D* has picked the ball back up. IE: Nascar hotpass

[goaliebob99]

Tonight was the offical kick off of the Nascar season with the bud shoot out. It was not the same as last year with the ablity to pick driver audio, and hotpass. DIRECTV BRING BACK HOTPASS! Directv's lack of annoucement and lack of Nascar package is the wrong and dissapointing. For the sports leader, this is very unlike D*. I am very very dissapointed in Directv. Chase Carrey What are you doing. Come on now. Get rid of the PPV, add some real hd and bring back nascar hotpass. I expected more out of directv, not Charlie Ergin like results we have been getting. More and more, I am seeing D* act like E* in the terms of the way they do buisness, versus the D* of last year who was able to get the deals done well before the midight deadline. Wake up D* Come on!

 

[Jimbo]

Tonight was the offical kick off of the Nascar season with the bud shoot out. It was not the same as last year with the ablity to pick driver audio, and hotpass. DIRECTV BRING BACK HOTPASS! Directv's lack of annoucement and lack of Nascar package is the wrong and dissapointing. For the sports leader, this is very unlike D*. I am very very dissapointed in Directv. Chase Carrey What are you doing. Come on now. Get rid of the PPV, add some real hd and bring back nascar hotpass. I expected more out of directv, not Charlie Ergin like results we have been getting. More and more, I am seeing D* act like E* in the terms of the way they do buisness, versus the D* of last year who was able to get the deals done well before the midight deadline. Wake up D* Come on!

I think it all started to turn when Murdock left ...

 

[iwc5893]

Yep, I'd agree with that.

Report says DirecTV has canceled NASCAR HotPass - Blog of Tomorrow - al.com

The Daly Planet: DirecTV's "Hot Pass" Cancelled For 2009?

 

[Rey]

I think it all started to turn when Murdock left ...

:up

 

[bidger`]

I think it all started to turn when Murdock left ...

But, people reamed him while he was in charge! Not me, I was thrilled to have someone with a Network affiliation in charge.

We were warned about how it wouldn't improve with Malone in the driver's seat and it's true. I hate to say it, but I wish he would see to AT&T.

 

[uncrules]

I don't think D*'s problems are Carey's fault. D* was run great when Carey had more freedom that Murdoch provided. But clearly Malone has put tight restrictions on how Carey can run D*.

Malone, please sell D*.

 

[rad]

I think the general rumor was that HotPass was cancelled because it didn't make enough money to cover it's costs. If that was the case is it unreasonable for D* to cancel a money loosing product, I don't think so. OK, so what's the replacement, maybe they just haven't come up with something that will provide something different then what the network coverage has now at a cheap enough price that people would want to buy it.

Bob, if you were running D* what would you replace HotPass with and how much would you charge for it and would it recover it's production costs?

 

[goaliebob99]

I think the general rumor was that HotPass was cancelled because it didn't make enough money to cover it's costs. If that was the case is it unreasonable for D* to cancel a money loosing product, I don't think so. OK, so what's the replacement, maybe they just haven't come up with something that will provide something different then what the network coverage has now at a cheap enough price that people would want to buy it.

Bob, if you were running D* what would you replace HotPass with and how much would you charge for it and would it recover it's production costs?

I would have actually kept it, better marketed the product better. Obviously there would have been a price increase needed. I would have made it a modest increase, like 20 bucks. I think marketing was a huge issue on why nascar hotpass didnt survive. NFL is a major loosing money horse, but they have kept that and pumped money into it. If NFLST can get a D* bailout why cant hotpass?? Also, with the economy being so bad, and more people staying home, they in combination with the right marketing, they could have enough subscribers to justify the costs. I know I see like 80 billion ads for MLB extra innings. If nascar hotpas had the same penitration in addsupport that NFL ST and MLBEI has, I'm very confident that nascar hotpass would have survived.


Now with that said, I am really dissapointed that there has been no annoucment. D* has been loosing my confidence and support. Im finding my self thinking seriously about switching providers. The noise rumbeling from the competition seriously has me thinking my options. While I would love to see d* with all the HD programming I want, I dont see how D* can be a competitor if its not going to use the current bandwith it has efficantly, and use the bandwith it may get in the future. D*'s actions speak loudly. Its the actions of the company that has me worried. While employees can say anything, Its the actions of D* that speak loudly.

