[Renob2317]

Does anyone know if Dish will be carrying the new MLB channel when it goes live on 1-1-09? If so, will it be an HD channel?

 

[Curtis0620]

No, that's why they no longer have MLBEI. Baseball tied them together.

 

[epokopac]

No, that's why they no longer have MLBEI. Baseball tied them together.

FYI:

MLB didn't care how much money or subscribers Dish Network would leave on the table. Direc TV and In Demand gave baseball more money for Extra Innings and a guaranteed outlet for "The Baseball Channel" than if the old deal were continued.

Extra Innings has nothing to do with the amount of subscribers, as much as it has to do with the amount of guaranteed dollars that Direc TV and InDemand can provide.

In the not too distant past, MLB received a cut of each Extra Innings subscriber signed up by the multichannel vendor. Now, Direc TV and InDemand guarantee a specific amount of money (not subscribers) to MLB. So MLB doesn't care about the subscriber amounts on MLB Extra Innings, as it doesn't help the bottom line. :grrr:

I don't see Charlie EVER bringing in the MLB Channel as long as it's tied to MLB EI.

 

[Raymie]

What happened with EI:

Dish couldn't just get the package for X dollars (from MLB). They also had to take a stake in the MLB Channel.

Dish didn't want the latter, so they couldn't get the former by extension.

DirecTV and the principal owners of iNDemand (Cox, Comcast, Time Horror) are confirmed to have it. I believe Cablevision and Charter will as well.