Extra Innings Package to be on DirecTV

[John W]

Major League Baseball is close to announcing a deal that will place its Extra Innings package of out-of-market games exclusively on DirecTV, which will also become the only carrier of a long-planned 24-hour baseball channel.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/20/sports/baseball/20base.html

[JohnH]

For what has been provided, the package has been more reliable on DiSH Network and Indemand than it has been on DIRECTV. Sad days apparently coming. :(

[tvwatcher365]

This is terrible. Hopefully Dish Network and the cable companies appeal this.

[Stewart Vernon]

I don't like baseball... but it is disappointing to see these kind of exclusives like Sunday Ticket, since you know it means the price will go up. The $300 or whatever Sunday Ticket costs is way more than I would ever dream of paying for football, and I like the NFL! So it wasn't even a factor in my deciding to go with Dish.

Even if liked Baseball, I suspect the new/higher Extra Inning price as an exclusive for DirecTV will be way more than it is worth.

It also seems like this indicates lack of interest in subscribers with the current format... otherwise MLB would be fine with being on both Dish & DirecTV.

[bobsloop]

MLB is chasing the money and there is nothing anyone can do about it. They have the right to sell their package to the highest bidder. I am just glad that DirecTV is that bidder. I feel bad for those of you with Dish Network if you like baseball. You can still get the games online and they are not that bad but it's not like watching it on your big TV. I hope this means more HD games on DirecTV though.

[serenstarlight]

For what has been provided, the package has been more reliable on DiSH Network and Indemand than it has been on DIRECTV. Sad days apparently coming. :(

Where did this info come from?

[obermi]

Why is this subject under the Dish Network Thread? I don't care about baseball!

[WolfClan Dan]

Why is this subject under the Dish Network Thread? I don't care about baseball!

You may not care about baseball, but you may care when Dish is forced to raise its rates due to an exodus of subscribers.

[John W]

Why is this subject under the Dish Network Thread? I don't care about baseball!

So that Dish subscribers who do and have bought this package in the past will know its gone.

[Dish Cubfan]

Would that include this year?

[Hound]

If true, I will be leaving Dish this spring. This thread should be under the
Dish general discussion because MLB EI was the reason I signed up with
Dish in the first place three and one half years ago. My local cable company
did not offer MLB EI.

Directv probably will be providing many of the games in HD just like the
NFL Sunday ticket, because Directv is already providing most of the HD RSNs.
Directv can probably do this without the launch of the two new satellites.
I suspect there will be more than the one HD game a night that Dish
provided. Directv's website states that it provides more HD sports than
any other multi video provider, cable or satellite.

Dish has been much too slow in providing HD RSNs. It is still the only
multi video provider that does not have HD RSNs. With the choice of
four HDTV providers in my town (Directv, Dish, local cable and Verizon Fios),
Dish is playing catch up. There are many competitive choices, three of whom
provide at least two HD RSNs in my town.

The cost of HD MLB EI at Directv may sound expensive to non baseball
fans, but to the die hards that have been season ticket holders and have
plunked down the money for a 50 inch or larger HDTV, they will spend the
money. The cost of going to a ball game is prohibitive. My four seats in
Philadelphia costs me $176 a game plus gas, tolls and parking for a one
hour, door to door trip. $5.75 for a beer, $7.50 for a steak sandwich, $3.50
for crackerjacks, $3.50 for a bottle of Dasani water, etc.

[YKW06]

If it starts this season, I'm done with E* (as soon as my 18-month commitment runs out in June).

I chose E* over D* to get superstations and MLB EI but, if forced to chose between the two, I have to wave good-bye to KTLA, et al.

Baseball is that important to me -- and, of course, D* knows there are millions just like me.

:nono:

[SMosher]

This is bullsh*t! How the hell does this not mean 'monopoly'?

[WolfClan Dan]

This is bullsh*t! How the hell does this not mean 'monopoly'?

The service went to the highest bidder. Why could Dish not counter with $110 mil a year?

[SMosher]

The service went to the highest bidder. Why could Dish not counter with $110 mil a year?

Well, this isnt eBay ;d

[Slamminc11]

You may not care about baseball, but you may care when Dish is forced to raise its rates due to an exodus of subscribers.

Exodus of subscribers???? You gotta be kidding me! There wasn't an exodus when Distants were dropped, there wasn't an exodus when they had the Viacom deal a while back, there wasn't an exodus with the lifetime deal last year, and there hasn't been an exodus with Court-TV, and there won't be from this either. I hope baseball is worth $200+ for the six months of EI on Direct!

[juan ellitinez]

If it starts this season, I'm done with E* (as soon as my 18-month commitment runs out in June).

I chose E* over D* to get superstations and MLB EI but, if forced to chose between the two, I have to wave good-bye to KTLA, et al.

Baseball is that important to me -- and, of course, D* knows there are millions just like me.

:nono:
Might wanna wait till 2009 (when the new deal starts, If it starts)

[JohnH]

Where did this info come from?

