(Reuters) - Comcast Corp (O:CMCSA) will continue to offer 21st Century Fox Inc's (O:FOXA) Big Ten Network, including all games on Fox's sports channel FS1, the companies said on Friday.
Fox, which is being acquired by Walt Disney Co (N:DIS), had earlier said it would separate the Fox Broadcasting network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, its sports channels FS1 and FS2 and the Big Ten Network, into a newly listed company that would be spun off to shareholders.
The Big Ten Network is a joint venture between Fox and the Big Ten Conference, one of the largest college sports associations. The network shows college sports, including football, and has about 60 million subscribers across the United States and Canada.
Comcast will continue to offer the Big Ten Network in states such as Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Customers outside of the Big Ten states will have access to the Big Ten Network as part of Comcast's sports and entertainment package in the coming months as part of the deal, the companies said.