Interesting email from Everest Cable regarding the NFL Channel

[journeyscarab]

I know we talked about this after the Thanksgiving night game. I think folks must have complained to Everest Cable: Here is an email I got today:

NFL Network Football Games
Thank you for continuing to choose Everest. You may have noticed that Everest offers NFL Network, but we are not presently airing eight regular season games being carried by NFL Network. Two of the eight games, which are Chiefs match-ups, will be available to you through local broadcasts. This means only six out of market games will not be seen on Everest.

Two years into our long-term contract with NFL Network, Everest was asked to add the games at an expense of millions of dollars over the remaining life of the contract. As your hometown cable provider, we refuse to pay millions of dollars to the NFL and increase our customers’ bills to make up the substantial surcharges. The NFL has also refused to allow us to sell these games separately.

It is not fair to our customers – those who are sports fans and those who are not – to pay such a premium for games that were available to all Everest customers last year.

Good news is Everest customers will not miss any Chiefs games and they will see all of the Sunday and Monday night games. The Chiefs games being carried on NFL Network will be carried locally.

We apologize for any misunderstanding surrounding our carriage of NFL Network. We should have informed you earlier but we thought NFL Network would be more reasonable with the pricing structure.

We will continue to negotiate with NFL Network and should the cost and other demands become more realistic, Everest will re-evaluate its decision. We really appreciate your understanding and support regarding this unfortunate issue.

Thank you again for your valued patronage.

[Stewie]

I wouldn't expect Everest to carry the NFL games since they're really small. I get the games because I have DirecTV, but I think the NFL is way out of line if they are charging millions per cable company (no matter the size) to carry eight games. I don't think there's enough interest to warrant that expense.

[morphius]

I wouldn't expect Everest to carry the NFL games since they're really small. I get the games because I have DirecTV, but I think the NFL is way out of line if they are charging millions per cable company (no matter the size) to carry eight games. I don't think there's enough interest to warrant that expense.
That does seem relatively pricey. Though it depends on the length of the contract.

[Frazod]

It is pretty f#cking evil what the NFL is doing.

I suspect having these games start in late November just might have also coincided with a point when the national elections were over, because this could have been a big polictical hot potato.

Now, of course, the freshly-elected politicians won't give two shits whether the little people get their games or not.

[jjjayb]

It is pretty f#cking evil what the NFL is doing.

I suspect having these games start in late November just might have also coincided with a point when the national elections were over, because this could have been a big polictical hot potato.

Now, of course, the freshly-elected politicians won't give two shits whether the little people get their games or not.

How is this any more of a hot potato than ESPN carrying Monday night football. There have been Sunday night Espn games for years that I could never watch because I didn't have cable. I didn't hear anybody bitching then.

[elvomito]

pat bowlen is the root of all evil

[chagrin]

now wait a second, didn't donks owner pat whatever say they ask 2.32 per game from the cable companies and that it was "right in line" with the market?

I don't know, could someone clarify that?

[Phobia]

I can't clarify specifics, chagrin but I can clarify in general....

The NFL has their own money printing press. They're allowed to do whatever they please. Do you pay $28 to park anywhere else in the world? It doesn't cost that much to park at the Vatican.

Whatever spin comes out of the NFL, I'm going to accept with a grain of salt. I'm pretty sure the smaller cable companies are getting raked over the coals and I'm certain DirectTV is laughing all the way to the bank - something from which both the NFL and DTV benefit.

[Skip Towne]

i don't believe a damn thing the cable companies say which is why I haven't paid them one cent since 1987. I saw the NFL's side of this somewhere and don't remember the specifics but it seems like it was something like 75 cents per customer per game. They said it was comparable to what they charge for MNF. The NFL is a bunch of greedy bastards to be sure but if they are going to screw somebody I'm glad it is the cable companies. As for the customers, they are free to use a satellite company to get the games. With D*, the NFL Network is in the basic package (games included) and has not ever cost anyone anything beyond a basic subscription.

[morphius]

i don't believe a damn thing the cable companies say which is why I haven't paid them one cent since 1987. I saw the NFL's side of this somewhere and don't remember the specifics but it seems like it was something like 75 cents per customer per game. They said it was comparable to what they charge for MNF. The NFL is a bunch of greedy bastards to be sure but if they are going to screw somebody I'm glad it is the cable companies. As for the customers, they are free to use a satellite company to get the games. With D*, the NFL Network is in the basic package (games included) and has not ever cost anyone anything beyond a basic subscription.
Did they get it thrown in as part of the Sunday Ticket so that it costs them nothing to do so?