Personal Observation. I have been involved in online MLB Schedules for years.

[Randall DBS]

I dont understand why the government wont step in on something like this, they worry thereselves to death over the NAB whining about us watching distant locals, why dont they step in on something that actually should be stepped in on. All directv is trying to do is price gouge people to death on this one. Total b/s. There should be no such thing as a provider having exclusive rights, thats the purpose of competition. :mad: :nono2:

[RAD]

For what has been provided, the package has been more reliable on DiSH Network and Indemand than it has been on DIRECTV. Sad days apparently coming. :(

Can you please go into this a bit more. Are you saying that D* did not carry all the MLB games while E* and cable did?

[serenstarlight]

Personal Observation. I have been involved in online MLB Schedules for years.

Oh ok :)

[Dish Cubfan]

If true, I will be leaving Dish this spring. This thread should be under the
Dish general discussion because MLB EI was the reason I signed up with
Dish in the first place three and one half years ago. My local cable company
did not offer MLB EI.

Directv probably will be providing many of the games in HD just like the
NFL Sunday ticket, because Directv is already providing most of the HD RSNs.
Directv can probably do this without the launch of the two new satellites.
I suspect there will be more than the one HD game a night that Dish
provided. Directv's website states that it provides more HD sports than
any other multi video provider, cable or satellite.

Dish has been much too slow in providing HD RSNs. It is still the only
multi video provider that does not have HD RSNs. With the choice of
four HDTV providers in my town (Directv, Dish, local cable and Verizon Fios),
Dish is playing catch up. There are many competitive choices, three of whom
provide at least two HD RSNs in my town.

The cost of HD MLB EI at Directv may sound expensive to non baseball
fans, but to the die hards that have been season ticket holders and have
plunked down the money for a 50 inch or larger HDTV, they will spend the
money. The cost of going to a ball game is prohibitive. My four seats in
Philadelphia costs me $176 a game plus gas, tolls and parking for a one
hour, door to door trip. $5.75 for a beer, $7.50 for a steak sandwich, $3.50
for crackerjacks, $3.50 for a bottle of Dasani water, etc.

My contract is up in September I beleive... but I would almost be willing to opt out early if I don't take a huge hit. Does anyone know how that works and what I will have to pay if I am 6 months away?

[RAD]

I dont understand why the government wont step in on something like this, they worry thereselves to death over the NAB whining about us watching distant locals, why dont they step in on something that actually should be stepped in on. All directv is trying to do is price gouge people to death on this one. Total b/s. There should be no such thing as a provider having exclusive rights, thats the purpose of competition. :mad: :nono2:

So where do you draw the line. Should movie studios be forced to release movies on both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD (why should I be forced to buy a more expensive BD player), no more one or the other? What about video game makers, should they be forced to release all their games on all their platforms (must I buy all platforms so I can play all the games)? Should cell phone makers be forced to make all their phones available to all the cellular providers at the same time, no more exclusives?

Face it, consumers just get in the way of corporations making money, forget what's good for the consumer, just keep the $'s coming in so CEO's can make hundreds of millions of dollars per year, then when they get fired still take home millions in severance.

[bobsloop]

What is all of the complaining about? It is a free market. If it is worth that much to you then go to DirecTV. If it is not a big enough deal to switch then stop complaining. My kids don't complain this much.

DirecTV is competing with Dish and all of the cable providers out there. There is no problem with them having different programming.

Has this country become a bunch of babies crying for help from the government any time something doesn't go there way? Take care of yourself and stop looking to the government for answers.

[Dish Cubfan]

What is all of the complaining about? It is a free market. If it is worth that much to you then go to DirecTV. If it is not a big enough deal to switch then stop complaining. My kids don't complain this much.

DirecTV is competing with Dish and all of the cable providers out there. There is no problem with them having different programming.

Has this country become a bunch of babies crying for help from the government any time something doesn't go there way? Take care of yourself and stop looking to the government for answers.

I agree with you on not needing the government to help... we have enough of that already. But I am disappointed in this outcome. You can call it complaining or whatever you like, but for those of us who like sports and want more out of the programing that Dish isn't offering such as RSNs in HD and now this... you certainly can understand why.

[Steve Mehs]

I really don't see what the big deal is. It's a business decision. Back in the day DirecTV had exclusive to all the sports packages. All Dish had was ESPN Game Plan, ESPN Full Court and MLS Shootout. You could get Centre Ice in Canada, but that was it. Sports exclusives by DirecTV weren’t challenged in the '90s, so why is it an issue now.

That said, I would like to be able to get MLB EI from InDemand, but if not, oh well, I'd rather have the package be exclusive to DirecTV, then have the government interfere with it and have it available to Dish and InDemand.

Has this country become a bunch of babies crying for help from the government any time something doesn't go there way? Take care of yourself and stop looking to the government for answers.


