced in a joint statement that Time Warner Cable and The Big Ten Network reached a carriage deal. Time Warner now carries the channel on its expanded basic service in the eight states where Big Ten schools operate.[17][18]
* On August 26, 2008, an agreement between The Big Ten Network and Charter Communications was announced [19].
* On August 26, 2008, The Indianapolis Star reported that Brighthouse Networks and The Big Ten Network are "very close to a deal".[20].
* On August 28, 2008, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that Cox Communications had reached a deal to carry the Big Ten Network.[21]
* On September 30, 2008, Broadstripe added the channel to its systems in Michigan.[22]
[edit] 2009
* On June 23, 2009, Cablevision added the channel in both standard and high definition.[23]
* On August 25, 2009, Atlantic Broadband and BTN reached a carriage agreement. The channel will be added in standard definition and high definition on September 1, 2009 to customers in central and northern Pennsylvania.[24]
* On December 28, 2009, Charter Communications and BTN reached an agreement to provide the network to Charter customers in St. Louis and Southern Illinois. Charter will launch the BTN on its Expanded Basic-Digital level of service, channel 414.[25]
[edit] Canadian carriage
In September 2008, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission officially approved a request by Shaw Communications to allow carriage of the Big Ten Network in Canada on digital cable television. Although CTVglobemedia brought up concerns about it competing with TSN (a major Canadian sports network, which airs some college sports), it was determined that it wouldn't be competitive due to its consideration as a "very niche service".[26] Big Ten Network became available to Shaw customers on December 3, 2008. Canadian satellite provider Shaw Direct also carries the Big Ten Network. The channel became available on Rogers Communications in Ontario and New Brunswick on October 22, 2009. [27]
[edit] Similar channels
Other channels that show only college sports include:
* MountainWest Sports Network - the only other one-conference college network, shows sports involving Mountain West Conference schools only.
* ESPNU
* CBS College Sports Network
* Fox College Sports
[edit] External links
* Big Ten Network Official Facebook Page
* Big Ten Network Official Twitter Page
[edit] References
1. ^ http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/index.asp
2. ^ Chicago Business News, Analysis & Articles | Former Ward's building to house Big Ten Network | Crain's
3. ^ Pac-10 Isn't Planning to Launch a Network - Los Angeles Times
4. ^ Big Ten Announces Commitment to Event Equality for Men and Women on Big Ten Network :: National network pledges to equal number of men's and women's events by third year
5. ^ http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011210aaa.html
6. ^ a b "Big Ten Network Kicks Off Third Season: Live football coverage begins Thursday night". CBS Interactive. 2009-09-01. http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090109aab.html. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
7. ^ Mark Silverman Named President of Big Ten Network :: Former Disney-ABC Executive to Lead
8. ^ News - Big Ten Network
9. ^ Big Ten Network Fact Sheet
10. ^ BTN Online streaming events - FAQ's
11. ^ http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/Network-to-Launch-Three-New-Basketball-Shows-in-January.asp
12. ^ Big Ten Network Press Release June 19, 2008
13. ^ The Big Ten Conference Announces Media Agreements Increasing National Coverage of Big Ten Sports
14. ^ DISH Network Adds Big Ten Network
15. ^ GazetteOnline.com, Mediacom, BTN reach a deal.
16. ^ Mediacom Communications to Launch Big Ten Network
17. ^ Time Warner Cable to carry Big Ten Network on expanded basic this fall
18. ^ Time Warner, Big Ten Network Strike Carriage Deal
19. ^ Charter reaches deal with Big Ten Network
20. ^ Brighthouse and Big Ten Network close to deal
21. ^ Cox Cable finalizes Big Ten Network deal
22. ^ Broadstripe Delivers Big Ten Network in Michigan
23. ^ Optimum Cable - Sports Pack Information
24. ^ Multichannel News August 25, 2009 Atlantic Broadband Catches Big Ten Network Deal - Pact Kicks Off In Time For Carrier's Keystone Customers To Watch Penn State Action
25. ^ http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/Charter-Brings-Big-Ten-Network-to-St-Louis-and-Southern-IL.asp
26. ^ "Shaw gets okay to distribute Big Ten Network". DigitalHome.ca. http://www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/2803/279/. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
27. ^ Big Ten Network Press Release October 22, 2009 Big Ten Network Now Available on Rogers Cable
association football
"Soccer" redirects here. For other uses, see Soccer (disambiguation).
