On Tuesday, the game times and TV schedule came out for the Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball team. To refresh your memory, the Badgers will no longer play on ESPN, as CBS now has the rights to the Big Ten. Wisconsin only plays one game on CBS, and the rest will be split between Big Ten Network, FS1, Fox Sports, and Peacock.
Peacock is a streaming service that is the streaming partner for PFT Live with Mike Florio, Dan Patrick Show, and Rich Eisen Show. The streaming platform started streaming live sports in 2021 and will air 47 men’s basketball games this upcoming season, including the opening night doubleheaders of the Big Ten men’s and women’s tournament.
Wisconsin Badgers basketball fans made it clear they are perturbed by the abundance of games on Peacock this upcoming season.
Wisconsin Badgers basketball fans aren’t happy with the amount of games on Peacock this upcoming season.
Streaming platforms are becoming the new norm for a TV viewing experience. Amazon Prime is home to every Thursday Night Football game. This is strictly a money grab, and streaming services want to add more revenue by making consumers pay for their products.
This is the new way of the world, and while it’s not fun finding out your team is playing on a streaming platform, it’s not like Peacock is impossible to find, and it’s relatively cheap to stream on Peacock.
Wisconsin Badgers fans react to the five games being streamed on Peacock.
So, to watch my Badgers, we have to pay for Peacock, The Big Ten Network, ESPN and the list goes on! The New World of College Athletics.
At least we have Matt Lepay and Brian Butch in case we can’t afford streaming services. Thank Matt and Brian.
— PR (@06epg) October 3, 2023
Peacock?!?! pic.twitter.com/fLneqs5SN9
— BIX (@BIX3117) October 3, 2023
That’s terrible.
— Daren Helmenstine (@helmenstine34) October 3, 2023
pic.twitter.com/mmZ4XAVVyB
— Jim Rappold (@RappoldJim) October 3, 2023
pic.twitter.com/rKGPYBm9FC
— Troy (@troy_angus) October 3, 2023
5 of their biggest games and we’re going to limit the number of people who will be able to watch. Seems logical.
— evan schlough (@EvanSchlough) October 3, 2023
Welp 5 games I won’t see. Thanks NCAA.
— Real Riggins Dad. (@factsonly_34) October 3, 2023
Why
— Canha Banana (@brewbadgers) October 3, 2023
The frustration is understandable for the Wisconsin Badgers’ fans. But at the same time, six other teams from the Big Ten will be streaming 4 to 6 plus games on Peacock, so all of the marquee teams in the Big Ten will have to deal with having games on Peacock.
The fans should be excited that they have five games on Peacock because the games are against other elite teams in the Big Ten, so it’s good business to put those games on Peacock because fans will likely tune into those games.
In those five matchups, Wisconsin plays Tennessee, Michigan State, Ohio State, Maryland, and Indiana. Those are five vital games on the schedule and could make or break UW’s chances to make the tournament.
The games being streamed on Peacock will be a sudden change, but streaming services aren’t going anywhere, and more games will be streamed on streaming platforms in the near future.
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