:up: :up: I couldn't agree more

[bobsloop]

I agree with you on not needing the government to help... we have enough of that already. But I am disappointed in this outcome. You can call it complaining or whatever you like, but for those of us who like sports and want more out of the programing that Dish isn't offering such as RSNs in HD and now this... you certainly can understand why.

I completely agree with not liking the outcome. I understand that you might be upset. Maybe I read the board wrong and people are just upset. My brother is a worse situation. He cannot have a dish and will be losing the package. It stinks for those people.

[Dish Cubfan]

I support Dish 100% and I'm a big Dish Network fan, but losing out on the MLB package and not having RSNs in HD is really going to force me to switch. We watch sports at least 50% of the time and when baseball season comes, probably more like 75%. The deal with Court TV was upsetting as well, but not as big. Court TV was a channel we actually watched unlike many many others.

[James Long]

It will be a sad day if the most expensive DBS service gets yet another exclusive to use to turn the screws on their customers.

D* rates are rising more for low end existing customers than high end ... and they are pricing themselves out of the ballpark on basic channels. With exclusives they can. As of Feb 6th it will be $49.99 for new subscribers to get a basic programming package from D* that is comprable to E*'s soon $47.99 AT200. D* Choice with sports pack (all RSNs) will be $61.99 --- E* AT200 with sports pack will be $53.98. Eight dollars more for D* before they add on any "exclusive priced" premium sports packages.

We read it as a joke when D* came out with the "Titanium" package last year ... only $7,500 per year for up to 10 receivers and all the content you can watch. D* is certainly going after those with disposable cash!

I don't see E* raising rates over losing this content (if it is lost). Despite their increases they are going to be the low cost leader. D* certainly makes that easy.

It's hard to fault the "other provider" when an exclusive deal is made. Exclusives are not a case of both providers being offered the content for a fair price and one declining. An exclusive contract shuts out the other provider from making a reasonable bid.

[Stewart Vernon]

I don't see any mass exodus just for MLB EI package to DirecTV.

Think about it... The NFL is the #1 sport in the USA, and DirecTV has had that locked up Sunday Ticket package exclusive for years and for more years to come... and yet Dish has almost as many subscribers as DirecTV!

MLB, last time I looked, was maybe #3 or #4 popular sport in the US... so since there has not been any mass exodus of folks thus far for the NFL I seriously doubt loss of MLB EI will cause a mass exodus to DirecTV.

I do understand folks that like baseball considering making the move... so I'm not belittling that choice... but I seriously doubt Dish will see much bottom line effect from this.

[rockstx]

Unbelievable... Sport fans are losing again.. DISH doesn't seem to care. I live in the Virgin Islands and can only get DISH. We get DirectTV Latin America which doesn't carry the MLB package... What alternative do I have to get NY Yankee games!!!!

[Jim5506]

The approach should be, does MLB and/or NFL violate their monopoly exemption by congress by engaging in such practices.

Perhaps a couple of Senators and some congressmen from Colorado will look into this.

[Dish Cubfan]

I don't see any mass exodus just for MLB EI package to DirecTV.

Think about it... The NFL is the #1 sport in the USA, and DirecTV has had that locked up Sunday Ticket package exclusive for years and for more years to come... and yet Dish has almost as many subscribers as DirecTV!

MLB, last time I looked, was maybe #3 or #4 popular sport in the US... so since there has not been any mass exodus of folks thus far for the NFL I seriously doubt loss of MLB EI will cause a mass exodus to DirecTV.

I do understand folks that like baseball considering making the move... so I'm not belittling that choice... but I seriously doubt Dish will see much bottom line effect from this.

There is quite a difference with NFL versus MLB. MLB has games on every day while with the NFL it is mostly a Sunday affair. What is your source for baseball being 3rd or 4th?.. I would love to see that.

[Greg Bimson]

Other difference: MLB has an "anti-trust exemption" given by the judicial system. One would actually have to create a law that subjects Major League Baseball to it.

On the other hand, when the AFL and NFL merged in the late 1960's, Congress had to pass bills and the President had to sign laws in order to allow the merger to happen. That puts the NFL at a disadvantage, because as a monopoly they still must run within the bounds of anti-trust laws.

[YKW06]

Might wanna wait till 2009 (when the new deal starts, If it starts)

Hence all the "if"s in the post. :D

Still not sure when this deal might be kicking in, though; your remark is the first time that 2009 has come up as a possibility (2007 and 2008 have been stated/implied elsewhere).

[hankmack]

Major League Baseball is close to announcing a deal that will place its Extra Innings package of out-of-market games exclusively on DirecTV, which will also become the only carrier of a long-planned 24-hour baseball channel.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/20/sports/baseball/20base.html

I love baseball and I have loved Dish, but baseball will win. If this comes about I will be switching in April. :mad: :( :nono:

[rogerpl]

I love baseball and I have loved Dish, but baseball will win. If this comes about I will be switching in April. :mad: :( :nono:

Yup, I've been pricing things out for the last couple of weeks and decided to stay with E* mostly because of equipment. Now, this might be enough to push me to change. :mad:

[YKW06]

Unbelievable... Sport fans are losing again.. DISH doesn't seem to care. I live in the Virgin Islands and can only get DISH. We get DirectTV Latin America which doesn't carry the MLB package... What alternative do I have to get NY Yankee games!!!!

