NFL Network

SkinsFreak · Post by **SkinsFreak** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:14 am

The NFL has a contract with Direct TV that won't expire for another 2 years. At that time, and only then, can cable offer the NFL Network and the Sunday ticket.

I think it is extremely unfair to football fans, that many can't watch NFL games because they don't subscribe to Direct TV. I believe that the NFL should have waited until cable subscribers can also view these games.

I subscribe to both cable and Direct TV, so I've been able to see these games. But I know many are not able, and therefore, might be frustrated that they can not view these games. The final Skins game against the Giants on December 30th; will be aired on the NFL Network. This game could have major playoff implications, for one or both teams.

Additionally, so far this year, these games have not been broadcast in HD. I did however, see a graphic last night that said the remainder of the games will be broadcast in HD. We'll see. I didn't know the NFL Network had that capability.

Here's the worst part about these games on the NFL Network. Cris Collinsworth and Bryant Gumbel REALLY, REALLY, REALLY SUCK!!! Listening to Gumbel do the play-by-play stuff is like nails on a chalk board. I could actually deal with listening to Collinsworth, but Gumbel??? How the hell did he ever get this job? He is awful and really, IMO, needs to be replaced.

What do you guys think?

joebagadonuts · Post by **joebagadonuts** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:18 am

While I agree that it's very unfair for those who don't get the NFL Network (which I imagine is a large majority of the population), perhaps it's a blessing that they are spared the 'work' of Collinsworth and Gumbel. I do get the NFLN, however, I'm smart enough to stay unless I actually HAVE to watch the game (i.e. WAS vs. NYG).

ANT7088 · Post by **ANT7088** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:56 am

How do you think I feel??? I live in NY & I'm going to have to go to a friends house or a bar to watch this game.......this sucks!!!!!

cleg · Post by **cleg** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:13 am

Yeah, Gumble is terrible. Also, I don't like the camera angles that the games are shot in - they are too close and you cannot see the whole feild.

Here in Philly I have Direct TV so I can subscribe to the Sunday Ticket and watch the Redskins games. But, that means I cannot ever watch the Phillies, Sixers or Flyers because they are shown on Comcast. Since Comcast cannot partake in the NFL Sunday Ticket they don't allow Direct TV to carry Comcast Sportsnet. It is not that big of a deal but I do like to watch baseball games and never can unless it is an ESPN game - of course, if the Phillies are playing on ESPN it is blacked out for me as well.

I hope it gets worked out in the future.

joebagadonuts · Post by **joebagadonuts** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:34 am

ANT7088 wrote:How do you think I feel??? I live in NY & I'm going to have to go to a friends house or a bar to watch this game.......this sucks!!!!!

You should express your displeasure in a letter or email to the NFL. Of course, it won't change anything, since the NFl is doing this to pressure the cable and dish companies to carry the NFLN, and they'll probably just tell you to contact your local cable company and complain to them. So, either way, you're screwed. If you don't want to have to go to a Giants fan's house, you're welcome to trek up here to my house and watch.

ANT7088 · Post by **ANT7088** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:03 am

joebagadonuts wrote:
ANT7088 wrote:How do you think I feel??? I live in NY & I'm going to have to go to a friends house or a bar to watch this game.......this sucks!!!!!

You should express your displeasure in a letter or email to the NFL. Of course, it won't change anything, since the NFl is doing this to pressure the cable and dish companies to carry the NFLN, and they'll probably just tell you to contact your local cable company and complain to them. So, either way, you're screwed. If you don't want to have to go to a Giants fan's house, you're welcome to trek up here to my house and watch.

On the NFLN website they have a thing where you can select your Cable provider & it sends them a complaint or something. I've done that about 30 times with all different names.......it doen't do anything I'm sure!!!

When the Yankees switched to the YES Network I couldn't watch a whole season of Baseball because Cablevision & the YESN couldn't reach a agreement.

Thanks for the invite.......where do you live????

