Prepare for another price increase thx to ESPN

[fbara]

This 'record setting deal' will be paid for on the backs of cable and satellite viewers. I love sports but I'm not looking forward to this.
—---------------------------------------------------------------
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/2012082837476712/
MLB, ESPN agree on record eight-year deal

New contract gives network one Wild Card game, increased coverage overall
By Mark Newman / MLB.com
8/28/2012 5:22 PM ET

The largest broadcasting deal in Major League Baseball history was announced on Tuesday, as MLB and ESPN reached an eight-year, $5.6 billion agreement that keeps the national pastime on that network through 2021 and puts ESPN back in the postseason picture next season.

The contract includes a record-setting increase in annual rights fees, as ESPN's $700 million per year marks an increase of 100 percent over its current deal, setting an all-time record for an MLB broadcasting deal. The pact grants ESPN, the Walt Disney Co.-owned network that began televising MLB games in 1990, a significant increase in studio and game content, including the right to broadcast up to 90 regular-season MLB games per year across the ESPN networks beginning in 2014 and running through the 2021 season.

 

[Yespage]

I'm so glad people that don't watch ESPN most of the time get to pay for this garbage.

 

[jdmart]

Wish Dish would put ESPN channels in a Sports package instead of making everyone pay for them.

 

[CubsWin]

I am not looking forward to the next ESPN negotiation. I am a huge sports fan, but I would love to see the television providers stand up to ESPN. These deals are escalating way too quickly and the cost increases cannot be sustained. At the same time, if Dish were to lose ESPN during football season there would surely be an unprecedented number of subscribers flocking to DIRECTV, so they are really going to be in a "no win" situation.

 

[CubsWin]

Wish Dish would put ESPN channels in a Sports package instead of making everyone pay for it.

That is not Dish's call. ESPN would never agree to that.

 

[Dishlover]

ESPN needs to be made a premium channel. Dish tell Disney it's the only way you'll carry it. You'll be another $10 a month cheaper than all other providers that bow down to ESPN. They'll lose all their Dish revenue and Dish would get all those who aren't willing to pay for ESPN. I'd bet that is a lot of people including me. That contract will look pretty bad without Dish's revenue.

 

[Teehar]

ESPN,the worldwide leader in multi billion year contracts. It's going to be a big price hike.They already way over payed for MNF.So that plus the new MLB (and didn't they have a new NCAA football contract as well?)is going to amount to a huge increase.

 

[stardust3]

I'm on the welcome pack. Thankfully ESPN is not included in that package. Whenever my bill hits $50 regardless of what channels it has will be the very same day I call & cut the cord.............

 

[Tampa8]

Wish Dish would put ESPN channels in a Sports package instead of making everyone pay for them.

They can't, doesn't work like that.

 

[dare2be]

This is where my idea of packages based on ownership would be useful. A Dolan package, Viacom package, Disney/ESPN package, Fox package etc.

 

[KAB]

Biting the hand that feeds.

 

[Tampa8]

This is where my idea of packages based on ownership would be useful. A Dolan package, Viacom package, Disney/ESPN package, Fox package etc.

I can see the same problem with that as the RSN's. ESPN knows if everyone does not pay, the cost to those who want it would be so high they would lose money by people not subscribing. Don't get me wrong, your idea isn't bad necessarily.

 

[Yespage]

They can't, doesn't work like that.

Actually they can, it is just that Disney doesn't want it that way. The simple fact is I think Disney can't afford to lose Dish as much as Dish can't afford to lose ESPN.

I'm sick and tired of having to bear the consequences of these corporations putting our money up for bid! Hose them! Put MLB, NBA TV into the basic package and boot ESPN if they try to make a big price increase.

 

[gpflepsen]

À la carte... What we have now constitutes a welfare program enabled by oligopolistic (is that a word?) evolution of the content provider structure. What the industry needs in it's current form is an evolutionary shake up, one that à la carte would provide. The industry needs to be made leaner and higher quality, and normal market forces would enable that through à la carte "natural selection". Today's HD quality is far from what it used to be and is far from what it should be. Imagine the quality viewing experience that could evolve if providers either offer compelling content or go the way of the dodo bird. Providers will either get their asking price or they won't and those not worthy will just go away. I'm tired of propping up 50% of the channels in my package that are utter garbage.

I would pay for a standalone ESPN package. I would pay my current package price for fewer higher quality channels delivered without the current bit-starved, sub-HD PQ.

 

[osu1991]

Actually they can, it is just that Disney doesn't want it that way. The simple fact is I think Disney can't afford to lose Dish as much as Dish can't afford to lose ESPN.

I'm sick and tired of having to bear the consequences of these corporations putting our money up for bid! Hose them! Put MLB, NBA TV into the basic package and boot ESPN if they try to make a big price increase.

People have been calling me crazy for suggesting that. I fully expect Dish to fight Disney on this come time for contract renewal. I think ESPN will remain in the base packages, but I think Dish will push to get the other ESPN channels moved to the sports package. This may require carrying the shorthorns network too, but at least it would go in the sports package and not the base packages.

Sent from my Toshiba Thrive using SatelliteGuys

 

[navychop]

It requires legislation to break up this bundling, and this requirement for carriage to all or to certain packages. That would require our Congress critters to [CENSORED, SEND IT TO SONIC].

 

[skysurfer]

price increase is coming, ESPN or not.

Charlie only promised locked in prices to 2013 so you know since he hasn't touched rates in 2 years that he'll jack up prices several bucks in Feb 2013 and probably put another 2 year price freeze BS on it.

I would go to DIRECTV but they do the same thing, except yearly price increases. Their package prices
are staying north of DISH's.

 

[Yespage]

price increase is coming, ESPN or not.

Charlie only promised locked in prices to 2013 so you know since he hasn't touched rates in 2 years that he'll jack up prices several bucks in Feb 2013 and probably put another 2 year price freeze BS on it.

I would go to DIRECTV but they do the same thing, except yearly price increases. Their package prices
are staying north of DISH's.

Price increases are one thing. Stuff gets more expensive every year because everyone wants a pay raise every year.

The problem is when price increases come from corporations putting out money out to bid like ESPN has been doing recently. They control too many sports, and when they grossly overpay to be able to show the sports, who makes up the difference? We do... not them. Why? Because if we don't pay what they want, they won't show it to us.

 

[Cocophone]

I never watch ESPN. I don't think the price increase is worth it. Charlie used that reasoning recently for other fee increases by other networks.

Charlie should make ESPN part of a sports package.

 

[riffjim4069]

I've ranted many times about my support for a la carte so I'll just provide a graphic since a picture speaks a thousand words.

:rant: :