 

[nascr2424]

In a Direct Tv flier put out in todays paper it states "new for 09, nascar hotpass absolutely FREE" So I am assuming a couple of channels with in car shots but no radio if it will be free

 

[rad]

I would have actually kept it, better marketed the product better. Obviously there would have been a price increase needed. I would have made it a modest increase, like 20 bucks. I think marketing was a huge issue on why nascar hotpass didnt survive. NFL is a major loosing money horse, but they have kept that and pumped money into it. If NFLST can get a D* bailout why cant hotpass?? Also, with the economy being so bad, and more people staying home, they in combination with the right marketing, they could have enough subscribers to justify the costs. I know I see like 80 billion ads for MLB extra innings. If nascar hotpas had the same penitration in addsupport that NFL ST and MLBEI has, I'm very confident that nascar hotpass would have survived.


Now with that said, I am really dissapointed that there has been no annoucment. D* has been loosing my confidence and support. Im finding my self thinking seriously about switching providers. The noise rumbeling from the competition seriously has me thinking my options. While I would love to see d* with all the HD programming I want, I dont see how D* can be a competitor if its not going to use the current bandwith it has efficantly, and use the bandwith it may get in the future. D*'s actions speak loudly. Its the actions of the company that has me worried. While employees can say anything, Its the actions of D* that speak loudly.

Bob, I don't think rasing the price on HotPass would have saved it. Look at all the bitching going on about a $3 to $5 per month increase in monthly service, you really thing folks would buy a $20 increase on HotPass? Before the start of last season folks were cancelling it because of the cost vs. what they received. Over at DBS Satracer was trying to get folks to keep it by getting them a discount on the service.

Bob, as for NFL-ST, do you know for a fact that it's the major money looser that you say it is? I've never seen any breakout on any financial statement form D* that shows it's a money looser. And comparing it against Hotpass is apples and oranges. For NFL-ST all D* basically does is retransmit the network feeds, which they already are getting. They add on the mix channel which doesn't take much effort and the RedZone channel which is a few folks in a studio. Now look at HotPass, there are four channels of content that have to be produced with on air and off air personel, the equipment to support those four channels and four backhauls of that content.

As for the noise form the other side, what noise, that they might add some channels "soon" or the noise that another HD channel was pulled with no notice over contract issues? Come one, even your boss said back with D11 went up is to not look for any big new HD channel rollouts like with D10, that they would be very careful on what they added, which is what's happened.

 

[joed32]

A lot of subs only have Directv because of Sunday Ticket. Not anywhere near as many subs signed up for Hot Pass. I read a lot of complaints about it last year and a lot of people saying they wouldn't get it again. I'm not a Nascar fan but was it a bad product or or are there just too few subs who are Nascar fans?

 

[uncrules]

In a Direct Tv flier put out in todays paper it states "new for 09, nascar hotpass absolutely FREE" So I am assuming a couple of channels with in car shots but no radio if it will be free

Maybe something will happen for this year. Either that or the marketing department isn't talking to the programming department.

 

[goaliebob99]

Bob, I don't think rasing the price on HotPass would have saved it. Look at all the bitching going on about a $3 to $5 per month increase in monthly service, you really thing folks would buy a $20 increase on HotPass? Before the start of last season folks were cancelling it because of the cost vs. what they received. Over at DBS Satracer was trying to get folks to keep it by getting them a discount on the service.

Bob, as for NFL-ST, do you know for a fact that it's the major money looser that you say it is? I've never seen any breakout on any financial statement form D* that shows it's a money looser. And comparing it against Hotpass is apples and oranges. For NFL-ST all D* basically does is retransmit the network feeds, which they already are getting. They add on the mix channel which doesn't take much effort and the RedZone channel which is a few folks in a studio. Now look at HotPass, there are four channels of content that have to be produced with on air and off air personel, the equipment to support those four channels and four backhauls of that content.

As for the noise form the other side, what noise, that they might add some channels "soon" or the noise that another HD channel was pulled with no notice over contract issues? Come one, even your boss said back with D11 went up is to not look for any big new HD channel rollouts like with D10, that they would be very careful on what they added, which is what's happened.

I think it would have, if they marketed right and maybe added a couple of features. Its the way you market things that makes a big impact. You can have the greatest product in the world, but if its not being marketed right or has no marketing going on. No one is going to know about it.

