CSN Philly formally requested by Dish Network and DirecTV

[Jimbo]

This is just BS negotiating by Comcast. DirecTV does not control Sunday Ticket, the NFL does. The NFL accepted DirecTV's bid. It's like Versus being mad at ESPN because they have Monday Night Football. Versus had their chance to bid on it and the NFL accepted ESPN's bid.


Sandra

You are correct and COMCAST KNOWS this, but is trying to NOT allow it anyways.
It's not apples to apples they are comparing (Comcast that is)

 

[DodgerKing]

They are talking about locally, if you live in Philly they do not have the channel available to them.
That would be like you NOT getting your Dodger games on whatever RSN they are on.

How is it possible to not offer it locally while it is still on CONUS and available to everyone?

 

[SandraC]

You are correct and COMCAST KNOWS this, but is trying to NOT allow it anyways.
It's not apples to apples they are comparing (Comcast that is)

This is why one of my favorite phone calls of all time was to Cablevision about 15 years ago, when I told them I was so over them. Every once in a while a Cablevision rep shows up and tries to talk us into going back to cable. AS IF!!!

My fiance' just rolls his eyes, because he knows they guy is in a no-win situation. One time I even started complaining to the sales guy about how stupid Cablevision is letting Glen Sather ruin the Rangers!


Sandra

 

[SandraC]

A brief history lesson. Comcast bought both Prism, which was terrestrially distributed and SportsChannel Philadelphia, which was distributed via satellite. They shut down both channels and chose to distribute CSN Philadelphia using Prism's terrestrial infrastructure so that they wouldn't have to offer it to Dish and DirecTV.

It sounds like they can no longer use that loophole. However, they still have to come to an agreement on price, and after being without Versus for all of last football season, I am not holding my breath waiting for the channel.

This is how it was possible. They found a loophole in the satellite distribution laws, and Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Spector, who gets a ton of campaign contributions from Comcast, fought for that loophole for years and years. Finally the FCC closed it.


Sandra

 

[Jimbo]

How is it possible to not offer it locally while it is still on CONUS and available to everyone?

Some sort of loophole that Comcast has been using as an excuse for years .... the FCC is closing that loophole now.
And Comcast I'm sure will fight it to the last breath.

 

[Jimbo]

This is why one of my favorite phone calls of all time was to Cablevision about 15 years ago, when I told them I was so over them. Every once in a while a Cablevision rep shows up and tries to talk us into going back to cable. AS IF!!!

My fiance' just rolls his eyes, because he knows they guy is in a no-win situation. One time I even started complaining to the sales guy about how stupid Cablevision is letting Glen Sather ruin the Rangers!


Sandra

I'm in the same boat as you, the local cable company turned service on for me last back in 1991, I had it for 5 minutes and they could n't fix the picture to look right.
I haven't had them since.

Unfortunatly, I was forced by the Verizon fall out to find another Internet provider and the only other one available was my local Cable company, so I am know with them for Internet ONLY.

 

[Sparkman]

How is it possible to not offer it locally while it is still on CONUS and available to everyone?

From what I've heard, CSN Philly is not distributed by satellite. They use Microwave & fiber I believe to distribute it throughout the Phiily area.

 

[Jimbo]

From what I've heard, CSN Philly is not distributed by satellite. They use Microwave & fiber I believe to distribute it throughout the Phiily area.

Well if it's available on MLB EI's ?
Did they run fiber all the way to D*'s distribution point

 

[dmendenjr]

I wonder if Comcast's beef with dish would be the way dish handle's part time RSN?

 

[Mr Tony]

How is it possible to not offer it locally while it is still on CONUS and available to everyone?

CSN Philly is using the old PRISM and Sportschannel Philly infrastructure of microwave and fibre. They are NOT on satellite (Big dish satellite...not D* or E*). All the RSN's that are on DIsh/Direct and some that are not (CSN NW) are on C-Band satellite (scrambled of course)

As for the feeds available for the out of market packages that is an agreement between CSN Philly and the respective packages. They DO have to give those feeds up to the package providers. Folks in Philly and San Diego are still screwed as they would be blacked out on EI

 

[Mr Tony]

Well if it's available on MLB EI's ?
Did they run fiber all the way to D*'s distribution point

for MLB EI D* takes the feeds from MLB EI.....remember other providers have EI too

 

[Derwin0]

I wonder if Comcast's beef with dish would be the way dish handle's part time RSN?

Comcast's beef is that if Dish had CSN Philly, then they might lose customers to them.

 

[Jimbo]

for MLB EI D* takes the feeds from MLB EI.....remember other providers have EI too

OOOOP'S

 

[Mr Tony]

funny part is NBA LP & NHL CI have had CSN Philly feeds alot longer than MLB EI has

 

[SandraC]

funny part is NBA LP & NHL CI have had CSN Philly feeds alot longer than MLB EI has

That is true. But to this day, NBA LP and NHL CI only uses the CSN Philly feed when no other feed is available. I believe MLB EI now always included both the Comcast and My 17 over the air feed for every game, and always in HD.


Sandra

 

[obxflyers]

From the Philly Inquirer Dish: We will file Comcast complaint over sports | Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/30/2010

Taking advantage of new federal regulations, Dish Network says it will file a complaint against Comcast Corp., accusing the Philadelphia cable giant of withholding the regional sports network that carries the Phillies, Flyers and Sixers.

Talks between Dish Network, the nation's No. 2 satellite-TV provider, and Comcast have been taking place over the last several weeks and Dish's statement seemed timed to place political pressure on the Philadelphia cable giant to reach a deal with it.

"Dish Network has requested access to deliver Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia to our customers; however Comcast has refused to enter into good-faith discussions. Comcast's refusal clearly demonstrates a disturbing pattern of discriminatory behavior," Dish Network said in an e-mailed statement today.

Dish did not say today when it would file the complaint.

Comcast did not have an immediate comment but had said earlier this year it wouldn't fight the Federal Communications Commission on the new regulations.

Comcast is now seeking approval for its $30 billion merger with NBC Universal Inc. from the same agency, the FCC, that will referee the dispute over the sports programming between Comcast and Dish.

The FCC enacted new regulations earlier this year to close the so-called terrestrial loophole that allowed Comcast to withhold the Comcast-owned regional sports network from DirecTV and Dish Network. Industry experts say that Comcast has an unusually high penetration rate for its cable-TV service in the Philadelphia area because of its stranglehold on regional sports programming.

Doesn't sound like Comcast is playing nice, kind of surprising with the NBC deal looming, but I guess they're afraid of all those dishes popping up in their back yard.

 

[mbtbnk]

Does anyone have any updates to this? So frustating not being able to catch Philly sports in the Philly area with Direct TV

 

[Hemi 6.1]

No Idea!

 

[FlyingJ]

Nothing, nada, nill, squat...I search about once a week now to see if there is anything new. Hard to believe that this thing just died with unanswered questions for so long now. Something smells bad.

 

[jrbdmb]

Well, Specter still isn't in office, so I expect Dish to eventually get Comcast-Philly. But Comcast will drag their feet as long as possible, and if the NBC merger gets approved without Dish getting the channel, Comcast will really start to stonewall. Best hope is for the merger to become dependent on Comcast giving up their "crown jewel" as Specter previously called the channel.

I know this will never happens now, but crap like this is really why there should be a limitation on distributors owning the content - too much potential for abuse.