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DanGarion

10-31-2007, 06:00 PM

Here is a pretty long and thorough article regarding all things NFL, Direct TV, and Cable.
This was on ESPN.com http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=3085558&type=Story&imagesPrint=off
It's time to open up NFL Sunday Ticket to everyone
Reader Scott Larson of Grand Rapids, Mich., notes that after the NFL owners meeting last week, commissioner Roger Goodell complained, "We have some great games that are going to be on, and some [viewers] won't be able to see them because the cable operators are not distributing them." Reader Steve Lucianetti notes that after the same meeting -- called to help the owners strategize about the refusal of Time-Warner and Cablevision to carry the NFL Network -- Jerry Jones, owner of the Cowboys, complained the cable companies "depend on privileges at the government level, and they shouldn't use those privileges to keep fans from being able to see the NFL."

The doublespeak here is rich. The NFL restricts its magnificent Sunday Ticket product, which enables viewers to choose for themselves which game to watch, to the lucky few who get the satellite service DirecTV. Millions of homes cannot receive DirecTV for technical reasons or can pull in the signal only after expensive special installations. Frank Hawkins, the NFL's chief negotiator for television contracts, told me that when he lived in Virginia, his home could not receive DirecTV until he had a tall metal pole installed in his backyard. Yet although the NFL won't let anyone in the U.S. except DirecTV subscribers watch Sunday Ticket, the league is furious that Time-Warner and Cablevision won't buy the NFL Network and Comcast will buy the NFL Network for its premium sports tier only. The NFL wants NFLN on every basic cable system, which was the path to success for ESPN and CNN. A war of words has broken out, in which the NFL is denouncing the cable carriers in consumer-rights language while asking that Congress intervene to force the NFL Network onto basic cable. The cable carriers are firing back, accusing the NFL of all manner of perfidy. Meanwhile, 35 million households already get the NFL Network, while only 1.6 million get Sunday Ticket -- and the consumer's barriers to Sunday Ticket are much higher than the barriers to the NFL Network.

How did the problematic Sunday Ticket monopoly arise? Here is a simplified chronology, parts of it as described by Hawkins. In the early 1980s, sports bars and some people who lived in rural areas began buying huge C-band dishes to pirate the network game feeds that then went out unscrambled. In 1987, the NFL drew up a plan to encrypt Sunday afternoon broadcasts and sell decoders to consumers, hoping that CBS and NBC (Fox did not then air the NFL) would market what eventually became Sunday Ticket. But CBS opposed the idea. In autumn, NFL broadcasts are the ratings drivers for the networks' local affiliates. The local affiliates feared that consumers switching away to distant games -- a viewer in, say, Atlanta choosing a broadcast from Seattle -- would dilute their ratings. This was especially important to CBS because its local affiliates rebate cash to the main network using a ratings formula; other networks accept in-kind advertising time from local affiliates.

Trumped by the CBS objection and "stepping lightly because maintaining relationships with the broadcast networks was our principal objective," Hawkins said, the NFL signed a deal in 1994 to beam Sunday Ticket over startup satellite carrier DirecTV. The goal, Hawkins said, was universal availability -- the NFL strongly wanted everyone to get access to the maximum number of games. During the startup years, the technical limits of direct-to-home satellite television distribution were not yet clear; the NFL believed DirecTV would be universally accessible, which turned out not to happen. It also turned out that before digital cable, most cable carriers lacked the bandwidth to show multiple viewer-elected channels simultaneously, so in the 1990s, Sunday Ticket probably couldn't have gone on cable anyway.

In 2002, the DirecTV exclusive on Sunday Ticket expired. By then, digital cable was on the horizon and Sunday Ticket was widely expected to shift to cable. The cable carriers wanted games sold individually, pay-per-view. The league wanted an all-encompassing package, which now -- as Sunday Ticket -- retails for $250 per year plus DirecTV-bundled costs that seem to vary depending on what phase the moons of Saturn are in at the exact moment you order. A power struggle ensued, with the big egos in the executive suites of the cable carriers essentially saying, "We'll decide how to market your games." This not only offended the big egos in the executive suites of the NFL but was totally different from the league's traditional partnership relationships with the broadcast networks and ESPN. In the background, the cable carriers were jockeying against each other to start their own sports networks and were angered by rumors the NFL would found what became NFL Network. In December 2002, the league gave the cable carriers a deadline for an offer for Sunday Ticket; the deadline passed, so the league re-upped with DirecTV; the cable carriers then presented a too-late offer and issued press releases denouncing the league for not waiting.

The 2002 turn of events pleased the broadcast networks, which still weren't happy about loss of local ratings and local advertising -- when a Sunday Ticket subscriber watches an out-of-market game, local ads are not inserted into the blank time a network computer leaves. After Fox joined NFL broadcasting, Fox said it would object unless Sunday Ticket subscribers were capped at 1 million, a restriction on access that belies what the NFL now says about how the NFL Network should be widely available. The 1 million Sunday Ticket subscriber ceiling has been expanded somewhat since, but not by much: The NFL continues to tell the broadcast networks not to worry about Sunday Ticket because its availability isn't growing, and that belies everything the NFL is saying to Congress about the NFL Network. In 2004, the NFL renewed the DirecTV exclusive again, until 2010, after fighting again with cable carriers about how to present the games. The NFL wants Sunday Ticket sold to cable roughly the way iN Demand movies are sold, through a single source with a single national price. (iN Demand is a consortium that markets movies to cable provides, not a service of individual cable firms.) The cable carriers rejected this, and again the over-the-air broadcast networks were relieved.

The 2004 meltdown of NFL-cable carrier talks over Sunday Ticket reflected two forces: hostile relations among the carriers themselves and DirecTV's threatened market position. Television networks compete mainly on the quality of their programming, or lack thereof; because the competition is based on quality, this makes their relations with each other relatively civilized. The cable carriers compete to attach lines to your house, and they stab each other in the back at every chance. That makes it hard for them to get along in talks with a strong-willed organization such as the NFL. From DirecTV's standpoint -- and remember I have no complaint whatsoever with satellite television, it's the Sunday Ticket monopoly to which I object -- keeping Sunday Ticket was about remaining in business. A decade ago, observers thought satellite television would supplant cable, but this hasn't happened. Satellite TV's technical limits (not only can millions not receive it but the signal pixelates in rain) have proved a bigger obstacle than once assumed. By 2004, DirecTV worried that if it lost Sunday Ticket, it would deorbit and go out of business. So DirecTV bid about $400 million a year for Sunday Ticket, a fantastic sum -- roughly two-thirds as much as NBC pays for "Sunday Night Football" broadcasts to the entire nation, plus a Super Bowl broadcast every third year. With 1.6 million subscribers at $250 apiece, DirecTV has about $400 million in Sunday Ticket revenue, essentially all of which goes directly to the NFL. Sunday Ticket became DirecTV's loss leader.

Around the time of the 2004 Sunday Ticket renewal, the NFL Network had just gone on the air, and its finances came into play. The NFL wants to charge $7 to $9 per household per year for the NFL Network on basic, a fee the carriers strongly resist. This price would make the NFL Network, a seasonal product for a specialized audience, one of the most expensive items in the national cable universe. ESPN, which is to cable what cheeseburgers are to McDonald's, charges $30 to $35 per year for multiple channels with very broad appeal. CNN charges about $5 a year to the cable carriers, NBA TV about $4, and most cable channels charge far less or nothing at all. (The ones that charge nothing subsist on advertising.) Cable carriers want the NFL Network exiled to a premium sports tier so they will meet less resistance passing the price along to consumers, but that means a far smaller audience for NFLN, and hence lower ad revenues. While the money fight was going on, Comcast founded Versus, which is vaguely a competitor to ESPN, Fox College Sports and the NFL Network. Comcast features Versus on low channels. Channel 44, where I get Versus on my Comcast system, is considered highly desirable digital real estate compared with channel 180, where NFLN dwells, and channel 263, the lowest channel where Comcast airs Fox College Sports. This low-channel treatment of Versus is driving the NFL Network crazy because Versus ratings are lower than NFL Network ratings and, needless to say, not remotely in shouting distance of ESPN ratings.