[Skip Towne]

Did they get it thrown in as part of the Sunday Ticket so that it costs them nothing to do so?
I don't know. What difference does it make to the customer?

[HemiEd]

I don't know. What difference does it make ?

It is relevant to the thread subject matter.

[Skip Towne]

It is relevant to the thread subject matter.
Why did you feel it necessary to edit my post?

[morphius]

I don't know. What difference does it make to the customer?
Because it falls into line with the whole investigation over DTV exclusive deal with the NFL...

[Skip Towne]

Because it falls into line with the whole investigation over DTV exclusive deal with the NFL...
Dish Network did the same thing D* did. They better get to investigating them too. Only the cable companies are bitching and moaning. It tickles me to see them as the screwee instead of the screwor.

[Phobia]

Why did you feel it necessary to edit my post?

He didn't. He truncated your quote.

[Skip Towne]

He didn't. He truncated your quote.
If there is anything I hate it is being truncated.

[Fish]

If there is anything I hate it is being .

[HemiEd]

Why did you feel it necessary to edit my post?

You were trying to play on sympathy for the customer with your Direct TV homerism. If you were not, you would not have cared. The truth is, Direct TV and the NFL are strong arming the cable companies. I would love to see the government step in and smash this deal.

[morphius]

Dish Network did the same thing D* did. They better get to investigating them too. Only the cable companies are bitching and moaning. It tickles me to see them as the screwee instead of the screwor.
I didn't think DTV was under investigation, so why would Dish be? It is the NFL that is/was under investigation.

Your screwed/screwer thing at least makes some sense.

[Skip Towne]

You were trying to play on sympathy for the customer with your Direct TV homerism. If you were not, you would not have cared. The truth is, Direct TV and the NFL are strong arming the cable companies. I would love to see the government step in and smash this deal.
And you intentionally altered the meaning of my post. Rather dishonest I'd say. The thead is about Everest's explanation of why they weren't providing the games. I'm showing the alternatives. That is not playing on anybodies sympathy. When D* and Primestar were merging, the cable companies screamed MONOPOLY to congress. Yeah right. Cable controls 90% of the pay TV market. Congress told them to stfu.

[morphius]

And you intentionally altered the meaning of my post. Rather dishonest I'd say. The thead is about Everest's explanation of why they weren't providing the games. I'm showing the alternatives. That is not playing on anybodies sympathy. When D* and Primestar were merging, the cable companies screamed MONOPOLY to congress. Yeah right. Cable controls 90% of the pay TV market. Congress told them to stfu.
Well, then thanks for stopping by with info that everyone already knew. Well except the 90% mark, but since DTV can't offer On Demand and the like I guess that isn't much of a shocker.

[Skip Towne]

Well, then thanks for stopping by with info that everyone already knew. Well except the 90% mark, but since DTV can't offer On Demand and the like I guess that isn't much of a shocker.
i seriously doubt 'everyone knew' what I posted but if that's all you got I guess you have to use it.

[Lzen]

While I am a little concerned with the NFL's strong arming of the cable companies, I pretty much agree with Skip. Cable companies have been screwing customers for years. Switching from Cox cable to Dish Network a little over 2 years ago was the best decision I ever made concerning my television viewing. I just hope the NFL doesn't get carried away with this and make it impossible for the common person to watch the NFL games.

[HemiEd]

And you intentionally altered the meaning of my post. Rather dishonest I'd say. The thead is about Everest's explanation of why they weren't providing the games. I'm showing the alternatives. That is not playing on anybodies sympathy. When D* and Primestar were merging, the cable companies screamed MONOPOLY to congress. Yeah right. Cable controls 90% of the pay TV market. Congress told them to stfu.

I was interpreting the post and thread the way I saw it, no intention of being dishonest. I see you are not denying being a DTV homer. If you are concerned about the customer, Direct TV should not have an exclusive on NFL programming. I would shitcan the service in a minute if it wasn't for Chiefs games.

[morphius]

i seriously doubt 'everyone knew' what I posted but if that's all you got I guess you have to use it.
Plenty of others have said go with DTV or Dish in the other 5 threads on the same subject, so bringing up DTV in the conversation really didn't help but offer some already discussed alternatives.

