ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF? [merged]

[blackglass3]

Didn't see this posted yet. http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/06/20/espn-to-partner-with-nfln/

This would be bad news in the long run, I think.

Discuss

 

[signbabybrady]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo



first off it is always good to have independent options. and second ESPN SUX

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

NFL Network embarasses ESPN in NFL coverage. ESPN has ultimately become a joke in just about every aspect of their coverage. They pay too much attention to the "E" in ESPN rather than the "S." I want sports, not entertainment in the form of flashy graphics, annoying teasers, coverage of irrelevant garbage, and who can forget the infamous "BOO-YAH!"

 

[signbabybrady]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

The question that needs to be pondered.....is FESPN / NFL Network better than no NFL Network at all?? Maybe they are having cash flow problems as evidenced by the layoff of NFL Films crews when HBO dropped Inside the NFL?? Also, I had heard they just weren't getting the year round numbers needed to sustain themselves.

Yeesh, imagine if Schlereth appears on NFL Network, makes me want to THROW UP IN MY MOUTH and everywhere else.

 

[blackglass3]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

The question that needs to be pondered.....is FESPN / NFL Network better than no NFL Network at all?? Maybe they are having cash flow problems as evidenced by the layoff of NFL Films crews when HBO dropped Inside the NFL?? Also, I had heard they just weren't getting the year round numbers needed to sustain themselves.

Yeesh, imagine if Schlereth appears on NFL Network, makes me want to THROW UP IN MY MOUTH and everywhere else.

Yeah, that was why I said "Long Term". For the near future, it would probably be quite beneficial...more money, probably a higher production value (ESPN OWNS in that area, hands down), and then everyone would be able to actually SEE NFLN, so no more Comcast fight from Arlen.

 

[BPF]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

Yeah, that was why I said "Long Term". For the near future, it would probably be quite beneficial...more money, probably a higher production value (ESPN OWNS in that area, hands down), and then everyone would be able to actually SEE NFLN, so no more Comcast fight from Arlen.

You might be on to something here.

 

[jmt57]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

This may be over-simplifying, but more competition is a good thing for consumers. If you can buy your lumber and hardware from a choice of two or more different local places, then those stores will be forced to keep prices low or service high in order to survive. If there is only one place within forty miles for you to shop, there's not much to keep them from providing both mediocre service and high prices.

As a consumer I don't want espn5 or espn6 or whatever the nfln will become should this plan go in to effect. I want completely different content with a completely different outlook. I wish Fox Sports Network would provide more original content, for example. Best Damn Sports Show may not be very good, but at least it's a choice - and it's no worse than much of what espn offers us. I want a choice; another espn channel is not a choice.

Same goes with a cable provider. If Comcast had more competition in more of the areas that it provided service, this might not be an issue. Put three or four cable companies in any given area, and it doesn't matter if Comcast refuses to incude NFLN. One of the competitors will include it in their basic tier, and consumers have the choice of paying more for Comcast or switching to another service provider.

Choice is a good thing, whether it be for lumber, sports information, or cable service. Mergers and business agreements that limit choice are rarely a good thing for us, the consumer.

 

[puffyme]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

Anything that reduces competition with ESPN is a bad thing. I hope NFL Network stays as independent as possible

 

[True_Patriot_Blue]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

ESPN lost me when they did the "Who's Now?" tournament of individual stars...as if that weren't gay enough..Brady and Ortiz faced off in round one...like we're supposed to believe that is a 1 vs. 8 seed kinda match. Gimme a break...

 

[Sivy]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

I really like NFLN and I really dont like ESPN, so if they murge, ESPN 2 better just desolve into NFLN and thats all I want the deal to be. I hate those guys on espn, really really hate them.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

I thought when I read the initial link to the WSJ story yesterday that it was either a case of them misunderstanding the machinations or someone was sending a slanted message. NFLN isn't in trouble any more than cable as the cost of producing programming is impacted by the economy. They know their product will sell. If you read the latest links at PFW http://www.profootballtalk.com/category/rumor-mill/ including the very different spin Reuters puts on it's article as well as Comcast's response to the NFL's complaint to the FCC and the new deal Comcast just entered with Pac 10, this is all just gamesmanship. Either ESPN will get a small stake in NFLN for facilitating an end around the cable companies or the sides will reach agreement on a fee somewhere between the .60 cents a college conference is getting and the buck the NFL wanted. Either way the league will get more and Comcast will get less. It's just a matter of time. And the truth we all should know is your Comcast basic bill goes up irrespective of content. Having something worth watching just lessens the blow. Having the network on a sports tier costs me almost $20 a month in peripheral add ons like digital which requires a box and expanded just to get to the tier.

