Still no NFL Network on TWC?

[basshive]

I think the gist of what is being said is TWC has every right to do what it thinks is best but the NFL does not because it is a big bad evil juggernaut that created itself and forces people to be fans making it the largest sports industry in the country... They should just give it away for free so subs never have to pay for it.

[vegasvic]

Not TWC! but the subscribers who are paying the the tab.

That's up to TWC.  When DirecTV added NFLN my tab didn't go up a cent.

[UncleMeat]

I'm glad we're getting MLB network soon as baseball is my fav.sport  NFL network might want to observe what MLB network has accomplished in a very short time and take notes.

MLB needs to do this as their product in tremendous supply.  There is essentially at least one game on every day of the week spring through fall.  Baseball is also not as financially sound as the NFL.

[Jack 1000]

The whole thing is so stupid.  NFL Network should just ask the same price or within reasonable limits as the other sports networks that TWC has.  Yes, most of the channels are on the optional sports tier, but at least they are available.

But the NFL thinks it's bigger than it really is.  It thinks it has more football fans than it probably has.  There's pro football up the ying-yang in the guide every day and on every weekend.  I mean it's not like if NFL Network lowers their asking price that they are going to go bankrupt!  It's just a shame that they are forcing fans to pay for games that used to be OTA and for FREE because of it.

Until new corporate management is brought in at the NFL who is willing to offer this channel at a fair price, I don't think we will ever see the NFL Network on TWC or many other new cable systems either.  The NFL's demanding price under this management team is too high.

Jack

[UncleMeat]

I think the NFL is getting a serious wakeup call by having to extend the deadline for ticket sales to TWO playoff teams (Cardinals/Vikings).  The harsh reality is that no matter how great the NFL is, it's still a vastly overpriced product.  Teams are holding off on ticket price increase for 2009 and they will still have problems getting their '08 season ticket volumes.  The NFL is going to quickly realize that they have priced their fans out of the market and they will likely drop their rates in order to capture a larger audience.

[vegasvic]

There are 10 home games a year including preseason in the NFL.  Arizona and Minnesota have always been horribly run franchises, it's no surprise they can't sell playoff tickets.  The NFL is in better shape financially than any other league.  

Baseball's economic system is so screwed up.  The Brewers have to do everything right for several years to even sniff the playoffs.  All Bud does is point to Tampa Bay making the Series to tell everything how great baseball's system is.  But let's see if the Rays can keep their team together.  They won't be able to.  They are just like the Brewers, they can't afford any mistakes, either with drafting or free agency.

Brewer fans had their one year of fun.  Next year will be a down year.  A good team, but not a playoff team.  Then they'll have to start trading off most of their young guys, hoping they can get even value in a trade.

[UncleMeat]

Pfft... preseason doesn't count.  It's been a joke for YEARS that fans get charged full price for maybe 1/4 of a game.  It's like if the Beloit Snappers charged $70 for seats behind home plate.

[Danno321]

There are all greedy B@$tards.  The content to cost ratio is becoming untenable.

[jeffski]

There are 10 home games a year including preseason in the NFL.  Arizona and Minnesota have always been horribly run franchises, it's no surprise they can't sell playoff tickets.  The NFL is in better shape financially than any other league.  

Baseball's economic system is so screwed up.  The Brewers have to do everything right for several years to even sniff the playoffs.  All Bud does is point to Tampa Bay making the Series to tell everything how great baseball's system is.  But let's see if the Rays can keep their team together.  They won't be able to.  They are just like the Brewers, they can't afford any mistakes, either with drafting or free agency.

Brewer fans had their one year of fun.  Next year will be a down year.  A good team, but not a playoff team.  Then they'll have to start trading off most of their young guys, hoping they can get even value in a trade.

I beg to differ.The Brewers now have an owner who isn't afraid to dig deeper into his pockets than Selig did. Sure we lost CC but once the Yank-mes tank with all that WAY over-priced talent,it'll be fun to watch. The Cubs are another example of an overspending team that results in squat. At least the Brewers WON a playoff game last year...the Cubs?  0-6 last  2 years...gotta love it!
But,yes,a salary cap would make for more parity,that's for sure.

