NHL Center Ice Renewal...

[jldhawk]

Just got off of the phone with a Tech dude (VERY HELPFUL) who I was talking to about turning in my VIP211 for a 622 (HDDVR). I think I am going to wait till they upgrade the software so I can use my 211 as a DVR, but anyhow, while I had him on the phone with that issue, I asked him about the NHL-CI issuse.
(These tech guys know more then the CSR's do)
He said there is NO DEAL with NHL-CI YET, they are still in negotiations at this time.
Even though the first pre-season game is TOMORROW night, they are not done.

 

[crimpshrine]

I wonder why they announced on Charlie Chat that they WOULD be carrying CI this year if they are still negotiating a deal?

 

[jldhawk]

Well, I was wondering the same thing, but why can't you go to E* web site and order the CI Package right now?
First pre-seaon game is TOMORROW, season opener is 3 weeks away.
I also have not been billed my first installment yet either.
Last year it was on my bill Sept. 1st.

 

[crimpshrine]

Yeah I agree, it's weird. Somebody is telling us wrong info or they just know they will strike a deal by a certain date.

 

[jldhawk]

Here is the quote from the recap:

we are wrapping up negotiations for NHL HD it will have out of market games (center ice) expected launch Oct 1st,
we will have most of the center ice games in HD

 

[IceRunner]

I just called and the Dish rep didn't know when I could order Center Ice.

 

[Islandguy43]

You might be interested in the following transcript from my chat with an online agent and finally the response I got from ceo@E*:

You have been connected to (03)Michelle s. (03)Michelle s: Welcome to Dish Network. How may I help you today? Gary : Hello Michelle....I am looking for confirmation that Dish is gonna carry the NHL Center Ice Package this year. (03)Michelle s: I am sorry, at this point of time we don't have any information about that. Gary : Well according to the Charlie Chat on Monday, he claimed they will have it...but like you said and the website says...it isn't available now. (03)Michelle s: I am sorry for the miscommunication. (03)Michelle s: As of now we don't have the information about that. Gary : Well...there are alot of hockey fans that are subscribers of Dish...and I suggest you let your supervisors know that...whereas the season is a little 3 weeks away..and if Dish doesn't offer it I will switch to Directv for sure...they are already offering the package on their website. (03)Michelle s: Sure. I will take it as a feedback from you. Gary : Thank you for the information (03)Michelle s: You are welcome. (03)Michelle s: Is there anything else I can assist you with? Gary : that will take care of it

Dear Mr. Gary ,
Thank you for your email and we apologize for the delayed response. We are working on our deal with the NHL and we fully anticipate making Center Ice available to our subscribers this year. Please continue to check back with us in the next couple of weeks. We are looking forward to the upcoming season.
We apologize for any inconvenience this matter may have caused you.
For further assistance you may also contact our Customer Service Center at 1-800-333-3474.
We thank you for allowing us to be of assistance to you. If you have any further questions or concerns, please refer to DISH Network -- Home or reply to this email.


Sincerely,
Ahram A.
TID:OR-Cadillac
DISH Network eCare

With the season starting three weeks from Friday, I am certainly not comfortable in their answers. Looks like a MLB situation to me.

I will wait until the last minute and if necessary, cancel my E* and move over to D*. By then D* should have the bugs worked out of their HD Lineup too.
​

 

[JayPSU]

Here's the response I got:

*****,



I spoke with a couple of our executives regarding this and they are confident we will be getting it very shortly. If things fall through however, then I can let you out of your contract with no cancellation fee.



Thank you



Matt Kliewer

Executive Communications

Echostar Satellite LLC

Phone - (720)-514-8213

E-mail: Matt.Kliewer@echostar.com

 

[RedWings]

JayPSU,

Can you copy/paste the email you sent them? I'd like to get an email back from them stating they'd let me out of my contract for free if they don't offer it.

Because i'm ditching DISH if they don't have Center Ice.

 

[crimpshrine]

That's the one thing I hate about Dish. They keep you waiting & waiting making you think something is being worked out. I really want to know what it going on NOW, so I can make a switch if I have to. Hopefully everything will work out fine, but I will be pissed if Charlie lied to us about Dish carrying it..

 

[eddieras]

this is also the guy (matt) that i heard from stating no CI yet - obviously, he took it to a higher level with JAYPSU's query. BUT, he also told me that they are NOT showing both feeds! I emailed him again this AM, with the excerpt from the charlie chat asking (again) to clarify on CI, HD, NHL Network and showing both feeds. will let you all know once i hear back.

