[Adiamant]

interesting stuff about NFL network and a chance to send an email to state reps, other officials and commissions to get them to bitch slap, TW, comcast and cablevision.



The truth is simple: cable companies raise rates and stifle competition – and are now denying you access to football 24:7 on NFL Network. Football fans are being held hostage: either they pay extra to subscribe to the cable company’s “sports tier” and spend hundreds of dollars a year for additional channels they don’t want – or they’re totally blocked from receiving high-quality NFL football programming on NFL Network.
FACT:A number of the largest cable companies – including Comcast, Time Warner and Cablevision – have either moved NFL Network to a pay-extra sports tier or refused to carry it at all.FACT:Cable companies like Comcast, Time Warner and Cablevision are refusing to negotiate in good faith to give their customers access to NFL Network. FACT:Cable rates have increased by 41% in the last few years, and cable companies still aren’t satisfied. They’re trying to cash in on the NFL’s popularity by charging football fans an additional fee to watch their favorite teams in action.FACT:It costs only 2 cents per subscriber a day for cable companies to offer NFL Network, yet they want to charge you up to $10 per month for the right to watch NFL Network.FACT:Although more than 222 million Americans watched NFL football last year, the cable companies argue that NFL Network’s audience is too small to justify a spot in the basic lineup. Yet they manage to offer less popular sports channels they own, like Versus and the Golf Channel, on basic cable.FACT:Cable has a double standard when it comes to sports channels. Channels they own, like Versus and the Golf Channel are included in the basic lineup. Independent channels like NFL Network get left out in the cold. This is unfair and anti-consumer. Consumer interest should decide what channels get carried – not inside deals among cable companies.FACT:Cable’s standard tactics stifle competition, by denying access to independent networks and by allowing cable to abuse their monopoly franchises.FACT:Cable subscribers that live outside their favorite teams’ home markets won’t see their teams play on NFL Network unless they pay extra fees to their cable provider. NFL Network games are broadcast free over-the-air in the team’s local market – but Dallas Cowboys fans in San Antonio and Green Bay Packers fans in Madison, for example, will miss seeing their favorite teams play.

[cabonuserollyo]

There has to be some merit to this as NFL Network is on my Dish Network programming and I have the basic package which is only 29.99 per month.

[BiseCreesia]

Thats why DTV Rules

[blohannaserri]

I got an actual response from Feingold. the others have been automated so far.

Dear Mr. Fahvra,

Just a quick note to thank you for contacting me regarding carriage
contract disagreements between NFL Networks and cable
companies in Wisconsin. I appreciate your taking the time to share
your thoughts on this subject with me.

As a United States Senator, I generally do not get involved in
specific business disputes. You may be interested to know,
however, that the Senate Judiciary Committee recently held a
hearing during which it discussed the federal role in regulating
sports programming. An audio recording of the hearing, entitled,
"Competition in Sports Programming and Broadcasting: Are
Consumers Winning," is available on the committee's website.
You may view it by visiting
<a href="http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=2440" target="_blank"font color="#0066cc"http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=2440/font/a>. I hope you
find the hearing interesting, and should relevant legislation come
before the Senate in the future, I will be sure to keep your thoughts
in mind.

Thanks again for contacting me. I hope you feel free to do so in
the future on this or any other issue of concern to you.


Sincerely,

Russell D. Feingold
United States Senator

[KixdricyArrip]

There has to be some merit to this as NFL Network is on my Dish Network programming and I have the basic package which is only 29.99 per month.

I used to get NFLN with basic digital cable, at the start of preseason they put it on the sports tier for $10 more a month. The other channels on sports tier are also owned by Comcast now, they bought some of the regional fox sports channels.

[DarrenBent]

Thats why DTV Rules

Amen!

A college kid was at my house last week and had never even heard of the NFL Channel.

[n2Oddw8P]

The NFL charges a lot for NFLN and DISH carries it because they can claim they carry NFL games (since they were locked out of the NFL Sunday Ticket Package).

[DoctorDulitlBest]

how bout i write my senators and reps a letter about the monopoly that the nfl and directv have entered in to?

[moopogyOvenny]

how bout i write my senators and reps a letter about the monopoly that the nfl and directv have entered in to?

Throw in something about the baseball package being a bunch of BS, too.

[otheloComRole]

Amen!

A college kid was at my house last week and had never even heard of the NFL Channel.

So you had a ¿¿¿¿ over?

[syptopsygieds]

I wonder how much money the NFL stands to make from advertisers once their network gets basic clearance nationwide.

[sasquatch999]

The NFL sent you an email so they can make more money.

[Diortarkivoff]

The NFL sent you an email so they can make more money.

Id rather see them make money than timewarner.

[Kolovorotkes]

The NFL charges a lot for NFLN and DISH carries it because they can claim they carry NFL games (since they were locked out of the NFL Sunday Ticket Package).

it aint much when its spread out among customers. a buck or two a month, big F'n deal.

[attishina]

it aint much when its spread out among customers. a buck or two a month, big F'n deal.

That begs an interesting question...I'm assuming that there are more non-football fans in the general public than football fans....If it was the reverse I would agree with you about the buck or two, but I don't think it is.

[fkisjjdhh]

The NFL sent you an email so they can make more money.

if the nfl really wanted you to have their network they would decrease their demands for how much they want from the cable company per subscriber. that way the cable company wouldn't have to put it on it's sports tier programming.

[scewDeasp]

it aint much when its spread out among customers. a buck or two a month, big F'n deal.

FCC fee went up a penny this month.

I've had people spitting in my face because of it.

[sarasaraseda]

if the nfl really wanted you to have their network they would decrease their demands for how much they want from the cable company per subscriber. that way the cable company wouldn't have to put it on it's sports tier programming.

Exactly.

Charge the same amount Versus and The Golf Channel charge.

When you start bringing in the ratings of an ESPN, then start charging ESPN rates.

[mv37afnr]

That makes sense...

I mean, the NFL does so much in your community as compared to Time Warner, it just begs to reason that you'd support them more.

TW don't do shit for me.

[sniskelsowwef]

Id rather see them make money than timewarner.

That makes sense...

I mean, the NFL does so much in your community as compared to Time Warner, it just begs to reason that you'd support them more.