DirecTV, Outdoor Channel Reach Deal

[John Corn]

DirecTV Inc. has closed a deal to offer The Outdoor Channel as part of its 'Sports Pack,' officials said Wednesday.

Outdoor, an independent service owned by Global Outdoors Inc., will launch Oct. 1 on the direct-broadcast satellite company’s sports tier -- a premium package that costs subscribers $12 per month.

The DirecTV Sports Pack includes more than 20 regional sports networks, Fox Sports World, NBA TV and The Golf Channel.


Full Story (http://www.tvinsite.com/multichannelnews/index.asp?layout=story&doc_id=100727&display=breakingNews)

[Ryan]

>>Outdoor currently has 16.7 million subscribers, and that total will jump to
18.4 million once it is carried on DirecTV.

Hence, DirecTV has 1.7 million sportspak subs. Just in case anyone was wondering.

[DS0816]

I wish DirecTV would get real and stop with that stupid $10-a-month Sports tier. Especially important in my saying this is the fact that The Golf Channel is available in a similar-to-DirecTV's-Total-Chice-Plus-package on competitor Echostar's Dish Network. I have the Plus with Locals. Have HBO and Cinemax and Playboy. I'm not going to order Sports to get Golf and Outdoor Channel. [:shrug:]

 

P.S. It's also time for DirecTV to play catchup to some channels Dish has DirecTV does not: style!; Games and Sports; Great American Country; HBO Comedy; Showtime Beyond; The Movie Channel Xtra. Or maybe bring in stuff people really want, like MTV and VH1 suites; Fine Living; extra adult channels. [:lol:]

[BrettR]

DirecTV was always heavy into PPV. PPV, PPV, PPV. They devoted about 50 channels to PPV. When E* launched programming on 110, they werent so crazy over PPV and used 110 to launch more variety channels and premium movie channels and left room for PPV also but didnt leave as many channels like DirecTV did. Of course, certain program providers wanted to be in the lower packages, like what Hearst did with Lifetime Movie Network, so Dish had to make room at 119. Hearst owns many TV stations and tied LMN carriage to retransmission consent. Both providers felt they need more LIL markets, so devoted lot of money and channel capacity to LIL. I prefer Dish Network programming and their programming packages, but I got tempted with DirecTiVo and switched to DirecTV.

As for the sports pack, DirecTV knows the sports fan will come to DirecTV more likely since DirecTV has exclusive rights for pro packages. So they are able to charge more for the FOX RSN package. Just a matter of more demand for sports probably, and only one supplier for certain pro sports packages because DirecTV paid for exclusivity. Also DirecTV has paid the FOX RSNs more so DirecTV can offer some people more RSNs, but the package is costlier in return. Complicated with blackouts.

I'd think Outdoor would be better suited for Total Choice Plus. This channel wants eyeballs and most exposure and probably is cheap (monthly cost as compared to ESPN). DirecTV though would rather beef up their sports pack so more people take it. DirecTV initially didnt care for this channel and probably still doesnt really. Outdoor Channel owners will pretty much take anything they can get, to get carried on DirecTV.

[Steve Mehs]

This is not much comfort but, DS0816, if you wanted the Sports Pak it would cost you $9 instead of $10, since you already have 2 premium packages.

[The Spud]

I agree that it is stupid to have to pay for another premium pack just to get the Golf Channel. When I switched from Dish to Direct I decided to do without. However, on another website there was a thread that mentioned an unadvertised Direct special where you could get the Total Choice Premium package for 6 months at a $20/month discount. I called Direct, and after a couple of minutes of checking the CSR confirmed the existence of the promotion.