Association football
The attacking team attempt to kick the ball past the opposition goalkeeper and between the goalposts to score a goal
Highest governing body FIFA
Nickname(s) Football, soccer, fùtbol, footy/footie, "the beautiful game", "the world game"
First played Mid-19th century England
Characteristics
Contact Yes
Team members 11 per side
Mixed gender Yes, separate competitions
Categorization Team sport, ball sport
Equipment Football
Venue Football pitch
Olympic 1900
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball. It is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world.[1][2][3]
The game is played on a rectangular grass or artificial turf field, with a goal in the centre of each of the short ends. The object of the game is to score by driving the ball into the opposing goal. In general play, the goalkeepers are the only players allowed to use their hands or arms to propel the ball; the rest of the team usually use their feet to kick the ball into position, occasionally using their torso or head to intercept a ball in midair. The team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. If the score is tied at the end of the game, either a draw is declared or the game goes into extra time and/or a penalty shootout, depending on the format of the competition.
The modern game was codified in England following the formation of The Football Association, whose 1863 Laws of the Game created the foundations for the way the sport is played today. Football is governed internationally by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football), commonly known by the acronym FIFA. The most prestigious international football competition is the FIFA World Cup, held every four years.[4]Contents [hide]
1 Gameplay
2 History
3 Laws
3.1 Players, equipment and officials
3.2 Pitch
3.3 Duration and tie-breaking methods
3.4 Ball in and out of play
3.5 Misconduct
4 Governing bodies
5 International competitions
6 Domestic competitions
7 Etymology
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Gameplay
A goalkeeper saving a close-range shot from inside the penalty area
Football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game. The game is played using a single spherical ball, known as the football or soccer ball. Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain.
The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they do use their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their bodies other than their hands or arms.[5] Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though the ball cannot be received in an offside position.
In typical game play, players attempt to create goal scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling, passing the ball to a team-mate, and by taking shots at the goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart.[6]
A goalkeeper dives to stop the ball from entering his goal
At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2005–06 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.48 goals per match.[7] The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper,[8] but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers, or forwards, whose main task is to score goals; defenders, who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders, who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball in order to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, in order to discern them from the single goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which the player spends most time. For example, there are central defenders, and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of the game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time.[9] The layout of a team's players is known as a formation. Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager.[10]
History
See also: History of association football
Map showing the popularity of football around the world. Countries where football is the most popular sport are coloured green, while countries where it is not are coloured red. The various shades of green and red indicate the number of players per 1,000 inhabitants.
The modern rules of football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played at the public schools of England.
The Cambridge Rules, first drawn up at Cambridge University in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge Rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge, at a meeting attended by representatives from Eton, Harrow, Rugby, Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world, to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club, formed by former public school pupils in 1857,[11] which led to formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules.[12]
These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street, London.[13] The only school to be represented on this occasion was Charterhouse. The Freemason's Tavern was the setting for five more meetings between October and December, which eventually produced the first comprehensive set of rules. At the final meeting, the first FA treasurer, the representative from Blackheath, withdrew his club from the FA over the removal of two draft rules at the previous meeting: the first allowed for running with the ball in hand; the second for obstructing such a run by hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Other English rugby football clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, or subsequently left the FA and instead in 1871 formed the Rugby Football Union. The eleven remaining clubs, under the charge of Ebenezer Cobb Morley, went on to ratify the original thirteen laws of the game.[13] These rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and the lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games.
The laws of the game are currently determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The Board was formed in 1886[14] after a meeting in Manchester of The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association, the Football Association of Wales, and the Irish Football Association. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup, which was founded by C. W. Alcock and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match took place in 1872 between Scotland and England in Glasgow, again at the instigation of C. W. Alcock. England is home to the world's first football league, which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor.[15] The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and the North of England. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to Laws of the Game of the Football Association.[16] The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the International Football Association Board in 1913. The board currently consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of the four British associations.
Today, football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams,[17] while billions more watch the game on television.[18] A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football.[19] While football has the highest global television audience in sport,[20] its simple rules and minimal equipment requirements have no doubt aided its spread and growth in terms of participation.