Directv Payed over 700 million for ST over for 6 years. that's over 100 million a year. At the time, directv in 2000 Sunday ticket was priced at 149 dollars for everything. This year to get everything the total price of NFL ST was at 269 plus super fan at 99 = 368 dollars. Wich is a 105 percent increase in 10 years! On average its just under 20 bucks a year price increase. Directv had to up the price because they were loosing so much money on the NFL and each year that goes by the NFL gets more of that money as it progresses. I didnt see anyone bulking about raising NFL st up 20 bucks. But it is getting rediculous.

Comparing it to hotpass is only apples to oranges becaue D* hasnt given it the same resource they have to NFL ST. While it is true that Nascar does have related costs in uplink transmissions, the cost of the ST payed to the NFL is way more than what hotpass was to produce and transmitt it. Also, D* could have transmitted it on their own birds instead of paying a cband provider to transmit the feeds and then re uplink them. I dont think any one at D* thought of this, as it could have been a major cost saving measure.

As reguard to the noise, you obviously havent been watching the annoucements and what "the boss" has been saying. When snoopy dances, there usally is a reason, and snoopy has been doing the Jitter bug lately! This time in three months E* will not only have the channels that D* currently has (viacom), They would have surpassed them. All the channels E* is launching now D* allready has. All the Channels E* has launched in the past, D* doesnt have like HBO's, WGN, ect. Also, Dish has alot more compacity that D*. Also D* has been sitting on their compasity because there is no new compasity coming for a long time. I still dont see how D12 brings new frequencys when it reused the same low band that is in use now. I honestly dont see how they are going to be adding new HD content. As far as the contract issues, the contract was up and not renewed. Dish is now renegotating the contract. It was as simple as that. One thought the deal would be done, and it wasnt. Also the amount of repeats on that channel deserved for it to be yanked.

 

[JAG72]

Did they normally do the shoot out races with Hot Pass in the past? I thought it was only the real race that was covered.

 

[rad]

I think it would have, if they marketed right and maybe added a couple of features. Its the way you market things that makes a big impact. You can have the greatest product in the world, but if its not being marketed right or has no marketing going on. No one is going to know about it.

Directv Payed over 700 million for ST over for 6 years. that's over 100 million a year. At the time, directv in 2000 Sunday ticket was priced at 149 dollars for everything. This year to get everything the total price of NFL ST was at 269 plus super fan at 99 = 368 dollars. Wich is a 105 percent increase in 10 years! On average its just under 20 bucks a year price increase. Directv had to up the price because they were loosing so much money on the NFL and each year that goes by the NFL gets more of that money as it progresses. I didnt see anyone bulking about raising NFL st up 20 bucks. But it is getting rediculous.

Comparing it to hotpass is only apples to oranges becaue D* hasnt given it the same resource they have to NFL ST. While it is true that Nascar does have related costs in uplink transmissions, the cost of the ST payed to the NFL is way more than what hotpass was to produce and transmitt it. Also, D* could have transmitted it on their own birds instead of paying a cband provider to transmit the feeds and then re uplink them. I dont think any one at D* thought of this, as it could have been a major cost saving measure.

As reguard to the noise, you obviously havent been watching the annoucements and what "the boss" has been saying. When snoopy dances, there usally is a reason, and snoopy has been doing the Jitter bug lately! This time in three months E* will not only have the channels that D* currently has (viacom), They would have surpassed them. All the channels E* is launching now D* allready has. All the Channels E* has launched in the past, D* doesnt have like HBO's, WGN, ect. Also, Dish has alot more compacity that D*. Also D* has been sitting on their compasity because there is no new compasity coming for a long time. I still dont see how D12 brings new frequencys when it reused the same low band that is in use now. I honestly dont see how they are going to be adding new HD content. As far as the contract issues, the contract was up and not renewed. Dish is now renegotating the contract. It was as simple as that. One thought the deal would be done, and it wasnt. Also the amount of repeats on that channel deserved for it to be yanked.

Bob, what are those features that would make it work, maybe D* wants to know what people want, all I've seen is no censoring of the audio.

As for Sunday Ticket, you're guessing if it's a money winner or looser. You don't figure in how many additional customers that D* picked up by having NFL-ST and what their additional monthly profit. Plus you don't figure in the charges for having NFL-ST are public areas, like sports bars, that can run into the thousands of dollars.

As for the noise, sorry but your boss with his 'rumors' have become old. Go back before any recent chat and he's said he has a feeling about more HD coming and being announced, and then turns around and says it was what he was told and doesn't know why nothing was said. Sorry but his credability for upcoming programming hints has gone in the toliet IMHO. On the capacity front, yea E* has more since they have bunchs of slots to use. If that's the case then why toe downrez on all their HD channels, why not crank it up to full rez? Maybe if D* went to HDLite they could add a bunch of channels also, I prefer to have no HDLite.

