Although Spartan Stadium is central on campus, some students and East Lansing residents might have a tough time watching football games this fall.
If the Big Ten Network - set to go live Aug. 30 - and Comcast Corp. don't reach an agreement, some local cable subscribers might not have access to the channel, which will have broadcasting rights for some MSU sporting events.
Comcast is the cable service provider for East Lansing.
The network, called BTN, would broadcast at least three MSU football games, as well as the championship games of previously uncovered varsity NCAA sports, said Mike Vest, media relations manager for BTN.
Marquee conference match-ups likely will be aired by ABC or ESPN and ESPN2 because those networks have the first pick of game coverage.
"I'm not really interested in some of the other teams (in the Big Ten) besides Michigan State, but I'd watch because it's always competitive," said Tim Ramijanc, a finance junior.
Adding the network as a basic cable channel could result in an extra $1.10 added to a customer's monthly bill, said Patrick Paterno, director of communications for Comcast Michigan region.
"Any time you raise somebody's bill, they're never happy," he said. "If someone doesn't want it, they don't want it, so why penalize everybody in the region who doesn't want the Big Ten Network?"
Making it part of Comcast's digital sports package would allow customers to choose if they want to pay for the regional sports coverage, Paterno said.
The drawback to making the network part of the package is not as many fans would have access to the channel, Vest said.
"The Big Ten Network wants to bring as much content as possible for Big Ten fans and the solution to that is expanded basic cable," he said. "Big Ten fans live and die with the results of these games."
The BTN declined to confirm customers would have to pay an extra $1.10, but Vest said even if that figure is "used in an argument sake, it's one third the price of what the market has determined for a regional sports network."
As of Tuesday, more than 75 cable companies have agreed to carry BTN on basic cable, Vest said.
Of the 12-week football season, BTN will have the second choice of what game to broadcast three times and the third choice three times.
One of the major "sticking points" in negotiations is whether the channel should be available as basic cable or as part of Comcast's digital sports tier, Vest said.
Networks charge cable companies for their programming.
That amount has yet to be determined between BTN and Comcast, Vest said.
Julian Heidenreich, a psychology senior, said he would have no problem with a potential $1.10 increase in his monthly cable bill.
"I don't think I would mind it that much, even if I wasn't a sports fan, because the money is going to something that is involved with my school," Heidenreich said.
Jon Schultz can be reached at schul320@msu.edu. Staff writer Denny Schwarze contributed to this report.