 

[IceRunner]

I'm not liking this at all and I don't want to ditch Dish, but I will if they pull this crap. I hope I can get out of my commitment as well since mine goes until March.

 

[stuckingoo]

JayPSU,

Can you copy/paste the email you sent them? I'd like to get an email back from them stating they'd let me out of my contract for free if they don't offer it.

Because i'm ditching DISH if they don't have Center Ice.

That's really surprising they're doing that. I'm both a CI and EI subscriber and when Dish bailed out of EI this season I almost bolted then. But since I just signed up with Dish five months earlier I didn't want to make another change so quick and pay a hefty fee. My DirecTV install is tomorrow and I'll also try to get out of the termination fee.....I'll owe them $100 if I don't.

 

[RedWings]

I believe I only have a few more months on my contract left, so i'll be happy to just pay it and leave. I won't continue to subscribe to any service that doesn't give me NHL Center Ice.

I wish Verizon FIOS would get the package.

 

[IceRunner]

Is the cancellation fee based on number of months left?

 

[gdodd12]

That's the one thing I hate about Dish. They keep you waiting & waiting making you think something is being worked out. I really want to know what it going on NOW, so I can make a switch if I have to. Hopefully everything will work out fine, but I will be pissed if Charlie lied to us about Dish carrying it..

Yeah. I can't believe he would divulge that info if it wasn't true. That would really piss a lot of people off.

 

[JayPSU]

JayPSU,

Can you copy/paste the email you sent them? I'd like to get an email back from them stating they'd let me out of my contract for free if they don't offer it.

Because i'm ditching DISH if they don't have Center Ice.

Hi Matt,

You have helped me out in the past with an issue, now I was wondering if you could share some information with me. I am a huge, HUGE, hockey fan. When I signed up with Dish Network this Summer I assumed that I would be able to continue getting NHL Center Ice since Dish has always had it. But when I tried to order it, I got a very cryptic response that was businness-speak for "we don't have a deal with them yet, and we don't know if we will." Had Dish not decided to no longer have a deal with MLB, I wouldn't be as scared. But with what happened there, and with what's going on now, I'm scared that I've signed up with a service that will not provide one of my TOP programming needs. Please tell me what information you have about Dish carrying NHL Center Ice. Please also assure me that if Dish decides to no longer carry NHL Center Ice, that they will allow me to go elsewhere without charging me an early cancellation fee since service that I was promised will not be delivered.

I'm hoping that I am jumping to conclusions. Please tell me that I am!

Sincerely,

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[RedWings]

Is the cancellation fee based on number of months left?

I believe its $13.33 per month left on the contract.

 

[grb]

This whole scenario is typical of Charlie's modus operanda.

No.1, he will play hardball in negotiations no matter how many subscribers get p*****d off (remember the Versus fiasco? -- I almost ditched Dish when the hockey season started with no Versus games, but they finally struck a deal well after the season started).

No. 2, he will not communicate the status to the Dish organization (at least not the CSR level which is the level of communication to subscribers). If negotiations are "wrapped up", we will likely find out by accessing the web site and finding that we can, in fact, now order CI. There will be no other announcement. I don't know if returning CI subscribers will be automatically billed or not.

 

[stuckingoo]

This whole scenario is typical of Charlie's modus operanda.

No.1, he will play hardball in negotiations no matter how many subscribers get p*****d off (remember the Versus fiasco? -- I almost ditched Dish when the hockey season started with no Versus games, but they finally struck a deal well after the season started).

No. 2, he will not communicate the status to the Dish organization (at least not the CSR level which is the level of communication to subscribers). If negotiations are "wrapped up", we will likely find out by accessing the web site and finding that we can, in fact, now order CI. There will be no other announcement. I don't know if returning CI subscribers will be automatically billed or not.

There is another possibility......as unlikely as it is. That he may be trying to do to DirecTV what they did to him with Extra Innings. Work out some sort of exclusivity deal with the NHL. Of course, something like this wouldn't begin this season.

I wonder why this is taking so long. I can't believe that the NHL would be a tough bargaining parter. The league is trying to get an audience wherever it can find it. I'm pretty sure there will be a CI on Dish this season but I think Charlie has got something else up his sleeve.