So now the NFL and the cable carriers are blasting each other in public, suing each other in court (a federal judge ruled in May that Comcast is not legally required to put NFLN on basic cable) and running to Congress for special favors. Meanwhile, Sunday Ticket remains available only to the select few whose places of dwelling have an unobstructed view of the southwest sky, where the DirecTV satellites hang. And, as TMQ endlessly complains, Sunday Ticket is offered on cable in Canada and Mexico, plus offered via Yahoo broadband everywhere in the world except the United States. So most American taxpayers who paid for the stadia that make NFL profits possible can't watch the games they choose -- but anyone in Canada, Mexico or Liechtenstein is free to watch any NFL game.

Sunday Ticket might come to cable in 2010, especially if local affiliates' ads can be inserted into out-of-market broadcasts, and out-of-market viewing can be folded into local affiliate ratings. Neither of those sounds like an insurmountable obstacle. So is the real strategy to combine Sunday Ticket and NFL Network into a new mega-channel? "I can assure you there are no plans to make Sunday Ticket an NFLN product," NFLN spokesman Seth Palansky told me. Well, there might not be plans …

The NFL's smackdown with the cable carriers about the NFL Network proves the NFL cannot always get its way, which is reassuring, in a sense. Aspects of the cable carriers' position are hard to fathom: NFL Network is a good product; don't the cable carriers want to offer viewers the best possible sports coverage? Otherwise, lack of diligence in finding a way to offer true universal access to Sunday Ticket is a major failing of the league. The National Football League must find a way to offer anyone the chance to buy Sunday Ticket. If the league does not, Congress ought to follow the NFL's advice and intervene. Members of Congress ought to pressure the NFL to stop offering Sunday Ticket to the entire populations of Canada and Bulgaria but restricting access here. This sounds like a nice populist cause for the right senator or representative.

Meanwhile, there's the cell phone factor. Some cable executives contend there is little point in chasing Sunday Ticket because all the people who want the service already have migrated to DirecTV. Sure -- all the people who want it at $250 a year, plus bundled charges, plus the hassle of installing and maintaining a satellite dish. If Sunday Ticket were $50 a year and came hassle-free through cable or any other hassle-free electronic pipeline that might evolve, instead of 1.6 million households getting Sunday Ticket, 25 million might sign up. Then consumer costs would be lower but business revenues higher -- $1.3 billion instead of $400 million in that example -- and what was once a luxury for the privileged few could be possessed affordably by almost anyone. Just like what happened with cell phones! Come on NFL, let us choose which game to watch. We'll pay, you'll be richer and you can stop speaking out of both sides of your mouth, demanding public access to the NFL Network while restricting public access to Sunday Ticket.

Pumpy Tudors

10-31-2007, 06:12 PM

That's a really interesting article. I don't have anything to say about the numbers that are being thrown around in the article, but I can speak for my own personal experience. I don't want to go through the process of getting a satellite dish installed (if my landlord even allows it). I'd rather just do cable and get NFL Sunday Ticket that way. If the NFL offered that at $250 a year or $50 a year or whatever, I'd be all over it.

Unfortunately, since I choose not to get DirecTV, I'm essentially choosing not to give the NFL any of my money through Sunday Ticket. There are millions of others like me, I'm sure. At the end of the day, it's the NFL's loss, not mine.

I hope things change in 2010, but I'll survive if they don't.

astrosfan64

10-31-2007, 06:47 PM

I really just don't like satellite. I like cable. The cost of satellite TV and a Cable Internet is more the cable internet and cable tv.

I want NFL sunday ticket. I want the NFL network. I'm pissed I can't get either. I wrote my Senator, Congressman the FCC and I can't remember who else regarding this.

Cable companies have a monopoly in our area. I don't have a choice of my cable provider, I can only choose one. And mine doesn't offer the NFL network on any Tier. It is complete crap.

I might be able to get a dish if I cut down a tree. But, I don't want to do that either.

Shit pisses me off.

SirFozzie

10-31-2007, 06:49 PM

Easterbrook's yearly tilt at the Sunday Ticket windmill.. at least it spent time on it rather then going Pats hunting.. oh wait.. he did that too.

astrosfan64

10-31-2007, 07:04 PM

Sort of related. I can't WATCH the damn PATS vs Colts game this weekend. I'm in houston and I have the Texans vs Raiders. YAY!

Don't get me wrong, I watch the texans faithfully each week, but in this one case I don't think I would.

DanGarion

10-31-2007, 07:05 PM

Cable companies have a monopoly in our area. I don't have a choice of my cable provider, I can only choose one. And mine doesn't offer the NFL network on any Tier. It is complete crap.

Having a choice of cable companies is not going to solve everything. Cable companies are not a monopoly, they have direct competition with dish services, and more recently phone companies (such as Verizon FiOS and ATT U-Verse.

I hear people complain all the time that cable companies are a monopoly, but they aren't there are direct competitors, they just use different mediums to provide the service.

Unless you want even more cables ran aerial or underground through your neighborhood, I don't see another cable company providing service is 95% of the country any time soon. Additional cable providers in a city will double the # of cables you see on utility poles through your city. Plus the upfront investment of installing more cables is usually too great for a new company to come in and do such a thing. Not to mention the need to sign a franchise agreement with the city/county/state (whichever way it's done where you are). You can't just run different cable companies service through the same outside lines and if you did, those lines were installed and are maintained by your current company anyway.

Daimyo

10-31-2007, 07:09 PM

I'd gladly pay $250 for Sunday Ticket on digital cable. Until then $6/month for streamtv is as good as it gets I guess.

panerd

10-31-2007, 07:10 PM

astrosfan64

10-31-2007, 07:22 PM

Having a choice of cable companies is not going to solve everything. Cable companies are not a monopoly, they have direct competition with dish services, and more recently phone companies (such as Verizon FiOS and ATT U-Verse.

I hear people complain all the time that cable companies are a monopoly, but they aren't there are direct competitors, they just use different mediums to provide the service.

Unless you want even more cables ran aerial or underground through your neighborhood, I don't see another cable company providing service is 95% of the country any time soon. Additional cable providers in a city will double the # of cables you see on utility poles through your city. Plus the upfront investment of installing more cables is usually too great for a new company to come in and do such a thing. Not to mention the need to sign a franchise agreement with the city/county/state (whichever way it's done where you are). You can't just run different cable companies service through the same outside lines and if you did, those lines were installed and are maintained by your current company anyway.

My choice is pretty much cable or cut down tree's.

astrosfan64

10-31-2007, 07:24 PM

Interesting article and count me as a current Sunday Ticket subscriber (and if the article is correct about '94 being the first year, then a subscriber for the entire length of Sunday Ticker) who would jump back to cable in a heartbeat if they were allowed Sunday Ticket.

However I have to take exception to a really LAME argument being made in the article...

"Meanwhile, Sunday Ticket remains available only to the select few whose places of dwelling have an unobstructed view of the southwest sky."

I could be wrong, but I call complete bullshit on this arguement. Select few? What percentage of people can't get directv? Maybe people don't want it, but can't get it? I seriously doubt it is overwhleming like he argues.

It is actually a pretty high number. People in cities have issues putting dishes out. People in apartments, again have issues with dishes.

Dishes in poor neighborhoods are big time targets to get jacked.

Dishes in wooded neighborhoods are again hard to place.

Dishes in windy areas are not the most reliable.

I work in the oil field and we have a dish on every rig. They are far from reliable.

Almost forgot, dishes in areas with heavy snow can have major issues. Snow can collect on the dish and heavy snow will cause a bad picture.

