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Rutgers fans will be able to watch Kyle Flood and the Scarlet Knights on Time Warner Cable and Cablevision this season, after the Big Ten Network reached a deal with both providers.

(Tony Kurdzuk/Star-Ledger file photo)

The Big Ten is one big step closer to putting its flag in the New York/New Jersey television market.

Mark Silverman, president of the Big Ten Network, confirmed Monday that the network had reached deals with Time Warner Cable and Cablevision to broadly distribute its channel to the millions of homes in the market. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Silverman also said he is optimistic that a deal will be reached with the third cable giant -- Comcast -- before the football season.

The news will be welcomed by Rutgers fans, as it avoids the prospects of not having the Scarlet Knights' games in their new conference available on their cable systems. Rutgers' first two Big Ten games -- its opener against Penn State and then against Michigan -- are slated for primetime on the Big Ten Network.

"It is our number one priority this year to integrate Rutgers and Maryland into the Big Ten Network and make high-quality programming for both schools," Silverman told The Star-Ledger.

The Big Ten Network, founded seven years ago, has been a game-changer for the conference. It is already available on FiOS and DirecTV.