DirecTV-only MLB package?

Lucky

SatelliteGuys Pro
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Oct 8, 2003
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New York
For those of us who like to subscribe to MLB Extra Innings from Dish Network there is some real bad news brewing :

DirecTV-only MLB package?
Possible exclusive Extra Innings deal could draw Congress’ eye
By JOHN OURAND and ERIC FISHER
Staff writers

Published December 25, 2006 : Page 01
DirecTV is in advanced talks with Major League Baseball about acquiring exclusive access to baseball’s out-of-market Extra Innings package, a move that could be a huge blow to the cable industry and one that will certainly grab attention on Capitol Hill.

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article.main&articleId=53375
Sources from both the league and the satellite provider confirmed that the two have been talking but cautioned that there are a number of unspecified issues that need to be completed before any deal is signed.

A senior MLB executive said it was possible, but not likely, that a deal could be struck in the coming days. The executive added that baseball still was talking with other parties about the package.

Said a DirecTV executive, “If you look at what we’ve done with NASCAR and [NFL] Sunday Ticket, it would be a natural progression to look at other sports, like baseball.”

In the past several weeks, MLB has been shopping the exclusive package to both cable and satellite providers. DirecTV started offering the Extra Innings package exclusively in 1996; cable operators have been offering it since 2001, and Dish Network joined in 2004. Last season, most cable and satellite operators sold the full season for $179, with some offering discounts for early sign-ups.

Both MLB and cable executives have been frustrated with the slow growth of the Extra Innings package, which numbered about 750,000 subscribers last season, media sources said. MLB teams picked up individual payouts in the neighborhood of $2 million per team last season, a source added.

By comparison, the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package, which DirecTV offers exclusively, had close to 2 million subscribers this year, and DirecTV pays the league about $700 million per year through 2010.

Still, media executives with knowledge of the talks expressed surprise that MLB would go down this route given the current political climate. Congress has been particularly receptive to cable’s complaints about the NFL’s exclusive relationship with DirecTV. A little more than a month ago during a congressional hearing, Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., harshly questioned DirecTV’s Dan Fawcett about Sunday Ticket, and even threatened to sponsor legislation that would eliminate the NFL’s antitrust exemption.

With the Democrats now in control of Congress, Specter will cede chairmanship of the powerful committee to Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. But Specter, who has represented Comcast’s home state of Pennsylvania since 1980, still wields heavy influence and could keep the issue on the docket. Political analysts believe Specter and other members of Congress would be keenly interested in any baseball programming deal that exclusively favors one carrier over another.

If MLB and DirecTV agree to the deal, it would mark a significant setback to the cable industry, as its satellite competitors would gain more exclusive sports programming. Cable has complained for years about DirecTV’s exclusive deal for Sunday Ticket. In the past few years, cable had access to MLB’s out-of-market games through In Demand, a company owned by Comcast, Time Warner and Cox that supplies video-on-demand and pay-per-view programming to cable operators.

MLB is interested in linking exclusively with DirecTV because of how the satellite operator has grown its platform through its exclusive sports offerings. In addition to talks with MLB, DirecTV has approached the NHL about its out-of-market package, media sources said. The NHL demurred, since it has a rights deal with Comcast-owned network Versus.

Earlier this month, DirecTV signed a deal to launch five channels per week dedicated to specific NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers, a feature called HotPass. It also offers exclusive interactive features on events such as the U.S. Open tennis tournament and New York Yankees games exclusively on DirecTV’s YES Network broadcasts.

Cable officials who spoke to SportsBusiness Journal on the condition of anonymity expressed disappointment in the buy rates for Extra Innings, but privately, they appeared unconcerned about losing the package to DirecTV. They point to the large number of national games available via ESPN, Fox and Turner as evidence that plenty of MLB games would still be available to cable subscribers.

It is unclear what connection exists, if any, between this potential deal and another in-the-works transaction for Time Warner to sell the Atlanta Braves to Liberty Media. Liberty is also in talks to acquire DirecTV from News Corp.
 
wow i must say that was a good read!
But i dubt dtv will be able to aquire MLB..i think NFL sunday ticket is as far as their exclusive stuff goes and some Nascar in there...
But again you have to look Dish Network has more international subscribers..which boosts their sales up..which DTV is not focusing on...if they could get some good Indian,Bengali channels im sure they would have more than extra 400-500k subscribers.
 