In many parts of the world football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans, local communities, and even nations. ESPN has spread the claim that the Côte d'Ivoire national football team helped secure a truce to the nation's civil war in 2005. By contrast, football is widely considered to be the final proximate cause in the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras.[21] The sport also exacerbated tensions at the beginning of the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade devolved into rioting in March 1990.[22]
Laws
There are seventeen laws in the official Laws of the Game. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors, women and the physically challenged are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on the nature of the game. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of football. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the International Football Association Board, not FIFA itself.[23] The most complex of the laws is offside. The offside law limits the ability of attacking players to remain forward (i.e. closer to the opponent's goal line) of the ball, the second-to-last defending player (which can include the goalkeeper), and the half-way line.[24]
Players, equipment and officials
See also: Association football positions, Formation (association football), and Kit (Association football)
Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes), one of whom must be the goalkeeper. Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team; this is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are a variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws.[8]
The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards. Headgear is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials.[25]
A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during the course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is three, though the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches. Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at the end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match.[26]
A game is officiated by a referee, who has "full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees. In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise.[27]
Pitch
Main article: Association football pitch
Standard pitch measurements (See Imperial version)
As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB, the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units. The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though popular use tends to continue to use traditional units in English-speaking countries with a relatively recent history of metrication, such as Britain.[28]
The length of the pitch for international adult matches is in the range 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 91–120 m (100–130 yd) length and 45–91 m (50–101 yd) in width, provided that the pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB set a fixed size of 105 m long and 68 m wide as a standard pitch dimension for A international matches.[29]
The longer boundary lines are touchlines, while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines. A rectangular goal is positioned at the middle of each goal line.[30] The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (8 yd) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws.[31]
In front of each goal is an area known as the penalty area. This area is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by a penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs, goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks.[32]
Duration and tie-breaking methods
A standard adult football match consists of two periods of 45 minutes each, known as halves. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time.
The referee is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time, and is at the sole discretion of the referee. The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, toward the end of the half the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time he intends to add. The fourth official then informs the players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee.[33] Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa. Trailing 1–0 and with just two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty. Villa's goalkeeper kicked the ball out of the ground, and by the time the ball had been recovered, the 90 minutes had elapsed and the game was over.[34]
In league competitions, games may end in a draw, but in some knockout competitions if a game is tied at the end of regulation time it may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shootouts (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of the tournament. Goals scored during extra time periods count toward the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament (with goals scored in a penalty shootout not making up part of the final score).
In competitions using two-legged matches, each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from the two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg played away from home. If the result is still equal, kicks from the penalty mark are usually required, though some competitions may require a tied game to be replayed.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the IFAB experimented with ways of creating a winner without requiring a penalty shootout, which was often seen as an undesirable way to end a match. These involved rules ending a game in extra time early, either when the first goal in extra time was scored (golden goal), or if one team held a lead at the end of the first period of extra time (silver goal). Golden goal was used at the World Cup in 1998 and 2002. The first World Cup game decided by a golden goal was France's victory over Paraguay in 1998. Germany was the first nation to score a golden goal in a major competition, beating Czech Republic in the final of Euro 1996. Silver goal was used in Euro 2004. Both these experiments have been discontinued by IFAB.[35]
Ball in and out of play
Main article: Ball in and out of play
Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play. From the beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play:
A player takes a free kick, while the opposition form a "wall" in order to try to deflect the ball
Kick-off: following a goal by the opposing team, or to begin each period of play.[6]
Throw-in: when the ball has wholly crossed the touchline; awarded to opposing team to that which last touched the ball.[36]
Goal kick: when the ball has wholly crossed the goal line without a goal having been scored and having last been touched by a player of the attacking team; awarded to defending team.[37]
Corner kick: when the ball has wholly crossed the goal line without a goal having been scored and having last been touched by a player of the defending team; awarded to attacking team.[38]
Indirect free kick: awarded to the opposing team following "non-penal" fouls, certain technical infringements, or when play is stopped to caution or send-off an opponent without a specific foul having occurred. A goal may not be scored directly from an indirect free kick.[39]
Direct free kick: awarded to fouled team following certain listed "penal" fouls.[39]
Penalty kick: awarded to the fouled team following a foul usually punishable by a direct free kick but that has occurred within their opponent's penalty area.[40]
Dropped-ball: occurs when the referee has stopped play for any other reason, such as a serious injury to a player, interference by an external party, or a ball becoming defective. This restart is uncommon in adult games.[6]
Misconduct
Players are cautioned with a yellow card, and sent off with a red card. These colours were first introduced at the 1970 FIFA World Cup and used consistently since.
A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of the Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick.[5]
The referee may punish a player or substitute's misconduct by a caution (yellow card) or sending-off (red card). A second yellow card at the same game leads to a red card, and therefore to a sending-off. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in his official notebook.
A player scores a penalty kick given after an offence is committed inside the penalty area
If a player has been sent off, no substitute can be brought on in their place. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while the offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute or substituted player. Non-players such as managers and support staff cannot be shown the yellow or red card, but may be expelled from the technical area if they fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner.[5]
Rather than stopping play, the referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within a short period, typically taken to be four to five seconds. Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at the next stoppage of play.
Governing bodies
See also: Association football around the world
The recognised international governing body of football (and associated games, such as futsal and beach soccer) is the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The FIFA headquarters are located in Zürich.
