Versus Removed Sept 1 from DirecTV

**Jhon69** · 08-21-2009 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by skottey

Best premium content? They certainly don't mean "premium" channels. I will take it to mean sports. But why don't they just come out and say we have Sunday Ticket, don't switch.

Outside of sports, what does DirecTV actually offer that you cannot get anywhere else (packaged the same way like Sunday ticket, with all out of market NFL games)?

How dare they say "premium" when they mean "Sunday Ticket and RSNs."

I am an average sports fan and I get my fill with local stations and local RSNs. I don't have to miss any NFL games of my team or many hockey games at all with my local team. Sure, if you are a "displaced" fan or such a large fan that you cannot live without every possibly football game on Sunday, you have to have DirecTV (or find a bar playing your game with sound). So they should call it what it is. Declaring best "premium" variety is at the very least deceptive.

The best "premium" sports are on DirecTV.

The best "premium" channels (movies) are on FIOS, not DirecTV.

The best "premium" anything else is elsewhere.

The only exclusive to DirecTV stuff that I watch is "Trailer Park Boys" on the 101 and if I really wanted, I can watch every episode online or buy the DVD set of the entire series.

DirecTV really needs to stop patting itself on the back.

You forgot best national basic channels since I only have SD I believe that goes to DirecTV.I did check to see if I could get FIOS in my area it said not available,but Verizon then said they could sell me DirecTV.

**Frank Booth** · 08-21-2009 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by skottey

The only exclusive to DirecTV stuff that I watch is "Trailer Park Boys" on the 101 and if I really wanted, I can watch every episode online or buy the DVD set of the entire series.

Amazon.com: Used and New: Trailer Park Boys: The Complete Series

The DVD's are well worth it for the commentary tracks and the deleted and expanded scenes.

**MSHAW2715** · 08-21-2009 09:40 PM

DirecTV says it will no longer carry Versus network -- latimes.com

DirecTV says it will no longer carry Versus network
The network that carries the NHL, Tour de France and some Pac-10 football games is in a negotiating dispute with the satellite TV giant.

For the last couple of days, DirecTV satellite television subscribers have been seeing a crawl if they've watched any Versus network programming telling them that as of Aug. 31, DirecTV will no longer carry Versus.

For college football and NHL fans who get their television through DirecTV, this could be bad news.

Five Pacific 10 Conference games (as yet undetermined) as well as an assortment of Big 12 and Mountain West games, and an NHL package of 54 games could become unavailable to DirecTV subscribers just when those seasons start. The first Pac-10 game on the Versus schedule will be Sept. 26.

According to Versus, it is now seen in 75 million homes. Besides college football and the NHL, Versus is the home of the Tour de France, IRL auto racing and cage fighting.

Robert Mercer, director of public relations for DirecTV, said, "Versus' overall ratings are poor and have not increased nearly enough to justify what we're paying them, let alone the significant increase they're asking for," Mercer said.

"It is a significant rate hike and the deal is discriminatory because Versus is not offering the same package options as other distributors."

Versus is owned by Comcast, a cable carrier that competes with DirecTV. Versus responded in a statement released Friday that said it has added "many marquee properties" and has become "the fastest-growing sports cable network in the country."

According to Nielsen ratings numbers, Versus is averaging 3,000 more viewers at any given time since rebranding itself from the Outdoor Life Network to Versus in 2006-2007. On DirecTV, Versus ranks 61st among 74 English-advertising supported cable networks.

Duane Lindberg, who handles the Pac-10 television contracts, said he had been unaware of the DirecTV-Versus dispute. "It's in our best interests to have Versus be as widely distributed as possible," Lindberg said.

diane.pucin@latimes.com

Copyright © 2009,
The Los Angeles Times

**vurbano** · 08-21-2009 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by tigerfan33

I didn't know Chuck ran Direct also!!

Wow. Just before college football season.

That's exactly what I was going to say.

**meStevo** · 08-21-2009 10:04 PM

Sucks, UFL is on Versus too.

**skottey** · 08-21-2009 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by Jhon69

You forgot best national basic channels since I only have SD I believe that goes to DirecTV.I did check to see if I could get FIOS in my area it said not available,but Verizon then said they could sell me DirecTV.

DirecTV does not have the best basic SD offerings by any stretch of the imagination. They're even worse with SD than HD offerings. At least they are up there above many cable operators when it comes to HD. But not with SD. Examples. Well, let's see. Bright House Networks and Knology in my city both offer all the HBO/MAX/SHO/TMC/Starz SD feeds and BHN offers most of the west too. They offer just about every basic channel except for Boomerang that DirecTV doesn't have and many more.

I don't know what your cable operator provides, but I have two in my town that blow DirecTV away on basics in SD.

At this point, I am pretty much interested in HD though and DirecTV is good for complimenting FIOS (or being there instead of until I get FIOS again)

**skottey** · 08-21-2009 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Frank Booth

Amazon.com: Used and New: Trailer Park Boys: The Complete Series

The DVD's are well worth it for the commentary tracks and the deleted and expanded scenes.

Thanks. I had seriously considered buying it a couple months ago but they aren't HD and the 101 has it in HD. I may still buy it. Best show out of Canada these days, that is for sure....haha.

**ehren** · 08-21-2009 11:33 PM

Hold Versus to get CSN-Philly Directv!

Versus is a comcast network right?

**Iceberg** · 08-21-2009 11:37 PM

yes Versus is owned by Comcast

**Jhon69** · 08-22-2009 04:08 AM

Originally Posted by skottey

DirecTV does not have the best basic SD offerings by any stretch of the imagination. They're even worse with SD than HD offerings. At least they are up there above many cable operators when it comes to HD. But not with SD. Examples. Well, let's see. Bright House Networks and Knology in my city both offer all the HBO/MAX/SHO/TMC/Starz SD feeds and BHN offers most of the west too. They offer just about every basic channel except for Boomerang that DirecTV doesn't have and many more.

I don't know what your cable operator provides, but I have two in my town that blow DirecTV away on basics in SD.

At this point, I am pretty much interested in HD though and DirecTV is good for complimenting FIOS (or being there instead of until I get FIOS again)

We have Charter and they don't blow anyone away they just blow.So it's between DirecTV and Dish which when you compare national basic channels in SD DirecTV offers more.Premium Movie services it's Dish,but because I like family programming I like that DirecTV offers both channels(East and West) of HBO Family.Plus if you order any Premium Movie service with DirecTV they give you The Sundance Channel also.