Re: NFL Network really gonna milk this one
Time Warner's statement on the issue:
The NFL wants to force cable companies to put its channel on the basic tier, yet it made a deal with DirectTV to only allow NFL Sunday ticket to people who sign up with that company. So, the NFL is just fine with limiting who can watch their games if the money is right and going to them, but gets all pissed off when someone else decides to do the same thing. People need to learn to separate the game from the business. The NFL is one of the most overbearing 'companies' in this country (Playmakers would say "hi", but the NFL got it canceled) and, frankly, is long overdue for an asskicking by companies that aren't afraid to tell the league to take a hike.
I mean, really - how fricken stupid are you ? Other that quoting a cable company press release, have you bothered to educate yourself on this subject at all ? There have been half a dozen threads on this issue on this board over the course of the season. The only parties denying people access to NFL games and gouging their customers is the cable/media monopolies.
Let me summarize for you in terms even you can understand:
1. NFL Network in 2006 becomes one of the fastest growing channels in TV history
2. NFL announces that in 2007 they will make available
at no extra charge up to 8 regular season games on the NFL network - GAMES THAT FOR MOST PEOPLE WOULD NORMALLY NOT EVER HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE.
3. The largest cable companies in the country, WHO HAVE CARRIED THE NFL NETWORK IN THEIR BASIC SERVICE SINCE ITS INCEPTION - suddenly decide (at the beginning of the NFL season) that it is in their customers 'interest' to REMOVE A CHANNEL THEY GOT IN THE BASIC PACKAGE and MAKE THEM pay $10-30 more a month to see it (along with the WNBA channel and the Curling channel). This is despite the fact that a channel like ESPN charges nearly 4x per subscriber than the NFL Network does - and they didn't move that channel.
4. Even though people who decide NOT TO UPGRADE are charged the same amount for the BASIC SERVICE, the cable companies call this "saving the customer money", and, even more absurdly "protecting them from the NFL forcing them to have the channel".
5. Cable execs sit back and light cigars, confident that the NFL will capitulate, and fork over the lion share of the profits of the new channel in return for access. It's a sweetheart deal ..... they make money off the consumer end by forcing subscriber to upgrade to plans with fat margins .... and they have their fingers in the pocket of the league no matter how it turns out.... it's a win win .... and they have no capital investment at risk. Of course, they didn't count on Goodell not giving in, which leads to plan B .......
6. .... which is to have their newly bought politicians haul the league up before a kangaroo court, on the pretense that somehow PROVIDING MORE FREE GAMES is relevant to the leagues antitrust exemption. It doesn't get more ironic than that. Of course there will be no discussion of the REAL issue, which is the CABLE COMPANIES abuse of their monopolies.
My prediction is that the politicians will come up with some 'compromise' proposal that will have some government arbitrator come up with a settlement. Of course, that arbitrator will be picked by those same politicians that have the Time Warner megabucks falling out of their pockets ..... which is exactly what the cable and media monopolies want.
R
Unfortunately for you, I do know more about what's gone on than just what's in a couple of press releases, so I know better than to be suckered in by the NFL. Oh, NBATV say's "hello", by the way.
