BTN LiveBIG to join Suits and Sneakers Awareness

CHICAGO - As part of its pro-social initiative BTN LiveBIG, the Big Ten Network (BTN) will join the American Cancer Society in the support of Suits and Sneakers? Awareness Weekend Jan. 24-26, when coaches wear sneakers with their suits during games to raise awareness of the fight against cancer.

BTN is televising games at Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana and Nebraska that weekend and is working with the universities and the society to encourage students on each campus to wear suits and sneakers to the games. The university with the most students ?suited up? will receive a $10,000 donation to the school?s Relay for Life Initiative, which raises critical funds for cancer research.  The donation will be presented at halftime of a home game in February.

?Big Ten students are not only the best college sports fans in the country but they also have big hearts,? said Erin Harvego, BTN vice president of marketing. ?Through BTN LiveBIG, we are excited to provide an opportunity with the American Cancer Society for students to support not only their school and their coach but also this great cause. We expect to see some very creative suit/sneakers combinations in the student sections that weekend.?

Coaches? participation in Suits and Sneakers Awareness Weekend provides a visual reminder that prevention is key when it comes to blocking cancer before it takes center court in people?s lives, said Natalie Morrison, American Cancer Society managing director for Coaches vs. Cancer. ?Thanks to BTN and Coaches vs. Cancer supporters, the American Cancer Society is able to provide hope, support and answers to the nearly 14 million cancer survivors celebrating another birthday this year.?

Each student wearing a suit will need to visit a specially designated check-in station at each arena before the second half of the game in order to be counted and compete for the $10,000 donation.

The annual event is coordinated by the Coaches vs. Cancer program, a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Since 1993, participating coaches have helped raise more than $85 million for the society?s lifesaving work. For more information on Suits and Sneakers? Awareness Weekend, please visit www.coachesvscancer.org.

BTN LiveB1G is a television program and website which shines a light on the community of Big Ten students, faculty and alumni who are making a difference in the world through innovations in research, education and community service. For more information on upcoming episodes, please visit BTNLiveBIG.com.

Students looking for more information on participating in Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers? Awareness Weekend can call 800-227-2345, or visit one of the following websites, RelayForLife.org/Northwestern, RelayForLife.org/Purdue, RelayForLife.org/Indiana,RelayForLife.org/Nebraska.

Big Ten Suits and Sneakers? Awareness Weekend Schedule (All times Eastern)

About the American Cancer Society: The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers saving lives and fighting for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society's efforts have contributed to a 20 percent decline in cancer death rates in the U.S. since 1991, and a 50 percent drop in smoking rates. Thanks in part to our progress nearly 14 million Americans who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will celebrate more birthdays this year. We're finding cures as the nation?s  largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings, clean air, and more. For more information, to get help, or to join the fight, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit www.cancer.org/fight

About BTN: A joint venture between the Big Ten Conference and Fox Networks, BTN is the first internationally distributed network dedicated to covering one of the premier collegiate conferences in the country. With more than 800 events, all in HD, the 24/7 network is the ultimate destination for Big Ten fans and alumni across the country, allowing them to see their favorite teams, regardless of where they live. BTN2Go is the 24/7 simulcast of BTN that delivers live and on-demand programming via the internet, smartphones and tablets to customers of participating video providers. Events include football, men?s and women?s basketball games; dozens of Big Ten Olympic sports and championship events; studio shows; and classic games. The network televises and streams more Olympic sporting events and women?s sports than has ever been aired on any other network. Original programming highlights activities and accomplishments of some of the nation?s finest universities. The groundbreaking Student U initiative provides real-world experience for students interested in careers in sports television. The network is in more than 52 million homes across the United States and Canada, including carriage by all the major video distributors, such as DIRECTV, DISH, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-Verse, Charter Communications, Comcast Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Mediacom, RCN, WOW!, Rogers Cable, Shaw and Shaw Direct (Canada) and approximately 300 additional video providers across North America. For additional information, go to www.BTN.com.