MLB.tv, that's what. It's Baseball's online initiative (to which it seems MLB wants to funnel disenfranchised MLB EI customers so as to collect the full purchase price for each subscription, rather than "merely" the annual rights fee inDemand had paid). It's also available worldwide with few restrictions outside the fifty US states and DC (with one significant exception noted below).

You'll need a broadband internet connection, and postseason events won't be available except through terrestrial/satellite/cable in the USVI, but that's not much different than the current situation. You also still have the games on FSLA and ESPNI which, granted, isn't much of a consolation but, hey, with DirecTV getting the sole franchise, maybe they'll be allowed to offer it internationally (or, at least, to D*LA customers residing at US/territorial addresses)...

[Hound]

I don't see any mass exodus just for MLB EI package to DirecTV.

Think about it... The NFL is the #1 sport in the USA, and DirecTV has had that locked up Sunday Ticket package exclusive for years and for more years to come... and yet Dish has almost as many subscribers as DirecTV!

MLB, last time I looked, was maybe #3 or #4 popular sport in the US... so since there has not been any mass exodus of folks thus far for the NFL I seriously doubt loss of MLB EI will cause a mass exodus to DirecTV.

I do understand folks that like baseball considering making the move... so I'm not belittling that choice... but I seriously doubt Dish will see much bottom line effect from this.

There will not be a mass exodus. MLB only has about 750,000 subscribers. But
Directv will pick up subscribers. Lets make a wild guess of 200,000 new
subscribers. Directv in pricing out their offer internally to MLB, I am sure is estimating some number of new subscribers coming from both Dish and cable.
I am willing to bet that with the added publicity of the exclusive package, Directv
can eventually increase the subscription base over 750,000.

With Verizon's 42.99 basic package which includes HD and Directv's 29.99 family value package plus $11 for HD, I can get to almost the same monthly rate of $136.99 that I will be paying Dish come 2/1 and have basically the same channel lineup minus Voom and Cinemax plus at least three HD RSNs and some other HD channels that Dish does not provide. So for me, if D's MLB EI has an HD option
which I am sure it will, I am dropping both E and local cable.

In describing E as the low cost provider among satellite companies, you have to
consider what content you actually watch. Are you really watching all of E's channels? Is the $20 HD fee really worth it, if you are not getting HD RSNs.
It does not really matter that E is underpricing D by $9 a month on some SD
packages because most people are not watching the 185 or so channels provided.
Many subs are no longer watching the SD content.

[Slamminc11]

...Many subs are no longer watching the SD content.

Well, let's see, Dish has 13 million customers, out of that, my guess is that 10-11 million (if not more) still subscribe to only the SD packages and have nothing to do with the HD content on Dish.

[JohnH]

Can you please go into this a bit more. Are you saying that D* did not carry all the MLB games while E* and cable did?

D* failed to deliver more games than E* or Cable failed to deliver. Much of D* problem this past season was missing the Twins' Simulcasts sometimes. It seemed like somebody new was running the show there. There have been some problems with handling of rainout reschedules. Surprising, that was somewhat better last season. E* got the simulcasts on, but failed to get the correct content on the FSN North main channel, which allowed the Twins to come through without blackouts on the simulcasts.

There are those who fault E* on the YES Network absence, but it was not a significant problem, if you wanted to see the games in MLB EI, It was and is a significant problem for those in the Yankees' market.

This upcoming season will present a new challenge unless E* gets MASN.

D* likely still has problems with STO territory coverage and blacking out of the non pro content.

[bills976]

Has this country become a bunch of babies crying for help from the government any time something doesn't go there way? Take care of yourself and stop looking to the government for answers.

:up: :up: I couldn't agree more

Since I'm a conservative I would typically agree with you on this. However, the government is already interfering here by offering MLB, NFL, etc antitrust exemptions.

You can't have your cake and eat it too. If the NFL and MLB want to continue to have their special government protection, they should stop abusing the power that those exemptions allow. Otherwise get rid of the exemptions and force them to abide by the laws that everyone else in this country has to.

The NHL has become a lot more fan-friendly since the cancelled season and as a result is a lot more fun to watch than either the NFL or MLB... cable and Dish subs should give it a shot.