Eaglesfan27

10-31-2007, 07:26 PM

FBPro

10-31-2007, 07:32 PM

We haven't had "cable" since the mid-90's and especially based on my son's most recent experience I have no plans of returning. As for the Sunday Ticket issue, also count me as a VERY happy subscriber and will continue as long as it is offered and is possible.

Atocep

10-31-2007, 07:34 PM

The guy really seems to have a grudge against satellite despite saying otherwise earlier.

I had Directv and the Sunday Ticket for 4 years. Had no problems with service or anything of that nature. When I moved from San Antonio to Tacoma I switched to cable, it sucks, but it was choice because I could get TV/Phone/Internet for the price I was paying for Directv before. The only bad things I have to say about directv involve their customer service, no problems outside of that.

The rumor I've heard is the NFL wants to move the Sunday Ticket online, similar to how MLB has with their package, after the contract expires in 2010. Seems like the logical step to make for them, it'll be interesting to see if they can come to an agreement with cable operators in the meantime.

What it comes down to is its the NFL's right to sell their product in any way they see fit. Just about everyone has the basic ability to get Directv if they want, for various reasons. For those that don't want to or can't get dish it sucks, but there's little congress can do other than try and mediate the disagreements between the NFL and cable companies.

DanGarion

10-31-2007, 07:37 PM

Before DirecTV made the recent upgrades to their HD service, I would have said that I'd go back to cable in a second if they had the Sunday Ticket. Sunday Ticket was the only reason I got DirecTV in the first place. Now, if both cable and DirecTV offered Sunday Ticket, I'd probably stay with DirecTV for the extra HD they offer.
So if the cable provider in your area was to have more HD channels that would be a factor on possibly changing if Sunday Ticket was on both?

We (Time Warner Cable) currently have 21 HD channels in the Los Angeles market. But we are also in the midst of a cable plant upgrade that will increase our channel bandwidth about 250 MHz (roughly 4 HD channels per 6 MHz spread) so theoretically that could be 160 or so more HD channels, but I know we aren't planning on using it only for that.

Eaglesfan27

10-31-2007, 07:46 PM

So if the cable provider in your area was to have more HD channels that would be a factor on possibly changing if Sunday Ticket was on both?

We (Time Warner Cable) currently have 21 HD channels in the Los Angeles market. But we are also in the midst of a cable plant upgrade that will increase our channel bandwidth about 250 MHz (roughly 4 HD channels per 6 MHz spread) so theoretically that could be 160 or so more HD channels, but I no we aren't planning on using it only for that.

Yes, number and quality of HD channels would be one important factor if Sunday Ticket was on both.

ISiddiqui

11-01-2007, 07:56 AM

What it comes down to is its the NFL's right to sell their product in any way they see fit.

But when the NFL execs go off on cable companies not putting NFLN on the basic tier for harming the consumers, then its fair game to bring up their Sunday Ticket policy. It's the hypocrisy that's the issue.

Kodos

11-01-2007, 09:07 AM

Being without DirecTV the last 2 football seasons has sucked. Weekend after weekend of having to watch the damn Patriots.

We'll have a new house soon... Soon.

KWhit

11-01-2007, 09:21 AM

Sunday Ticket is $250?!? Are you kidding me? That's pretty ridiculous, IMO.

rkmsuf

11-01-2007, 09:22 AM

Sunday Ticket is $250?!? Are you kidding me? That's pretty ridiculous, IMO.

people love foosball

Eaglesfan27

11-01-2007, 09:35 AM

Sunday Ticket is $250?!? Are you kidding me? That's pretty ridiculous, IMO.

I think it's a good value. I get to watch my Eagles every week from the comfort of my own house (I'm not a big fan of sports bars) for about 16 dollars per week. Plus, I get to pick and choose the best of games each Sunday to watch. To me, it is well worth that price.

Kodos

11-01-2007, 09:45 AM

Agreed. Compare that to the cost of going to even one game, and you see what a bargain it is.

Honolulu_Blue

11-01-2007, 09:58 AM

Radii

11-01-2007, 10:04 AM

Sunday Ticket is well worth the price to me. Even when Carolina sucks and I'm not terribly concerned with catching all of their games, i'd really like the option to watch someone other than Atlanta.

And I agree w/ astrofan pointing out that the number of people who don't have access to DirectTV is pretty high, if for no other reason than the difficulty installing it at many apartment complexes. In the Atlanta area at least, most apartments only allow you to have a dish if you can attach it to your balcony. Many apartment complexes have apartments with sun rooms instead of balconies, thus no satellite availability. Many more are in wooded areas, no/limited satellite availability. And for those that do have a view of the sky and a balcony, you have to be facing the right direction. I would be willing to bet that less than 40% of the people living in apartments have access to DirectTV.

Eaglesfan27

11-01-2007, 10:19 AM

I think the $250 price is about right. I bought the NFL Ticket when I lived in DC and I think I would do it again if I ever lived outside of Detroit.

That said, since I do live in Detroit (and therefore get to see all the Lions' games locally), I don't have the NFL Sunday Ticket and don't think it'd be worth the $250 just to watch "the best games each week". I loved the ability to do so when I had it, but I would pay $250 just for that.

I agree with that. If I ever moved back to South Jersey/Philly area, I wouldn't pay for Sunday Ticket. It is only worth that price because I get to see my favorite team when I otherwise wouldn't most weeks. Most likely I'll be in Louisiana for a very long time, so I'll continue to be a subscriber for a long time.

chesapeake

11-01-2007, 10:30 AM

miked

11-01-2007, 10:36 AM

Sunday Ticket is well worth the price to me. Even when Carolina sucks and I'm not terribly concerned with catching all of their games, i'd really like the option to watch someone other than Atlanta.

Sit tight, this weekend's game will be blacked out and you won't have to endure the crapfest that will be ATL-SF. Sadly, I'll be out of town and won't get to bask in the glow of watching real football from my couch.

lordscarlet

11-01-2007, 10:37 AM

NFL Sunday Ticket is the greatest thing ever. It's worth every penny.

The author's claims that the DiercTV signal pixilates in the rain is inaccurate. Massive electrical storms are problematic, but other than that, weather isn't a big deal.

This is hands-down the biggest excuse I hear for not using DirecTV, and it is just patently false. I have had DirecTV in the distant suburbs as well as in the city and had the signal go out a maximum of 4 times over 6 years. One of those times was during a hurricane.

Eaglesfan27

11-01-2007, 10:46 AM

I think it is very dependent upon the setup and location. Here in Louisiana, our DirecTV pixellates and even occasionally goes out with very heavy rains/lightning storms. However, we get them more frequently than some other parts of the country. I'd say ours has gone out about 5-10 times in the last 18 months, but it is usually only for 10-15 minutes until the worst of the storm passes.

DanGarion

11-01-2007, 11:46 AM

What I would like to see is both an option for the package deal, a PPV weekend deal (for just the weekend, for those of us that aren't always at home), and a PPV per game deal. That would cover all the reasons people might want to watch games, and I think in the long run create more revenue, since they would charge more on the single deals.

Something like
$250 for year package
$25 for 1 week package
$10 for 1 game package

DanGarion

11-01-2007, 11:47 AM

There currently is a deal on the table from Time Warner Cable to the NFLN to do PPV for the games on NFLN and TWC would give all the revenue to the NFLN. This is just something we are trying to do to appease those fans that want those games.

Eaglesfan27

11-01-2007, 12:06 PM

There is a pay per week deal currently available. I have no idea how much it is for the Sunday Ticket, but it is available (but not advertised at all.) There is also a weekly deal for their ESPN Gameplan package for college games that I take advantage of only when it is the only way for me to see USC play (just once this year so far) and the weekly College plan is 21.95 IIRC.

sachmo71

11-01-2007, 12:21 PM

Sunday Ticket is $250?!? Are you kidding me? That's pretty ridiculous, IMO.

