Jan. 29--There still is a long way to go for "The Journey," but its upcoming 100th episode provides a chance to reflect on how far it has come.
"The Journey" hits the milestone with Sunday's show at 8:30 p.m. on BTN. The network's signature series provides a behind-the-scenes look at all aspects of football and basketball in the Big Ten -- from games and practices to documenting the lives of players beyond competition.
BTN president Mark Silverman says "The Journey," which launched in 2007, has been a big part of the network's success. The series has received two Sports Emmy nominations and in 2014,
"The Journey: Big Ten Basketball" won Best Sports Show in the Cablefax program awards.
"People always said, 'What are you going to do when you don't have games?" Silverman said. "We needed to find a show that people could gravitate to. 'The Journey' did that for us. It was an important show for us to help establish relevance and credibility."
Initially, "The Journey" was focused on one program. The series then shifted to include every school. Typically, shows feature three or four stories on different teams.
"That way connected all of the fan bases," Silverman said. "It also enables fans to learn the stories at other schools,"
Silverman says "The Journey" succeeds because it reveals the human side of the athletes.
"Everyone wants to be a fly on the wall, whether it is in the locker room or a parent's home," Silverman said. "People sometimes forget these athletes are just kids. You see how they're doing in school or in a relationship. You see them going home to their parents. It helps people look at them differently."
Also on BTN, the network will air a unique doubleheader Saturday between Penn State and Michigan. At noon, the schools will meet in a basketball game in Madison Square Garden in New York. Then the arena will be converted to ice for a Penn State-Michigan hockey game at 6 p.m.