[Greg Bimson]

Since I'm a conservative I would typically agree with you on this. However, the government is already interfering here by offering MLB, NFL, etc antitrust exemptions.Ahh, but then all one needs to say is that the government is interfering with anti-trust laws to start this whole charade, and then that simply means the government is extremely involved.You can't have your cake and eat it too. If the NFL and MLB want to continue to have their special government protection, they should stop abusing the power that those exemptions allow. Otherwise get rid of the exemptions and force them to abide by the laws that everyone else in this country has to.That would involve breaking up the NFL and Major League Baseball. The anti-trust exemptions allowed for the league to negotiate nationwide television contracts. Just like the NFL shows the AFC packages on CBS, the NFC packages on FOX, the Sunday Night games on NBC and the Monday Night games on ESPN, the ability has always been there to negotiate a pay-per-view package, either via the NFL or via MLB. They can have their cake and eat it too. As long as it is upheld in a court of law.The NHL has become a lot more fan-friendly since the cancelled season and as a result is a lot more fun to watch than either the NFL or MLB... cable and Dish subs should give it a shot.The most subscribed sports package in the US after NFL Sunday Ticket is NHL Center Ice. DirecTV asked the NHL about an exclusive. The reason the NHL declined the offer was because of its contract with Versus, not because of the best interest of the fans.

[DawgLink]

So for me, if D's MLB EI has an HD option
which I am sure it will, I am dropping both E and local cable.

Think they will this year?

If so, what do you think it will be like

I am 3 months into D* and my HDTV....so I have not the faintest clue what baseball was like last year with HD

Would a majority of games be HD? Small minority? What?

[Stewart Vernon]

There is quite a difference with NFL versus MLB. MLB has games on every day while with the NFL it is mostly a Sunday affair. What is your source for baseball being 3rd or 4th?.. I would love to see that.

I have no concrete source... just basing on what I hear on SportCenter and other sports news shows on ESPN. I thought I remembered hearing how the NFL was first, Nascar had moved up to #2, and the NBA was 3rd. Last I knew hockey had dropped after their strike year so I figured MLB must be #4.

I hate Nascar. I don't like baseball, but I hate Nascar... cars driving around in circles really fast for hours... so I am confused as to why it is so popular... but everything I hear seems to indicate that it is.

[James Long]

Not that wikis are the most accurate sources, but:
http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/How_do_professional_sports_in_the_US_rank_in_popul arity
"According to ESPN's survey:* Football was first.
* Baseball was second.
* Basketball was third."
"In the United States today, a reasonable estimate of the popularity order might be:* NFL (National Football League)
* NBA (National Basketball Association)
* MLB (Major League Baseball)
* NCAA football (college football)
* NCAA basketball (college basketball)
* NASCAR (stock car racing)
* WWE (professional wrestling)
* NHL (National Hockey League)
* AFL (Arena Football League)
* WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association)
* MLS (Major League Soccer)
* IRL (Indy Racing League)"I'm sure there are other sources with other opinions. This is just the first hit on a Google for "sports popularity". :)

[akw4572]

Anyone know of a firm date for this?? Is it going to be immediate for this season?

[rockstx]

MLB.tv, that's what. It's Baseball's online initiative (to which it seems MLB wants to funnel disenfranchised MLB EI customers so as to collect the full purchase price for each subscription, rather than "merely" the annual rights fee inDemand had paid). It's also available worldwide with few restrictions outside the fifty US states and DC (with one significant exception noted below).

You'll need a broadband internet connection, and postseason events won't be available except through terrestrial/satellite/cable in the USVI, but that's not much different than the current situation. You also still have the games on FSLA and ESPNI which, granted, isn't much of a consolation but, hey, with DirecTV getting the sole franchise, maybe they'll be allowed to offer it internationally (or, at least, to D*LA customers residing at US/territorial addresses)...

I have been down the broadband path, and in the VI we are lucky to get bandwidth fast enough to carry the audio... My only hope is that D* carries the MLB EI package on their Latin America programming

[hankmack]

Anyone know of a firm date for this?? Is it going to be immediate for this season?

I heard that the exisitng contracts expired at the end of the 06 season so I suspect it wll be this year.

[DCSholtis]

Think they will this year?

If so, what do you think it will be like

I am 3 months into D* and my HDTV....so I have not the faintest clue what baseball was like last year with HD

Would a majority of games be HD? Small minority? What?

Last year it was one or 2 games a night. Plus the majority of Yankee home and selected away games on Channel 95. Subs within the footprint of an MLB territory such as Boston....NY....Cleveland....Detroit etc. had their games on Channel 96 or 97.

[marketinghelp]

Exodus of subscribers???? You gotta be kidding me! There wasn't an exodus when Distants were dropped, there wasn't an exodus when they had the Viacom deal a while back, there wasn't an exodus with the lifetime deal last year, and there hasn't been an exodus with Court-TV, and there won't be from this either. I hope baseball is worth $200+ for the six months of EI on Direct!

There might not have been an exodus with each individual thing you mentioned but there will be now, looking cumatively at the recent things that have been taken away and oh ya, our rates increased.

[juan ellitinez]

There might not have been an exodus with each individual thing you mentioned but there will be now, looking cumatively at the recent things that have been taken away and oh ya, our rates increased. D* is raising rates 5 bucks and is moving channels to different packagages(in other words look before you leap)

[Slamminc11]

There might not have been an exodus with each individual thing you mentioned but there will be now, looking cumatively at the recent things that have been taken away and oh ya, our rates increased.