All my friends have Cablevision too, so we all may have to come to your house (Just Kidding) Well we can tell them that and make them all stand outside & watch from the window in the cold. For fun we can throw rotten fruit from the window every time the Redskins score!!! LOL

HailSkins94 · Post by **HailSkins94** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:15 am

I cannot believe they have Collingsworthless and BRYANT Gumbel on there. Just when I think the announcing from the league can't get any worse they put thsoe two clowns on there. I swear I was watching golf with Gumbel talking and don't even get me started on Collingsworth. Just horrible, absolutely horrible that they have those two doing football games. Hey I have an idea, lets get a morning show news anchor to do football game for us.......terrible.

nuskins · Post by **nuskins** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:53 am

cleg wrote:Yeah, Gumble is terrible. Also, I don't like the camera angles that the games are shot in - they are too close and you cannot see the whole feild.

Since Comcast cannot partake in the NFL Sunday Ticket they don't allow Direct TV to carry Comcast Sportsnet. It is not that big of a deal but I do like to watch baseball games and never can unless it is an ESPN game - of course, if the Phillies are playing on ESPN it is blacked out for me as well.

I hope it gets worked out in the future.

I have Direct TV and also get Comcast Sportsnet, living in the DC area.

check your channels, it is in the 800's I think.

SkinsJock · Post by **SkinsJock** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:37 pm

I agree with the point that as much money that the NFL is making you would think that with this new way of making even more money they would make it more available initially.

I do get NFLN and there are some penalties to these early broadcasts - Collingsworth and Gumbel make even the worst broadcast team look and sound great! These 2 are the worst combination. They will not be there next year - the NFL has got to replace these guys.
They also obviously do not have many paying advertisers yet so you get a lot of repeats and Network ads.

BTW - When I saw that the game was available in HD I just went and found the HD feed on another channel - but this only gave me a clearer look at these 2 bumbling, fumbling, stumbling idiots - I really think a lot of the analysts of our games are bad but these 2 make them look good :puke:

I will get Sirius in my house soon - right now I have it in my car but in order to have Sonny instead of the TV guys I need a home adapter kit. I will probably get it a lot sooner now so that I do not have to listen to these idiots as well!

Jeremy81 · Post by **Jeremy81** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:43 pm

you can still watch the thursday and saturday games if you don't have direct tv. if you have comcast, you can still have nfl network, you just can't order the nfl ticket. and yes...gumbel and collinsworth are the worst duo i have have had to listen to ever...i like to turn the radio on and put the tv on mute...but usually, the radio commentary aren't lined up with the plays on tv. but whatever blocks out gumbel and collinsworth

cleg · Post by **cleg** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:47 pm

nuskins wrote:
cleg wrote:Yeah, Gumble is terrible. Also, I don't like the camera angles that the games are shot in - they are too close and you cannot see the whole feild.

Since Comcast cannot partake in the NFL Sunday Ticket they don't allow Direct TV to carry Comcast Sportsnet. It is not that big of a deal but I do like to watch baseball games and never can unless it is an ESPN game - of course, if the Phillies are playing on ESPN it is blacked out for me as well.

I hope it gets worked out in the future.

I have Direct TV and also get Comcast Sportsnet, living in the DC area.

check your channels, it is in the 800's I think.

It is a local runling based on Comcast corporate HQ's being here in Philly and that they own the SIxers and Flyers. It looks like it is going to go to the courts in another year or so.

frankcal20 · Post by **frankcal20** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:12 pm

I don't know about you guys but I like DirectV much better than cable anyways. A big thing here in Los Angeles is that Comcast was just purchased by Time Warner. Comcast had NFL Network but when Time Warner switched, they didn't offer. From what I have been told by people who work at NFL Network (Which is based in Los Angeles), time Warner doesn't want to pay their price that Comcast, Dish Network, and DirectV is willing to pay. And they don't see a point in offering it at a lower premium to these cable networks. They don't nessesarly have a contract with DirectV not allowing their channel to be showing on cable networks.

frankcal20 · Post by **frankcal20** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:13 pm

Comcast Sportsnet on DirectV is channel 629 nationwide. Thats one thing I love about DirectV is that the stations are mostly the same nationwide.

