DISH Cries Foul Over DIRECTV/MLB Deal

[Lucky]

DISH Cries Foul Over DIRECTV/MLB Deal

As of press time late Wednesday, the scuttlebutt was that DIRECTV and Major League Baseball were close to announcing a deal that would give the satellite TV giant exclusive access to the game's out-of-market games.

That's not sitting well with at least one competitor.

In response, EchoStar put out a statement saying "a line had been crossed" and promising to "take a stand" to fight the exclusive deal, which would give DIRECTV sole access to the league's Extra Innings out-of-market package.

"When our customers are suddenly cut off from watching their favorite sports teams on TV, it is time to ask whether the market is working. This is both anti-competitive and anti-consumer," EchoStar said in a statement.

The No. 2 satellite TV company also said it was concerned by news that "DIRECTV will be able to block over 85 percent of U.S. pay-TV subscribers from watching out-of-market Major League Baseball games. After all, baseball is the American pastime."

The company, which operates DISH Network, added, "This recent move by DIRECTV is particularly egregious given that these games until now have been carried by multiple cable and satellite TV providers. Thus, we will be forced to take away valuable programming from existing subscribers who depend on EchoStar to receive all their television channels.

"Consumers will be harmed - especially if they are forced to change providers, switch to a higher-priced service, or invest in new equipment." A DIRECTV/MLB agreement also may not sit well with lawmakers. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) has promised hearings on such a deal. Another senator, Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter, also has criticized the rumored exclusive for the DBS company.

As the rumor made its way around industry press, sources valued a DIRECTV/Major League Baseball deal for the Extra Innings package at $700 million. There's been no word from DIRECTV.

http://www.skyreport.com/?HDPictures.com

 

[minnow]

And if the baseball mit was on the other hand, Dish would be singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". Charlie's pocket is just as deep as Directv's. He's just too cheap to reach down deep where the bigger bills are located.

 

[VinceT3]

It doesn't matter if its good for DTV, Echo, or Cable.. exclusives on one provider limit choices for "us" the consumer.. if it wasn't about "us" then we'd still have our choice of a black rotery phone or no phone at all..

 

[gasman882001]

It doesn't matter if its good for DTV, Echo, or Cable.. exclusives on one provider limit choices for "us" the consumer.. if it wasn't about "us" then we'd still have our choice of a black rotery phone or no phone at all..

That was the phone that my parents had in their home until about 10 years ago when they "downsized" from the home we all grew up in. They were still renting that wonderful phone from the phone company! When I looked at one of their last phone bills I just laughed.

 

[ronfelder]

It doesn't matter if its good for DTV, Echo, or Cable.. exclusives on one provider limit choices for "us" the consumer.. if it wasn't about "us" then we'd still have our choice of a black rotery phone or no phone at all..

Nobody is stopping any baseball fan from switching to D* if they want MLB. If someone wants that product they should go where it's available. It's called free enterprise I beleive. I don't hear anyone bitching about D* having NFL Sunday ticket. It's the same thing. The only people who are left out in the cold are people who don't have a view of D*'s sats.

Ron

 

[pdxsam]

I don't hear anyone bitching about D* having NFL Sunday ticket. It's the same thing.

It's not in any way shape or form the same thing. Sunday Ticket has always been an exclusive. Never been available on any other platform. Anyone who wanted Sunday Ticket knew they had to go with DirecTv or go without Sunday Ticket. EI has been on cable and Dish for the past few years. We've been able to get it. We've had it.

The only people who are left out in the cold are people who don't have a view of D*'s sats.

And people in apartments all over the United States.

 

[gernskin]

Dont you want lower prices?

For those of you who support Direc tv, This will only mean higher prices, no competion means they will charge what they want.

 

[ronfelder]

It's not in any way shape or form the same thing. Sunday Ticket has always been an exclusive. Never been available on any other platform. Anyone who wanted Sunday Ticket knew they had to go with DirecTv or go without Sunday Ticket. EI has been on cable and Dish for the past few years. We've been able to get it. We've had it.



And people in apartments all over the United States.

People in apartments can get D* if they have the view. I believe MLB was once exclusive to D*. Also if the cable companies wanted MLB they should have out bid D*. Then they would have had it.

I don't have D* but feel that they won MLB fair and square by being the highest bidder. Afterall it was open for bid.

ron.

 

[cybertrip]

It's too bad DirecTV doesn't allow people to just purchase the Sunday Ticket or MLB Package without purchasing anything else. I think that's something that could be enforced by lawmakers. I shouldn't be forced in to buying a service I don't want in order to get a service that I once had before. DirecTV's exclusiveness will not make me switch to them. I've had DirecTV and I will never go back to them. I just want my MLB and that's it!

 

[Paradox-SJ]

i hope it goes thorugh and MLB viewing drops and D*never recops their invetment....

