Pay-per-view has been good to NU football over the years

[jsneb83]

I know alot of us can't wait to have the Big 10 Network so we don't have to pay for PPV, but there are some pretty compelling arguments in here.

 

Pay-per-view has been good to NU football over the years

By BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star

 

It’s quite possible you’re one of the many who have forked over 30 bucks at least once to watch the Huskers play a football game. Or perhaps you found a sports bar that plastered a Nebraska pay-per-view game on its flat screens.

 

For certain, Nebraska fans don’t need any explanation about what “PPV” means on a football schedule. There’s also no doubt pay-per-view games helped a some local establishments sell a few more wings and suds.

 

And while the Big Ten Network’s far-reaching status and high-picture quality awaits in 2011, we are about to embark on one final Husker season of the occasional dance with pay-per-view — and in HD this time.

 

Sure, there have been some gripes here and there. But for what it was, it seems fair to say Nebraska football and pay-per-view games proved a successful pair.

 

“If you look over the course of the years, it’s provided a lot of opportunity for people to watch Nebraska football,” said Marc Boehm, Husker executive associate athletic director.

 

“People want to watch the games. And sometimes the cost of $29.95 or $39.95 is expensive to some folks. But when you really look at the whole of a three-hour production and having the opportunity to have friends and family come over, really, most people were receptive to the costs.”

 

Since Nebraska’s first pay-per-view appearance on Oct. 12, 2002, against Missouri, the Huskers have been on Fox’s pay-per-view package 18 times — more pay-per-view appearances than most of their peers.

 

Nebraska has won 17 of those games (the 45-14 2007 Homecoming debacle against Oklahoma State proving the exception) and has found financial successes from the telecasts in the process.

 

Yes, there were a couple of low-selling pay-per-view games during the dreadful 2007 season. That year’s Ball State game drew just 24,000 buyers. and the Oklahoma State game had 22,000.

 

But many times pay-per-view game sales have been strong enough to net Nebraska’s athletic department even more money than it made from network television appearances.

 

There were more than 60,000 purchases made for the 2006 game at Kansas State. And Bo-mania helped produce even more pay-per-view sales than that for last season’s opener against Florida Atlantic, according to Geoff Goldman, a media relations representative for Fox Sports Midwest.

 

Just consider that a pay-per-view game that reached 40,000 buys could net the athletic department about $300,000 — even after the money is shared by Fox, the university, and cable and satellite providers.

 

Since Nebraska games began being shown on pay-per-view in 2002, the price has remained consistent at $29.95. But with the introduction of HD to the broadcasts this year, the price has gone up to $39.95 a game.

 

So far Nebraska has two games for the upcoming season available on a pay-per-view basis: the opener against Western Kentucky and the following week’s game against Idaho. The South Dakota State game on Sept. 25 is also a likely candidate for pay-per-view if not picked up by the television networks.

 

As for that price increase? Nebraska officials aren’t involved in deciding that, Boehm said.

 

“That’s Fox Television that has to do that because of the production fees,” he said.

 

Boehm hasn’t received much feedback on the increase to this point, but imagines there will be some when the season comes around.

 

“Anytime you bump things up, especially when folks are trying to save during these times, yeah, it can be tough,” Boehm said. “But again, if you look overall at having the opportunity to watch the games, I think people are OK with it.”

 

But there’s no doubt fans are excited about leaving those $30 and $40 fees behind when Nebraska partners with the Big Ten next year. Among the great selling points of the conference is the Big Ten Network, which will make it certain that every Husker football game is available on television.

 

“I think we’re ready to move on,” Boehm said. “It’s been a nice run. But we’re looking forward to a lot more opportunities with the Big Ten Network.”

[huKSer]

Just consider that a pay-per-view game that reached 40,000 buys could net the athletic department about $300,000 — even after the money is shared by Fox, the university, and cable and satellite providers.

 

Weren't people saying was making between 1 and 1.5 million dollars per PPV? Probably for the total season

[jsneb83]

Just consider that a pay-per-view game that reached 40,000 buys could net the athletic department about $300,000 — even after the money is shared by Fox, the university, and cable and satellite providers.

 

Weren't people saying was making between 1 and 1.5 million dollars per PPV? Probably for the total season

Maybe cause we usually have what 3 or 4 PPV games a season.