And from where I stand......
Someone mentioned losing subscribers and cord cutting, etc.
I have a friend that installs for DTV. In the last few months ,we've hired 2 guys that used to install for DTV. I ask all three the same question; How often do you replace Dish network out there? All three consistently say rarely. 1 gave me about 20% of the new connects are replacing Dish. I asked one, a few months after working here and he said he was shocked at how often we're replacing Direct. In my area - Central, IL, in the several months I've been in Columbus, OH, in Buffalo, NY for 3 weeks, in Sioux Falls, SD for 2 weeks - in other words, a pretty solid slice of markets, I can say I consistently replace DirecTV on a solid 90% of my new connects. I can only assume that much, most of the country is probably the same.
If you're losing that much business to the competition, what would you do to try and tip the scales back? Not that I'm going to say this is the biggest motivation for the take down, but something I can't help but think about....