So... paying $700 million a year to the NFL, with 2 million subs, at $229 for early sign up, how much more can D* afford to lose? Looks like $242 mill/year.

S~
 
So... paying $700 million a year to the NFL, with 2 million subs, at $229 for early sign up, how much more can D* afford to lose? Looks like $242 mill/year.

S~

I would be interested to see how much D* would pay for MLB exclusive rights.

Don't under-estimate the loyalty of some MLB fans across 30+ cities.

I think this could be a HUGE pick-up for D* as long as they are completely over-paying for it.
 
I for one hope they do aquire this exclusively as they(dtv) more then not in many areas(barring Ny dma's) are sole providers of yes network
Sounds like it maybe time for chuck to shut up and put up.
I mean do all the price increases for *ish just go towards all their legal troubles?
I for one find the sports packages through all providers rather weak, there has tobe a niche market interested in College hockey/Junior hockey package as well as a College baseball pack imho :) i know i would jump at the chance to add those packages if offered
 
I have a question if D* goes through with MLB Extra Innings package, do they get to count the HD games as part of the zillion HD choices they will be offering in 2007?:hatsoff:
 
I was with Direc Tv for years before switching in 2004. Really miss the YES network since I am a big Yankee fan in Oklahoma. Have been a MLB subscriber for years. Not only do I watch baseball but I also have a XM radio just for mlb. Now if Dish loses MLB, I will swtich back to Direc Tv. Hard enough not to have the Yes Network, but no MLB, no Dish customer.
 
I must also admit I will be forced to switch to DirecTV if no MLB Extra Innings. That is one package I just cannot live without. I hope Dish Network gets it, but I am not too optimistic about it. :(
 
I have Dish but there's a leftover, unused DirecTV Dish on my roof. What would be the minimum programming requirement with DirecTV to get MLB.. could one get that and nothing else ?

hmm actually this is the wrong forum for that question, isn't it? but it's relevant to the thread.
 
I guess my question is....how close are a lot of MLB teams to going into HD for all of their games?

If D* does get it, will they be broadcasting a lot of the games in HD?

Do teams have the money to do such? Does D* have the capacity for them?
 
Not only is NFL (the Elephant of all sports in America) exclusive to DTV but so is Mega March Madness.
Check it out!
 
direc

If they get the full right to nfl sunday ticket then I will never recommend them to anyone again. Its bad enough chuck cant get it but take it from a cable customer like me and thats a whole new ballgame.

thanks direc really appreaciate it
 
I believe it's official, D* now has exclusivity of NFLST, MLB Extra Innings, Mega March Madness and the new NASCAR HotPass. Looks like we will be busy soon! No word as yet on games in HD.
 
If they get the full right to nfl sunday ticket then I will never recommend them to anyone again. Its bad enough chuck cant get it but take it from a cable customer like me and thats a whole new ballgame.

thanks direc really appreaciate it

They've had full rights to NFL Sunday Ticket.
 
I am thinking of paying my early termination fee and jumping to D*. It seems you get a lot more bang for your buck from them. The only thing I like more on E* is the VOOM, that's it. Now D* has the MLB as well as the NFL. Hell they Sedanta too. Why should I stay with D*? Between $$$ and Sports, D* seems to have more.
 
I am thinking of paying my early termination fee and jumping to D*. It seems you get a lot more bang for your buck from them. The only thing I like more on E* is the VOOM, that's it. Now D* has the MLB as well as the NFL. Hell they Sedanta too. Why should I stay with D*? Between $$$ and Sports, D* seems to have more.

how many different threads are you going to post this in???:rolleyes:
 
I believe it's official, D* now has exclusivity of NFLST, MLB Extra Innings, Mega March Madness and the new NASCAR HotPass. Looks like we will be busy soon! No word as yet on games in HD.


Not officail yet but very little doubt.
 
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