League pushing NFL Network to Cable Operators

[Skywalker]

NFL | League pushing NFL Network to cable operators
Thu, 27 Jul 2006 20:21:58 -0700

Michael McCarthy, of the USA Today, reports the NFL is preparing to launch a $100 million attack ad campaign over the next six months in an attempt to force cable TV operators to carry its NFL Network channel. If the cable providers don't sign up, the NFL will urge consumers to switch to satellite TV operators that carry the channel, NFL Network spokesman Seth Palansky says. With the NFL Network airing regular-season games beginning Thanksgiving night, the league thinks it has the leverage to force its way into 25 million more homes this season. "We think it's asinine that Time Warner (the nation's No. 2 cable provider) carries 12 shopping channels and 50 other channels you don't want, but can't find room for one dedicated to the most popular sport in this country," Palansky says. "We're replacing the kid gloves with bare knuckles." One ad aimed at Time Warner says, "Don't let Time Warner ruin your football season. You'll miss NFL games if you don't call and demand NFL Network now." A Time Warner spokesperson said the company is still talking with the NFL Network.

[mhz40]

edit Mr Palansky :
Don't diss cable operators in 2002 by not even bringing them to the table to negotiate and then come back a few years later with the strong arm tactic for your punk-a** NFL channel that would be useful to me for 16 of the 52 weeks in a year.
Package 'Sunday Ticket' with the NFL Network on cable and you got something. Otherwise edit Seth, I'm happy enough with my local games and Sunday and Monday nights... thanks.

Yours Truly...
MHz40

[clip]
Multichannel News
11/15/2004
By Steve Donohue & Mike Reynolds
 
Cable operators have complained for years about losing customers who jumped to satellite for DirecTV Inc.'s exclusive "NFL Sunday Ticket" package. But when cable recently had an opportunity to buy the National Football League's out-of-market pay-per-view offering, Comcast Corp. and other operators took a pass.

"It's no secret cable was interested in Sunday Ticket, but the price was too high," said Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing CEO Char Beales, referring to the five-year, $3.5 billion contract extension DirecTV cut with the NFL last week, giving it rights to 14 live games each Sunday through the 2010 season.

At $700 million per annum, DirecTV's new contract represents a 75% hike over the $400 million it is paying per season under the pact signed two years ago that was slated to extend through the 2007 campaign.

NFL's Annual Rights Fees
Carrier     Package        Current Deal        New Deal
CBS         AFC                $500M                 $622M
Fox          NFC               $550M                  $712M
DirecTV Sunday Ticket   $400M                 $700M
ABC         MNF               $550M $?
ESPN SNF                     $600M $?
New Package Th./Sat   $?


It should be pointed out, though, that DirecTV only had satellite exclusivity for the 2006 and 2007 seasons under the previous pact. DirecTV's new contract supercedes the remaining years on the old deal.

NFL representatives declined to discuss the size of cable's offer for Sunday Ticket. One source, though, said MSOs walked away from the table after they were "blown away by what DirecTV was willing to pay."

This was the first time that the NFL had even entertained a bid from cable operators for Sunday Ticket. Cable executives were miffed when DirecTV last renewed its Sunday Ticket contract in December 2002.

At that point, the league wouldn't consider selling the games to cable because of concerns that if every Sunday afternoon football game nationwide was available on digital cable, broadcast-TV carriers Fox and CBS would suffer significant ratings erosion.

[/clip]

 {fart}  :deadair:  {fart}  :deadair:  {fart}

[Nakedj1]

I personally would love to see the NFL channel on TWC, and would love to see it added as a HD channel as well!!! The Sunday ticket wouldn't hurt my feelings as well...

[Skywalker]

McCarthy is a COLUMNIST with USA Today.  He has nothing to do with Time Warner, the NFL Network or any other network for that matter. He is merely reporting about an ad campaign that the NFL Network will launch.

Furthermore, the NFL Network does a whole lot more than just provide regular season games starting this Thanksgiving.  It is a 24/7 Network that also does offer an HD feed.

NFL Network boasts a unique blend of pigskin programming including daily news programs, live games, NFL and college press conferences, game re-airs, highlight shows, documentaries as well as live coverage of all major NFL events.

[wireblsam]

After years of being a diehard cable guy, I have now decided to put Dish and TWC up against each other.  If dish adds Milwaukee HD locals before TWC adds ESPN2 HD and NFL Network, I'll make the switch.

[mhz40]

McCarthy is a COLUMNIST with USA Today.  He has nothing to do with Time Warner, the NFL Network or any other network for that matter. He is merely reporting about an ad campaign that the NFL Network will launch.

Furthermore, the NFL Network does a whole lot more than just provide regular season games starting this Thanksgiving.  It is a 24/7 Network that also does offer an HD feed.

NFL Network boasts a unique blend of pigskin programming including daily news programs, live games, NFL and college press conferences, game re-airs, highlight shows, documentaries as well as live coverage of all major NFL events.

