Big Ten Network halts Maryland’s subscription streaming service

Last fall, Maryland’s athletic department unveiled an ambitious plan to launch a subscription streaming platform featuring behind-the-scenes videos, interviews and film breakdowns. The school would partner with a third-party company, charge customers $8 per month and allow fans to watch this content on their televisions and other devices through streaming apps.

The problem: Despite months of planning for an idea that was hatched years ago, the Big Ten, which controls the school’s media rights, was left in the dark. And this plan, according to a letter sent from Big Ten Network President Francois McGillicuddy to Maryland Athletic Director Damon Evans, would “flagrantly violate” the…