Dish had Viacom down, their number continued to rise. Dish had Lifetime down (and raised their rates last year) and their numbers continued to rise. Dish had Distants go dark, and then they passed 13 million. Dish is raising rates an avg. of $3 this year, Direct is raising an avg. of $5, and Dish numbers will continue to rise. How many people do you think will switch because of EI? Dish had more people subing to distants than they do to EI and their numbers didn't drop. Hell, I am a huge baseball fan, but I wouldn't even switch because of EI.
I think all those trees up there in Oregon has sent to much oxygen to you brain! ;) :D

[Hound]

Think they will this year?

If so, what do you think it will be like

I am 3 months into D* and my HDTV....so I have not the faintest clue what baseball was like last year with HD

Would a majority of games be HD? Small minority? What?

I can only speculate, until they get the new satellites up. How many in HD right away may depend on the commitment that they gave to MLB. Again only speculation. For NFL on sundays, some other HD channels were pre empted,
so that they could give subs a choice of five or six games.
Will they do this again for baseball games? I do not know. If last year they
had one or two per night, they will at least have one or two per night until the
new satellites are launched.

[marketinghelp]

Dish had Viacom down, their number continued to rise. Dish had Lifetime down (and raised their rates last year) and their numbers continued to rise. Dish had Distants go dark, and then they passed 13 million. Dish is raising rates an avg. of $3 this year, Direct is raising an avg. of $5, and Dish numbers will continue to rise. How many people do you think will switch because of EI? Dish had more people subing to distants than they do to EI and their numbers didn't drop. Hell, I am a huge baseball fan, but I wouldn't even switch because of EI.
I think all those trees up there in Oregon has sent to much oxygen to you brain! ;) :D

See, that's the thing. They may not lose lots because of any "one" thing they are taking away but when you start adding up all the things they are taking away it "will" make a difference. It's not just about money. I want Court TV, but can't watch it with Dish, now THAT is ridiculous because I can watch it with Cable or Direc TV. Dish better be real careful because they will lose plenty of people.

[Paul Secic]

Dish had Viacom down, their number continued to rise. Dish had Lifetime down (and raised their rates last year) and their numbers continued to rise. Dish had Distants go dark, and then they passed 13 million. Dish is raising rates an avg. of $3 this year, Direct is raising an avg. of $5, and Dish numbers will continue to rise. How many people do you think will switch because of EI? Dish had more people subing to distants than they do to EI and their numbers didn't drop. Hell, I am a huge baseball fan, but I wouldn't even switch because of EI.
I think all those trees up there in Oregon has sent to much oxygen to you brain! ;) :D
People say anything! Most customers 9 to 10 million won't even notice.

[Mike D-CO5]

I never watched Court tv and I really don't miss it. I bet if you did a poll about who is mad about it or if they even care about it , it would prove very interesting.

[Slamminc11]

See, that's the thing. They may not lose lots because of any "one" thing they are taking away but when you start adding up all the things they are taking away it "will" make a difference. It's not just about money. I want Court TV, but can't watch it with Dish, now THAT is ridiculous because I can watch it with Cable or Direc TV. Dish better be real careful because they will lose plenty of people.

Appearently your definition of "plenty" and my definition of "plenty" are different. 97-98% of Dish customers don't even know that Dish carries EI or that Direct might get it exclusively no do they even care.
Will Dish lose a few customers because of baseball and the price increase? Sure they will. But plenty? Please!
With Direct raising their rates, I see a whole lot more switching from Direct to Dish than from Dish to Direct.

[Slamminc11]

I never watched Court tv and I really don't miss it. I bet if you did a poll about who is mad about it or if they even care about it , it would prove very interesting.

Most people will say, "I thought that went off the air after the O.J. trial!"

[Stewart Vernon]

Somebody earlier in the thread mentioned 750,000 EI subscribers. Now, I don't know if that was a total for all companies or just Dish... but even if it is just Dish customers... Dish has over 13 million subscribers... so that would only be 5.77% of them on EI! Now if that 750,000 was a total for other companies too (like cable and DirecTV) then obviously the percentage goes even lower.

Bottom line... I understand how a baseball fan who wants EI would feel... but clearly it isn't a big deal to Dish in terms of most of their customers.

[Hound]

750,000 includes cable and Directv, so the loss of subs, is not going to bankrupt Dish. That is why I said a wild guess of maybe 200,000 Dish subs with MLB EI. It may not even be that high (Dish has over 13 million subs). However, it will further differentiate between the two competitors. Directv will pick up new subs from both Dish and cable. My educated guess tells me that at least one half of the new subs will be HD subscribers (baseball fans subscribing to MLB EI probably have HD. Everyone I know with MLB EI has HD).