[Skip Towne]

I was interpreting the post and thread the way I saw it, no intention of being dishonest. I see you are not denying being a DTV homer. If you are concerned about the customer, Direct TV should not have an exclusive on NFL programming. I would shitcan the service in a minute if it wasn't for Chiefs games.
Why would I deny being a D* homer? I honestly think they have the best service. If I favored Dish Notwork, I would work for them. Those mammoth cable companies have every opportunity to outbid D* for the Ticket. Even though that would deny access to the Ticket to people who aren't served by cable. EVERYBODY can get Directv (or Dish) I don't think you are dishonest but what you did certainly was. In my nearly 6 years on this site, I have seen a hell of a lot of FYP posts. But all of them were meant in jest.............Except yours. Yours was meant to mislead readers to think i said something I didn't say. So I just chalk it up to your n00bism rather than your being malicious. You just didn't know any better. I do think, however, that you were just trying to pick a fight. And if that is the case, bring it on. I like to fight.

[morphius]

...Those mammoth cable companies have every opportunity to outbid D* for the Ticket...

No, they didn't, that was one of the things that brought up in the NFL investigations. Comcast tried and the NFL wouldn't even listen.

[Skip Towne]

Plenty of others have said go with DTV or Dish in the other 5 threads on the same subject, so bringing up DTV in the conversation really didn't help but offer some already discussed alternatives.
5 threads? In my nearly 6 years here there have been more like 50 threads on this subject. So I should just let one little pissant cable company have their say without a rebuttal. Guess again.

[Skip Towne]

No, they didn't, that was one of the things that brought up in the NFL investigations. Comcast tried and the NFL wouldn't even listen.
Bullshit. Prove that.

[HemiEd]

Why would I deny being a D* homer? I honestly think they have the best service. If I favored Dish Notwork, I would work for them. Those mammoth cable companies have every opportunity to outbid D* for the Ticket. Even though that would deny access to the Ticket to people who aren't served by cable. EVERYBODY can get Directv (or Dish) I don't think you are dishonest but what you did certainly was. In my nearly 6 years on this site, I have seen a hell of a lot of FYP posts. But all of them were meant in jest.............Except yours. Yours was meant to mislead readers to think i said something I didn't say. So I just chalk it up to your n00bism rather than your being malicious. You just didn't know any better. I do think, however, that you were just trying to pick a fight. And if that is the case, bring it on. I like to fight.

I was taking exception to your association of the good of the paying customer, being with direct tv. I honestly think DTV would fold without the NFL package.

Oh, and in my short time here, I have had many people truncate my posts, it is kind of irritating sometimes. I will try and not do it to you again you old fart.

[HemiEd]

No, they didn't, that was one of the things that brought up in the NFL investigations. Comcast tried and the NFL wouldn't even listen.


That is the way I heard it, the whole thing stinks. We are supposed to be protected from Monopolys.

[OnTheWarpath15]

I was taking exception to your association of the good of the paying customer, being with direct tv. I honestly think DTV would fold without the NFL package.

Oh, and in my short time here, I have had many people truncate my posts, it is kind of irritating sometimes. I will try and not do it to you again you old fart.


You're joking, right?

[morphius]

Bullshit. Prove that.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=industryNews&storyID=2006-11-15T021623Z_01_N14354275_RTRIDST_0_INDUSTRY-NFL-DC.XML&WTmodLoc=EntNewsIndustry_C1_[Feed]-7&rpc=92

"Why is Sunday Ticket not available by competitive bidding?" Specter asked. "I'm told the NFL told Comcast it wouldn't take a bid from them."

Good enough for ya?

[HemiEd]

**** that shit. Charge what the market will bear. If people aren't willing to pay for the price charged for what they want, the seller of the product will wise up or go out of business. Last thing we need is more ****ing government involvement in our daily lives.

They are charging what they want, they have no competition. That is worse than regulation, it is a monopoly. If Direct TV told me is was $500 for the NFL package next year, I would have no choice but to pay it. If I could get it from cable and or Dishtv also, competition would keep the price down.

[HemiEd]

You're joking, right?

No, I am not.

[OnTheWarpath15]

They are charging what they want, they have no competition. That is worse than regulation, it is a monopoly. If Direct TV told me is was $500 for the NFL package next year, I would have no choice but to pay it. If I could get it from cable and or Dishtv also, competition would keep the price down.

That's horseshit....

You would do what every other fan would do....

Not pay, and then as ENDelt eluded to, they would have to get their price in line or risk losing the business.....

No one is putting a gun to your head to buy the Ticket every year.....

