NFL vs. Comcast, round 1

[spacecrime]

Re: NFL vs Comcast, round 1

Once the FCC 'mandates' that a cable company provide 'free' a service that costs them a dollar, be prepared for a $5 rate hike. Of course I'm part of a shrinking minority who believes that as bad as rapacious cable companies etc. are, it's better for all if the reliably inept govt keeps out.

You got that right. The cable company certainly will charge for that service, either by subscriber or charge everyone.

My big problem with the gov't requiring that cable companies provide premium services is that where will it stop? So cable pays NFL neetwork a buck per subscriber and ups the monthly fee $1.20 per subscriber. Then the gov't says cable needs to also provide a premium baseballchannel, golf channel, bird watcher channel, whatever channel and each time they do my bill goes up a buck a month. Let me decide what I want to watch and pay for.

 

[cincipatsfan]

Why do you think cable didn't have the chance to get it? It's worth much more per subscriber to DirecTV, DirecTV pays quite a lot for it and has likely outbid everyone.

You're correct. Cable companies have the same opportunity as DIRECTV to bid for Sunday Ticket. If cable companies were serious about wanting to offer it, they could crush DIRECTV's bid. For whatever reason, they choose not to.

BTW, if you call them next year, right before the season starts, and tell them to cancel ST because you don't want to pay an extra 100 to see the games in HD, you will probably get it comp'd, assuming you're a customer in good standing. I've received it free for the last two years.

 

[woolster22]

Re: NFL vs Comcast, round 1

You got that right. The cable company certainly will charge for that service, either by subscriber or charge everyone.

My big problem with the gov't requiring that cable companies provide premium services is that where will it stop? So cable pays NFL neetwork a buck per subscriber and ups the monthly fee $1.20 per subscriber. Then the gov't says cable needs to also provide a premium baseballchannel, golf channel, bird watcher channel, whatever channel and each time they do my bill goes up a buck a month. Let me decide what I want to watch and pay for.

How about we pick what we want and we don't want. stop bundling one or two channels I want with 6 that I could give 2 sh*ts for. drop the shopping networks, mtv, vh1, cnbc, weather, and so on. Give me local channels, hbo showtime, nfl, espn, nesn, discovery and travel. Thats 20-30, why do I need 100+?

 

[Va_Pats_Fan]

Re: NFL vs Comcast, round 1

Once the FCC 'mandates' that a cable company provide 'free' a service that costs them a dollar, be prepared for a $5 rate hike. Of course I'm part of a shrinking minority who believes that as bad as rapacious cable companies etc. are, it's better for all if the reliably inept govt keeps out.

The only issue I have with that is that the cable companies went to governments long time ago and asked for exclusive rights to customer bases. They didn't want to compete with each other, as they knew they were better off with a limited type of "monopoly". If there was true competition, then sure, they can do what they want. Since there isn't, then they made their bed, and they shouldn't be complaining when the gov gets involved.

 

[jmt57]

ESPN - FCC says Comcast should put NFL Network in digital cable lineup - NFL


NFL wins round 1

This isn't round one, it's about round five or six.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: NFL vs Comcast, round 1

You got that right. The cable company certainly will charge for that service, either by subscriber or charge everyone.

My big problem with the gov't requiring that cable companies provide premium services is that where will it stop? So cable pays NFL neetwork a buck per subscriber and ups the monthly fee $1.20 per subscriber. Then the gov't says cable needs to also provide a premium baseballchannel, golf channel, bird watcher channel, whatever channel and each time they do my bill goes up a buck a month. Let me decide what I want to watch and pay for.

Sadly, we've reached a point in this country where our representatives have overwhelmingly decided that govt, not the marketplace, should unilaterally and without recourse decide which industries and corporations to favor, e.g. bail out. What's to prevent lobbyists for say 'golf' from convincing congress or the FCC that a new golf premium channel must be carried 'for the greater good'?