If you do the math, Directv is paying $100,000,000 per year for seven years at
750,000 subs. That is $133.33 per sub per year. I think last year the price for
MLB EI was $165 or $169.

With the entrance of Verizon and ATT into the multi video provider business there
is more competition than ever for subs. Verizon's basic package including HD has more content and is cheaper than Dish's similar HD package and has HD RSNs. The bundling of services, internet, phone and TV is going to make the multi video market more competitive than ever. Having an exclusive on MLB EI will
give Directv a boost in new subs over Dish and its cable competitors.

The type of sub that spends money on MLB EI probably spends more money on
other programming, then the average sub. MLB EI should eventually be profitable for D. If not in the first year, by the end of seven years. Also, the number of subs will probably be higher than 750,000 by the end of seven years. It will be a great marketing tool for D along with the NFL package. It will really distinguish them from other multi video providers and increase D's visibility. My experience is that many people that I talk to do not know what Dish Network is, but those same people know what D is because of the NFL package. In fact where I live, no one else that I know has Dish, other than me. Every satellite customer I know has D and they are very happy. A big factor is the NFL package, HD YES and HD SNY.

As in any business decision, there is some risk to D that it overpaid for MLB EI
and will lose money. However, from D's perspective, it is a risk worth taking. Maybe too big a risk for another multi video provider. I personally am against exclusives, but the exclusive puts the onus on D to market the product. My local cable system did nothing to market MLB EI. I did not even know that it was provided. Every baseball game television and radio broadcast from all 30 teams, MLB.com and MLB.TV will now promote HD MLB EI exclusively on D. MLB.com gets a lot of hits. All 30 teams have their own website under MLB.com. There will probably be an ad on every website as part of the deal. It benefits the baseball owners and D. And there will be no mention of E anywhere.

It is easy to say that there are 90 million subs and only 750,000 MLB EI customers, so who cares and it will hardly affect E. But if D makes money on it (and D should), adds new subs and it raises D's visibility a little more, it was a very smart business decision.

A few years ago, E said that the gas crisis would help the satellite business
because it is cheaper to stay home and watch movies. I agree with that statement. That is still true today with movies and with regard to sports. It is much cheaper, convenient and enjoyable to subscribe to HD sports programming and watch from home on a 50 inch or larger HDTV. But you have to subcribe to a multi video provider that has the HD sports content.

[akw4572]

I can tell you one dish customer that is switching to directv to retain the EI package............me. They're coming out on saturday to install.

[JohnH]

Well, I don't have to switch. I have had the package on D* for about 5 years now. Just hope I can still afford it. :)
Had the package on E*, also, during one of those 5 years. :)
Watching Dominican League on E* ESPN Deportes now. :)

[Hound]

Well, I don't have to switch. I have had the package on D* for about 5 years now. Just hope I can still afford it. :)
Had the package on E*, also, during one of those 5 years. :)
Watching Dominican League on E* ESPN Deportes now. :)


I picked up the E spanish subscription last year to watch world baseball classic
games on ESPN Deportes and then dropped it. I will have to get it again to watch winter baseball.

[moooog]

Up to this point, I've been able to watch the Mariners on the Fox Northwest regional network, and haven't needed Extra Innings. Will there be no games on the RSN channels now, or does this only affect those who follow out of market teams? I find it confusing, as if I subscribe to the RSN's, I get the M's on Fox NW, but if I don't subscribe - I only get Fox Rocky Mtn/Altitude - and blacked out Rocky games. I hate to switch as I have 5 receivers including 3 HD ones, and have been with Dish for 10 years - but I'll have to switch if I can no longer see the Mariners.:(

[FTA Michael]

Will there be no games on the RSN channels now, or does this only affect those who follow out of market teams?Your local RSN is unaffected. There's no reason for the change to affect Dish's Multi Sports Package; it showed unscheduled overages for MLB games in the years before Dish had EI. But you never know from year to year exactly what will and won't be blacked out on the Sports Pack.

[John W]

Complain:

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball
245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10167
Phone: (212) 931-7800

[SMosher]

Complain:

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball
245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10167
Phone: (212) 931-7800

Yup, I did that.. Quote "Thanks for your concern, have a nice day".

[Jim5506]

I e-mailed my complaint to MLB, they're the main culprit here.

[Slamminc11]

I e-mailed my complaint to MLB, they're the main culprit here.

The main culprit? How about the only culprit!

[Richard King]

If you do the math, Directv is paying $100,000,000 per year for seven years at
750,000 subs. That is $133.33 per sub per year. I think last year the price for
MLB EI was $165 or $169.Other costs have to be figured into this also to calculate any break even point. Add to the above costs: Backhaul costs, transponder costs for transponders that could be used for other programming, back office costs to cover CSR's necessary to handle the new call volume.... etc. I am sure that I missed a bunch of other costs to get this programming.

