With the rise in conference networks across the sports media landscape, the impetus for those networks to create compelling original programming continues to grow. Big Ten Network has been a leader of the pack when it comes to original series in both quantity and quality. Whether it’s rivalries as old as the institutions themselves, controversial events, or documenting both historic and current teams (through the acclaimed show The Journey), BTN has a strong base of original programming.
The network will add another new show to the lineup tonight when Big Ten Treasure Hunter debuts at 8 PM ET. The half hour show will follow Chicago-based memorabilia expert John Arcand as he goes in search of Big Ten artifacts. (Insert joke here about how historical artifacts are all the Big Ten has to celebrate these days.)
The sports memorabilia market is certain huge, but one might look at the details of this show and wonder if there would really be enough there to build an entire series around.
The debut episode features Arcand taking trips to collectors focusing on memorabilia from Nebraska, Michigan, and Indiana. The items of particular interest include a Gerald Ford football card and a piece of the Assembly Hall floor.
Where Treasure Hunter tries to make an impact is by going where other reality shows have gone. In fact, after viewing the premiere episode that will air tonight, there’s an element of American Pickers here. Arcand barters with the individuals he tries to buy the artifacts from and you get tuned into the drama of “making the deal.” It’s the entire dynamic that transformed Pawn Stars from an innocuous History Channel show into one of the most popular shows on television. BTN is clearly trying to capitalize on that success, but time will tell whether Arcand and his deals will resonate with viewers in the same way.
And to tell the truth, it’s a very simple formula that works which is followed here. Why Pawn Stars and the like actually fit on the History Channel (although it may not seem like it on the surface) is that the items for sale provide the basis for learning about the history of the people and the situation. The same is true for here, just with a sports tint.