[HemiEd]

Or, you could not watch football.

Didn't Skip tell you that it was rude to truncate posts?

[OnTheWarpath15]

No, I am not.


Hey Skip, little help here......

I coulda swore I read somewhere that less than 25-35% of D* customers order the Sunday Ticket......

If so, I have a hard time believing they would "fold" without it.....

[HemiEd]

That's horseshit....

You would do what every other fan would do....

Not pay, and then as ENDelt eluded to, they would have to get their price in line or risk losing the business.....

No one is putting a gun to your head to buy the Ticket every year.....

No, I would not do without it. I have only one choice for a supplier, competition is what makes things work.

So tell me, if your Natural Gas supplier raises prices to a level you do not like, you will do without it? That is horeshit, I suppose you walked when gas went over $3?

[HemiEd]

I quoted the relevant part to my post. Every person in this country has the means to change. Speak wallet to wallet. The NFL will take just as much as they can out of yours until you start impacting theirs. Tell the government to pound sand. Run your life on your own.

Just jacking with you Brian, little buzzed tonight. In some cases, I think the constitution covers it pretty well, the government needs to break up a monopoly. I have pretty much given up on the idea of responsible consumerism anymore. The majority prefer to buy foreign products, even when inferior.

[OnTheWarpath15]

No, I would not do without it. I have only one choice for a supplier, competition is what makes things work.

So tell me, if your Natural Gas supplier raises prices to a level you do not like, you will do without it? That is horeshit, I suppose you walked when gas went over $3?

This is asinine.....

Comparing life's necessities to a satellite football package?

If you consider watching a football game that important, then by all means, watch away.....

[morphius]

Sunday Ticket would be cheaper if it was open to Cable Operators, just because you wouldn't have a single company paying a billion dollars for exclusive writes.

I'm really not sure why Congress got involved really, of course we KNOW why, but it doesn't make a lot of sense. Of course since they have special rules on when they NFL can play and what not, I guess it makes as much sense as anything else.

[HemiEd]

This is asinine.....

Comparing life's necessities to a satellite football package?

If you consider watching a football game that important, then by all means, watch away.....

I am talking about business and a monopoly, plain and simple. So you are saying Monopolys are OK if they are not a necessity?
Who determines what is a necessity? Is a necessity the same for you and me?
Now what is asinine?

[OnTheWarpath15]

Next stop:

Does HBO have to share The Sopranos with Showtime? Does CBS have to offer CSI to ABC? No, they purchased the exclusive rights to those shows and, consequently, can air them as they see fit.

[Bob Dole]

You were trying to play on sympathy for the customer with your Direct TV homerism. If you were not, you would not have cared. The truth is, Direct TV and the NFL are strong arming the cable companies. I would love to see the government step in and smash this deal.

Because the government does everything else so efficiently and equitably.

While they're at it, perhaps the government should step in and make sure that all the car companies sell all their new cars for under $10k. You know...so that a person making minimum wage can afford to buy one every year and have the same thing as everyone else.

[HemiEd]

Because the government does everything else so efficiently and equitably.

While they're at it, perhaps the government should step in and make sure that all the car companies sell all their new cars for under $10k. You know...so that a person making minimum wage can afford to buy one every year and have the same thing as everyone else.

If there was only one car company, yeah.

[HemiEd]

Where in the constitution does it say we have the right to have professional football for free or a reasonable price?

And, beyond that... **** the constitution. It's just a document written by people establishing a government after they just escaped one. It's got absolutely zero relevance to football even if it did mention monoploies.




I am talking about the NFL/Direct TV deal here, I want a choice.

Coercive monopoly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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In economics and business ethics, a coercive monopoly is any monopoly maintained by coercion. Some use the alternative definition that a coercive monopoly is a form of monopoly where a firm is able to make pricing and production decisions independent of competitive forces because all potential competition is barred from entering the market. [1] Almost all those who employ the term to label such a state of affairs maintain that it can only be achieved by government intervention, though some note that a merchant can itself engage in coercion to secure a monopoly position.

A coercive monopoly is not merely a sole supplier of a particular kind of good or service (a monopoly), but it is a monopoly where there is no opportunity to compete through means such as price competition, technological or product innovation, or marketing; entry into the field is closed. As a coercive monopoly is securely shielded from possibility of competition, it is able to make pricing and production decisions with the assurance that no competition will arise. It is a case of a non-contestable market. A coercive monopoly has very few incentives to keep prices low and may deliberately price gouge consumers by curtailing production.[2] Also, according to economist Murray Rothbard, "a coercive monopolist will tend to perform his service badly and inefficiently."[3

[Lzen]

Those poor old, innocent cable companies.

