ESPN coming soon?

[Walter L.]

This was recently posted on the Yahoo groups:

April 2 (Bloomberg) -- Cablevision Systems Corp., the
largest cable-television operator in the New York region, reached
a new agreement to carry Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN sports network,
Cablevision spokesman James Maiella said.
Maiella said the agreement was "long term." He declined to
comment further. Cablevision is based in Bethpage, New York.


It sounds like long waited ESPN on VOOM should not be too far down the road...

 

[Seanb61]

ME thinks so TOO!

 

[Sean Mota]

I think this might seal the deal with VOOM as well. ESPN-HD is around the corner. Time to get their schedule...

 

[Seanb61]

You would think that if this deal does apply to both cablevision and Rainbow (aka voom) then they would add the channels as fast as they could, perhaps today or this weekend......

 

[squicken]

All three Giants vs. Astros games on ESPN 2 next week. IF this happens, I hope we get the deuce.

 

[Sean Mota]

I think we will see it after 90% of software upgrade is done... So there might be a week before we see if it's done. Again, I will welcome the addition right now...

 

[Seanb61]

I think we will see it after 90% of software upgrade is done... So there might be a week before we see if it's done. Again, I will welcome the addition right now...

The problem with our thinking that this will happen very soon is that we don't know if the deal applies for both CVC and Rainbow....

 

[Sean Mota]

The problem with our thinking that this will happen very soon is that we don't know if the deal applies for both CVC and Rainbow....

Usually it is. By past history.

CVC gets ---> Bravo-HD+ then two wks later VOOM gets it.

This was a major hold up since a lot of programmers don't look at VOOM (not yet!) as a separate entity but as part of CVC (which still is until spin off).

 

[Walter L.]

The deal should apply to VOOM but IMO it will take a couple of weeks before it is implemented.

 

[Seanb61]

The deal should apply to VOOM but IMO it will take a couple of weeks before it is implemented.

Not sure that there is much to be implemented. Voom probably has everything hooked up and ready to go and is only waiting on this deal. It's not like they have to go build the transmission facility or anything. If they are smart they will do it ASAP and not wait for a better launch date or something like that. There are perhaps thousands sitting on the fence waiting for ESPN and then they will sign up.

 

[Walter L.]

I didn't mean hardware implementation. What I mean is that VOOM now has other priorities such as the software upgrade.

 

[Seanb61]

I didn't mean hardware implementation. What I mean is that VOOM now has other priorities such as the software upgrade.

Understood - - But am pretty sure that a SW update is much much more complicated for them than a simple transmission push. It seems to me (and i am probably wonrg) that it would be a matter of button pushing to fire it up.

 

[rang1995]

without a doubt this will apply to voom..so i guess you can count on it..if not I'll be one of the first to switch--how do you like that for confidnce!

 

[Lucky]

I wouldn't count your chickens yet on VOOM getting ESPN-HD. The announcement said Cablevision reached an agreement. VOOM is a separate entity than Cablevision. I think it means Cablevision the cable company reached an agreement. It may or may not mean anything for VOOM.

 

[Lem52]

I thought Cablevision was the one that started Voom.

Lem52

 

[Ken F]

Rainbow DBS / Voom is a subsidiary of Cablevision. I doubt one agreement covers both providers, though that doesn't necessarily mean they are negotiated separately.

 

[Walter L.]

I thought Cablevision was the one that started Voom.

Lem52

Indeed, VOOM is a subsidiary of Cablevision (goto VOOM website and click on "About Us").
Im very confident that the Cablevision negotioators included VOOM in the deal.

 

[rang1995]

not the same but not different--same corp umbrella and the deals seem to follow--starz-bravo-etc

 

[Ken F]

The problem with the "one contract fits all" theoryis that Cablevision plans to spin off the Rainbow subsidiary later this year. A separate company will probably require its own contracts.

 

[rang1995]

not a seperate company yet..this has been the history Bravo-starz etc so i am just guessing..it's a positive sign..and the spinoff is still away to go,also some hurdles maybe so for now i'll bet it's espn within 1-2 weeks