Six regional confederations are associated with FIFA; these are:
Asia: Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
Africa: Confederation of African Football (CAF)
Central/North America & Caribbean: Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF; also known as The Football Confederation)
Europe: Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)
Oceania: Oceania Football Confederation (OFC)
South America: Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol/Confederação Sul-americana de Futebol (South American Football Confederation; CONMEBOL)
National associations oversee football within individual countries. These are generally synonymous with sovereign states, (for example: the Fédération Camerounaise de Football in Cameroon) but also include a smaller number of associations responsible for sub-national entities or autonomous regions (for example the Scottish Football Association in Scotland) . 208 national associations are affiliated both with FIFA and with their respective continental confederations; an additional 13 are affiliated to continental confederations but not to FIFA.
Some of the football associations not recognised by FIFA are affiliated to the Nouvelle Fédération-Board (NF-Board).
International competitions
A minute's silence before an international match
The major international competition in football is the World Cup, organised by FIFA. This competition takes place over a four-year period. More than 190 national teams compete in qualifying tournaments within the scope of continental confederations for a place in the finals. The finals tournament, which is held every four years, involves 32 national teams competing over a four-week period.[41] The 2006 FIFA World Cup took place in Germany; in 2010 it will be held in South Africa.[42]
There has been a football tournament at every Summer Olympic Games since 1900, except at the 1932 games in Los Angeles. Before the inception of the World Cup, the Olympics (especially during the 1920s) had the same status as the World Cup. Originally, the event was for amateurs only,[16] however, since the 1984 Summer Olympics professional players have been permitted, albeit with certain restrictions which prevent countries from fielding their strongest sides. Currently, the Olympic men's tournament is played at Under-23 level. In the past the Olympics have allowed a restricted number of over-age players per team;[43] but that practice ceased in the 2008 Olympics. The Olympic competition is not generally considered to carry the same international significance and prestige as the World Cup. A women's tournament was added in 1996; in contrast to the men's event, full international sides without age restrictions play the women’s Olympic tournament. It thus carries international prestige considered comparable to that of the FIFA Women's World Cup.
After the World Cup, the most important international football competitions are the continental championships, which are organised by each continental confederation and contested between national teams. These are the European Championship (UEFA), the Copa América (CONMEBOL), African Cup of Nations (CAF), the Asian Cup (AFC), the CONCACAF Gold Cup (CONCACAF) and the OFC Nations Cup (OFC). The FIFA Confederations Cup is contested by the winners of all 6 continental championships, the current FIFA World Cup champions and the country which is hosting the Confederations Cup. This is generally regarded as a warm up tournament for the upcoming FIFA World Cup and does not carry the same prestige as the World Cup itself. The most prestigious competitions in club football are the respective continental championships, which are generally contested between national champions, for example the UEFA Champions League in Europe and the Copa Libertadores de América in South America. The winners of each continental competition contest the FIFA Club World Cup.[44]
Domestic competitions
Main article: Association football around the world
Two players trying to win the ball
The governing bodies in each country operate league systems in a domestic season, normally comprising several divisions, in which the teams gain points throughout the season depending on results. Teams are placed into tables, placing them in order according to points accrued. Most commonly, each team plays every other team in its league at home and away in each season, in a round-robin tournament. At the end of a season, the top team is declared the champion. The top few teams may be promoted to a higher division, and one or more of the teams finishing at the bottom are relegated to a lower division. The teams finishing at the top of a country's league may be eligible also to play in international club competitions in the following season. The main exceptions to this system occur in some Latin American leagues, which divide football championships into two sections named Apertura and Clausura, awarding a champion for each.
The majority of countries supplement the league system with one or more "cup" competitions. These are organised on a knock-out basis, the winner of each match proceeding to the next round; the loser takes no further part in the competition.
Some countries' top divisions feature highly paid star players; in smaller countries and lower divisions, players may be part-timers with a second job, or amateurs. The five top European leagues – Serie A (Italy), La Liga (Spain), the Premier League (England),[45] the Bundesliga (Germany) and Ligue 1 (France) – attract most of the world's best players and each of the leagues has a total wage cost in excess of £600 million.[46]
Etymology
See also: Names for association football and Football (word)
The rules of football were codified in England by the Football Association in 1863, and the name association football was coined to distinguish the game from the other forms of football played at the time, specifically rugby football. The term soccer originated in England, first appearing in the 1880s as a slang abbreviation of the word "association",[47] often credited to former England captain Charles Wreford-Brown.[48]
Today the sport is generally known simply as football in countries where it is the most popular football code. In countries where other codes are more popular, the sport is more commonly referred to as soccer, and indeed is referred to as such in the official names of the governing bodies in the United States and Canada. FIFA, the sport's world governing body, defines the sport as association football in its statutes,[49] but the term most commonly used by FIFA and the International Olympic Committee is football.
