EI Exclusive to D*?

[Mike McGann]

As reported in the NY Times today, although the buzz has been around the industry for a couple weeks:

DirecTV is in the process of finalizing a deal to get exclusive use of the "Extra Innings" out of town package as well as an all-baseball channel set to launch in 2009.

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/baseball/index.html

I'm thinking this won't go well. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Comcast) plans to go after the NFL's limited anti-trust exemption over the Sunday Ticket package, which is only on DirecTV. Imagine what he (and Congress) will do to baseball over this.

I get why D* wants to do this, since user growth is next to nil and they're losing about $300 million a year on Sunday Ticket, this is a way to push subs up and potentially cut the losses on ST, by adding customers. Good luck with that, of course.

I don't get why MLB is going for this, though. With EI currently available through cable and satellite, it has about 750,000 customers. Were it to become available only through DTV, that number would drop by more than two thirds.

The money from D* isn't good enough to cut MLB's exposure and risk loss of the Anti-trust exemption.

I think MLB's owners need drug testing.

 

[cariera]

To borrow a old tagline from ABC, Directv is trying to become "the leader is sports television", it seems.

MLBEI, NFLST, Setanta Sports, RSNs in HD, locals in HD.

It seems that the course is being set to go after the avid sports fan by providing them with an almost everything they need.

 

[bidger`]

To borrow a old tagline from ABC, Directv is trying to become "the leader is sports television", it seems.

MLBEI, NFLST, Setanta Sports, RSNs in HD, locals in HD.

It seems that the course is being set to go after the avid sports fan by providing them with an almost everything they need.

Can you blame them? The have to find some way to compete with Triple Play.

 

[wneilson82]

I am very excited about this purchase.

I am hoping this will mean more games in HD

I plan on buying EI now that D* bought it but if NO games are on HD....it will make me think a bit

 

[Proc]

By 2009, I would expect this package to be in HD.

 

[rh26]

I don't get why MLB is going for this, though. With EI currently available through cable and satellite, it has about 750,000 customers. Were it to become available only through DTV, that number would drop by more than two thirds.

MLB wouldn't care if the viewership dropped to one old guy asleep on his couch if the money from DTV is more than they are getting now!

 

[charper1]

I am almost sure that there must be some viewer/subscriber number guarantees in place. Wouldn't you think?

 

[stone phillips420]

I guarantee dtv will keep me as a customer
can't wait for April.

 

[wneilson82]

By 2009, I would expect this package to be in HD.

Wait, this deal starts in 2009?

I just re-read the article and may have missed it but I thought it started this year

 

[billybill]

I am almost sure that there must be some viewer/subscriber number guarantees in place. Wouldn't you think?

Numbers: 7 years $700 million.

Guarantees: The price we pay will go up.

 

[billybill]

Wait, this deal starts in 2009?

I just re-read the article and may have missed it but I thought it started this year

The baseball network (similar to the NFL network) will begin in 2009

 

[FKy.Guy]

MLB EI-Goes to D* only

Did not know is this was posted yet or not in the D* section I saw it over on the E* side.If it is a duplicate post I apologize.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/20/sports/baseball/20base.html?_r=2&ref=baseball&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

 

[FKy.Guy]

Upon reading further within the forum I see that this is a dup. post once again I apologize,please delete mod`s if you would.

 

[Ramy]

Mergered threads that were about the same thing.

 

[timmac]

I'd buy it, Chicago Cubs in HD. I'll take it. Cost not an issue.

 

[scotsmanron]

Maybe not for you, but cost is an issue. My parents love baseball and now they are talking about not taking the package for the first time because they are on a fixed income. They just can't deal with this.

Baseball is getting too big for it's britches. They are already not the number one sport and this is going to cost them viewership. They should be going the other way to get MORE people watching the game.

 

[purtman]

Maybe not for you, but cost is an issue. My parents love baseball and now they are talking about not taking the package for the first time because they are on a fixed income. They just can't deal with this.

Baseball is getting too big for it's britches. They are already not the number one sport and this is going to cost them viewership. They should be going the other way to get MORE people watching the game.

A couple of thoughts. First of all, MLB will set the cost so it shouldn't go up much -- if it does. The second is that if your parents can't afford it, what about providing it to them as a gift from you and your brothers and/or sisters? Just a suggestion.

 

[shadyB]

I am not a big baseball fan, so it is difficult for me to judge the value of this deal. But I just do not see this as big of a driver to attract new subs as ST. Also since all sports bars have to subscribe to DirecTV for ST anyway, I do not see this as a gain for the lucrative commercial market.

But maybe some people that are more into baseball can correct me. Obviously DirecTV is going to take a loss on this deal. Do you think there is enough demand out there for this package, that DirecTV can make the money back on increased subscriber base?

 

[FKy.Guy]

EI Costs

I got EI last year and will do so again this year. I belive I paid $150 something which in my opinion was not that bad.Especially if you get the ST with Super Fan included {which I got as well}and compare the costs. I just wonder what,if any price increase will there be if they start offering HD packages similar to S.T. /S.F. I dont think that will happen this year do to the fact the new sat`s are not up and running yet. Next year who knows. $300 for football, $200 ??? for baseball on top of the DVR Fees and potential price increases and mirror receiver fees now all of that starts to HURT !!!!! However like every thing else if you want you pay for it.If not or the cost is too steep you dont.If in fact it starts getting much steeper,I will have to seriously start cutting back on some of my programming no doubt about it. This is just my own opinion and I have no clue if prices will actually increase or not with the MLB package.

 

[lou_do]

Numbers: 7 years $700 million.

Guarantees: The price we pay will go up.

Yep, here we go again. Just like when they monoplized the ST package. The price of that skyrocketed so bad that many people have dropped it. I used to have ST, MLB and CI. Now, I am down to MLB and CI. If there are any outragious price increases in MLB I will be down to CI, only. Hope someone steps in and stops it from happening.