[JohnH]

Forget the transponder costs. No additional content other than on existing RSNs. so far. Many would like to see additional content though. :)

[Hound]

Other costs have to be figured into this also to calculate any break even point. Add to the above costs: Backhaul costs, transponder costs for transponders that could be used for other programming, back office costs to cover CSR's necessary to handle the new call volume.... etc. I am sure that I missed a bunch of other costs to get this programming.

Directv is not going to start out with 750,000 subs for MLB EI. Not every E and
cable subscriber is going to switch. There will be cable subscribers that cannot
switch to D because they cannot see the satellite from their location. I could
not even make a wild guess about how many subscribers D will start out with,
350,000, 450,000, but I would guess not more than 550,000. It will take a few
years for D to get back to 750,000. At the end of seven years, my educated guess
tells me that they will have over 750,000. So the break even point starting out
is much higher. However, if D can pick up 200,000 new subs or some other large number, in the first two years, who switch only because of MLB EI, my guess is that D will have a profit. The back office costs and CSR's etc., are all probably
fixed costs and are negligible in evaluating this transaction.

[tampa8]

If there's a pool somewhere on how many subscribers switch to D only because of the baseball package, over TWO years - put my wager down for no more than 75,000 - 100,000. (And that may be high estimate) I believe if you have cable - especially with the bundling going on, those that will actually switch to a completly different set-up just for this package are very very few. Even then it will be only those already thinking of switching to satellite. If you are an overall happy Dish customer, you would have to be a huge fan who actually has time to watch more games. There are always those that do not get their home team for one reason or another, and D could definately get those people. But again, those that would actually switch for that cannot be that many. I watch most Red Sox games, or parts of them. Had I lived away from Red Sox coverage I may have subscribed to the package when Dish had it. But once Dish lost it, I would just listen to them on XM radio instead, and watch the nationally televised games when shown. I would not switch from Dish.

One other catagory however possibly helps D. If you have always wanted the NFL package, losing the MLB package could be the last straw for some. I think most of any new subs will come from this group. I would say people who really live sports every day, are the group most willing to do what it takes to get their programming. The problem is, that kind of fan may have already subscribed to D.

[JD95]

Will this effect Fox sports Ohio. I want to watch to Red games.

[FTA Michael]

Your local RSN is unaffected. Any games that you might be eligible to receive if you subscribe to the Multi Sports Pack are unaffected.

[BillJ]

I'm late to this thread because when I first saw it I wasn't that interested. I'm never going to subscribe to Extra Innings.

Yesterday I saw a report on CNBC about the proposed DTV exclusive contract. They said Extra Innings now reaches 75 million households via cable and satellite. Not all subscribe, obviously but that's the market they can sell into. If they go exclusive on DTV they will lose 60 million households.

This just confirms my long held belief that the only people dumber than the players are the guys who own the teams.

BTW, the report I saw indicated this is not a done deal yet and would not be effective until 2009 anyway. Maybe some sane person will explain the math to the owners before they get locked into this.

[bobsloop]

Maybe some sane person will explain the math to the owners before they get locked into this.

I'll be the sane person to explain it to everyone. The owners will be getting $30 million per year more from DirecTV.

There are plenty of games on FOX, ESPN, ESPN2 and whatever other channels are carrying games this year. You can also subscribe to mlb.tv and watch games over the Internet.

This should upset all non-DirecTV subscribers even more but I am not sure that it doesn't start this season. The 24-hour baseball channel doesn't start until 2009 but I think the new deal starts in 2007. Provide a link if you have seen something different than that.

[DCSholtis]

Deal between MLB and D* will be announced within 2 weeks and yes the deal starts this season:

http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=635&Itemid=52

[JohnH]

I am waiting for the price.

[hankmack]

The Biz of Baseball has an article that Senator Kerry will hold hearings on this tommorow

[pdxsam]

Let's hope it's not too little too late.

Sadly, I think the FCC will be able to punt on this and it'll continue on.

[DCSholtis]

I am waiting for the price.

I had heard there would be a package available so that if you purchased EI you would get the net package too. How true that will be Im not sure.

[hankmack]

I had heard there would be a package available so that if you purchased EI you would get the net package too. How true that will be Im not sure.

Article in BaseballBiz said the Baseball Net would be part of DTV base package at the insistance of Baseball. Sounds like good marketing to me.

[colavsfaninnwia]

A headline on Yahoo Sports! "Kerry plans to raise 'Extra Innings' concerns with FCC chairman." The realativley short article found here:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Auj1InbjXt1zeBGFvpdIYlIRvLYF?slug=ap-kerry-baseballtv&prov=ap&type=lgns

[DCSholtis]

Article in BaseballBiz said the Baseball Net would be part of DTV base package at the insistance of Baseball. Sounds like good marketing to me.

My bad I was referring to the mlb.tv package. But your right with regards to the Baseball TV Network coming online in 2009.

[bobsloop]

Everyone waiting for their savior Kerry to do anything about this is wasting their time. There is not a darn thing the government can do about this except pass stupid legislation, which is what they do best I guess.