See also Association football portal
Association football culture
List of association football clubs
List of men's national association football teams
List of top association football goal scorers
List of top association football goal scorers by country
Lists of association football players
List of association football competitions
Paralympic association football
Variants of association football
References
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^ Dunning, Eric. "The development of soccer as a world game". Sport Matters: Sociological Studies of Sport, Violence and Civilisation. London: Routledge. p. 103. ISBN 0415064139. Retrieved 2008-01-26. "During the twentieth century, soccer emerged as the world's most popular team sport"
^ "Team Sports". Catastrophic Injuries in High School and College Sports. Champaign: Human Kinetics. p. 57. ISBN 0873226747. Retrieved 2008-01-26. "Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and is an industry worth over US$400 billion world wide. 80% of this is generated in Europe, though its popularity is growing in the United States. It has been estimated that there were 22 million soccer players in the world in the early 1980s, and that number is increasing. In the United States soccer is now a major sport at both the high school and college levels"
^ "2002 FIFA World Cup TV Coverage". FIFA official website. 2006-12-05. Archived from the original on 2006-12-30. Retrieved 2008-01-06. (webarchive)
^ a b c "Laws of the game (Law 12)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ a b c "Laws of the game (Law 8)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ "England Premiership (2005/2006)". Sportpress.com. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
^ a b "Laws of the game (Law 3–Number of Players)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ "Positions guide, Who is in a team?". BBC. 2005-09-01. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ "Formations". BBC Sport. 2005-09-01. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ Harvey, Adrian (2005). Football, the first hundred years. London: Routledge. p. 126. ISBN 0415350182.
^ Winner, David (2005-03-28). "The hands-off approach to a man's game". The Times (London). Retrieved 2007-10-07.
^ a b "History of the FA". Football Association website. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
^ "The International FA Board". FIFA. Archived from the original on 2007-04-22. Retrieved 2007-09-02. (webarchive)
^ "The History Of The Football League". Football League website. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
^ a b "Where it all began". FIFA official website. Archived from the original on 2007-06-08. Retrieved 2007-06-08. (webarchive)
^ Ingle, Sean and Barry Glendenning (2003-10-09). "Baseball or Football: which sport gets the higher attendance?". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 2006-06-05.
^ "TV Data". FIFA website. Retrieved 2007-09-02.
^ "FIFA Survey: approximately 250 million footballers worldwide" (PDF). FIFA website. Archived from the original on 2006-09-15. Retrieved 2006-09-15. (webarchive)
^ 2006 FIFA World Cup broadcast wider, longer and farther than ever before, FIFA.com. Retrieved on October 11, 2009.
^ Dart, James and Paolo Bandini (2007-02-21). "Has football ever started a war?". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ Daniel W. Drezner (2006-06-04). "The Soccer Wars". The Washington Post: p. B01. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
^ "Laws Of The Game". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-09-02.
^ "The History of Offside". Julian Carosi. Retrieved 2006-06-03.
^ "Laws of the game (Law 4–Players' Equipment)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ "Laws of the game (Law 3–Substitution procedure)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ "Laws of the game (Law 5–The referee)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ Summers, Chris (2004-09-02). "Will we ever go completely metric?". BBC. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
^ FIFA MEDIA Release (2008-03-08) Goal-line technology put on ice
^ "Laws of the game (Law 1.1–The field of play)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ "Laws of the game (Law 1.4–The Field of play)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ "Laws of the game (Law 1.3–The field of play)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ "Laws of the game (Law 7.2–The duration of the match)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
^ The Sunday Times Illustrated History Of Football Reed International Books Limited 1996. p.11 ISBN 1-85613-341-9
^ Collett, Mike (2004-07-02). "Time running out for silver goal". Reuters. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
^ "Laws of the game (Law 15–The Throw-in)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
^ "Laws of the game (Law 16–The Goal Kick)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
^ "Laws of the game (Law 17–The Corner Kick)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
^ a b "Laws of the game (Law 13–Free Kicks)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
^ "Laws of the game (Law 14–The Penalty Kick)". FIFA. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
^ The number of competing teams has varied over the history of the competition. The most recent changed was in 1998, from 24 to 32.
^ "2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa". FIFA World Cup website. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
^ "Football - An Olympic Sport since 1900". IOC website. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
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^ Taylor, Louise (2008-05-29). "Leading clubs losing out as players and agents cash in". The Guardian. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
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^ Blain, Rebecca. "The World's Most Beloved Sport - The History of Soccer". fussballportal.de. Archived from the original on 2009-06-06. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
Association football
The attacking team attempt to kick the ball past the opposition goalkeeper and between the goalposts to score a goal
Highest governing body FIFA
Nickname(s) Football, soccer, fùtbol, footy/footie, "the beautiful game", "the world game"
First played Mid-19th century England
Characteristics
Contact Yes
Team members 11 per side
Mixed gender Yes, separate competitions
Categorization Team sport, ball sport
Equipment Football
Venue Football pitch
Olympic 1900
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball. It is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world.[1][2][3]
The game is played on a rectangular grass or artificial turf field, with a goal in the centre of each of the short ends. The object of the game is to score by driving the ball into the opposing goal. In general play, the goalkeepers are the only players allowed to use their hands or arms to propel the ball; the rest of the team usually use their feet to kick the ball into position, occasionally using their torso or head to intercept a ball in midair. The team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. If the score is tied at the end of the game, either a draw is declared or the game goes into extra time and/or a penalty shootout, depending on the format of the competition.
