cox cable vs espn

[navy8ball]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=299&e=2&u=/ibsys/20031119/lo_koco/1884781

 

[dlsnyder]

I hope Cox is successful. If they do this they will increase their average revenue per subscriber without a rate increase. Getting ESPN out of the basic lineup will decrease their costs for that package but they probably won't drop the rate. Putting it in the "expanded basic" tier will cause more subs to move up to that level. Sounds like a smart move if they can get away with it. And if no one complains too much many other MSOs will follow. Isn't there a provision in the contract with ESPN that prevents them from doing this though?