INDIANAPOLIS -- A deal between Comcast and the Big Ten Network that would make the sports channel available to cable subscribers is expected to be completed this week, a source close to the negotiations said Tuesday.

Under terms of the tentative deal, the Big Ten Network will be placed in the digital tier.

A protracted battle between Comcast and the network has been ongoing since before the network's launch in August 2007.

The network had sought to be on Comcast's basic tier, which would have meant that any Comcast subscriber would have had access to the channel. The cable system balked at the amount the network wanted to charge the cable company per subscriber.

The cable system wanted to put the network on a digital sports tier, which would have meant far fewer subscribers would have been able to see the network's programming.

The deal appears to be a compromise. About 50 percent of Comcast's subscribers have digital cable, according to the company.

Big Ten sports fans were effectively shut out from following some of their team's games last season because of the ongoing battle.

DirecTV, Dish Network and AT&T's cable offering all carried the network.