Pash told the lawmaker that the NFL did not want to force viewers to go cold turkey but that the league refused to allow cable companies to get the package because cable operators refused to agree to allow local broadcasters to air the games at the same time.

"The primary means of the telecast is free, over-the-air broadcasting," he said. "We do not want to have Sunday Ticket undermine that."

And this is.....well.....stupid....

Specter believes that by fighting to keep the NFL Network and other pro football programming on the most-watched cable tiers, the league is driving up the cost of those tiers for customers who don't care about football.

"They have to pay the fare whether or not they want the coverage," he said.

It's a notion disputed by Pash.

"I don't think the NFL Network and an increase in prices go hand in hand," he said, adding that DirecTV, EchoStar, Cox Cable and Comcast didn't increase their fees when they picked up the channel.

I just love how they complain that it will raise rates for customers that don't want the NFL football. Hell, they've been charging me extra for BS channels that I do not want. Why is this different?

[Lzen]

Feinstein was particularly upset over talk that the San Francisco 49ers might move out of the city south to Santa Clara. Feinstein said she was considering legislation that would allow a city some say in whether the name of the city could move to a another jurisdiction.

"You can't move to Santa Clara and be a 49er. You're not," she said. "You can't move to Santa Clara and say you're a San Franciscan. You're not."

ROFL Yes, you can. Feinstein again proving why she's a nutcase.

[Bob Dole]

If there was only one car company, yeah.

You can get the NFL Network on TWO satellite companies, so your argument, despite the jumping around and waving of arms, holds no water.

Maybe you should try another tactic.

[HemiEd]

You can get the NFL Network on TWO satellite companies, so your argument, despite the jumping around and waving of arms, holds no water.

Maybe you should try another tactic.

Senator, if you would go back to the post Endelt calls out of mine, I was talking about SUNDAY TICKET! Not the NFL channel, I currently have that on cable and DTV. THE SUNDAY TICKET deal pisses me off that no competition exists. They keep jacking the price every year and they have no competition.

[HemiEd]

I was making the assumption that people knew DTV does not have a monopolistic deal on the NFL channel. Guess what, I get it from two sources because there is competition keeping the price down.


How in the **** did you see me waving my arms from Texarkana?

[Bob Dole]

How in the **** did you see me waving my arms from Texarkana?

Contacts within the government.

It's complicated.

[HemiEd]

And the way to bring about a choice is to stop buying from DirecTV.

DirecTV paid a boatload of cash for exclusive rights to Sunday Ticket. If a bunch of people hadn't bought Sunday Ticket from them, the NFL wouldn't have renewed the contract, and they would've made it available to cable companies just like every other sports package. But, people DID buy... so, why change?

Talk with your wallet. Keep the government out of it. You want the NFL to offer to cable? Quit buying from DirecTV.


Good morning Brian. That is how it is supposed to work, but I will keep buying it, because I don't want to make the sacrifice of missing the Chiefs games. So that leaves me to bitching about it on a BB.

[picasso]

And the way to bring about a choice is to stop buying from DirecTV.

DirecTV paid a boatload of cash for exclusive rights to Sunday Ticket. If a bunch of people hadn't bought Sunday Ticket from them, the NFL wouldn't have renewed the contract, and they would've made it available to cable companies just like every other sports package. But, people DID buy... so, why change?

Talk with your wallet. Keep the government out of it. You want the NFL to offer to cable? Quit buying from DirecTV.

Why would I not want NFL ticket though?
Even with the increasing prices every year it's still cheaper than going to the game every Sunday. The huge benfit to me is that I am a Chiefs fan out of state so I get to see every game. KC is lucky to have a strong market for their team and their games are always sold out.

As I understand it, the amount per game for the cable companies to pay for is according to market. The problem that the NFL has with the contract talks is that the cable companies want to increase that price to their customers and spin a huge profit that the NFL would not get a piece of. That is why there was the creation of the NFL network, the showing of games and the force of the public interest to carry the programming by cable companies. The only people vocal about this are the cable companies trying to garner support for themselves from their customer base against the NFL. That is the only option they have since the NFL has thrown popular opinion to the people with NFL network and carrying 8 games this year.
I say f@ck the cable companies! These so called smaller cable companies are owned by much larger entities than you think.