Actually, I've gotten that value back from it, IMO. What is crazy is charging $100 extra for HD games.

astrosfan64

11-01-2007, 01:18 PM

JonInMiddleGA

11-01-2007, 04:47 PM

Gosh but that was a hard read.

And here's the parts that leave me scratching my head most

don't the cable carriers want to offer viewers the best possible sports coverage?

Not at a price they aren't comfortable with.

The National Football League must find a way to offer anyone the chance to buy Sunday Ticket.

Umm ... why? Is there some inalienable right to watch pro football that I've missed in U.S. History classes?

And the most bewildering part of all:

If the league does not, Congress ought to follow the NFL's advice and intervene.

That's one of the most ridiculous suggestions I've ever heard, and believe me, I've heard a lot of them.

Raiders Army

11-01-2007, 07:47 PM

I think it's a good value. I get to watch my Eagles every week from the comfort of my own house (I'm not a big fan of sports bars) for about 16 dollars per week. Plus, I get to pick and choose the best of games each Sunday to watch. To me, it is well worth that price.

ditto. It's cheap, IMHO. I'd gladly pay $500 for the Sunday Ticket. Not only that but DirecTV is infinitely better than Time Warner who couldn't give two shits about its customers.

Galaxy

11-01-2007, 08:03 PM

Let's stop funding these stadiums, in which the NFL wants to take some games every year overseas, then I will care about the NFL complaints.

tucker rocky

11-01-2007, 08:37 PM

I also gladly pay for the Sunday Ticket on DTV, so I can pick and chose a game, instead of being forced to watch what a network exec wants me to.

Raiders Army

11-01-2007, 09:53 PM

Actually, I've gotten that value back from it, IMO. What is crazy is charging $100 extra for HD games.

We got the Superfan package this year for free. I've been a customer since 2001. The guy I work with got it for free and he installed DirecTV this Fall. I think there was a thread about this earlier this year and you could call them and get it for free.

lordscarlet

11-01-2007, 10:20 PM

Gosh but that was a hard read.

And here's the parts that leave me scratching my head most

Not at a price they aren't comfortable with.

Umm ... why? Is there some inalienable right to watch pro football that I've missed in U.S. History classes?

And the most bewildering part of all:

That's one of the most ridiculous suggestions I've ever heard, and believe me, I've heard a lot of them.

Television seems to be a topic that I can agree with Jon on.

DanGarion

11-02-2007, 06:20 AM

ditto. It's cheap, IMHO. I'd gladly pay $500 for the Sunday Ticket. Not only that but DirecTV is infinitely better than Time Warner who couldn't give two shits about its customers.

Yeah...

gstelmack

03-24-2009, 10:37 AM

Apparently DirecTV has upped the ante and has extended its agreement past 2010, paying $1billion per year from 2011-2014, and even paying if 2011 is a lockout year:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/peter_king/03/24/meetings/index.html

Ksyrup

03-24-2009, 10:42 AM

Was wondering when someone was going to bring this up. According to something I read yesterday, though, it appears that they have carved out online/mobile access to games from this monopoly, so I assume that means we can pay for the privilege of watching games on Sundays from our computers or phones. Not exactly the best compromise for those who can't get DTV, but I guess it's better than nothing.

For as little as I'm able to watch NFL on Sunday afternoon these days, they've already priced me out of the DTV package, which I haven't bought for the past 2 seasons. Just not worth it.

Ksyrup

03-24-2009, 10:44 AM

Here it is:

The NFL will start streaming the games online, allowing those who cannot receive DirecTV service to get the package via the Internet. According to the release, the service "will begin no later than 2012."

The NFL will also offer the package's "Red Zone Channel" to broadband users, as well as other service providers, such as cable and telecom companies. The channel offers constant live cut-ins to games across the nation during key moments.

"We are looking forward to having the Red Zone channel on cable and other media platforms as well as showing NFL Sunday Ticket via broadband to the homes that cannot get satellite. This new content enhances our tradition of being the most pro-consumer, widely available sport on television," Goodell said.

stevew

03-24-2009, 10:49 AM

I think I read something like that if you had a LOS for DirectTV, you are not eligible to get the online package.

sooner333

03-24-2009, 11:00 AM

Well, I won't get DirecTV for Sunday Ticket because I just don't care enough. I'll spend my $250 at a sports bar which gets the package and eat lunch. Of course, the bar I did go to just closed indefinitely due to structrual issues...but they had a great setup with 7 HDTV's all in one viewing area.

albionmoonlight

03-24-2009, 11:02 AM

Even though I would lose Sunday Ticket, I am considering moving away from DirecTV. Our TiVo busted, and so we got the new DirecTV DVR, and it is buggy. Not horribly buggy, but still. Just not a great product.

Saving $250/year plus getting cable for cheaper than DirecTV seems worth it to me.

So getting cable and not having to lose my Sunday Ticket would be the best of all worlds.

But, if I were DirecTV, I would pay Howard Stern level money to keep the exclusive Sunday Ticket rights. I really think that, without Sunday Ticket, DirecTV has no advantage over cable for most people who live in the city.

sooner333

03-24-2009, 11:12 AM

But, if I were DirecTV, I would pay Howard Stern level money to keep the exclusive Sunday Ticket rights. I really think that, without Sunday Ticket, DirecTV has no advantage over cable for most people who live in the city.

Yeah...I mean, how many people have Dish Network??? I did at one point with some roommates, but that was because AT&T bundled it with phone and DSL and the landlord picked as bills were included in the cost. But with U-Verse taking off, Dish will get left out in the cold in those bundles.

Honolulu_Blue

03-24-2009, 11:18 AM

But, if I were DirecTV, I would pay Howard Stern level money to keep the exclusive Sunday Ticket rights. I really think that, without Sunday Ticket, DirecTV has no advantage over cable for most people who live in the city.

I totally agree.

I had DirecTV for a year. I liked the service well enough. At the time they had the TiVo DVR, which was great. I loved it. I only lost service two or three times due to weather.

When we moved from DC to Detroit, I decided to switch to cable, since I really only had DirecTV for the Sunday Ticket and Center Ice Package (my local DC cable company didn't offer it). Moving back to Detroit meant I got to watch the Lions (yay?) and the local Comcast had the Center Ice Package.

It was easier to have cable, and slightly cheaper due to the cost savings with the internet.

I also had a horrible experience in trying to cancel my DirecTV service. They made things exceptionally difficult to end the service and continued to harass us for a couple of months.

As for the Sunday ticket, I probably would cave at the end, but I am not sure if I would get it again. I liked having it and the first couple of weekends were glorious. But, realistically, you can only "watch" one early and one late game, unless you're flipping around. Also, if you have anything to do on a Sunday afternoon, you lose 1/17th of your money. In the one year I had it, I think I had to miss about 3 or 4 Sundays do to various comitments.

Arles

03-24-2009, 11:24 AM

I moved to DirectTV last year and love it. I get about 70-80 more HD channels (which alone makes it worth while), add in the Sunday ticket, more options for the English Premier League, the OnDemand stuff, full access on all 4 TVs and the total cost (without Sunday ticket - about $10 more a month) and I've been very happy with DirectTV.

If you just want standard cable on 2-3 TVs and a 1 with expanded and DVR (with few frills), then cable probably wins the day on price. But, once you start adding in a few options (esp the additional HD channels), the advantages of DirectTV seem to start bubbling to the top. I've also noticed a much better picture with DirectTV over cable on the few HD channels cable had.

Galaxy

03-24-2009, 11:35 AM

With the new price that DirecTV is paying, I wonder how much NFL Ticket will go up.

