This fall, Big Ten Network will be airing what’s known as its “Football Fix” block which will air every weeknight on BTN starting at 7 ET. Shows will be hosted by College Football Hall of Fame broadcaster Keith Jackson and current Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones (Michigan alum). Other shows will be helmed by Antichrist Mike Hall and other BTN personalities. We have a look at the shows and what they’ll look like when they hit the air.
Keith Jackson, Dhani Jones to Host Shows on BTN This Fall
Six new shows highlight BTN primetime “Football Fix” programming lineup
CHICAGO – Hall of Fame sports broadcaster Keith Jackson and former Michigan football star Dhani Jones will host shows on BTN this fall as part of the network’s “Football Fix” programming block, which includes new shows every weeknight beginning at 7 PM ET.
“What’s exciting about our programming lineup is how it reflects what the Big Ten is all about,” BTN President Mark Silverman said. “Big Ten Icons, for example, honors the legacy of 12 coaches who are legendary in their respective sports. At the other end of the spectrum, BTN LiveBIG celebrates the contributions that people in the Big Ten community have made away from the playing field.”
Jones will host BTN LiveBIG, one of the network’s six new shows this fall. This inspirational program highlights how current and former members of the Big Ten community have impacted the world by living and giving “big.” The eight-episode series airs at 7:30 PM ET on Mondays starting October 3 and will spotlight luminaries such as Michigan’s Charles Woodson, Minnesota’s Tony Dungy, Wisconsin’s Devin Harris and many others. The show is designed to celebrate, promote and encourage community service. The network also will soon launch www.BTNLiveBIG.com, where fans can share their stories of community service and how they “live big” by giving back, while Big Ten students can learn about how they can earn scholarship money through volunteering.
Jackson returns for a second season on BTN to host Big Ten Icons (Tuesdays, 8 PM ET). This year, the series will focus on the iconic coaches in Big Ten history. The 12-episode series will stretch into the winter, and profile one coach from every Big Ten school, including Illinois’ Lou Henson, Iowa’s Dan Gable, Indiana’s Bob Knight, Michigan’s Bo Schembechler, Michigan State’s Jud Heathcote, Minnesota’s Herb Brooks, Nebraska’s Tom Osborne, Northwestern’s Kelly Amonte-Hiller, Ohio State’s Woody Hayes, Penn State’s Joe Paterno, Purdue’s Gene Keady and Wisconsin’s Barry Alvarez.
Mike Hall takes viewers inside the offices of current Big Ten football coaches for a revealing, one-on-one conversation at 10 PM ET on Thursday nights on Step Into My Office. The conference’s coaches talk about their lives before they were famous. During the course of the 10-episode series, viewers will find out which coach proposed to his wife with his Big Ten Championship ring, which can play the tuba, who was in a coma during childhood and other surprising tidbits. Bonus clips will be posted weekly on www.BTN.com.
Powered by social media, fans will have a chance to sound off and interact with BTN personalities Dave Revsine (@BTNDaveRevsine), Gerry DiNardo (@gerrydinardo), Howard Griffith (@howardgriffith) and Glen Mason (@BTNGlenMason) on BTN Live (@BTNLive), the network’s new interactive show. The program will utilize Facebook poll questions and Twitter hashtags, such as #AskBTN, to take questions from fans and gauge the opinion of Big Ten Country. After the show, viewers will be invited to log on to www.BTN.com to watch an extra, live streaming segment called The Fifth Quarter. BTN Live airs at 7 PM ET on Thursdays in September and moves to 6 PM ET starting in October.
The Next Level will look into the professional ranks to see which former Big Ten players are excelling in the NFL, NBA and other sports. Rick Pizzo will be joined each week by Wisconsin’s Brandon Williams and Michigan’s Jon Jansen, two former Big Ten standouts who played in the NFL, as well as Russ Lande, The Sporting News’ NFL draft expert and former member of the Indianapolis Colts front office. Fans can stay updated on the progress of former Big Ten stars playing professionally by following the show’s Twitter account, @BTNNextLevel.
There is nothing like the excitement and anticipation on campus before a huge game in the Big Ten. Tailgate 48 will give viewers a 48-hour tour of the traditions, pageantry and atmosphere in and around the conference’s biggest games every Thursday starting in October at 7 PM ET.
Additional returning weekday primetime shows include The Big Ten Pulse (@BTNThePulse), which will air twice per week beginning this fall, Big Ten Football Breakdown, The Big Ten Women’s Sports Report, Big Ten Football in 60, Big Ten’s Best, The Big Ten’s Greatest Games, Big Ten Football & Beyond and Big Ten Football Report.
The weeknight primetime lineup is as follows. New shows are in bold. All times Eastern.
Mondays:
6:30 PM — The Big Ten Pulse (Rick Pizzo, Derek Rackley, Tim Doyle)
7 PM — Big Ten Football Breakdown (Mike Hall, Howard Griffith, Chris Martin)
7:30 PM — BTN LiveBIG (Dhani Jones)
8:30 PM ET — Big Ten Women’s Sports Report (Lisa Byington)Tuesdays:
6 PM — Big Ten Football in 60
7 PM — The Next Level (Pizzo, Jon Jansen, Russ Lande, Brandon Williams)
7:30 PM — Big Ten’s Best
8 PM — Big Ten Icons (Keith Jackson)
9 PM — The Big Ten’s Greatest GamesWednesdays:
7 PM ET — Big Ten Football & Beyond (Dave Revsine, Gerry DiNardo, Chris Martin, Teddy Greenstein and Andy Staples)
8 PM ET — Various Live EventsThursdays:
6 PM — Big Ten Football in 60 – moves to 5 PM ET in October
7 PM — BTN Live (Revsine, DiNardo, Griffith, Glen Mason) – moves to 6 PM ET in October
7 PM — Tailgate 48 – starting in October
8 PM — The Big Ten’s Greatest Games
10 PM — Step Into My Office (Mike Hall)Fridays:
6:30 PM — The Big Ten Pulse (Pizzo, Rackley, Doyle)
7 PM — Big Ten Football Report (Hall, Rosevelt Colvin, Tony Banks)
8 PM — The Big Ten’s Greatest Games
That’s going to do it.