The modern game was codified in England following the formation of The Football Association, whose 1863 Laws of the Game created the foundations for the way the sport is played today. Football is governed internationally by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football), commonly known by the acronym FIFA. The most prestigious international football competition is the FIFA World Cup, held every four years.[4]Contents [hide]
1 Gameplay
2 History
3 Laws
3.1 Players, equipment and officials
3.2 Pitch
3.3 Duration and tie-breaking methods
3.4 Ball in and out of play
3.5 Misconduct
4 Governing bodies
5 International competitions
6 Domestic competitions
7 Etymology
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Gameplay
A goalkeeper saving a close-range shot from inside the penalty area
Football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game. The game is played using a single spherical ball, known as the football or soccer ball. Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain.
The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they do use their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their bodies other than their hands or arms.[5] Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though the ball cannot be received in an offside position.
In typical game play, players attempt to create goal scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling, passing the ball to a team-mate, and by taking shots at the goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart.[6]
A goalkeeper dives to stop the ball from entering his goal
At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2005–06 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.48 goals per match.[7] The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper,[8] but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers, or forwards, whose main task is to score goals; defenders, who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders, who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball in order to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, in order to discern them from the single goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which the player spends most time. For example, there are central defenders, and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of the game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time.[9] The layout of a team's players is known as a formation. Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager.[10]
History
See also: History of association football
Map showing the popularity of football around the world. Countries where football is the most popular sport are coloured green, while countries where it is not are coloured red. The various shades of green and red indicate the number of players per 1,000 inhabitants.
The modern rules of football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played at the public schools of England.
The Cambridge Rules, first drawn up at Cambridge University in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge Rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge, at a meeting attended by representatives from Eton, Harrow, Rugby, Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world, to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club, formed by former public school pupils in 1857,[11] which led to formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules.[12]
These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street, London.[13] The only school to be represented on this occasion was Charterhouse. The Freemason's Tavern was the setting for five more meetings between October and December, which eventually produced the first comprehensive set of rules. At the final meeting, the first FA treasurer, the representative from Blackheath, withdrew his club from the FA over the removal of two draft rules at the previous meeting: the first allowed for running with the ball in hand; the second for obstructing such a run by hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Other English rugby football clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, or subsequently left the FA and instead in 1871 formed the Rugby Football Union. The eleven remaining clubs, under the charge of Ebenezer Cobb Morley, went on to ratify the original thirteen laws of the game.[13] These rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and the lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games.
The laws of the game are currently determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The Board was formed in 1886[14] after a meeting in Manchester of The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association, the Football Association of Wales, and the Irish Football Association. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup, which was founded by C. W. Alcock and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match took place in 1872 between Scotland and England in Glasgow, again at the instigation of C. W. Alcock. England is home to the world's first football league, which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor.[15] The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and the North of England. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to Laws of the Game of the Football Association.[16] The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the International Football Association Board in 1913. The board currently consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of the four British associations.
Today, football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams,[17] while billions more watch the game on television.[18] A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football.[19] While football has the highest global television audience in sport,[20] its simple rules and minimal equipment requirements have no doubt aided its spread and growth in terms of participation.
In many parts of the world football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans, local communities, and even nations. ESPN has spread the claim that the Côte d'Ivoire national football team helped secure a truce to the nation's civil war in 2005. By contrast, football is widely considered to be the final proximate cause in the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras.[21] The sport also exacerbated tensions at the beginning of the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade devolved into rioting in March 1990.[22]
Laws
There are seventeen laws in the official Laws of the Game. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors, women and the physically challenged are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on the nature of the game. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of football. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the International Football Association Board, not FIFA itself.[23] The most complex of the laws is offside. The offside law limits the ability of attacking players to remain forward (i.e. closer to the opponent's goal line) of the ball, the second-to-last defending player (which can include the goalkeeper), and the half-way line.[24]
Players, equipment and officials
See also: Association football positions, Formation (association football), and Kit (Association football)
Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes), one of whom must be the goalkeeper. Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team; this is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are a variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws.[8]
The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards. Headgear is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials.[25]
A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during the course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is three, though the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches. Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at the end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match.[26]
A game is officiated by a referee, who has "full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees. In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise.[27]
Pitch
Main article: Association football pitch
Standard pitch measurements (See Imperial version)
As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB, the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units. The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though popular use tends to continue to use traditional units in English-speaking countries with a relatively recent history of metrication, such as Britain.[28]
The length of the pitch for international adult matches is in the range 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 91–120 m (100–130 yd) length and 45–91 m (50–101 yd) in width, provided that the pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB set a fixed size of 105 m long and 68 m wide as a standard pitch dimension for A international matches.[29]
The longer boundary lines are touchlines, while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines. A rectangular goal is positioned at the middle of each goal line.[30] The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (8 yd) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws.[31]
In front of each goal is an area known as the penalty area. This area is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by a penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs, goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks.[32]
Duration and tie-breaking methods
A standard adult football match consists of two periods of 45 minutes each, known as halves. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time.