I stand corrected and updated my post, but my opinion stands.  I guess it never happened to anyone else here before during the 10 minutes of reply composition...

IMO, your description of the NFL network sounds alot like ESPN-HD between the months of September and February.

I couldn't care less about a full time NFL channel when the NFL has a 16 week season---HD or not.  The only leverage cable has over the NFL is distribution.  Let the NFL suck air until they realize they cut their own throat when they didn't even offer Sunday ticket to cable ops and their customers in 2002.  They made their bed with D*.  Now, unless they want to even the 'playing field' on Sunday ticket, pleasant dreams.

[kingjoey]

I have heard that the NFL Network will show 175 games this year. Now granted, only 8 will be regular season, live broadcasts, but I love it anyways. They will be showing pre-season games and game replays through out the year. With the NFL backing it, this network will only grow into a much bigger player.  :cool:

[Matt Heebner]

I couldn't care less about a full time NFL channel when the NFL has a 16 week season---HD or not

UUGGHHH....Blasphemy. (Covers ears, closes eyes and chants "be gone with you")
 No, seriously just kidding with you.
 The columnist does have a point about the stupid 50 shopping channels though.....

Matt

[tencom]

Does anyone know what  the NFL channel will charge the cable operator for there channel I know that ESPN has a monthly charge  about  3 dollars  per subscriber
 plus the local FOX sports channel, were no information is available on their monthly charge which could be hefty. I believe if the NFL channel is carried locally it could result in another large rate increase . How much do you want to pay for cable.? And how much sports do we need? Why can't the  sports  channels be carried as a premium channel like HBO and let people who don't care for sports,  and don't want the sports channels not have to pay for them. I believe conqress should mandate this option!

[StarvingForHDTV]

Why can't the  sports  channels be carried as a premium channel like HBO and let people who don't care for sports,  and don't want the sports channels not have to pay for them. I believe conqress should mandate this option!

Every channel should be a la carte.  Nobody watches all of the crap which is forced down their throats by providers.  Let us either pay for only the channels we want, or buy individual programs where everything is pay per view.  That is my opinion.

[tencom]

Every channel should be a la carte.  Nobody watches all of the crap which is forced down their throats by providers.  Let us either pay for only the channels we want, or buy individual programs where everything is pay per view.  That is my opinion.

Half the channels would probably  go out of business because no one would pay  extra for them and the remaining channels would have to charge twice as much to recover the cost of lost subscribers I believe  "La Carte" should only apply to sports channels brcause they charge the most,  by far of any program group of course  ESPN  would proably go out of business because of their big 1.3 billion dollars a year NFL contract thats almost twice as  what  other networks paid and not get the super bowl would probably leave them with to few subscribers, to recover the rights fees
they pay for all their sports they carry. I believe conqress should give the satellite or cable carriers the option to put any  expensive network into the premium category and not  let  the programmers  force carriage of their channels which is what  the big 4 networks ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX are doing with their cable channels using must carry, and retransmission compensation OTA  rules   to there advantage.
We all know that ESPN is owned by ABC.

[gb4fan92]

I hope this campaign by NFL Network publicly embarrassess TWC to the point that they change programming management directions and see the light that the consumers want more (HD) and want it now!!!  

[mhz40]

Every channel should be a la carte.  Nobody watches all of the crap which is forced down their throats by providers.  Let us either pay for only the channels we want, or buy individual programs where everything is pay per view.  That is my opinion.

That probably won't do... ESPN's (and others) advertizing rates would drop if they had less people available to surf to their channel.   Being on basic analog or digital is the place where their business model needs to be.  There is no way even a big operator like Showtime or HBO could launch a premium sports channel, because the costs to carry pro sports is just way to high & all the big contracts are with the networks.  D*'s Sunday ticket included... it's a loss leader for the company and is mainly used to pull in new business.

[tencom]

I hope this campaign by NFL Network publicly embarrassess TWC to the point that they change programming management directions and see the light that the consumers want more (HD) and want it now!!!  

HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO PAY FOR CABLE ? MORE CHANNELS  MEANS HIGHER RATES? CHANCES ARE GOOD THE NFL NETWORK WON'T BE CHEAP AND THE NFL  NETWORK WOULD NOT ALLOW IT TO BE A PREMIUM SERVICE   BECAUSE IT WON'T ATTRACT MANY SUBSCRIBERS TO SHELL OUT EXTRA DOLLARS FOR IT  AND THE NFL KNOWS THAT AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET TWC TO CARRY IT IS TO USE A LOT OF CORCEON AND FORCE THEM  IF YOU WANT IT PAY EXTRA FOR IT AND LEAVE US ALONE THAT DON'T WANT IT!

[wireblsam]

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6357446.html?display=Breaking+News

At the bottom of the article, it lists the per subscriber costs:

"Distributors said the network's new licensing fees range between 50-75 cents per month, per subscriber -- a substantial increase over its previous rate card calling for between 20-25 cents."

 :wave: If I pay a dollar, can I have it in HD??