DanGarion

03-24-2009, 12:04 PM

With the new price that DirecTV is paying, I wonder how much NFL Ticket will go up.
I'm pretty sure they already pass some of the cost to their normal customers as well. I was really hoping this would be the time that the contract was exclusive, other then the people that just ultimately hate cable or a certain cable company, I feel this is one of the only things that gives DirecTV an advantage.

lordscarlet

03-24-2009, 12:12 PM

I'm pretty sure they already pass some of the cost to their normal customers as well. I was really hoping this would be the time that the contract was exclusive, other then the people that just ultimately hate cable or a certain cable company, I feel this is one of the only things that gives DirecTV an advantage.

That and the better picture and customer service. And more HD channels than many (most?) cable networks.

Oh, and the cheaper service. Did I miss anything?

gstelmack

03-24-2009, 12:25 PM

You missed the $300 they wanted me to spend to get the MPEG-4 HD-DVR, after spending $400 + $300 on HD stuff over the prior 4 years. If they had just given me the upgrade then, I'd still be with them, rather than waiting until I called to cancel.

I also found their customer service to be slowly waning. With the price increases and decreasing service, they were fast becoming a cable company. So I jumped ship to my cable company to avoid the $300. I do miss them sometimes.

Honolulu_Blue

03-24-2009, 12:26 PM

That and the better picture and customer service. And more HD channels than many (most?) cable networks.

Oh, and the cheaper service. Did I miss anything?

I know I am in the vast minority of people, but almost all of my customer service experiences with Comcast (both cable and internet) have been exemplary, while my few customer service run ins with DirecTV (some billing issue they messed up and cancelling their service due to a move) were nightmares.

I would like more HD channels. Not having any of the Center Ice Package channels in HD is a serious downer.

Ksyrup

03-24-2009, 12:32 PM

About the only problem I have with DTV is that I still can't get locals in HD. I believe Lexington Is the largest city/surrounding area that still doesn't get locals in HD. Antennas are sporadically effective, at best.

DanGarion

03-24-2009, 01:01 PM

That and the better picture and customer service. And more HD channels than many (most?) cable networks.

Oh, and the cheaper service. Did I miss anything?

All subjective upon your personal experiences. Read all the posts prior to mine, I was commenting based on what others were saying. My personal experiences with DirecTV HD services are pretty bad. I was at a friends recently and good portion of the channels would work intermittently and then scramble out. He said he's had that problem since the HD channels were activated, it would have annoyed the hell out of me. If I was a customer I would have called and had someone come out and fix it, just like I would with my cable TV services when I have problems with it.

DanGarion

03-24-2009, 01:05 PM

Good and bad experiences with any service are subjective to the customer. For every customer that has any service we will always here about 10 times more bad experiences compared to the good services, regardless of the company. I've heard of bad experiences with DirecTV, U-Verse, Time Warner, Cox, FiOS, Comcast, etc, and I can relate to them all, because ultimately we are all the same service and the reason the companies are in business is because they are all doing something right.

Atocep

03-24-2009, 01:15 PM

I know I am in the vast minority of people, but almost all of my customer service experiences with Comcast (both cable and internet) have been exemplary, while my few customer service run ins with DirecTV (some billing issue they messed up and cancelling their service due to a move) were nightmares.

I would like more HD channels. Not having any of the Center Ice Package channels in HD is a serious downer.

I've had the exact same experiences. Trying to cancel DTV (due to a move also) was the worst experience I've ever had with customer service. I ended up getting billed 2 additional months before they finally canceled me. Then to dispute a bill you have to mail them a letter giving the reason you're disputing the bill. They won't do it over the phone, they won't accept an email, and they will not take a fax.

I've had comcast for 2 years and its been nice. Not perfect by any means, but better than Directv and I've missed the sunday a ticket a hell of a lot less than I expected.

larrymcg421

03-24-2009, 01:17 PM

Comcast no doubt has terrible customer service. If you call in 5 times with the same problem, you will likely get 5 different answers that are all the official "policy".

However, the deal theyre giving me with the cable, phone, and internet package is way too good to pass up. I just hit the sports bar during football season.

Galaril

03-24-2009, 01:39 PM

Yeah, I have direct tv but have refused to pay the ridiculous price of $250 for the NFL season ticket. If I notice my prices go up much and the season ticket price is not jacked up much it will be time to say fuck off Direct TV and go back to comcast.

Logan

03-24-2009, 01:48 PM

gstelmack

03-24-2009, 01:58 PM

because ultimately we are all the same service and the reason the companies are in business is because they are all doing something right.

What they were "doing right" was providing TV better than an OTA antenna could do so. They also grabbed monopolies for the most part on doing so. This is like saying AT&T was "doing something right" right before it was broken up just because it was in business, when in fact telecomm options exploded quickly after they were no longer the only game in town and there was now incentive to innovate...

ISiddiqui

03-24-2009, 02:05 PM

I've also noticed a much better picture with DirectTV over cable on the few HD channels cable had.

*Shrug* Direct TV is notorious for overcompressing their HD Channels, even more than most cable providers.

Arles

03-24-2009, 02:41 PM

The only reason I went DirectTV was I had to go to the Cox store 3 times and have 4 different techs out to fix my cable box. What was great about it was that the tech wasn't able to bring the right box on the 2nd time so the tech came out, verified my box wasn't working, had me drive across town to get a new box, then came the next day and had the same problem.

That and the fact that cox would go completely out once a month for no reason in our area. Since I've switched, I've had zero outages, paid almost the exact same per month ($10 more, but I have full DTV on 4 TVs, instead of 1 on cable) and get 90 more HD channels. So, I'd be hardpressed to knock DirectTV given the past 18 months and my dealing with our local cable company. ;)

Oh, and my parents have the cable company I had and they've had two rate hikes in the past 24 months so it may be more expensive to have a digital cable box on 1 TV over full directTV on all 4 my TVs (w/ sunday ticket, but that's extra).

Ksyrup

03-24-2009, 03:00 PM

Raiders Army

03-24-2009, 03:22 PM

We have been with DirecTV for a long time. They just sent us a portable DVD player for taking the time to answer some questions on customer service. It was a total surprise and we didn't know we were going to receive the player or were going to be eligible to receive the player.

It's a cheapo one, but free is free.

albionmoonlight

03-24-2009, 03:30 PM

I missed the fact that DirecTV pays the billion even if the NFL locks out.

Still worth it for them, IMO. But the NFL sure didn't let them get away cheap.

Samdari

03-24-2009, 03:47 PM

I missed the fact that DirecTV pays the billion even if the NFL locks out.

Still worth it for them, IMO. But the NFL sure didn't let them get away cheap.

I think the networks have similar provisions.

The players just have no leverage in their battle with the owners this time. The owners might profit more by not playing.

Daimyo

03-24-2009, 04:23 PM

My parent's have had Directv for almost 15 years now and while their experience was really good at one point its gone down hill a lot in recent years. Their DTV Tivo finally broke a few months back and they had to get the directv DVR and it is absolutely horrible. They also had to get a box replaced because the first one they shipped was DOA and the customer service was laughably horrendous for something that should have been very simple.

I have Dish Network now (only because my wife is Chinese and Dish has significantly better international programming options than the other providers) and it is just OK. I like the HD options but the DVR is much worse than the Tivos I had used for years with cable (although much, much better than the Directv DVR my parents have). The picture quality for HD channels is probably trivially worse than cable, but the SD quality is actually better. The worse thing is that every now and then it "skips" similar to a scratched DVD.

I had Comcast before and I liked it okay.... never really had an issue and the price wasn't that bad. Before that I had RCN and really hated it.

Eaglesfan27

03-24-2009, 05:59 PM

But, if I were DirecTV, I would pay Howard Stern level money to keep the exclusive Sunday Ticket rights. I really think that, without Sunday Ticket, DirecTV has no advantage over cable for most people who live in the city.

Absolutely. It was the only reason I got DirecTV installed as soon as possible when I got my house. I love DirecTV's service and have had much better care from them than I ever did with Cox Cable in New Orleans, but I never would have switched if it wasn't for Sunday Ticket. For me, the money is worth it to be able to watch every Eagles' game in the peace of my house on my big screen TV.

