Big Ten Network Announces Expanded Big Ten Wrestling Championships Coverage
First-ever Saturday wrestling championship broadcast kicks off weekend
First-ever Saturday wrestling championship broadcast kicks off weekend
CHICAGO, Ill. – The Big Ten Network is the destination for college wrestling fans this weekend as coverage of the 2021 Big Ten Wrestling Championships includes nearly 10 hours dedicated to the best collegiate wrestling in the country.
As a result of schedule adjustments creating additional telecast windows, the Big Ten Network will broadcast live on Saturday of the championships for the first time ever. On Saturday, March 6, from 10 a.m. ET to 2 p.m. ET, BTN will provide whip-around coverage highlighting the best matchups of session 1 with limited commercial interruptions. On Big Ten Network+, individual mat cameras will be also available to provide a comprehensive look at the opening session. On Saturday night from 7:30 p.m. ET to 10 p.m. ET, a double-box presentation will be available on television for the session 2 semifinals while consolation mats will once again be streamed live on Big Ten Network+.
On Sunday, March 7, competition kicks off with individual mat cameras for session 3 on Big Ten Network+ at noon ET, ahead of the main event. From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, BTN will deliver three hours of the most exciting wrestling in the country as champions are crowned in session 4.
“From the 125-pounders to heavyweights, the Big Ten Conference consistently delivers the best wrestling in the nation,” said Michael Calderon, BTN’s senior vice president of digital media and programming. “The Big Ten Network is the go-to destination for college wrestling fans and this weekend’s coverage across both our television and digital platforms demonstrates our strong commitment to the sport.”
Big Ten Network veterans Shane Sparks, Jim Gibbons and Tim Johnson will anchor the broadcasts from BTN’s Chicago studio. Guest analyst and three-time Big Ten and NCAA Champion, Bo Nickal, will join reporter Ray Flores on-site for insight and analysis from State College.
In preparation for the Big Ten Wrestling Championships, a special 90-minute edition of Wrestling in 60, highlighting 10 of the top matches from the regular season, will air at 3:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 2.
On The Mat, the Big Ten Network’s digital, behind-the-scenes wrestling series, has also been edited to produce three television episodes which will air throughout the weekend. Additionally, the final On The Matfeature of the season will debut on Sunday afternoon with the story of Nebraska’s Christian Miller, who was tragically killed in a car accident last November.
On Saturday and Sunday, the B1G Wrestling Instagram page and Big Ten Network YouTube wrestling pagewill be updated with highlights, full matches and custom content. For details and subscription information regarding Big Ten Network+ coverage, please visit btnplus.com.
Ten Big Ten teams are currently ranked in the top 20 of TrackWrestling’s rankings, including the entire top three. No. 1 Iowa, No. 2 Penn State and No. 3 Nebraska lead the way, followed by No. 8 Michigan, No. 10 Ohio State, No. 11 Minnesota, T-No.14 Illinois, T-No. 14 Rutgers, No. 18 Northwestern and No. 19 Michigan State.
Big Ten Wrestling Championships Schedule
| Day | Date | Session Coverage | Platform | Time (ET) |
| Saturday | March 6 | Session 1 | Big Ten Network | 10 a.m. |
| Saturday | March 6 | Session 1 – Individual Mat Cams | Big Ten Network+ | 10 a.m. |
| Saturday | March 6 | Semifinals – Session 2 | Big Ten Network | 7:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | March 6 | Semifinals – Consolation Mat Cams | Big Ten Network+ | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sunday | March 7 | Session 3 – Consolation Mat Cams | Big Ten Network+ | Noon ET |
| Sunday | March 7 | Championships – Session 4 | Big Ten Network | 4 p.m. |
| Sunday | March 7 | Session 4 – Consolation Mat Cams | Big Ten Network+ | 4 p.m. |
