HERE’S TO YOU, MR. DALLAS COWBOYS OWNER GUY

What is ironic about this situation is the government, who is probably going to force the BTN and NFL network to negotiate with Time Warner and Comcast, is the reason these two behemoth cable companies became monopolies in the first place and subsequently started to deny certain networks access to their product. What a tangled web.

Since I work for Comcast, I’ll quantify my comments as saying I’m drinking the Kool-aid. But there’s really nothing at this point that would make me switch from Comcast (and since I’m freelance, I still pay full price, which is an awful lot!). It’s frustrating as an Illini guy to not get the Big Ten Network. I’d actually even pay a little for it. But it’s Comcast’s company and it’s their right to negotiate, not negotiate, and pick what goes on. As a consumer, all we can do it make our interests known. But let’s call it for what it is…Comcast is in a BUSINESS, and not in a public service one. They have every right to protect their investments and not propegate competition like channels owned by other companies. They also have the right to not show any channel they want, whether WE think they should or not. It sucks, but that’s the real world. Us teevee viewers need to understand business for what it is!

I’ve got DirecTV, almost solely because of Sunday Ticket. It also includes NFL Network in its basic package.

The irony, though, is that the NFL has all sorts of exclusivity deals that make their content unavailable to large parts of the country. If you can’t get DirecTV where you live — because of apartment complex rules or lack of proper satellite angle — you can’t get Sunday Ticket, which means you’re stuck with whatever games the local network shows. They’ve even put the Super Bowl on ESPN, which not everyone gets.

The Super Bowl is on ESPN??? Huh??

As for Schmidty, I agree that it’s a business. However, any business is supposed to provide the BEST product for the consumer, no? When the company becomes a monopoly, they simply don’t have any reasons to give the consumer the best product any more. That’s the problem here. Furthermore, Comcast presents their side of the argument in a dishonest way. They pretend to want the NFL network and BTN on their lineup, but we both know that isn’t the case. BTW, Comcast stock has been dropping like a rock over the past 3 months. If they keep doing business like this; raising rates every 6 months and having horrible customer service, they won’t have very many stock holders left in a few years.

Hey Dhaab, agreed to a point. The only thing I’d dispute with you is that businesses want to provide the best product and make the most profit, not necessarily in that order. Comcast definitely has a monopoly, but that’s the lay of the land. If they don’t want to pay for the networks and would like these stations they don’t own to not do well, they don’t have to carry them. I also think the stock is going to play a role in this, though. Will almost play out like a strike-breaker…Comcast will have to blink to raise profits. Question is what will they do to appease the stockholders? How far down is picking up something like the BTN on their list of things that could possitively affect the bottom line?

“But let’s call it for what it is…Comcast is in a BUSINESS, and not in a public service one. They have every right to protect their investments and not propegate competition like channels owned by other companies.”

And that’s fine. But as Dhaab has pointed out (as have I in other posts about this) it’s the incessant double talk that is maddening.

Then they go out and spend a zillion dollars in print and tv ads, even creating a show called “Big Ten Network Update”. I suppose that cost won’t be passed on to their subscribers either.

I’m still trying to figure out how the NFL network was on my digital cable last year, and would now cost me money to see. What a bunch of idiots. Comcast is doing a wonderful job of pushing customers to satellite. I may be next. FIRE MILLEN MANG!

Yes, before the NFL Network started showing games, Comcast had it on their basic digital tier. That was when it truly niche TV. But when they started televising games now Comcast ‘doesn’t want to pass along that cost to other subscribers’. So I guess it was OK before but not now. Money Grab!!!! FIRE MILLEN MANG!! LIONS ARE LIVING A LIE!!!