[Guest]

Or will that have to wait until after the merger? I want the NFL Sunday Ticket package, but there's no way I'm signing up with Directv only for that.

 

[gopherscot]

I sure hope so .. I think we are too late on the football but NBA and hockey are a possibility. If there is a merger we will for sure. now on the last Charlie Chat he mentioned that Dish was in negotiation for NBA League Pass for this year. But charlie always seems to be in negotiation. I have my fingers crossed.

 

[jeffwtux]

NFL Sunday ticket is a loss-leader for DirecTV. They pay an obscene amount of money to have exclusive rights to it. The lose money on NFL Sunday Ticket, because they think it's prestige will gain them tons of customers.

 

[Curtis0620]

Originally posted by jeffwtux
NFL Sunday ticket is a loss-leader for DirecTV. They pay an obscene amount of money to have exclusive rights to it. The lose money on NFL Sunday Ticket, because they think it's prestige will gain them tons of customers.

Oh really, do you have anything to back that up?

 

[jeffwtux]

Charlie mentioned that on a Charlie Chat.

 

[Curtis0620]

Originally posted by jeffwtux
Charlie mentioned that on a Charlie Chat.

And how would he know?

 

[Nick]

Some kind of Dish NBA Pass has been promoted in time-slot insertions ~ $89.95 I think. Not sure if this what you referred to.

 

[Guest]

Unless there is a merger, I doubt we will see the pro packages on Dish. The reason is, the typical Dish customer is not a big sports fan. I am a retailer for both systems, and I see a big difference in the kind of people that buy Directv compared to the ones that buy E*. D* users, from what I see, are either fanatical pro sports fans or are looking to save money on programming and equipment since Directv's equip and programming are cheaper than Dish's. A typical person I sell a Dish system to is one of these folks who are mainly interested in stuff like the news, Discovery channels, intellectual type programs such as that. You know, the country club types who wouldn't watch a pro basketball or football game even if you paid them and turn their noses up at pro sports. This is what I have noticed from my experiences in the satellite business the past 3 or 4 years, and many others in the field I have talked to have notice these differences between the two types of customers as well. There are exceptions to this obviously, but I think this is why you won't see a big demand for Dish to carry the pro sports packages, most of their customers just have no interest in them.

 

[Guest]

What if the merger is approved AFTER the start of the NBA season? Are we out of luck for the whole season or would we be allowed to sign up for whatever is left?

 

[Geronimo]

It has been fairly widely reported that it isa loss leader. It is also an important source of name recognition and brand identity for DirecTV. I don't think it is so odd to think that it is a loss leader.

 

[James_F]

They pay so no one else can have it. There is no way they make money on the package.

 

[BrettR]

Originally posted by jeffwtux
NFL Sunday ticket is a loss-leader for DirecTV. They pay an obscene amount of money to have exclusive rights to it. The lose money on NFL Sunday Ticket, because they think it's prestige will gain them tons of customers.

The intent was with NFL Sunday Ticket, the subscriber will likely take Total Choice which DirecTV gets to make money from.

I agree DirecTV did IMO overpay for exclusivity.

According to this link, http://www.sportingnews.com/voices/fritz_quindt/20011205.html

DirecTV pays $150 million for exclusivity.

I think DirecTV initially needed programming to distinguish themselves from cable so they paid for exclusivity. That being fine.

But now that cable rates have gone up so high, its not necessary. DirecTV can just offer a better service like how DISH does, and get many subs from cable.

Hey atleast cable didnt pay for exclusivity for NFL Ticket. That would suck.

 

[James_F]

I would assume NFL ST would be non exclusive after the current contract runs one. I'm sure Charlie wouldn't want to pay for that....

 

[Karl Foster]

I don't understand complaining that E* doesn' t have the same sports programming package as D*. Was it a surprise? If you want NBA, NHL, NFL packages, you know what you need to do. If I want foreign broadcasting or supers I know I would have to switch to E*. Same thing here. If you aren't happy with E*'s sports programming, talk with your feet. That is the only way E* will listen.

 

[gopherscot]

Where do people get the impression that the typical E* person is not a sports fan? I buy the 4.99 sports pack and it is $5.00 cheaper than D*s. I get three channels blackout free and find this, for me, a great value. E* offers the ESPN Gameplan packages and if the price is right, and if they become available, they will add whatever package they can get a hold of. Charlie, being a huge Tennessee Volunteer fan, loves sports. It is all an economic issue ... E* won't spend more than is necessary .. and rightfully so!

 

[James_F]

At least give the subs a chance to purchase the packages... :shrug:

 

[spartanrob]

I disagree, I am a Dish customer and I am a HUGE sports fan

Originally posted by SatelliteJeff
Unless there is a merger, I doubt we will see the pro packages on Dish. The reason is, the typical Dish customer is not a big sports fan. I am a retailer for both systems, and I see a big difference in the kind of people that buy Directv compared to the ones that buy E*. D* users, from what I see, are either fanatical pro sports fans or are looking to save money on programming and equipment since Directv's equip and programming are cheaper than Dish's. A typical person I sell a Dish system to is one of these folks who are mainly interested in stuff like the news, Discovery channels, intellectual type programs such as that. You know, the country club types who wouldn't watch a pro basketball or football game even if you paid them and turn their noses up at pro sports. This is what I have noticed from my experiences in the satellite business the past 3 or 4 years, and many others in the field I have talked to have notice these differences between the two types of customers as well. There are exceptions to this obviously, but I think this is why you won't see a big demand for Dish to carry the pro sports packages, most of their customers just have no interest in them.

 

[Frapp]

Originally posted by Curtis0620


Oh really, do you have anything to back that up?

The NFL Sunday Ticket is indeed a loss leader for DTV.

A few years ago, when our company was in the satellite business, we sold DTV ( as well as Dish ). We were one of the top 50 dealers in the country for DTV and were often charmed by the local DTV corporate offices. We attended various meetings and received certain corporate mailings that DTV did not readily send out to all dealers and found this fact out to be true about the NFL ticket package.

 

[jrjcd]

IF the merger happens, expect packages like sunday ticket to disappear as charlie WILL NOT pay the nfl (or any other sports entity, for that matter) what they have been charging DTV for the privilage-outside of getting a bud, where are you going to go when this happens, as the COMPETITION has disappeared!!!!

so, if you LIKE your nfl, nba, etc sports packages, write your congressman today and let them know you are AGAINST the merger....

 

[gopherscot]

And you base your information on what? People seem to think that Charlie does not like sports .. yet we have ESPN packages and really the only ones E* doesn't have are the ones that, up until now, have not been available. I like the bargaining power of one larger company (E* and D*). I think a NFL package should be quite competitive with the numbers that a new combined company could offer. Charlie has always said he would like to have these sports packages ... but D* has always had them locked up ... at least on satellite!

P.S. Write your congressmen in SUPPORT of the merger!!