DISH Network and NFL Network Reach Settlement

[Scott Greczkowski]

DISH Network and NFL Network Reach Settlement

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., April 10, 2009 - DISH Network Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH) and NFL Network announced today that they have reached a settlement, which includes a multiyear agreement for continued carriage of NFL Network in DISH Network's Classic Silver 200 programming package. All litigation was dropped. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

"We are very pleased that our NFL Network will continue to be distributed in millions of homes on DISH Network," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "We look forward to having our Network's upcoming coverage of the April 25-26 NFL Draft showcased on DISH Network."

DISH Network Chairman, President and CEO Charlie Ergen added, "The NFL Network is a great complement to our programming lineup and we are pleased to offer the channel to our subscribers."

 

[bebop]

Thanks for the news Scott.

Rant start:
Too bad that the live games they show are close to ZERO on any given sunday (or should I say week). I like the idea of the channel, but not showing NFL games when there are games playing is strange for a network that IS the league network. I guess they go where the money is, and that is on the national FOX and CBS games (and Sunday night NBC) and ESPN Monday.

-Rant over

 

[PHXHoward]

I love NFL Replay. Great way to get the meat and potatoes of a game quickly.

 

[bebop]

I love NFL Replay. Great way to get the meat and potatoes of a game quickly.

Right on, especially if you don't know the outcome of the game already. Which reminds me of the 30 second skip ahead on the DVR's. It's like having NFL replay for every live game you watch. I watched more football games this past season than ever before, and it took much less time than watching half of the games all the way through live.

 

[HDRoberts]

Interesting, not going back to AT100.

For those that don't remember, Dish agreed to carry NFL in AT100, and the NFL promised it would have exclusive games. But when the Patriots were going for 16-0, they allowed other networks to carry the came, so Dish reverted to the old agreement.

Sounds like the NFL realized with those facts, going forward with the lawsuit was pointless.

 

[jacmyoung]

Interesting, not going back to AT100.

For those that don't remember, Dish agreed to carry NFL in AT100, and the NFL promised it would have exclusive games. But when the Patriots were going for 16-0, they allowed other networks to carry the came, so Dish reverted to the old agreement.

Sounds like the NFL realized with those facts, going forward with the lawsuit was pointless.

Thanks for the info.

Now let's see when the VOOM suit will be dropped

 

[dmendenjr]

So, Charlie actually won one? He got what he wanted (NFL Net on AT200, er Silver).

Rant start:
Too bad that the live games they show are close to ZERO on any given Sunday (or should I say week). I like the idea of the channel, but not showing NFL games when there are games playing is strange for a network that IS the league network. I guess they go where the money is, and that is on the national FOX and CBS games (and Sunday night NBC) and ESPN Monday.

-Rant over

It's most likely due to the non-sense that is blackout restrictions. Heck, I'd be happy if they could just do a Sunday Afternoon football talker that would do something like "drives on the fly" (going round robin on the games currently underway sitting in for a drive or so and moving on). But even then, they'd probably blackout the coverage when your DMA's home team is playing....

 

[Fitzie]

This is continued good news, the NFL network is a valued component of my viewing.

Regards,
Fitzie

 

[db2]

I wonder if the NFL's "Red Zone Channel" was included in the the settlement?? That's something I would like to see on Dish in lieu of having Sunday Ticket.