The referee is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time, and is at the sole discretion of the referee. The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, toward the end of the half the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time he intends to add. The fourth official then informs the players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee.[33] Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa. Trailing 1–0 and with just two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty. Villa's goalkeeper kicked the ball out of the ground, and by the time the ball had been recovered, the 90 minutes had elapsed and the game was over.[34]
In league competitions, games may end in a draw, but in some knockout competitions if a game is tied at the end of regulation time it may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shootouts (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of the tournament. Goals scored during extra time periods count toward the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament (with goals scored in a penalty shootout not making up part of the final score).
In competitions using two-legged matches, each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from the two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg played away from home. If the result is still equal, kicks from the penalty mark are usually required, though some competitions may require a tied game to be replayed.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the IFAB experimented with ways of creating a winner without requiring a penalty shootout, which was often seen as an undesirable way to end a match. These involved rules ending a game in extra time early, either when the first goal in extra time was scored (golden goal), or if one team held a lead at the end of the first period of extra time (silver goal). Golden goal was used at the World Cup in 1998 and 2002. The first World Cup game decided by a golden goal was France's victory over Paraguay in 1998. Germany was the first nation to score a golden goal in a major competition, beating Czech Republic in the final of Euro 1996. Silver goal was used in Euro 2004. Both these experiments have been discontinued by IFAB.[35]
Ball in and out of play
Main article: Ball in and out of play
Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play. From the beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play:
A player takes a free kick, while the opposition form a "wall" in order to try to deflect the ball
Kick-off: following a goal by the opposing team, or to begin each period of play.[6]
Throw-in: when the ball has wholly crossed the touchline; awarded to opposing team to that which last touched the ball.[36]
Goal kick: when the ball has wholly crossed the goal line without a goal having been scored and having last been touched by a player of the attacking team; awarded to defending team.[37]
Corner kick: when the ball has wholly crossed the goal line without a goal having been scored and having last been touched by a player of the defending team; awarded to attacking team.[38]
Indirect free kick: awarded to the opposing team following "non-penal" fouls, certain technical infringements, or when play is stopped to caution or send-off an opponent without a specific foul having occurred. A goal may not be scored directly from an indirect free kick.[39]
Direct free kick: awarded to fouled team following certain listed "penal" fouls.[39]
Penalty kick: awarded to the fouled team following a foul usually punishable by a direct free kick but that has occurred within their opponent's penalty area.[40]
Dropped-ball: occurs when the referee has stopped play for any other reason, such as a serious injury to a player, interference by an external party, or a ball becoming defective. This restart is uncommon in adult games.[6]
Misconduct
Players are cautioned with a yellow card, and sent off with a red card. These colours were first introduced at the 1970 FIFA World Cup and used consistently since.
A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of the Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick.[5]
The referee may punish a player or substitute's misconduct by a caution (yellow card) or sending-off (red card). A second yellow card at the same game leads to a red card, and therefore to a sending-off. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in his official notebook.
A player scores a penalty kick given after an offence is committed inside the penalty area
If a player has been sent off, no substitute can be brought on in their place. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while the offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute or substituted player. Non-players such as managers and support staff cannot be shown the yellow or red card, but may be expelled from the technical area if they fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner.[5]
Rather than stopping play, the referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within a short period, typically taken to be four to five seconds. Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at the next stoppage of play.
Governing bodies
See also: Association football around the world
The recognised international governing body of football (and associated games, such as futsal and beach soccer) is the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The FIFA headquarters are located in Zürich.