 

[goaliebob99]

Bob, what are those features that would make it work, maybe D* wants to know what people want, all I've seen is no censoring of the audio.

As for Sunday Ticket, you're guessing if it's a money winner or looser. You don't figure in how many additional customers that D* picked up by having NFL-ST and what their additional monthly profit. Plus you don't figure in the charges for having NFL-ST are public areas, like sports bars, that can run into the thousands of dollars.

As for the noise, sorry but your boss with his 'rumors' have become old. Go back before any recent chat and he's said he has a feeling about more HD coming and being announced, and then turns around and says it was what he was told and doesn't know why nothing was said. Sorry but his credability for upcoming programming hints has gone in the toliet IMHO. On the capacity front, yea E* has more since they have bunchs of slots to use. If that's the case then why toe downrez on all their HD channels, why not crank it up to full rez? Maybe if D* went to HDLite they could add a bunch of channels also, I prefer to have no HDLite.

Lets, see I have said, Uncensored audio, more drivers, the ablity to keep on driver audio instead of commercials, better interactive features like having real time throttle displays and speed displays. They could also keep the network audio, and interrupt that when the driver and crew chief are talking. ect.

The pricing on public areas is different as that money goes directly to the nfl and is priced diffrentley because it is commercal.

While you may say that his roomers are tireing, everything he has said has been right on! If anything he has more credablity as scott has been right 99.99 percent of the time. While occasionaly he doesnt get it right, it comes with the terriorry. On the downrez front, I dont think you realize that the mpeg4 encoders are the issue, while they have tested out full HD res on the mpeg 4 encoders there is an update coming down the line that should fix this. I really dont think you want to do the Full rez argument when Directv was the KING of hdlite a few years ago.

 

[rad]

Lets, see I have said, Uncensored audio, more drivers, the ablity to keep on driver audio instead of commercials, better interactive features like having real time throttle displays and speed displays. They could also keep the network audio, and interrupt that when the driver and crew chief are talking. ect.

The pricing on public areas is different as that money goes directly to the nfl and is priced diffrentley because it is commercal.

While you may say that his roomers are tireing, everything he has said has been right on! If anything he has more credablity as scott has been right 99.99 percent of the time. While occasionaly he doesnt get it right, it comes with the terriorry. On the downrez front, I dont think you realize that the mpeg4 encoders are the issue, while they have tested out full HD res on the mpeg 4 encoders there is an update coming down the line that should fix this. I really dont think you want to do the Full rez argument when Directv was the KING of hdlite a few years ago.

OK, out of all the things you listed only the uncensored audio and the network audio being interrupted when there is crew/driver is new. When I had it last year when on a driver channel the audio wasn't interupted during commercials. There was real time speed/throttle/break/rpm displays, problem was it didn't match the audio since it was delayed to allow for the censorship.

So DirecTV gets zip/nada/nothing on any commerical customers, can you please direct me to that public info, never saw that before.

As for Scott and his rumors, you have your opinion I have mine. Just look at the last week before the chat, the STORM was coming, listen to the retailer chat and what happened, nothing. Even his icon changed from the storm to a panda crying.

And yes, D* was the king of HD lite, but they got their new sats up and stopped that on the MPEG4 channels. But don't foget that E* wasn't far behind, remember Voom when it went from full rez to HD Lite because "they were waiting for fiber to be installed", never did get that fiber installed did they So you're saying that the only reason E* has HDLite now is because of encoder problems and once that gets fixed they'll go back to full rez, guess we'll have to wait to see if that really happens.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I agree the Hot Pass could have been better, and I don't think its worth $80 let alone pay another $20 for it .
D* would have to modify this package big time to make me even think about it again.
As far as HD lite , Well If E* starts running full Rez D* better look out. Because E* is only slightly worse,and not on every channel.

 

[sundude90]

This is Directv's website about the Nascar. DIRECTV: NASCAR

 

[BlackHitachi]

As far as HD lite , Well If E* starts running full Rez D* better look out. Because E* is only slightly worse,and not on every channel.

SLIGHTLY!! Say's who!?? Come on now this had to be a joke! I still own two 622 and every channel that i have on my calibrated tv look much better on directv! Sharper colors sharper picture and clearer is all..