Whatever.............your rates are going to go up whether BTN is added or not.
Big Ten Network
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Whatever.............your rates are going to go up whether BTN is added or not.
The resistance you mention come from two sources..The major producers like GE( owner of NBC) who produce channels such as MSNBC,CNBC and a host of other niche channels. And small produecers who may be in control of one or two chanels. These may be shopping channels, special interest services
or religious channels. Each entity has a vested interest in the status quo..A la carte availablity would certainly create an upheaval in the market. For sure, small niche channels would feel the the pinch. With just the few viewers who are interested, those services would see a revenue drain that may put them out of business. The major producers such as NBC, Cablevision or Time Warner would lose exposure because their niche channels may go dark...The current system is a form of TV welfare. Subscribers are forced to pay for channels they would rarely or never watch to get far more popular services..It's going to take a huge grassroots effort on the part of TV consumers to get a la carte in gear.
Okay, I understand your alacarte argument, and it is clearly a strong one. But the NFL network comparison specious? Are you honestly suggesting that in the Big Ten region, that a network that covers 2/3s of conference basketball games LIVE will not be more popular than a network that has only 8 live regular season sporting events a year? Outside of the region, yes, the NFL network will probably be more popular, but the pricing would reflect that (60 cents or so a customer difference).
I think that most of us want alacarte pricing (Hall's exception noted,). I am entirely willing to pay extra for my sports programming (I have purchased Gameplan for years to accomplish just that). I wish that the BTN would agree to put it on a sports tier. But it is also not "fair" that I have to pay for all of the channels that sports fans get forced on us as well. You want to draw the line here with the BTN, and that's fine. But then let's push our legislators to get rid of tier programming altogether, so that I don't have to continue to pay for all of the childrens programming that never gets watched in my household either.
Good points all....
If the BTN allows providers to place them on a higher or optional sports tier, then they will have to raise the price to around $5/month in order to reach their revenue estimates.
Starchoice, a satellite provider in Canada, has a "hybrid" that is much more flexible (ala carte) than US providers. They have a very limited "Essentials" package that everyone must get, but beyond that, they have what they refer to as bundles--each comprised of about 5-7 channels based on a specific theme. You can buy bundles for around 5 dollars each, but they also offer "discounts" buy purchasing multiple bundles (7 bundles, 9 bundles). I have no idea why American providers could not do the same thing--the incentives to get more bundles (by lower pricing) is still there, but you have tremendous flexibility. A sports fan with no children would not have to get family programming, while non-sports fans could buy the programming they want. Its not pure ala carte, but it is a heck of alot better than what our providers give us.
That's their problem.... If they developed their business plan based them getting the placement they wanted at the rates they wanted, well, that's too bad. As I've said before, they should have had carriage agreements worked out with *enough* providers beforehand.
The problem here is BTN believes their service should be on a basic tier. E* says it's a regional sports net and by that only people in the coverage area would have to pay for it..That's the sticking point..BTN has a a lot to gain by forcing a placement on basic...Already, three major cable outlets plus E* have said no go to BTN....Sorry Big ten fans but for now you'll have to get Ohio State vs sacrificial lamb college the old fashioned way....BTW question for those of you in the the OTA markets of these schools(i.e Ann Arbor, Columbus, Ames,IA, etc.) Do the locals affliates show these games over the air anyway?..
For example..In the Columbia,SC DMA , every U of South Carolina football game is shown locally in that market...Doesn't matter if they ar eplaying a major SEC rival or Podunk U.
Please never ever confuse anything of the University of Iowa with Moo-U in Ames (ISU)..... home of the 200 pound cheerleaders! LOL
Moo U..Classic...Please never ever confuse anything of the University of Iowa with Moo-U in Ames (ISU)..... home of the 200 pound cheerleaders! LOL
Dish likes to uplink channels before they "release" them so that they can test things and as far as I know, they haven't done so with the B10N. Then again, they're no longer using obvious names for the test channels like they used to.
I know the author of this article must be an idiot with what he wrote, but man I wish this was true:
"
38The Big Ten Network, which does not yet have a deal to be aired on Comcast, is slated to cover Penn State's opener against Florida International and the Nits' Sept. 15 contest against Buffalo. Comcast is reluctant to add the BTN to basic cable, in part because it would set a precedent to do the same when other conferences (and pro leagues) inevitably start their own networks. For local fans who have DirecTV and the Dish Network, both carry the network."
50 things to know about college football | Daily News | 08/28/2007
"
38The Big Ten Network, which does not yet have a deal to be aired on Comcast, is slated to cover Penn State's opener against Florida International and the Nits' Sept. 15 contest against Buffalo. Comcast is reluctant to add the BTN to basic cable, in part because it would set a precedent to do the same when other conferences (and pro leagues) inevitably start their own networks. For local fans who have DirecTV and the Dish Network, both carry the network."
50 things to know about college football | Daily News | 08/28/2007
Big Ten
Yes, that would be very nice. I'm holding out hope that there is a chance a deal could be done before Sept 1st that would allow Dish to carry the network.
It seems like technically there is a chance it could happen. All along they've said negotiations are ongoing, but I haven't heard any news lately. I'm not sure if that is a good or a bad sign....
