Big Ten Network as a key part of any NCAA fan’s TV viewing. Fortunately, like many other college conference networks, I have numerous streaming options available beyond traditional cable and satellite subscriptions.
In a hurry? If you just want to start watching and don’t care to dive into the details, these streaming services will make you happy:
- Fubo: Great service for NCAA sports — and beyond — with its 150+-channel base plan. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
- DIRECTV STREAM: Full cable replacement service that’s perfect for cutting the cord. Big Ten Network comes with its Choice Package. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
- Sling TV: This low-cost service, high customization service offers Big Ten Network in its Sports Extra add-on. Save 50% on Sling TV now!
Table Of Contents
Are you an alum or a fan of a Big Ten university? Or do you simply enjoy watching many of the country’s best teams play? If either of those descriptions fit you, you’ll want to have access to the Big Ten Network.
Although the most significant sporting events played by Big Ten schools, particularly in football and men’s basketball, will be shown elsewhere, plenty of engaging contests will be here. And this is a must-have channel if you want to watch your team play as often as possible.
Fortunately, it is effortless to get the Big Ten Network, as it is available on most of the major live streaming services.
How to Watch the Big Ten Network Without Cable
As is the norm for sports-oriented channels, it is not possible to watch Big Ten Network with an antenna. It is also not possible to subscribe to it directly.
Although BTN Plus (also called B1G+) is a standalone streaming service, it only offers access to games that are not being televised. That’s great if you want to garner complete access to Big Ten sporting events, but useless for watching live Big Ten Network games.
| Service | Price | Channels | Review |
 | $82.99/month | 95+ | Hulu |
 | $79.99/month | 150+ | Fubo |
 | $114.99/month | 125+ | DIRECTV |
 | $82.99/month | 100+ | YouTube |
 | $45.99/month | 40+ | Sling |
Streaming Features
Regardless of the streaming service you choose, you can find apps for most streaming devices. These are universally supported: Amazon Fire TV, Android Mobile, Android TV-base smart TVs, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS mobile devices, Roku, Samsung smart TVs, and web browsers. Many services also support gaming systems (eg, Xbox, PlayStation) and other smart TVs (eg, LG, Vizio).
Cloud DVRs are included with all streaming services. And they all allow you to stream on multiple devices at the same time.
BTN Plus (B1G+)
If you are interested in the Big Ten Network, then you will probably also be interested in BTN Plus, also known as B1G+. It used to be known as BTN2GO. Similar to ESPN+, this service provides access to events that are not shown on the Big Ten Network or any other television channels. It is a must-have for those who want to watch as many Big Ten sporting events as possible.
Fans solely focused on football and men’s basketball games should note that sporadic men’s basketball contests are only streamed here.
BTN Plus costs $12.95/mo for all of its content, or $9.95/mo for all of its content that is only related to one school. You can also get a sport-specific subscription. Those range in price from $39.99/yr to $69.99/yr.
What Is Big Ten Network?
The Big Ten Network, or BTN for short, was one of the first conference-focused sports channels. It launched on August 30, 2007, a year after the now-defunct Mountain West Sports Network hit the airwaves. And the Big Ten Network made an immediate splash.
Its first live sports event was the famous Appalachian State football win over Michigan in Ann Arbor. That 34-32 decision marked the first time that an FCS team had ever defeated a ranked FBS team.
Big Ten Network focuses its coverage on sporting events hosted by Big Ten schools that are not carried by national sports outlets. This leads to it broadcasting a relatively small number of college football games and men’s basketball matchups, and having more extensive coverage of other Big Ten sports.
However, note that several Big Ten Basketball Tournament games are shown on the Big Ten Network. It also broadcasted the neutral-site NCAA Women’s Frozen Four from 2017-19.
Our Choice
You can keep up to date on all the happenings with your favorite school, or simply with the Big Ten Conference as a whole. Just make sure to subscribe to one of the streaming services noted above and enjoy access to the Big Ten Network and all of its live game broadcasts.
I recommend Fubo for people who want to watch Big Ten Network because of its overall offering and the fact that it includes all 4 BTN channels in its channel guide. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
FAQs
What is the cheapest way of live streaming Big Ten Network?
The cheapest way to get the Big Ten Network is through a subscription to Sling Blue ($45.99/month) with the Sports Extra add-on ($11/mo) for a total of $56.99/mo. These include the ACC Network, SEC Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Stadium, FS1, and FS2.
What schools are broadcast on BTN?
BTN shows only sports from the Big Ten Conference. The now-inaccurately named collegiate conference is up to 18 college teams. There are 14 in the East:
- Indiana University Hoosiers
- University of Maryland Terrapins
- University of Michigan Wolverines
- Michigan State University Spartans
- Ohio State University Buckeyes (football, basketball)
- Penn State University Nittany Lions (football)
- Rutgers University Scarlet Knights
- University of Illinois Fighting Illini
- University of Iowa Hawkeyes
- University of Minnesota Golden Gophers
- University of Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Northwestern University Wildcats
- Purdue University Boilermakers
- University of Wisconsin Badgers
And four teams in the West:
- University of Southern California Trojans (football)
- University of California, Los Angeles Bruins
- University of Oregon Ducks
- University of Washington Huskies
How can I watch a BTN game that I missed?
This is where BTN Plus comes in. Once the game airs, it goes into the BTN library, which is only available through BTN Plus. Kind of like Hulu, only instead of catching the latest episode of Survivor, it’s last night’s contest between Ohio and Michigan State.
It is unclear from the website if you can still replay recently aired live games through Fox Sports, though several viewers have reported they believe this functionality was removed when BTN2GO was removed.
Are Big Ten Network games available in HD?
The Big Ten Network records and broadcasts all of its content in High Definition (HD) resolution. BTN leaves it up to the various TV providers whether they want to make it available in HD or not. Games and series are not available in 4K.
What is BTN Plus?
BTN Plus, also known as B1G+ or Big Ten Plus, is the Big Ten Network’s streaming service. This is not where you will find live Big Ten football. You will find non-televised games, replays of recent games (televised or not), and the entire BTN library of original programming and classic games.
Can I watch Big Ten Network through a BTN Plus subscription?
The Big Ten Network offers the BTN Plus/B1G+, but maintains the channel and the streaming subscription as separate entities. They are connected, but no live game broadcasts that are being shown on the Big Ten Network are available for live viewing through B1G+. However, with that said, many Big Ten fans do subscribe to both of these services.
Page Updates ▼▲
-
Updated some sub-sections. Pricing updates. Cross linking.
-
Updated some sub-sections. Updated some section headings. Added some links.
-
Additional links. Pricing updates. Reworded some things.
-
Image changes. Mentioned offers. Pricing updates.
-
Added buttons for streaming services. Added VPN info. Added links to streaming services. Updated some sub-sections. Image changes. More links.
-
Updated some sub-sections. Pricing updates. Image changes.
-
Updated some sub-sections. Updated some section headings. Image changes.
-
Updated one section.
My expertise in sports coverage, particularly for out-of-market games and regional sports networks, stems from years of hands-on experience as an early adopter of streaming services and my work addressing fans' viewing challenges. As a longtime cord-cutter and subscriber to multiple streaming platforms, I combine my technical knowledge with practical user experience, making me a leading expert in the field of sports streaming and entertainment technology.
- How to Watch Pac-12 College Teams This Year - 08/06/2024
- States That Have Produced Leading Actors and Actresses - 09/06/2022
- US States With the Fastest Internet - 06/21/2022
Leave a Comment