Comcast wins lawsuit against NFLN; other cable operators could follow

[sebman2112]

I agree with all of this. NFLN was never free on Comcast, they paid a vast sum for it and were passing every bit of that cost on to customers. The difference is that my mom, the retiree with no interest in sports talk, will no longer be subsidizing the exorbitant cost on behalf of football fans.

The NFL ought to think long and hard about the long-term implications of their trend toward exclusive, expensive broadcasts (like the exclusivity of the DirectTV deal). Remember when big boxing matches were an event? What kid ever gets to see boxing today? That sport's audience is aging fast. In my house, I'm a sports fan but my family watches very little tv overall. So we only pay $10/month for the minimum tier of cable, just for reception. I see every Pats game and key national NFL games and I'm happy as a clam. My kids get to see the Pats games too, so they get into the team, I take them to training camp, they have Patriots t-shirts. The Red Sox? They've never seen a Red Sox game. They're not on tv for us. Ergo, "Red Sox who"? Watch out, NFL. That could be you soon.

Yea, but I highly doubt comcast switching NFLN over to a package channel will lower peoples digital cable bill. If anything they'll either just take it off your digital package and charge you the same amount, or they'll add another channel in NFLN's place, that none of us care about. Oh, and they'll still charge you the same amount I used to have directv before I moved, then I signed up for comcast here becauese I wanted cable internet, and I cant get broadband. I already pay $13.95 per month for the digital package, and the channel I watch most on the digital package is NFLN, so I'm not going to pay them an additional $7.95 per month for the sports package.

So, it looks like I'll only be getting my ISP service through comcast, and I'll be switching back to directv or maybe Dish network.

 

[JustWinBrady]

If you live in the town of norwood, ma, the town offers the NFL Network as part of thier expanded basic package.

 

[patchick]

Yea, but I highly doubt comcast switching NFLN over to a package channel will lower peoples digital cable bill.

This is true. I certainly didn't mean to suggest anything like public-spiritedness on Comcast's part! I just don't like the extortionist approach the NFL has been taking lately. They'd do well to remember that building a strong, broad fan base is the ultimate prize. Not knowing where to find the games, not knowing whether you be ABLE to get them, not having access to NFLN because they've priced themselves off of major cable services...none of it is good for the health of your golden goose.

 

[bakes781]

If you live in the town of norwood, ma, the town offers the NFL Network as part of thier expanded basic package.

I know of someone in central Mass that had NFL Net as part of a basic package as well. They didnt get the MTVs or ESPNs but they did get NFL Net along with Encore movie channels. I asked a cable guy about that recently & he claimed that shouldn't be.

 

[sebman2112]

This is true. I certainly didn't mean to suggest anything like public-spiritedness on Comcast's part! I just don't like the extortionist approach the NFL has been taking lately. They'd do well to remember that building a strong, broad fan base is the ultimate prize. Not knowing where to find the games, not knowing whether you be ABLE to get them, not having access to NFLN because they've priced themselves off of major cable services...none of it is good for the health of your golden goose.

I don't care for their tactics, but the NFL is only fallowing the extortionist examples already well established by the cable companies.

 

[zippo59]

The NFL needs to learn from boxing, that if you make people pay extra to watch your sport on TV you can lose a lot of fans and veiwers.

 

[sebman2112]

To be honest I liked Directv a lot more than I have liked Comcast so far, so I should probably just switch back, anways. For those who don't know channels 2-79 are still analog with comcast, and when you upgrade to the $13.95 per month digital package the only channels that are actually digital are channels 100 and up. With Directv all of my channels were digital, and they all came in crystal clear. While none of my cable channels come in bad, none of my analog cable channels come in like Directv. I also get a problem with some of my digital channels where every once in awhile I'll get this little digital breakup (green blocks). That doesn't happen all the time, but I hardly ever had any digital beakups while using the dish.

Right now I'm paying $49.20 for Full basic cable (channels 2-79), and $13.95 for the digital package which adds up to over $63 per month without premium movie channels. I know I can get even more channels on a dish for little more than half that price, all the channels will be digital, and NFLN will be included in the regular package.

 

[Born_a_Patriot]

Yea, but I highly doubt comcast switching NFLN over to a package channel will lower peoples digital cable bill. If anything they'll either just take it off your digital package and charge you the same amount, or they'll add another channel in NFLN's place, that none of us care about. Oh, and they'll still charge you the same amount I used to have directv before I moved, then I signed up for comcast here becauese I wanted cable internet, and I cant get broadband. I already pay $13.95 per month for the digital package, and the channel I watch most on the digital package is NFLN, so I'm not going to pay them an additional $7.95 per month for the sports package.

So, it looks like I'll only be getting my ISP service through comcast, and I'll be switching back to directv or maybe Dish network.

If you live in the New England Area and have Comcast you also get the Patriots on demand Channel.

Comcast, the nation’s leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services, today announced it has teamed up with the World Champion New England Patriots and NFL Network to launch "Patriots ON DEMAND." This innovative new feature is available at no additional charge exclusively to Comcast digital cable customers, giving them behind-the-scenes access to the three-time Super Bowl champions.

 

[sebman2112]

If you live in the New England Area and have Comcast you also get the Patriots on demand Channel.

I don't think I get that channel, it would be nice if I did.....but I don't think so. I've had Comcast for over a year, and I haven't noticed that channel.

 

[bakes781]

I don't think I get that channel, it would be nice if I did.....but I don't think so. I've had Comcast for over a year, and I haven't noticed that channel.

It's nothing new really. It's part of NFL Network's On Demand program.

 

[Handel]

It's times like these I am glad I have Cable and DirecTV

I have neither of them. Lol.

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

If you live in the New England Area and have Comcast you also get the Patriots on demand Channel.

Not everywhere. My family in CT does not get it.