Called about ESPN-HD today.....

[oblio98]

The CSR acted totally clueless, and told me that HBO, "Cinemax" and Discovery were available in HD and that was all. He had no idea about the ESPN thing.

I told him that while on ESPNs website, there was a huge ESPN-HD page instructing me to "call my satellite or cable provider".

He then said he had no idea, and basically hung up!

Geez, he was REAL helpful. I corrected him concerning the "Cinemax" selection, then he said "Oh yeah, it's Showtime". DUH.

:-jon

[Dgenx321]

Well Dish isn't allowed to say they will carry it per their contract with ESPN..

[RAD]

Originally posted by Dgenx321
Well Dish isn't allowed to say they will carry it per their contract with ESPN..

Then why is ESPN wasting our time (by telling us to ) to call a provider that may already going to be carrying it, plus costing the provider $'s for phone calls which are a total waste of time. I really don't understand why this has to be kept such a secret with only 8 days to launch.

[kurros]

Originally posted by oblio98
I told him that while on ESPNs website, there was a huge ESPN-HD page instructing me to "call my satellite or cable provider".

Can you please point me to this page?

[oblio98]

That was my point. Why would ESPN ask us to call, when they cannot answer???

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/espnhd

:-jon

[Mike123abc]

They want you to contact the providers to pressure them to carry it. They want lots of people to call so that providers will feel like they have to carry it.

[Scott Greczkowski]

Just FYI, you will notice that NO ONE has announced the coverage of ESPN-HD. This is by design. I know for a fact that in the contract from ESPN for ESPN-HD it states that a service provider can not announce their coverage of ESPN-HD until a certain date (this way ESPN can try to get on more systems)

I expect that later in the week you will be hearing all kinds of ESPN-HD announcements from both satellite and cable companies.

BTW for what its worth, I talked to my friends who work at ESPN and was told that they have been ordered by management not to release details of ESPN-HD to anyone (because of people like me who post the info the Internet) :)

[Mike123abc]

Scott your cover is blown, you need a new secret identity to post the juicy stuff here on DBS talk. It is all about plausible deny ability!!!

[Scott Greczkowski]

I got big ears. :)

Somehow I manage to hear things that I am not supposed to. :)

[RAD]

Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski
I know for a fact that in the contract from ESPN for ESPN-HD it states that a service provider can not announce their coverage of ESPN-HD until a certain date (this way ESPN can try to get on more systems)

Scott, when all is said and done can you please tell us why ESPN has this thinking? I would think that they would want folks to know so that pressure could be applied. Example, I'm on a TW capable system which says they won't carry ESPN-HD. However D* and/or E* (for example) say that they will be carrying it. I would think the consumer could show more leverage by saying they're switching unless TW offers the channel. i would think that when the provider sees customers canceling service because of the lack of carriage that would get their attention, money talks.

[Geronimo]

Why would this policy help ESPN get on more systems?

[Five Hole]

Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski

I know for a fact that in the contract from ESPN for ESPN-HD it states that a service provider can not announce their coverage of ESPN-HD until a certain date (this way ESPN can try to get on more systems)

Originally posted by RAD


Scott, when all is said and done can you please tell us why ESPN has this thinking?

I think that one of the possible reasons that ESPN won't let providers announce a deal is that there could always be a delay in the launch of the channel. As we get closer to March 30, ESPN will have a better assessment of their progress in launching the channel and if there is a delay, ESPN can advise the providers not to announce the channel. That is my thought but I doubt it is correct. lol




However D* and/or E* say that they will be carrying it.

D* and E* have not offiically announced the channel. There are rumors all over but nothing has been offically announced.

[RAD]

Originally posted by Five Hole


I think that one of the possible reasons that ESPN won't let providers announce a deal is that there could always be a delay in the launch of the channel. As we get closer to March 30, ESPN will have a better assessment of their progress in launching the channel and if there is a delay, ESPN can advise the providers not to announce the channel. That is my thought but I doubt it is correct. lol


D* and E* have not offiically announced the channel. There are rumors all over but nothing has been offically announced.

I think ESPN will make the 3/30 date, their web site still shows it and the testing that they've done with their new HD truck has gone well.

The part about D* and E* having ESPN-HD was only for example purposes, I know they have not made any announcement one way or the other.

[Scott Greczkowski]

ESPN-HD will indeed launch on March 30th. This is still being told to me bymy friends at ESPN.

[tnsprin]

And do you know when they will allow a service provider to announce?

The way it looks the first announcement will be after they they go live.

[DarrellP]

A little advance notice would be nice so Dish is not swamped with requests for the 8psk mod the day they start airing ESPN-HD. Why not give the consumer a little breathing room?

I'm holding off on the purchase of the mod so I can see what package it is going in. I get plenty of HD via OTA and do not want to increase my monthly programming fee to Dish, but if they can make a bundled package at an attractive priice without requiring the AT150 then I would bite.

[Cyclone]

I'm sure its not Dish but a NDA (Non Discloser Agreement) from ESPN that is keeping all of the Service providers quiet. I'll start a poll to see when ESPN-HD will be announced.

Cyclone

[Mike123abc]

With less than a week to ESPN-HD launch, you would think they would be announcing it right away. There must be some major snag.

[dpsligar]

What sat is ESPN-HD gonna be on? I've got the equipment (6000U with 8PSK), I just haven't had the 61.5 dish installed. I'm hoping that they'll put it up on one of the two main birds. Anybody wanna speculate where they'll put it?

[RAD]

Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski
Just FYI, you will notice that NO ONE has announced the coverage of ESPN-HD. This is by design. I know for a fact that in the contract from ESPN for ESPN-HD it states that a service provider can not announce their coverage of ESPN-HD until a certain date (this way ESPN can try to get on more systems)

I expect that later in the week you will be hearing all kinds of ESPN-HD announcements from both satellite and cable companies.

BTW for what its worth, I talked to my friends who work at ESPN and was told that they have been ordered by management not to release details of ESPN-HD to anyone (because of people like me who post the info the Internet) :)

OK, someone's announced that they're carrying ESPN-HD:
http://www.mcall.com/business/local/all-espnmar23,0,3656251.story?coll=all%2Dbusinesslocal %2Dhed

It also goes on to say that Dish and DirecTV won't be carrying ESPN-HD. Let's hope that they don't know what they're talking about.

[oblio98]

It also goes on to say that Dish and DirecTV won't be carrying ESPN-HD

Scott!!! What's the story????