DanGarion

04-08-2009, 12:21 PM

Back from the dead.

Poll: Comcast Slams The NFL For Pulling Their Football Channel (http://consumerist.com/5202158/comcast-slams-the-nfl-for-pulling-their-football-channel)

On May 1st, the NFL is pulling its cable channel from Comcast's cable line-up over a dispute about the cable company's sports tier. As the deadline looms larger and larger, the company is taking their case to the people.

I haven't heard the exact $$$ on the MLB Channel but so far it seems like they are doing it the right way.

Honolulu_Blue

04-08-2009, 12:33 PM

This story is growing as tiresome as the Comcast/Big Ten Network dispute the terrorized this part of the country for much of last year.

Comcast and the Big Ten Network finally got things worked out and the BTN was put on "basic" cable in both regular and high def. I watched some old Michigan games on that channel the first week and watched part of one actual game last season and haven't been back to the channel since then. Ever.

As for the NFL Network, I lost this channel over a year ago when they switched it to the sports package. I haven't missed it. At all. I like their pre-Draft stuff and draft coverage, but last year they streamed their NFL Draft coverage and that worked out just fine for me.

Still, I feel like for the price I am paying for just "basic" cable (no premium channels or anything like that), I should be getting pretty much every channel under the sun and everything in high def. My cable bill is out of control. This whole high def thing was the best thing that ever happened to them. It really gave them the perfect excuse to raise prices.

ISiddiqui

04-08-2009, 01:21 PM

I haven't heard the exact $$$ on the MLB Channel but so far it seems like they are doing it the right way.

For me, the MLB Channel is on the Sports Tier... so, I'd still have to pay for that. Of course I'm sure their fees aren't as high as like ESPN or something.

Honolulu_Blue

04-08-2009, 01:28 PM

For me, the MLB Channel is on the Sports Tier... so, I'd still have to pay for that. Of course I'm sure their fees aren't as high as like ESPN or something.

Same here. That's another complaint I have. I but the NHL Center Ice Package, but the NHL Network is not included in that. To get that, I need to buy the Sports Tier. That's super lame.

sooner333

04-08-2009, 01:30 PM

NFL Networks is on my sports tier, but I like having that tier. I wouldn't get it, but I need a digital box anyway for the DVR, so I get the package. I get NFL Network, MLB Network, ESPN U, ESPN News, Fox Soccer, ESPN Classic, Versus and a few others I don't really watch. It's a pretty good deal for $5/mo, especially considering I can get NFL, MLB, and Versus in HD.

Ksyrup

04-08-2009, 01:31 PM

On DTV, MLB and NFL Networks on included with the Choice Package, which is a step above the most basic package you can buy. NHL and Tennis are on Choice Extra. Oddly, it appears that NBA TV is the only league network you have to buy DTV's Sports Pack to get.

DanGarion

04-08-2009, 01:46 PM

For me, the MLB Channel is on the Sports Tier... so, I'd still have to pay for that. Of course I'm sure their fees aren't as high as like ESPN or something.

I feel the MLB Channel gives more value because there are games everyday and they appear to have tons of live content because of that.

I think it's on our variety or sports tier here (can't remember since I get free services). But it's also in HD as well, which is a big plus to me.

DanGarion

04-08-2009, 02:39 PM

Talking about the MLB Channel, here is a article about their launch and what they learned from the NFL's mistakes.

MLB Network Hits a Home Run: How baseball learned from footballâ€™s mistake and pulled off the biggest cable launch ever. | The Big Money (http://tbm.thebigmoney.com/articles/number-1/2009/04/06/mlb-network-hits-home-run)

For the past couple of weeks, Comcast (CMCSA) cable customers have been receiving a message on their TV sets from the ghost in the machine known as the cable executive. The message tells them that the NFL Network will disappear from their service starting May 1. Nothing unusual about that: Every few months, most cable companies go through a refresh; channels move, marginal ones are dropped, and some lineup additions are made. So why is Comcast breaking out the trumpets for the dropping of a single-sport channel during the offseason? In a word, baseball.

Click the link for more.

Ksyrup

04-08-2009, 02:57 PM

The MLB Channel is absolutely awesome. From the features they do, to the in-studio stuff, the players they have on to talk about different stuff (Jimmy Rollins' imitations on the night they started were hilarious, and last week I saw an interesting feature on Mike Marshall and teaching proper pitching technique that was above and beyond anything you'd see on ESPN), and even the hour-long season previews they did for each team...I can't believe it took them this long to launch. Great stuff.

DanGarion

04-08-2009, 03:26 PM

cthomer5000

04-08-2009, 08:19 PM

I also gladly pay for the Sunday Ticket on DTV, so I can pick and chose a game, instead of being forced to watch what a network exec wants me to.

This is a joke...right? Or is paying $250 a year your way of sticking it to the man?

DanGarion

04-08-2009, 08:22 PM

This is a joke...right? Or is paying $250 a year your way of sticking it to the man?

I thought I heard it was going to be $350 this upcoming season, and still an extra $100 for HD...

Still don't understand why people should be paying extra for HD of anything...

Galaril

04-09-2009, 12:12 AM

I thought I heard it was going to be $350 this upcoming season, and still an extra $100 for HD...

Still don't understand why people should be paying extra for HD of anything...

Wow well whether I could afford it or not that is abso-fucking-lutely prcing me out of the NFL GAMES if they even touch $300. I could maybe do $245 like it is now but if they jack it up in a RECESSION they can screw off. It is just like game systems now that come out at ridiculous prices as long as some sukcers keep paying they will keep charging I a sorry to say. (Me on my high horse.........without any NFL games except on Sunday;))

cthomer5000

04-09-2009, 12:20 AM

I waited on the Jets season ticket waiting list for 12 years only to buy the tickets then immediately re-sell them (at a loss) in order to hold my place... then pass on them entirely in year 14 because of the absurdity of the pricing for the new stadium ($95 per game for the cheapest seat).

Strangely the NFL actually lost me with their live game, in which i realized i was just the sucker paying nearly $100 bucks to be part of one of the world's largest televised studio audiences.

albionmoonlight

04-09-2009, 05:20 AM

Wow well whether I could afford it or not that is abso-fucking-lutely prcing me out of the NFL GAMES if they even touch $300. I could maybe do $245 like it is now but if they jack it up in a RECESSION they can screw off. It is just like game systems now that come out at ridiculous prices as long as some sukcers keep paying they will keep charging I a sorry to say. (Me on my high horse.........without any NFL games except on Sunday;))

They had better watch out. This recession is having an effect even among those it is not affecting. I have friends with (relatively) stable jobs and financial situations who have cut back spending and are basically acting like their income has been cut. Anyone with access to the news seems to feel almost . . . guilty about spending on excess items.

And paying to get the NFL in your house as opposed to the sports bar 20 minutes away is an excess item. If they raise the price, that could be just what people need to say, "thanks, but no."

And (here's the kicker for DTV), once people realize that they can live w/o NFL Sunday Ticket, then they will realize that they can live without DTV.

They have to play this carefully. I know that that billion/year has to come from somewhere, but they might have to wait at least a few years before they can really start to try to make it back. Not an easy pricing decision.

Ksyrup

04-09-2009, 07:09 AM

Wow the MLB actually supported Mike Marshall and his crazy pitching ideas??? (not that I think they are crazy personally, I just know his philosophy is a lot different then those that coach in the MLB).

I wouldn't say they "supported" him, but they definitely gave him an opportunity to explain what he believes and had a demonstration with a pitcher showing proper arm angles, etc. It was quite interesting. Certainly more in-depth than you'd get on any other channel.

DanGarion

04-09-2009, 10:09 AM

I wouldn't say they "supported" him, but they definitely gave him an opportunity to explain what he believes and had a demonstration with a pitcher showing proper arm angles, etc. It was quite interesting. Certainly more in-depth than you'd get on any other channel.

