First, I've been a continuous Dish Network subscriber since June, 1999. I am one of their "high end" subscribers who feed Charlie over $100 per month for TV service (all-HD, all movie channels).
I also love Baseball. MLB Baseball. Here in west-central Illinois, I can watch the RSN's or WGN and catch nearly all Cub, Cardinal, White Sox, and Brewer games, which I LOVE!!!!
I really really really want to watch the new MLB Network. So, I've sent over a dozen e-mails and have made over a dozen calls since July '08 to Dish Network requesting that they add the MLB Network when it came online on 1/1/09. I've only gotten back "one" e-mail from Dish Network since that time regarding my request.
I love my VIP622 and it's OTA capability. I don't subscribe for locals TV signals and never will, so having the OTA built into the reciever (or going to best busy and buying a Sanyo or Samsung digital converter) is essential to me. But not having the MLB Network trumps my love of the VIP622.
I've decided to give Cheap Charlie and his minions like Jim DeCastrated until March 31st, 2009 to either add the MLB Network to the Dish Network lineup...or this particular "coveted high-end subscriber" will switch my service to Direct TV.
Charlie Ergen will look like the "April Fool" he probably already is if tens of thousands of subscribers like me leave Dish Network in the next few months because they can't...or won't...make the MLB Network available to Dish Network subscribers.
THAT is MY new year's resolution!