Six regional confederations are associated with FIFA; these are:
Asia: Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
Africa: Confederation of African Football (CAF)
Central/North America & Caribbean: Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF; also known as The Football Confederation)
Europe: Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)
Oceania: Oceania Football Confederation (OFC)
South America: Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol/Confederação Sul-americana de Futebol (South American Football Confederation; CONMEBOL)
National associations oversee football within individual countries. These are generally synonymous with sovereign states, (for example: the Fédération Camerounaise de Football in Cameroon) but also include a smaller number of associations responsible for sub-national entities or autonomous regions (for example the Scottish Football Association in Scotland) . 208 national associations are affiliated both with FIFA and with their respective continental confederations; an additional 13 are affiliated to continental confederations but not to FIFA.
Some of the football associations not recognised by FIFA are affiliated to the Nouvelle Fédération-Board (NF-Board).
International competitions
A minute's silence before an international match
The major international competition in football is the World Cup, organised by FIFA. This competition takes place over a four-year period. More than 190 national teams compete in qualifying tournaments within the scope of continental confederations for a place in the finals. The finals tournament, which is held every four years, involves 32 national teams competing over a four-week period.[41] The 2006 FIFA World Cup took place in Germany; in 2010 it will be held in South Africa.[42]
There has been a football tournament at every Summer Olympic Games since 1900, except at the 1932 games in Los Angeles. Before the inception of the World Cup, the Olympics (especially during the 1920s) had the same status as the World Cup. Originally, the event was for amateurs only,[16] however, since the 1984 Summer Olympics professional players have been permitted, albeit with certain restrictions which prevent countries from fielding their strongest sides. Currently, the Olympic men's tournament is played at Under-23 level. In the past the Olympics have allowed a restricted number of over-age players per team;[43] but that practice ceased in the 2008 Olympics. The Olympic competition is not generally considered to carry the same international significance and prestige as the World Cup. A women's tournament was added in 1996; in contrast to the men's event, full international sides without age restrictions play the women’s Olympic tournament. It thus carries international prestige considered comparable to that of the FIFA Women's World Cup.
After the World Cup, the most important international football competitions are the continental championships, which are organised by each continental confederation and contested between national teams. These are the European Championship (UEFA), the Copa América (CONMEBOL), African Cup of Nations (CAF), the Asian Cup (AFC), the CONCACAF Gold Cup (CONCACAF) and the OFC Nations Cup (OFC). The FIFA Confederations Cup is contested by the winners of all 6 continental championships, the current FIFA World Cup champions and the country which is hosting the Confederations Cup. This is generally regarded as a warm up tournament for the upcoming FIFA World Cup and does not carry the same prestige as the World Cup itself. The most prestigious competitions in club football are the respective continental championships, which are generally contested between national champions, for example the UEFA Champions League in Europe and the Copa Libertadores de América in South America. The winners of each continental competition contest the FIFA Club World Cup.[44]
Domestic competitions
Main article: Association football around the world
Two players trying to win the ball
The governing bodies in each country operate league systems in a domestic season, normally comprising several divisions, in which the teams gain points throughout the season depending on results. Teams are placed into tables, placing them in order according to points accrued. Most commonly, each team plays every other team in its league at home and away in each season, in a round-robin tournament. At the end of a season, the top team is declared the champion. The top few teams may be promoted to a higher division, and one or more of the teams finishing at the bottom are relegated to a lower division. The teams finishing at the top of a country's league may be eligible also to play in international club competitions in the following season. The main exceptions to this system occur in some Latin American leagues, which divide football championships into two sections named Apertura and Clausura, awarding a champion for each.
The majority of countries supplement the league system with one or more "cup" competitions. These are organised on a knock-out basis, the winner of each match proceeding to the next round; the loser takes no further part in the competition.
Some countries' top divisions feature highly paid star players; in smaller countries and lower divisions, players may be part-timers with a second job, or amateurs. The five top European leagues – Serie A (Italy), La Liga (Spain), the Premier League (England),[45] the Bundesliga (Germany) and Ligue 1 (France) – attract most of the world's best players and each of the leagues has a total wage cost in excess of £600 million.[46]
Etymology
See also: Names for association football and Football (word)
The rules of football were codified in England by the Football Association in 1863, and the name association football was coined to distinguish the game from the other forms of football played at the time, specifically rugby football. The term soccer originated in England, first appearing in the 1880s as a slang abbreviation of the word "association",[47] often credited to former England captain Charles Wreford-Brown.[48]
Today the sport is generally known simply as football in countries where it is the most popular football code. In countries where other codes are more popular, the sport is more commonly referred to as soccer, and indeed is referred to as such in the official names of the governing bodies in the United States and Canada. FIFA, the sport's world governing body, defines the sport as association football in its statutes,[49] but the term most commonly used by FIFA and the International Olympic Committee is football.
See also Association football portal
Association football culture
List of association football clubs
List of men's national association football teams
List of top association football goal scorers
List of top association football goal scorers by country
Lists of association football players
List of association football competitions
Paralympic association football
Variants of association football
References
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