article
-1
-1
2
2009-10-29T14:53:00-04:00
Playerpress
Yes
218
5856
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="SpellE">DirectTV</span> has a real scam going when it comes to broadcasting sports on television. Moreover, not just the NFL with their “NFL Sunday Ticket” package.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">First of all, I find it appalling that DirecTV has dropped the Versus channel from their programming. <br style="" />
</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If you attempt to tune into the Versus channel on DirecTV, you get a message stating that they are currently under a contract dispute with Versus and that is the reason that they are no longer broadcasting that channel.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I say that is total BS. The real reason or the cause of the so-called contract dispute is that DirecTV does not want their customers to have the option of actually watching FREE NHL hockey games which Versus broadcasts on a nightly basis. What DirecTV wants you to do is purchase their “NHL Center Ice” package in order for you to watch any out of market NHL games. They do not want you to have any other option then to purchase their “NHL Center Ice” package if you want to watch any out of market NHL games.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In addition, in my opinion, it does not stop with just the NHL either.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Have any of you that have DirecTV and their “Sports Pack” package, which enables you to watch all of the market sports channels that they carry, noticed that whenever there is a game one of those channels that they are always blacked out?</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In addition, sometimes even post game shows that do not even show highlights and are just talking about the game are blacked out if you do not live in the actual market of the home team.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I have called DirecTV on this on numerous occasions and I have always gotten the same answer.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“I am sorry sir, but due to FCC regulations we are unable to show that broadcast in your area”.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I say Hogwash! My bet is that the FCC has absolutely nothing to do with it. DirecTV once again uses this as an excuse; because they want you to purchase one of their “Packages” that show all of the out of market games in every sport.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">For example, if I added their “Sports Pack” package, for an additional monthly fee of course, because I wanted to watch local <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Chicago</st1:city></st1:place> sports teams on that channel I would be out of luck.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Yet, on DirecTV’s website, if you look up which channels the “Sports Pack” package includes you would be tricked into thinking you would get those games.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Here is exactly what the description for Comcast Sports net <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Chicago</st1:city></st1:place> says on DirecTV’s website. <span style=""> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0in;">“Comcast SportsNet Chicago HD, a regional sports network providing <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Chicago</st1:city></st1:place> sports fans with comprehensive game coverage of the White Sox, Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks, plus Bears post-game shows and press conferences. Enjoy the area's most in-depth sports news programming source via SportsNite and SportsRise.”</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In reading that, what would you think? Nowhere in that description does it state anywhere that those games would only be broadcast in the local <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Chicago</st1:city></st1:place> area and blacked out everywhere else.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">They are swindling you into believing that you could watch the White Sox, Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks games if you purchase the “Sports Pack” package.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Unless the games are being broadcast on a major network such as ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, the NFL, MLB, and NHL Networks or super stations such as WGN America, WTBS Atlanta, or TNT, DirecTV will blackout the broadcast in all out of market areas.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I wonder how long it will be before the games are blacked out that are not on one of the four major networks and ESPN as well by DirecTV. I would bet that they are certainly working hard to try to get that accomplished.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">They want you to purchase one of their exclusive sports packages. For baseball it is the “MLB Extra Innings”, for Hockey, it is “NHL Center Ice”, for basketball it is “NBA League Pass”, for soccer it is “MLS Direct Kick”, for Nascar it is “NASCAR HotPass, and for football, their most popular “NFL Sunday Ticket”.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Another one of DirecTV’s swindles is the NFL Network “Red Zone Channel” to which a lot of the cable company’s are currently offering on their standard packages for their customers.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Yet, DirecTV does not offer the “Red Zone Channel” unless, you guessed it, have purchased the “NFL Sunday Ticket.”</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My only question is; why <span class="GramE">is DirecTV allowed</span> to get away with all of this? It is obviously a big disadvantage to other dish companies and to all of the cable companies, and in my opinion goes against the American Constitution. Even more on that below.