DirecTV, NFL still far apart on new deal - report

[John Corn]

LOS ANGELES, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The long-standing partnership between satellite broadcaster DirecTV and the National Football League may be in jeopardy, as the two sides are still far apart on terms of a new deal, the Los Angeles Times reported on Monday.

The paper, citing sources close to the negotiations, said DirecTV has offered the NFL $200 million a year for the next five years for exclusive rights to the "NFL Sunday Ticket" package of games.

DirecTV declined to comment to the paper on the report, while an NFL spokesman told the Times no deal was imminent and that the league was still talking with cable companies and DirecTV competitor EchoStar Communications Corp. (nasdaq: DISH - news - people).

http://www.forbes.com/newswire/2002/11/04/rtr777256.html

[James_F]

400 to 500 million seems like quite alot of money for exclusive. :eek2:

[cnsf]

Let's get "Exclusive" out of the NFL package. Bring it on home to everyone!

[John Corn]

cnsf, thats what the NFL wants. If DirecTV wants this exclusively, they are going to pay dearly.

[James_F]

Why does the NFL want the package to go out to more houses? I'd think they wouldn't want the package to be available on too many TVs. That would mean that more people would have to watch their local FOX or CBS channels and then in turn they would pay more. I don't think the NFL really cares about the package being available on every TV. I think they only want it in the bars since Budweiser would be very unhappy if it were not available there.

[Richard King]

On a non related topic. What is that Java Console thing that loads everytime I go to any Forbes site? It refers to: http://www.redsheriff.com/privacy.htm. Anyone know what that is? If it is a spyware program, as I suspect, I will need to eliminate Forbes from my daily browsing.