Yes, that would be very nice. I'm holding out hope that there is a chance a deal could be done before Sept 1st that would allow Dish to carry the network.
It seems like technically there is a chance it could happen. All along they've said negotiations are ongoing, but I haven't heard any news lately. I'm not sure if that is a good or a bad sign....
Interesting News Article
I came across this interesting news story. It's a week or so old, but it shed some more light on some of the negotiations and numbers.
Mixed Signals by Loren Tate
Couple of interesting tidbits that stood out:
"And they've studied Comcast. According to Silverman, Comcast spends one-third of its income on programming, one-third on its debt and one-third is profit. He said Comcast showed a $3 billion profit in the last quarter."
and:
"In a true a la carte offering, I'd like to line up our network with the other 70 networks on your basic cable in the Midwest and let the consumers choose," Delany said. "I'm confident our network would be in the top 20 in terms of interest. But we have a bundled environment, and we want to be bundled with the rest. There are 35 networks more expensive than ours. We just want to be another of the 70 networks that the consumers pay for and have no control over."
and finally:
"Yes, there'll be games that Comcast calls second-raters. But Iowans want to see the Hawkeyes play basketball, regardless. Minnesotans want to watch the Gophers, regardless. That's the strength of it. There'll be four nonconference football games teeing off at 11 a.m. Sept. 1, and more than a million Big Ten alums OUTSIDE the eight states will have the opportunity to watch their favorite ... that day and every day thereafter.
Not all the Illini football and basketball games were televised last year. That will never again be the case. It's hard to find something wrong with that."
I hope DISH adds this soon. I really don't want to have to switch to DirecTV after almost 10 years with E*.
I came across this interesting news story. It's a week or so old, but it shed some more light on some of the negotiations and numbers.
Mixed Signals by Loren Tate
Couple of interesting tidbits that stood out:
"And they've studied Comcast. According to Silverman, Comcast spends one-third of its income on programming, one-third on its debt and one-third is profit. He said Comcast showed a $3 billion profit in the last quarter."
and:
"In a true a la carte offering, I'd like to line up our network with the other 70 networks on your basic cable in the Midwest and let the consumers choose," Delany said. "I'm confident our network would be in the top 20 in terms of interest. But we have a bundled environment, and we want to be bundled with the rest. There are 35 networks more expensive than ours. We just want to be another of the 70 networks that the consumers pay for and have no control over."
and finally:
"Yes, there'll be games that Comcast calls second-raters. But Iowans want to see the Hawkeyes play basketball, regardless. Minnesotans want to watch the Gophers, regardless. That's the strength of it. There'll be four nonconference football games teeing off at 11 a.m. Sept. 1, and more than a million Big Ten alums OUTSIDE the eight states will have the opportunity to watch their favorite ... that day and every day thereafter.
Not all the Illini football and basketball games were televised last year. That will never again be the case. It's hard to find something wrong with that."
I hope DISH adds this soon. I really don't want to have to switch to DirecTV after almost 10 years with E*.
Sounds like he's implying that Comcast should use some of their $3B profit and cover the cost of the B10N. Why can't B10N eat into their profit by asking lower rates ??
Top 20 ?? I'm sure he wishes that were the case... I have AT250 and if I were to make a top 20, unless Ohio St football games were *only* shown on B10N, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't make my top 20.
In another interesting find - Comcast is really playing hardball now:
U caught up in feud between Comcast, Big Ten Network
"The showdown between the Big Ten Network and Comcast continues to escalate, and the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce is caught in the middle with one of its events.
Comcast officials sent a letter to St. Paul Chamber and University of Minnesota officials last week requesting that the cable television company be removed as a corporate sponsor for Wednesday's Gophers football kickoff luncheon in St. Paul.
In the letter, which was obtained by the Star Tribune, Comcast's Twin Cities Region Vice President Bill Wright wrote that the decision was made "in light of reported plans by the Big Ten Network and Fox Sports to encourage Comcast customers to disconnect their service in favor of DirecTV, which is owned by the parent company of Fox."
Wright also wrote that because Minnesota is a member of the Big Ten Conference, "our financial support and sponsorship of upcoming University and Big Ten events is being withdrawn.""
Yikes! It's starting to get personal now!
U caught up in feud between Comcast, Big Ten Network
"The showdown between the Big Ten Network and Comcast continues to escalate, and the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce is caught in the middle with one of its events.
Comcast officials sent a letter to St. Paul Chamber and University of Minnesota officials last week requesting that the cable television company be removed as a corporate sponsor for Wednesday's Gophers football kickoff luncheon in St. Paul.
In the letter, which was obtained by the Star Tribune, Comcast's Twin Cities Region Vice President Bill Wright wrote that the decision was made "in light of reported plans by the Big Ten Network and Fox Sports to encourage Comcast customers to disconnect their service in favor of DirecTV, which is owned by the parent company of Fox."
Wright also wrote that because Minnesota is a member of the Big Ten Conference, "our financial support and sponsorship of upcoming University and Big Ten events is being withdrawn.""
Yikes! It's starting to get personal now!- Status