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now, concerning their “NFL Sunday Ticket” package, in my opinion it is illegal because it is a monopoly.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Cable executives are agitated that the NFL continues to offer its highly regarded NFL Sunday Ticket package, which broadcasts every Sunday NFL afternoon game, exclusively to DirecTV.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This is a good question considering that every other professional league offers their out-of-market packages to both cable and satellite companies.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Comcast’s Cohen mentioned that Comcast “made it crystal clear” to the NFL that it was interested in bidding for the NFL Sunday Ticket package on a nonexclusive basis, but was flat out rejected.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“They have made it quite clear in every conversation where we have brought this up that we should stop focusing on their out-of-market package because they’re not going to make it available to cable,” Cohen said.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Others are not shy about talking about how the lack of access to the NFL Sunday Ticket lowers the chance that they would be willing to carry the NFL Network.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Our members aren’t happy about it,” said the American Cable Association president Matt Polka, “They’d like access to that programming.”</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I will admit that I am a subscriber to DirecTV. However, the only reason I have been a subscriber for the past 10 years is so I can watch the Bears every Sunday, seeing that I n o longer live in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Chicago</st1:city></st1:place> area. I really do not care about the other teams, although it is nice to be able to catch a few plays during commercials, all I really want is the ability to watch my favorite team.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If other dish companies or cable networks had that ability, I would switch in a heartbeat.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I thought business monopolies were illegal in this country. It sure looks and sounds as if the NFL and DirecTV have one going on here.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Do not pass Go, Do not collect $200!</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
76.97.188.228
2009-10-29T14:53:00-04:00
directvs-b-s-marketing-concepts
No
Yes
201.254.108.63, 66.249.68.248, 123.125.66.110, 174.36.241.155, 76.97.188.228, 64.191.203.34, 216.24.142.46, 216.39.58.78, 67.202.38.165, 125.18.254.73, 125.18.254.72, 98.129.76.116, 205.188.255.15, 174.129.203.176, 75.101.138.248, 74.201.117.226, 69.36.233.15, 38.104.134.114, 174.129.142.69, 174.132.144.137, 75.146.48.34, 66.249.67.136, 75.101.197.164, 174.129.141.109, 24.32.79.230, 174.129.143.254, 67.202.8.198, 67.189.206.172, 71.35.41.81, 99.185.43.190, 76.223.91.40, 70.240.228.165, 65.202.26.176, 67.218.116.131, 65.34.90.105, 174.129.81.149, 38.98.19.111, 66.249.68.179, 68.81.166.28, 66.249.68.245, 200.126.226.16, 67.195.115.163, 211.115.109.14, 72.30.78.232, 67.195.113.245, 216.129.119.11, 208.43.229.67, 174.46.170.179, 69.152.226.237, 66.235.124.54, 192.251.125.85, 67.83.175.188, 75.21.178.186, 174.129.114.74, 218.28.29.234, 216.24.142.47, 174.129.89.199, 66.249.67.85, 67.218.116.134, 70.190.209.113, 76.237.66.161, 66.249.68.227, 213.180.209.10, 71.167.250.208, 66.249.67.238, 202.153.41.115, 119.94.197.24, 117.201.37.31, 122.164.241.126, 121.247.251.99, 67.162.187.79, 67.202.34.153, 216.24.131.119, 117.242.202.62, 80.74.111.178, 117.204.115.55, 78.20.178.20, 122.165.60.173, 117.201.100.238, 59.94.178.69, 81.52.240.6, 97.103.129.229, 65.221.170.148, 89.123.83.150, 117.201.30.220, 121.246.218.89, 59.177.67.45, 69.171.163.159, 72.91.190.116, 75.31.21.92, 99.1.135.78, 24.145.17.70, 71.218.27.228, 68.2.40.76, 67.218.116.163, 68.229.36.182, 117.197.213.180, 117.196.129.157, 74.194.20.97, 202.133.58.11, 119.63.199.56, 93.108.137.4, 122.164.184.50, 118.94.138.210, 15.219.153.207, 92.83.209.210, 71.111.112.60, 75.56.48.71, 72.44.1.109, 194.36.10.7, 67.203.178.74, 72.30.142.161, 66.249.68.42, 67.202.15.176, 24.117.242.89, 24.215.83.192, 129.234.193.194, 66.249.68.162, 71.193.62.253, 133.44.71.115, 98.214.186.36, 67.195.114.233, 66.249.67.243, 216.129.119.13, 67.195.112.109, 216.129.119.42, 142.166.170.101, 66.249.68.242, 206.114.9.2, 66.249.67.174, 69.68.187.92, 67.218.116.164, 67.80.125.225, 196.25.255.210, 98.122.135.3, 220.181.94.231, 76.118.195.164, 68.122.5.176, 216.129.119.40, 75.13.35.104, 65.51.38.2, 98.245.48.172, 124.115.0.105, 67.171.0.158, 216.129.119.41, 142.166.170.102, 204.14.12.35, 97.124.159.84, 71.133.60.61, 97.122.70.104, 142.166.170.100, 147.21.160.5, 97.103.190.46, 67.218.116.130, 67.218.116.162, 66.249.67.206, 216.129.119.43, 67.195.37.172, 61.135.249.203, 205.209.170.2, 216.129.119.44, 71.104.124.227, 69.249.70.230, 124.115.0.166, 69.232.60.237, 63.215.202.234, 65.55.207.102, 66.235.124.8, 24.19.183.28, 66.249.65.200, 66.249.65.199, 123.125.66.113, 67.195.112.159, 67.195.111.172, 208.43.229.68, 71.53.177.14, 65.55.207.23, 12.175.178.250, 95.108.157.251, 24.103.197.207, 66.249.68.230, 116.125.140.10, 65.55.207.26, 163.1.5.153, 24.239.128.249, 66.249.68.152, 66.249.68.195, 66.249.68.233, 66.249.67.229, 76.174.54.194, 65.80.15.153, 218.28.29.236, 87.250.252.241, 124.115.4.200, 76.206.8.215, 64.20.129.144, 65.55.207.121, 68.174.124.127, 211.233.79.174, 12.107.44.75, 65.125.138.2, 75.253.94.3, 72.85.198.171, 65.55.106.107, 66.249.68.219, 38.98.69.42, 66.249.68.166, 66.249.68.143, 71.60.5.104, 68.3.139.168, 65.55.106.207, 66.249.68.137, 67.195.114.42, 65.55.106.185, 222.231.42.193, 12.155.161.164, 66.249.68.149, 65.55.107.180, 38.107.191.88
DirecTV’s B.S. Marketing Concepts
36
No
DirecTV, Sports scams, NFL Sunday Ticket, Versus,
-1
DirecTV’s B.S. Marketing Concepts
231
administrator