Big Ten Network blackout looms over Comcast subscribers in new member markets

As college football frenzy begins to sweep the nation, fans of Washington, Oregon, USC and UCLA could be in for a frustrating start. 

Despite their schools’ much-anticipated move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, a carriage dispute between Comcast and the Big Ten Network (BTN) may prevent many fans in these regions from watching their teams’ games.

Comcast is currently blacking out live events involving the four new Big Ten schools in their home markets. The dispute centers on Comcast’s refusal to move BTN to a basic cable tier while also declining to pay the in-market rates associated with the addition of these West Coast schools. 

As a result, Huskies and Ducks fans might miss out on their teams’ season openers this Saturday, with Oregon facing Idaho at 7:30 p.m. ET and Washington hosting Weber State at 11 p.m. ET.