Damn that sucks that I missed it, would have loved to see it. :(

Galaril

04-09-2009, 11:17 AM

They had better watch out. This recession is having an effect even among those it is not affecting. I have friends with (relatively) stable jobs and financial situations who have cut back spending and are basically acting like their income has been cut. Anyone with access to the news seems to feel almost . . . guilty about spending on excess items.

And paying to get the NFL in your house as opposed to the sports bar 20 minutes away is an excess item. If they raise the price, that could be just what people need to say, "thanks, but no."

And (here's the kicker for DTV), once people realize that they can live w/o NFL Sunday Ticket, then they will realize that they can live without DTV.

They have to play this carefully. I know that that billion/year has to come from somewhere, but they might have to wait at least a few years before they can really start to try to make it back. Not an easy pricing decision.

Great post i hundred percent agree a lot of folks are cutting back just since the recession and the whole decadence is bad thing. I know now that i am back to work and even with a 10% pay increase to boot I will not be going back to pre-2009 spending numbers.

Samdari

04-09-2009, 12:45 PM

And paying to get the NFL in your house as opposed to the sports bar 20 minutes away is an excess item.

Paying full retail price ($450) over 17 weeks comes to $26.47 per week. Who can watch football for 7 hours in the local sports bar and not have that high a bill?

The Ticket is still cheaper than the sports bar.

sooner333

04-09-2009, 12:53 PM

Paying full retail price ($450) over 17 weeks comes to $26.47 per week. Who can watch football for 7 hours in the local sports bar and not have that high a bill?

The Ticket is still cheaper than the sports bar.

I can...it's called not drinking beer and giving a bigger tip than usual. They usually don't care because we're in there every week and they don't lose out on business for the 3pm games because the tables weren't usually full after lunch anyway.

Galaril

04-09-2009, 01:14 PM

Paying full retail price ($450) over 17 weeks comes to $26.47 per week. Who can watch football for 7 hours in the local sports bar and not have that high a bill?

The Ticket is still cheaper than the sports bar.

I keep hearing this argument. What if like me you don't go to sports bar's anyways. I will just not see the games I want as in the past years. When at some point they offer the games like MLB.COM on the internet for streaming at a more reasonable rate I will watch them then. I mean look at MLB'S extra innings 160 for the whole season that is 6 months of games EVERYDAY for half the half the price of the Sunday Ticket.

Logan

04-09-2009, 01:16 PM

The NFL will never stream games online, at least as long as the DTV deal is in place.

DanGarion

04-09-2009, 02:06 PM

The NFL will never stream games online, at least as long as the DTV deal is in place.

Actually I think part of the new deal gives them the leverage to stream games online and do lots of stuff with their digital content regardless of DTV...

albionmoonlight

04-09-2009, 02:48 PM

I think that you can only get online access if you can prove that your location cannot access DTV. That was smart b/c it takes away the argument that the DTV "monopoly" is unfair b/c only certain people can get DTV.

Now anyone with access to DTV or a high speed connection can get Sunday Ticket.

But those us of who can get DTV are still not going to be able to stream.

Eaglesfan27

04-09-2009, 04:51 PM

Paying full retail price ($450) over 17 weeks comes to $26.47 per week. Who can watch football for 7 hours in the local sports bar and not have that high a bill?

The Ticket is still cheaper than the sports bar.

My thinking as well. However, if they really go up that much, it will be the first time that I pause and think about if I really want to see every Eagles game that badly.

DanGarion

05-19-2009, 02:12 PM

From NYT.

Comcast Reaches Deal on NFL Network - NYTimes.com (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/sports/football/19nflnetwork.html?_r=1&ref=sports)

Comcast Reaches Deal on NFL Network
Comcast and the National Football League on Tuesday ended nearly three years of vituperative hostilities with a deal that will make the NFL Network available to 10 million of the cable operator’s subscribers at a significantly lower price than the league has long demanded.

Here is to hoping TWC follows suit!

gstelmack

05-19-2009, 02:30 PM

TWC has bandwidth now that they are dropping HDNet and HDNet Movies, they need something to put in those slots.

DanGarion

05-19-2009, 02:31 PM

TWC has bandwidth now that they are dropping HDNet and HDNet Movies, they need something to put in those slots.

Hah, I just heard about that today from our internal email, sort of sucks, I like the HDnet channels...

gstelmack

05-19-2009, 02:42 PM

Hah, I just heard about that today from our internal email, sort of sucks, I like the HDnet channels...

Right now I'm getting ripped off to the tune of $6.95/month for HDNet, HDNet Movies, MGM HD, and Universal HD (from the "Home of Free HD" no less). If they are dropping two, will they cut the price, make it free, or keep charging me $6.95/month for half what I was getting before?

And yes, I know it's been stupid of me to pay for it, but not too long ago I wasn't getting all that much HD to begin with.

DanGarion

05-19-2009, 02:50 PM

Right now I'm getting ripped off to the tune of $6.95/month for HDNet, HDNet Movies, MGM HD, and Universal HD (from the "Home of Free HD" no less). If they are dropping two, will they cut the price, make it free, or keep charging me $6.95/month for half what I was getting before?

And yes, I know it's been stupid of me to pay for it, but not too long ago I wasn't getting all that much HD to begin with.

Yeah those are "premium" channels because they charge us more or something like that. But you'll be getting Mav and Smithsonian soon!...

Ksyrup

05-19-2009, 03:14 PM

All of those HDTV channels (and a few more) are extra on DTV, too - other than HDNet.

gstelmack

05-19-2009, 03:16 PM

Yeah those are "premium" channels because they charge us more or something like that. But you'll be getting Mav and Smithsonian soon!...

Oh yay. More likely I'll just be saving $6.95/month...

DataKing

05-19-2009, 05:01 PM

The deal also provides Comcast with video-on-demand rights and the ability to show DirecTV’s Red Zone Channel, a part of the Sunday Ticket satellite package that gives live look-ins to the league’s Sunday afternoon games when teams are inside their opponents’ 20-yard line.

Oh heck yeah! *Runs off to make sure this will be included in his Premium sports package.*

RainMaker

05-19-2009, 05:03 PM

Interesting. I am with RCN because Comcast didn't carry Big Ten Network or NFL Network. Now I believe they have both.

gstelmack

09-18-2009, 08:23 AM

While we were comparing TWC customer service to others, fun story for me yesterday:

We're watching more HD-OnDemand movies than we are movie channel movies, so I called TWC yesterday to drop our premium channels and add Disney OnDemand for the kids. Get the voice recognition software, tell it I want to "Downgrade Service", it says it will connect me to a rep who can help, and then disconnected me. Twice.

Sure, probably a weird glitch, but it doesn't leave a good perception when someone calls to drop some things and you won't take their call at all.

Had to use the online chat to do it which was quick and painless.

Daimyo

09-18-2009, 09:06 AM

The three times I've tried to cancel cable service it didn't work via phone... always got "mysteriously" disconnected after an hour or so on hold. Each time I ended up going to the local office in person since they're pretty close by.

Kodos

09-07-2011, 02:09 PM

Just got an email saying Sunday Ticket is now available on PSN. DirecTV can't like that. $339.95 is a bit steep though. That's why I stopped getting it on DirecTV. And am considering dropping DirecTV entirely. Quick web search turned up this:

DIRECTV and PlayStation Bring NFL Sunday Ticket to PS3

+ Posted by Philip Rosenberg // Senior Vice President, Business Development, SCEA

Hello PlayStation Nation!

Are you ready for some football!

We are excited to announce that PlayStation has partnered with DIRECTV to bring its popular sports subscription service, NFL SUNDAY TICKET, to the PlayStation 3 game console. PlayStation owners across the country will now have the opportunity to watch every out-of-market Sunday game on their PS3.

