B1G+ streaming platform is holding the Big Ten back

On Wednesday night in Champaign, Illinois, No. 19 Ohio State women’s basketball faced the Illinois Fighting Illini, a team ranked just outside the Associated Press’ weekly top 25.

The matchup featured two young teams that play fast, entertaining basketball, and the game lived up to the hype. There were 16 lead changes, a two-possession game late in the fourth quarter, and Buckeye point guard Jaloni Cambridge scored a career high 41 points in the 78-69 Ohio State victory. All the while, four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson sat courtside in a surprise appearance.

It was a dream for Cambridge, who chose Wilson as the one person she wanted to see courtside at one of her games. The point guard cut through the Illini defense, hit shots at all three levels, and contributed to 73% of Ohio State’s baskets.

Jaloni Cambridge saw A’ja Wilson and balled out 🔥

Cambridge dropped her career-high in front of her dream celebrity fan 👏 (via @OhioStateWBB) pic.twitter.com/McYfdCsUg1

— espnW (@espnW) January 8, 2026

For the Big Ten, it was the kind of game that justified conference talking points. From media day through the conference tournament, coaches and players are not shy about saying they see the Big Ten as the best conference in the country.

So, how could a competitive game with moments of genuine emotion and a fulfilled childhood dream for a 41-point scorer be such a loss for the Big Ten?

Most fans did not see it.

That is because the game aired on the Big Ten Conference’s OTT streaming platform. B1G+ is the conference-only platform that is the home for any athletic event that does not air on the Big Ten Network or through any of the myriad media deals.

Ohio State and Illinois were not the first, and are not the last, game this season that featured teams with real March Madness aspirations. On Thursday, the No. 23 Washington Huskies welcome the No. 15 Michigan Spartans on the platform. Then, one month before the end of the season, the Spartans welcome the No. 9 Maryland Terrapins to East Lansing, again on B1G+.

This is not an article pointing fingers at the conference for prioritizing Big Ten men’s basketball, which had four fewer teams make the men’s NCAA Tournament than the 12 conference programs that made women’s March Madness.

No, the problem is B1G+ and how it misses the mark for a streaming platform. It is holding back the Big Ten.

Cost is a major factor. B1G+ costs $12.99 per month or $89.99 per year, before taxes. For that, fans only get sporting events that do not air on cable or network television. So, no football and limited men’s basketball. There is limited browsing of the app due to the sheer lack of options. Especially in the summer months when college athletics is over, but that does not stop the $12.99 from coming out of the bank each month.

Compare the limited options available in B1G+ to those in ESPN Select. The basic streaming package for the Worldwide Leader in sports costs $12.99 per month and includes live events from conferences like the ACC, Big 12, and SEC, as well as a list of mid-majors across all college sports. Not to mention sports leagues from across the world, meaning there is almost always something on. Spend $29.99 a month for ESPN Unlimited, and there is everything from ESPN Select, live events, and content from every linear network in the ESPN family.

The Big Ten has contracts with Fox, NBC, and CBS, and Peacock’s exclusive games mean another streaming platform is needed before B1G+ comes into the picture.

Fervent fans of Big Ten athletics who extend their love beyond the big sports like football and basketball might appreciate that they don’t miss wrestling, gymnastics, or swimming events. But compared to other platforms, it does not add value.

Also, the Big Ten service’s narrow focus shrinks the audience willing not only to pay for it but also to take the time to explore and find other teams and events of interest. For Big Ten fans who need the platform, it is likely turned on right before a game and shut off immediately afterwards. Most are willing to miss a few games rather than spend over $13 a month or over $90 for an annual membership.

Then, if fans do buy a subscription, they get access to a website and an app that is as basic as it gets for streaming. Unless the game is just about to start, finding what is coming up or what else there is to offer is difficult. The app feels more like an early-2000s webpage than a flowing streaming service.

Fox is a majority owner of the network but does not create B1G+. Instead, it farms out the work to Sportradar, a group that works with the likes of the NBA, NHL, and MLB in various capacities. Overall, the experience feels like the cheapest possible way for Fox and Fox Sports to get into the streaming game, despite its comparable cost to other streaming platforms that offer more variety and year-round live entertainment.

There was no way for fans to stumble upon Wednesday’s game to see Jaloni Cambridge score a career high and lead an Ohio State team full of promise to its third consecutive conference win. The addition of A’ja Wilson made the night more of a social media moment after the fact, but then it gets lost in whatever is next. During the game, few people talked about the actual game, aside from those who cover it or don’t mind paying to watch. When nobody is talking about it while it airs, it means nobody is watching. That means nobody cares.

That hard truth comes at a time when more people are caring about women’s sports than ever. Professional leagues for basketball, softball, and volleyball pop up on what seems like an annual basis. In 2024, companies spent 139% more on ad spending for women’s sports. Plus a 131% increase in viewership across leagues.

The Big Ten’s current media contact with Fox, CBS, and NBC runs through the 2029-30 season. That is four more academic years. When ranked games are relegated to behind an additional, niche paywall, and at a time when people are cutting back financially, they make the tough decision to spend their money on value rather than the need to watch every one of their team’s games. The longer B1G+ is part of that equation, the closer the Big Ten gets to hitting its ceiling.

Thomas is a women’s basketball beat writer for SB Nation’s Land-Grant Holy Land and The IX Basketball. When he’s not writing about basketball, he is at a concert.