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:28 pm

We've got Comcast here (no other cable provider) I get NFLN through them and will get all of the Thursday night games. Other areas here in Fl that have Comcast (there are other cable options in those areas) and NFLN will miss some if not all of the Thursday games.
I'm limited to Comcast only as my cable provider I'm lucky

joebagadonuts · Post by **joebagadonuts** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:17 pm

ANT7088 wrote:Thanks for the invite.......where do you live????

All my friends have Cablevision too, so we all may have to come to your house (Just Kidding) Well we can tell them that and make them all stand outside & watch from the window in the cold. For fun we can throw rotten fruit from the window every time the Redskins score!!! LOL

Mid-coast Maine. Only about a 7 hour drive for you. So when you say 'watch from the window in the cold', you're not kidding.

SkinsFreak · Post by **SkinsFreak** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:33 pm

Wow, crazy to here all the different options from certain cable providers, or even the same provider in a different area of the country. Where I live, Time Warner was just bought out by Comcast. But the Comcast packages here are different from where I used to live in South Florida.

I have both cable and satellite, but I currently like Direct TV better too. However, I have 12 TV's in my home and it is not cost effective to have satellite for all of these TV's. Satellite requires a box or receiver for every TV and that requires an upfront fee ($99) for the box, as well as a monthly rental fee of $10 per box. This makes it very expensive to simply watch TV. Those bastards. :roll:

Skins2daGrave · Post by **Skins2daGrave** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 6:59 pm

wait so people with just regular cable wont be able to see the last game of the season!?!?! that really sucks...i dont have digital cable

SkinsFreak · Post by **SkinsFreak** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:11 pm

Skins2daGrave wrote:wait so people with just regular cable wont be able to see the last game of the season!?!?! that really sucks...i dont have digital cable

Yes, that's true. And you must mean satellite rather than "digital cable". Cable is still primarily broadcast in an analog signal. I think that only a few stations and/or broadcasts are digital quality. Satellite, on the other hand, is fully broadcast in digital.

RedskinsFreak · Post by **RedskinsFreak** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:17 pm

Skins2daGrave wrote:wait so people with just regular cable wont be able to see the last game of the season!?!?! that really sucks...i dont have digital cable

Not to fret, for those close enough to D.C., it will be on Channel 20 as well.

Just like with the ESPN games, it's in the rules that way.

Skins2daGrave · Post by **Skins2daGrave** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:06 pm

RedskinsFreak wrote:
Skins2daGrave wrote:wait so people with just regular cable wont be able to see the last game of the season!?!?! that really sucks...i dont have digital cable

Not to fret, for those close enough to D.C., it will be on Channel 20 as well.

Just like with the ESPN games, it's in the rules that way.

omg, thank you soo much. i was freakin out cuz i wanted to see that game really badly

i live about 20 mins away from DC thank god

SkinsFreak · Post by **SkinsFreak** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:04 pm

Skins2daGrave wrote:
RedskinsFreak wrote:
Skins2daGrave wrote:wait so people with just regular cable wont be able to see the last game of the season!?!?! that really sucks...i dont have digital cable

Not to fret, for those close enough to D.C., it will be on Channel 20 as well.

Just like with the ESPN games, it's in the rules that way.

omg, thank you soo much. i was freakin out cuz i wanted to see that game really badly i live about 20 mins away from DC thank god

Your in business!

HTTR

Dangerfield · Post by **Dangerfield** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 5:51 am

The games are there if you want them....take it easy. The real problem is Bryant Gumble and C. Collinsworth.

How these 2 got this gig is waaaay beyond me. They are hands down the worst telecast I've ever heard calling an NFL game.

They make me long for Tim Green.

Bryant Gumble made me fall asleep during the Ravens-Bengals game....literally...