 

[PatsFan24]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

nfl network is a great network, espn is a crap network and a partnership would prob ruin it....at least i fear it does. i can't even tell you how much i think espn sucks

 

[spacecrime]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

the truth we all should know is your Comcast basic bill goes up irrespective of content.

This is a lie disguised as truth. Yes, bills go up every year, regardless of content. But the cost of a loaf of bread goes up every year regardless of content of quality. Cars, houses, many things go up every year, whether they get better or not.

However, what you are saying, that Comcast bills and content are not related, is simply not true. Consider two possiblities:

Comcast triples the number of channels in basic service
Comcast cuts the number of channels in basic service to 1/3 of what it was

The resultant monthly fee would NOT be the same in both case. Yeah, they would still find a way to screw you - they ARE a cable company and it is expected - but there IS a connection between content and monthly fee.

 

[spacecrime]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

nfl network is a great network, espn is a crap network and a partnership would prob ruin it....at least i fear it does.

You are correct.

Think of it in terms of food.

NFLN is a nice hearty meat-and-potatoes meal.

ESPN is a plate of rotted garbage that would make you puke.

If you mix the two you don't get something halfway edible, you get a BIG plate of something that would make you puke.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

I understand the nfl network is struggling.. but do they need to merge with Espn.. UGH,..

NFL Network, should just start showing more classic games, NFL Total acces is great, but not every hr in the morning.. I just dont want any of espn boobs on the nfl network.. This is not good news..

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

They aren't talking about a merge... They are apparently talking about selling a small equity stake in the NFLN to ESPN's parent company DISNEY which in exchange could use the little watched and not profitable ESPN Classic channel to air NFLN which would make it part of the basic tier those channel's appear on. And as noted in this article from the LA Times that Mike Reiss linked to in his blog, Disney could then use it's clout to demand a higher fee from cable companies for it's entire package, including NFLN. It's a compromise in that they would be doing something they didn't want to - selling an equity share to another outlet, but it would mean they pulled an end around the cable companies who will now be paying more for the Disney package viewed by 96M customers and not reaping the rewards of having the lions share of 40 million people subscriing to a sports tier that didn't offer much else just so they could watch NFLN.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/printedition/la-sp-espn21-2008jun21,0,2189308.story

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

I recently switched to Verizon Fios for my phone/tv/internet for the sole reason that NFLN was on the basic package (the cost for the whole thing was a little less than cox cable as well).

I hate ESPN almost as much as I hate the Herald and Arlen Spector. It sounds like NFLN is trying an end around to get on the cable basic package. I can't begrudge them that, but I just hope that ESPN never has any influence on them.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

ESPN & NFL Network to Partner?

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6572116.html?nid=4262

ESPN and the NFL Network are in discussions to form a partnership that would give the league-owned network wider distribution through any one or more of ESPN’s existing expanded basic cable channels, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

 

[mgteich]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

NFLN seems to have cash flow problems and the inability to solve their disputes with cable companies. ESPN has plenty of channels, including some that could be merged or are underutilized.

Disney doesn't care one way or the other which announcers announce on which channel, unless the changing of announcers would increase or decrease the number who tune in to indovidual channels and ultimately increase their charges top the cable and satellite companies. The issues are related to money.

The investment by ESPN may not happen, or it may. It does seem to be addressing the real issue, the future of NFLN, and the ability of the network to widen the number of people who can and will watch.

 

[signbabybrady]

Re: ESPN and NFLN considering partnership...BFF?

ESPN lost me when they did the "Who's Now?" tournament of individual stars...as if that weren't gay enough..Brady and Ortiz faced off in round one...like we're supposed to believe that is a 1 vs. 8 seed kinda match. Gimme a break...

Who won that head to head.....thats right it was Brady beating out redsox nation