"People are just getting more used to the network being on their air and turning to it," Silverman said Tuesday. "There is less of a wondering where their game is. I think people now know, typically, the game is either going to be on ESPN or the Big Ten Network. That just happens over time."

The Big Ten Network, in its third season, does not have to tussle with carriage issues that defined its bruising struggles when it started. Silverman said BTN is in 90% of the markets it wants to be in. His time as an executive is not consumed as it was a few years ago with getting his network on the basic expanded tiers of cable distributors. He is now focused on improving the quality of the game broadcasts and the variety of the programming.

The average rating for the Big Ten Network's afternoon telecasts in 2009 improved by 28% over the same period last season, while the network's eight primetime games increased 183%, according to Elizabeth Conlisk, vice president of communications and university relations for BTN. The ratings numbers are based on Nielsen overnights in nine metered markets, including Milwaukee, where the network is on basic expanded cable tiers.

"As people's habits get changed, as our brand gets more known, people get used to it," Silverman said. "They just naturally gravitate toward checking us out more often. We had a lot of compelling matchups this year, everything from Michigan-Wisconsin to Michigan-Michigan State. We had a lot of quality matchups.

"As we go each year and try to get a little better and a little better, we plan to see increases, maybe not to this level, but seeing ratings increases in the years ahead."

The BTN's most-viewed football game was Oct. 3, when Michigan-Michigan State and Northwestern-Purdue averaged a combined 4.7 rating. Most BTN markets received the Michigan-Michigan State game.

Shows perched in after-game windows also had viewership increases. The Saturday afternoon wrap-up show was up 20% and the primetime wrap-up show was up 163%.

"Now that we are launched, now that we are on the air, distributed, now it's about getting better," Silverman said. "I think we made some good strides this year."