I'd look for a change to be made there soon...the NFL is smart, and these 2 are terrible by all accounts.

Skins2daGrave · Post by **Skins2daGrave** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 6:34 pm

can they be as bad as Theisman and Cornheiser? i doubt it and i havent even heard them commentate

SkinsFreak · Post by **SkinsFreak** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:31 am

Skins2daGrave wrote:can they be as bad as Theisman and Cornheiser? i doubt it and i havent even heard them commentate

Worse. Take my word for it.

:puke:

frankcal20 · Post by **frankcal20** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:42 pm

The NFL has offered one free week of its network programming to two cable TV operators who do not carry the channel in hopes of breaking a deadlock.

Commissioner Roger Goodell told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the week of Dec. 24-30 would be offered as a "free view" for customers of Cablevision and Time Warner Cable, two of the nation's largest cable carriers. The NFL Network would be offered on the expanded basic levels of the two carriers.

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Neither Cablevision nor Time Warner carry NFL Network. Three regular-season Thursday night games already have not been available to those customers -- except in the markets of the participating teams, where the games aired on broadcast stations.

It is not unusual for cable channels such as HBO and Showtime to offer such free weeks to increase their subscribers.

Although the free view will not include the Saturday night game between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins, it will include the Texas Bowl featuring Rutgers vs. Kansas State on Dec. 28 and the Insight Bowl with Minnesota vs. Texas Tech on Dec. 29.

"This morning we are communicating to Time Warner and Cablevision that we are going to give them an opportunity for what we call a free view," Goodell said. "Cable operators do it all the time. It's so that the consumer can experience our network for a week and get the two college bowl games."

The Texas Bowl not being available to many viewers in New York has become a contentious issue because Rutgers is coming off its best Big East season and has become a popular team in the area. The NFL Network owns the rights to the Rutgers-Kansas State bowl game at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

"We are trying to accommodate consumers, our fans and the fans of Rutgers, to let them know we are trying to resolve this issue," said Goodell, who said he also has spoken with Gov. Jon Corzine and Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey.

"The bottom line is that people in New Jersey need to be able to watch Rutgers play, and now we have a way to do that," said Lautenberg.

"We think this is a very good opportunity for people to see not only those two games, but the NFL Network," Goodell added. "We certainly believe cable operators will see it the same way."

Maureen Huff, a spokeswoman for Time Warner Cable, said Tuesday: "We just got this proposal and we are looking into it."

The cable companies are concerned the NFL Network is charging too much money for its programming.

If the cable companies were to accept the NFL's terms, "the NFL Network would immediately vault to being the third or fourth most expensive channel on the dial. It could lead to a price increase of $1 or more per month for every cable consumer in America," said Craig Moffett, an analyst at the Wall Street firm Sanford C. Bernstein.

"From the NFL's perspective, they want to generate consumer support," added John Mansell, senior analyst at Kagan Research, a media analysis company. "It's not unusual for any new network to offer their service free, but typically for an extended period of time. Even then, most cable operators are reluctant to bite because of the problems they might face in taking it off the air. ... It's very difficult for the cable company to take anything away from the subscriber."

The NFL Network is available in about 40 million of the 111 million homes with TVs. In comparison, ESPN, which airs Monday night games, is available in 92 million.

Thus far, Thursday night games have featured the Broncos at the Chiefs on Thanksgiving night; the Ravens at the Bengals on Nov. 30; and the Browns at the Steelers on Dec. 7. This week, there are two NFL Network games: San Francisco at Seattle on Thursday, and Dallas at Atlanta on Saturday.

Time Warner has said it is balking at a demand from the NFL that the network be carried on the most widely available basic service lineup rather than on a special tier.

NBC bought the rights to Sunday night games this year under a six-year, $600 million per year deal with the league. ESPN is paying $1.1 billion per year for Monday night football over eight years. Last year, the NFL reached six-year, $8 billion extensions with Fox and CBS for Sunday afternoon games.

AP Business Writer Seth Sutel contributed to this story.