Who watches baseball anymore anyways....it would be one more nail in a dieing sport

 

[riffjim4069]

Nobody is stopping any baseball fan from switching to D* if they want MLB. If someone wants that product they should go where it's available. It's called free enterprise I beleive. I don't hear anyone bitching about D* having NFL Sunday ticket. It's the same thing. The only people who are left out in the cold are people who don't have a view of D*'s sats.

Ron

To an extent...but D* does not provided local public access, education, and government channels, nor do they contibute to many local areas because they are not taxed and don't pay cable franchise fees, and some people prefer cable because of bundled discounts (phone, video, voice). Anyway, the NFL Sunday Ticket is just as bad...it limits sports fans from accessing their sports teams.

 

[SatinKzo]

I say let MLB do what they want with D*. More power to both, but I can't believe it'll result in large gains for D* in revenue or subs. At least not large enough to off-set the prices. Sure some diehards will switch, but I believe the only sport with loyal enough fans is football that will switch providers to get their team.

Dish shouldn't whine about it, they had the chance to big it up and pass on the cost to subs and such. I know that is not their motto (or so they say).

Honestly, can you blame MLB for taking guaranteed money from D* and letting D* worry about recouping it? We all know sports are not in it for the fans unless the fans spend money. If people want to whine about this stuff, why not whine about how fast food gets exclusive movie deals for the kids meals and such? I mean cmon, say I don't have a burger king in my area or I don't like BK, but I want some gadget from their current movie promo tie in. Should I whine that mcdonalds should be able to offer the toys?

*btw, I'm a former dish, now basic cable sub. I have not bias either way except I think MLB has lost it's way

 

[ronfelder]

To an extent...but D* does not provided local public access, education, and government channels, nor do they contibute to many local areas because they are not taxed and don't pay cable franchise fees, and some people prefer cable because of bundled discounts (phone, video, voice). Anyway, the NFL Sunday Ticket is just as bad...it limits sports fans from accessing their sports teams.

D* doesn't have to supply those local services for they aren't franchised by the local community. If someone wants MLB bad enough they should switch. If they prefer the bundled packages from cable or E* then they'll have to sacrifice and not get MLB. They can't have it both ways and nor should they. Whatever happened to capitalism and the free enterprise system? I suppose it's only good for some people when it suits their needs.

Perhaps if MLB looses it's fans then they'll reconsider how they put out the bidding process when this new contract expires.

Ron

 

[cybertrip]

i hope it goes thorugh and MLB viewing drops and D*never recops their invetment....

Who watches baseball anymore anyways....it would be one more nail in a dieing sport

Baseball is a dying sport? It is one of the most watched sports right next to Football. NASCAR is trailing right behind it. Although I wouldn't consider NASCAR to really be a sport. Ooo wow people going around in a circle at 180mph and some times nearly killing themselves. Sounds like fun, heh. NASCAR is like a game of chess. You have to make the right move at the right time which in the last laps it can be fun to watch, but like I said, it's like chess. Which, to me, chess is boring.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Its not just a problem for Dish Network customers, but cable customers as well who will lose the ability to watch their favorite non local team play. Many folks with cable can not get DirecTV, they could get the Extra Innings package via cable, yet this year (and for the length of this contract) they won't be able to get it unless they find a way to get DirecTV.

Major League Baseball just shows once again they could care less about their fans, and only care about the almighty dollar.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I don't like seeing things like this. This could be extended to other programming. For example maybe HBO will decide to go to bid to one DBS. Or ESPN. Or perhaps those providers create custom exclusive channels. Perhaps the Olympics go to only one provider. We could get to the point of where D* has 10 exclusives and E* has 10 exclusives and the only way for the consumer to watch everything is to subscribe to both.

The present process of allowing all DBS and cable subs the option of purchasing extra packages or tiers is much better for the consumer.

 

[belawrence]

Not a big deal to me-i'd rather have more HD than any exclusive sports packages.

 

[ronfelder]

sneator specter

The only reason Senator Specter is looking into the MLB D* deal is because he represents Pennsylvania. the home state of Comcast.

Ron

 

[Cyclone]

Yeah, its hard for me to muster up any sympathy, since I haven't subscribed to MLB:EI in the 6 years I've been a DBS sub.

I was fun to watch some out of market games and commercials during freebie week though.

 

[ronfelder]

Its not just a problem for Dish Network customers, but cable customers as well who will lose the ability to watch their favorite non local team play. Many folks with cable can not get DirecTV, they could get the Extra Innings package via cable, yet this year (and for the length of this contract) they won't be able to get it unless they find a way to get DirecTV.

Major League Baseball just shows once again they could care less about their fans, and only care about the almighty dollar.

It's always been about the dollar. When did you think it was otherwise?

ron