Added note:with the economy the worse it's been in decades,even the mighty NFL will feel some repercussions.

[klwillis45]

Don't sell the Cubs short.

They have lost 9 playoff games in a row. :rof:

[jeffski]

Don't sell the Cubs short.

They have lost 9 playoff games in a row. :rof:

My bad....and so are they :rof:

[wireblsam]

Found this little tidbit in an article about NFL Network.  

In the fall of 2006, Time Warner Cable’s Fred Dressler agreed to carry NFL Network.

At an annual cable function at the New York Hilton that November, Dressler, who headed the programming group for the country’s second largest operator, huddled with Adam Shaw, NFL Network’s senior vice president of distribution and marketing. Over drinks, the two finalized the framework of a deal that would see Time Warner launch NFL Network on analog in its markets that had NFL teams, like Dallas and Cleveland, and on a digital tier everywhere else.

As the two shook hands to cement the deal, Dressler was not convinced. He told Shaw, “I’ll do this deal, Adam. But your bosses won’t.”

Shaw, who had been trying to cut a Time Warner deal for three years, was more optimistic. He felt this was the best deal he could get from Dressler, who was soon retiring and wanted to wrap up NFL negotiations before he left.

But Dressler proved to be right.

The following week, Shaw called to say that his bosses would not agree to any digital distribution. It was analog or nothing.

In one of his last interviews before his death a year ago, Dressler recounted that exchange, saying that even though he shook hands with Shaw, he never expected the deal to close and was not surprised by Shaw’s subsequent phone call.

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/61332

[Chinatown]

Found this little tidbit in an article about NFL Network.  

In the fall of 2006, Time Warner Cable's Fred Dressler agreed to carry NFL Network.

At an annual cable function at the New York Hilton that November, Dressler, who headed the programming group for the country's second largest operator, huddled with Adam Shaw, NFL Network's senior vice president of distribution and marketing. Over drinks, the two finalized the framework of a deal that would see Time Warner launch NFL Network on analog in its markets that had NFL teams, like Dallas and Cleveland, and on a digital tier everywhere else.

As the two shook hands to cement the deal, Dressler was not convinced. He told Shaw, "I'll do this deal, Adam. But your bosses won't."

Shaw, who had been trying to cut a Time Warner deal for three years, was more optimistic. He felt this was the best deal he could get from Dressler, who was soon retiring and wanted to wrap up NFL negotiations before he left.

But Dressler proved to be right.

The following week, Shaw called to say that his bosses would not agree to any digital distribution. It was analog or nothing.

In one of his last interviews before his death a year ago, Dressler recounted that exchange, saying that even though he shook hands with Shaw, he never expected the deal to close and was not surprised by Shaw's subsequent phone call.

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/61332

but, isn't it time to switch to satellite?

[Jack 1000]

Do you think that TWC and NFL Network will have a deal by this fall?  They should really start renegotiations again to give them ample time to work out a deal.  If a deal is reached,do you think we will see the network on standard cable, digital cable, or the optional digital sports package?  What about in HD?  I wonder what would be the best option?  I think it should be on the digital standard tier, just like MLB Network.  That would appear to be the best place for the channel where it would reach the most TWC subscribers.  (There are far fewer who subscribe to the Digital Sports Package.)

Jack

[LoadStar]

Do you think that TWC and NFL Network will have a deal by this fall?  They should really start renegotiations again to give them ample time to work out a deal.  If a deal is reached,do you think we will see the network on standard cable, digital cable, or the optional digital sports package?  What about in HD?  I wonder what would be the best option?  I think it should be on the digital standard tier, just like MLB Network.  That would appear to be the best place for the channel where it would reach the most TWC subscribers.  (There are far fewer who subscribe to the Digital Sports Package.)

Jack

The cost structure for the MLB network is far different from the cost structure for the NFL Network. If the NFL followed the MLB model, then yes, digital standard. As it is now - definitely in the digital sports tier.

And I see no need for it to "reach the most TWC subscribers," particularly with it being an expensive, niche network, as long as it reaches those (few) customers who want to watch it.