BTN to Premiere "Big Ten Treasure Hunter" Series

BTN to Premiere "Big Ten Treasure Hunter" Series

New Show Explores the World of Sports Memorabilia

CHICAGO, Sept. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- BTN Originals premieres Big Ten Treasure Hunter, a new show featuring Big Ten collectibles and memorabilia, at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Memorabilia expert John Arcand embarks on a new journey each week, traveling throughout the country to offer up his opinion and expertise on Big Ten memorabilia collections, from decades of University of Michigan football ticket stubs to portions of an infamous Indiana University basketball court.

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Inspired by the stories behind such Big Ten collectibles, the 30-minute show features Arcand meeting with Big Ten fans and collectors and listening to the historic tales about each item. In the premiere, Arcand meets with a Michigan collector with an extensive collection of Wolverine items, including a football card of President Gerald Ford, famously a Michigan football alum. The premiere episode also features an Indiana fan who owns a section of the old Assembly Hall basketball floor where former Indiana head coach Bob Knight infamously threw "the chair."

"Big Ten Treasure Hunter represents an evolution in our original programming, featuring great storytelling around these rare collectible items, and entertaining our viewers in a new and creative way," said Bill Friedman, coordinating producer of BTN Originals. "The real-time negotiations between John and the collectors add another layer of intrigue to the show."

Throughout the summer, BTN traversed the country in search of hard-to-find Big Ten sports memorabilia. According to Arcand, the stories poured in, giving him an opportunity to feature at least three Big Ten collections in each of the eight episodes. All 14 Big Ten schools will be featured at least once throughout the eight-episode series.

Arcand, owner of Big John & Little Debby's Collectibles, has a keen eye for authenticity and value, having devoted more than 25 years to the sports memorabilia industry. He's constantly searching for new and innovative memorabilia, and fans with special items of Big Ten history are encouraged to upload a photo on www.BTN.com for a chance to be featured in a future episode.

Big Ten Treasure Hunter is produced by FlashRock Films. The eight-show series will air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on BTN and BTN2Go. Check local listings for the episodes to re-air.

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. 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.

About BTN Originals: BTN Originals (@BTN_Originals) is the Big Ten Network's award-winning original programming that includes such series as The Journey: Big Ten Football, The Journey: Big Ten Basketball (@BTNJourney) and Big Ten Elite. BTN Originals is uniquely qualified to provide viewers with unparalleled storytelling and an all-access pass into the Big Ten Conference.

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SOURCE Big Ten Network

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Big Ten Network

CONTACT: Derek Reinglass, Derek.reinglass@btn.com.

Web Site: http://www.BTN.com


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