NFLN to take its cable carriage fight to the populace

[Darrel M]

The fight between irrestible force (the NFL Network) and immovable object (cable companies where the channel doesn't yet appear) will take a new turn in the coming weeks, as the NFL will begin airing TV commercials urging fans to complain to their cable company about why they haven't picked up NFL Network yet. Anyone think this strategy by the league will work, especially with the new season coming up and NFLN's Thursday/Saturday package still to come in November?

More info here and here from Michael McCarthy in Friday's USA TODAY.

 

[toby]

Channels like these should be add-ons, since I really don't think people should be forced to pay for channels they don't want.

 

[MarcB]

I wonder if they will do this on the COX System I have. I don't think we have it yet, but I have seen some games from the NFL Network on COX Sports Television.

 

[arnoldevns]

Many cable channels have done this in the past with varying degress of success. I suspect the NFL games on NFLN will help get it a little more support. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see the network wind up on a high digital channel on systems that add it now.

 

[Mediafrog+]

As mentioned in an earlier post, the NFL has already done an "In Your Face" to Time Warner Cable, which has so far refused to carry The NFL Network. They have acquired broadcast and naming rights to the Houston Bowl (ex-ev1.net bowl, ex-galleryfurniture.com bowl.)

And who is the major cable company across Houston metro? That's right. ;D

Will be pretty silly if Houston's college bowl game isn't available on the cable system here. And I believe the Houston Texans ownership is also now part of the bowl's administrative structure.

Waiting for the sparks to fly.

 

[KeithE4]

I wonder if they will do this on the COX System I have. I don't think we have it yet, but I have seen some games from the NFL Network on COX Sports Television.

Cox in Phoenix has it on digital in their sports tier. Definitely worth getting digital cable.

 

[Darrel M]

Cox in Phoenix has it on digital in their sports tier. Definitely worth getting digital cable.

Here in Madison, Charter Cable used to have NFLN on their digital sports tier, until the channel was dropped last December. The story goes that it was NFLN's desire to get off the digital tier, and Charter couldn't (wouldn't?) add it to their basic tier alongside ESPN. I wouldn't be suprised if NFLN has made similar demands in other areas. Also, if push comes to shove, would NFLN really relent and accept a carrier's offer of digital tier only?

 

[KML0224]

NFL Network is only on digital cable here in New Britain, CT (Comcast).

 

[arnoldevns]

Verizon FiOS is moving NFLN from the sports package to the FiOS TV Premier lineup. (that's their main channel line up - FiOS is all-digital anyway)

 

[EnbyCee]

NFLN is only on Buckeye CableSystem's digital tier here in Toledo as well, since basic space is taken up by such vital channels as what passes for ESPN "Classic" these days, Animal Planet, three home shopping channels, and Detroit's NBC affilate which the local yokel Toledo station won't allow to air network shows, so it becomes an infomercial channel half the time.

On the plus side, there's a nice vacancy in the basic lineup now with them having just pulled Detroit's Fox affiliate off, so maybe NFLN can go there.

 

[intx]

Here in Austin, Texas, land of Time-Warner, NFL Network ran a full page color ad in the newspaper today urging people to call and insist that Time-Warner add it to the lineup.

 

[easttxtv]

NFLN is running radio spots about TW not carrying the channel in the Dallas area (DFW will now have TW service as part of the Adelphia deal and the Comcrap/TW swaps) as well...I'm not that concerned since NFLN has been on my dish for a year or 2.