DIRECTV and PlayStation announce NFL SUNDAY TICKET on PS3

How do you get in the game? At the start of the season, viewers who do not currently have access to DIRECTV will be able to subscribe to NFL SUNDAY TICKET at the season price of $339.95. Existing DIRECTV customers who already have NFL SUNDAY TICKET and NFL SUNDAY TICKET To-Go through DIRECTV can access the service on their PS3 for no additional charge.

NFL SUNDAY TICKET is a DIRECTV-exclusive sports package that offers:

* Up to 14 NFL games every Sunday
* Full HD for every football game
* DIRECTV’s Red Zone Channel

We know that PlayStation fans are huge sports enthusiasts, so adding NFL SUNDAY TICKET is the perfect complement to the PS3’s rapidly growing lineup of sports entertainment, including MLB.TV and NHL GameCenter. We’ll have more info, including a video tutorial and sign up information on the blog shortly. I hope you’re as excited for the football season as we are.

wade moore

09-07-2011, 02:12 PM

Interesting.

panerd

09-07-2011, 02:14 PM

Mizzou B-ball fan

09-07-2011, 02:20 PM

I may or may not have jumped on the PS3 offer to avoid business rates through my dish at my place of business..........

Pumpy Tudors

09-07-2011, 02:21 PM

The question to me is what is meant by "access" to Directv? Does it mean I choose not to get it or I can't get it?
Excellent point.

Yeah, it looks to me like you can only get it through PSN if you a) have DirecTV already or b) can't get DirecTV at all. So all this does is expand the number of people DirecTV can collect $6000 or whatever the hell NFL Sunday Ticket costs from.

Honolulu_Blue

09-07-2011, 02:22 PM

The price for the Sunday Ticket is amazingly high. I did it for one year and, if I didn't live in Detroit, I would likely consider it again, but it's a lot of money and hard to take full advantage of.

I get the Red Zone Channel for $32 an NFL season and I've found that to be a much better way to follow NFL action overall (not just one team).

Blackadar

09-07-2011, 03:03 PM

Since my DISH contract is up, I decided to call DirectTV and see what they have to offer. As a AAA member, I can get a special rate. With DirectTV giving away the NFL package this year for new subscribers, I thought I'd check out their rates.

Seems that they must be taking lessons from the airlines, because the prices were whacked when they added everything up. That Choice Plus package that DirectTV says is $24.99 for AAA members? It's really $36.99 during the first year and goes up to $62.99 the next year. They couldn't even explain the extra fees. They started talking about a DVR charge, but that's supposed to be a "free" upgrade. This is all for only 1 TV!!!

Hell, my current DISH package only runs $40 and I can threaten them with leaving so they give me a premium channel subscription every time I call, so I guess there's no NFL package in my future anytime soon.

Why is DirectTV so damned expensive as compared to DISH? I can't figure that out...

Schmidty

09-07-2011, 06:03 PM

I don't get Directv anymore because of trees where I live now, so I watched Lions games on channelsurfing.net, but since they're gone now (even channelsurfing.ws now), I'm going to use the game replay thing on NFL.com. It's 39.99 for the season, but I'm going to have to avoid scores and have my wife click on the game for me so it isn't spoiled. :) Other than that, it's HD and has DVR controls and no commercials. I'll be happy with that.

RainMaker

09-07-2011, 07:20 PM

RedZone is an absolute bargain. I'd pay 3 times as much as I do for it. It's a must have if you are in fantasy leagues. I'd even imagine it would work if you had a team out of market. You probably get to see 20% of the game and all the big moments.

LastWhiteSoxFanStanding

09-07-2011, 08:04 PM

molson

09-07-2011, 11:34 PM

Antmeister

09-08-2011, 07:56 AM

That isn't a terrible idea. When do they put the games up for viewing?

"By 6AM the day after the game". I think I could manage that, at least for the handful of Patriots games that aren't on in Idaho (which thankfully, isn't that many, at least while they're good.)

I did the NFL Ticket thing last year, the first year I had DirecTV, really for the novelty, but all I did was DVR redzone and watch it leisurely over a Sunday, and watch the rare Pats game that wasn't on TV. It wasn't worth the money (though the red zone channel was awesome) The game rewind is intriguing though.

From the support page of NFL Game Rewind it reads:

When will games be posted to NFL Game Rewind?

A: All games played on Sunday will be posted in the NFL Game Rewind archive following the conclusion of Sunday Night Football. Monday Night Football games will be posted 24 hours after the conclusion of that game. Thursday Night Football games will be available immediately after the game.

So for Monday Night Games, it is actually worse, but Sunday Night games are works out much better, especially if you want to hear the sports talk the next day.

Now if you live on the West Coast and the games you want to watch are on Sunday, this is a good thing since you can still get in a game or two before Monday. The rest may be able to get in one game if we stay up a bit longer than usual.

Ksyrup

09-08-2011, 08:00 AM

I get the Red Zone Channel for $32 an NFL season and I've found that to be a much better way to follow NFL action overall (not just one team).

What is Red Zone Channel? Is this the NFL Network RZ Channel, which I thought wasn't available to DTV subscribers? The rare instances I'm home on Sundays anymore, I will usually follow NFL Network because they flip around to games and have all the scores, but as far as a RZ channel, I didn't tihnk DTV subscribers had access to one unless you bought the full Sunday Ticket package and got DTV's RZ channel.

Radii

09-08-2011, 08:04 AM

but as far as a RZ channel, I didn't tihnk DTV subscribers had access to one unless you bought the full Sunday Ticket package and got DTV's RZ channel.

I believe this is true yeah. I still pay for Sunday Ticket and am still happy with it (a dinosaur perhaps!). I love the red zone channel but spend enough time watching the best games at 1pm and 4pm that I don't feel like I'm paying $350 just for for red zone. If I only wanted the red zone channel it would probably be enough for me to justify switching providers.

Ksyrup

09-08-2011, 08:08 AM

That's what I don't understand - HB said he got Sunday Ticket one year, which suggests he has DTV, but now pays $32 for Red Zone channel. I think I'm missing something.

bronconick

09-08-2011, 08:21 AM

Ksyrup

09-08-2011, 08:56 AM

Ah. I didn't read that as he had moved, just that it didn't make sense for him to keep ST after trying it for a year with him being in Michigan.

Honolulu_Blue

09-08-2011, 09:05 AM

That's what I don't understand - HB said he got Sunday Ticket one year, which suggests he has DTV, but now pays $32 for Red Zone channel. I think I'm missing something.

Think he had Sunday Ticket before he moved back to Michigan. When he got back here he just got cable with (now) the RZ.

Ah. I didn't read that as he had moved, just that it didn't make sense for him to keep ST after trying it for a year with him being in Michigan.

This is correct. I had Direct TV when I lived in D.C. Then I moved back to Michigan and got Comcast. Comcast has the Redzone Channel as part of its "sports pacakge" which is $8 per month.

So, I always order to sports package in September and cancel it in January, since I don't watch any of the other channels.

DanGarion

09-21-2012, 04:50 PM

Just going to post this here on the thread I had started.

There are sources stating that TWC and NFL Network are about to come to an agreement for NFLN and Redzone.
NFL Reaches Deal With Time Warner for NFL Network and RedZone - Bloomberg (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-21/nfl-reaches-deal-with-time-warner-for-nfl-network-and-redzone.html)

I've heard rumors within that our local headend is scrambling to make space on our system to fire up as soon as Sunday or Thursday (according to my sources someone had to leave a conference call to go on another call specifically about it.) So keep your fingers crossed, I know mine are!

The only official notice we have been given internally is.
There are a number of reports today about Time Warner Cable reaching an agreement with NFL Network. As of this time, negotiations continue; but there is no final agreement yet.

Just for reference if you live in California and have Time Warner Cable.

NFL- Channel 1355 SD channel 355 HD
Red Zone: 1356 SD Channel 356 HD
__________________

Big Fo

09-21-2012, 07:04 PM

Good news. Get beIN Sport USA next please.