DirecTV dropping Versus network

[Inultus 12]

We have Comcast and Direct TV at the bar where I work. IMO, Direct TV sucks. It goes out when the weather is bad and the interface is terrible compared to Comcast as well.

How much do you Direct TV guys pay anyway? With internet, HD and DVR I pay about 95 I think.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

one more reason to drop the dish...

The problem there is then you lose NHL Network, which pulls games from time to time. This was one of the main reasons I left Time Warner. Not only that, DirecTV gives you CenterIce in HD. That's why DirecTV was perfect for NHL fans. Absolutely zero chance of missing a single game....until this snag.

[MadMan Mark 0]

We have Comcast and Direct TV at the bar where I work. IMO, Direct TV sucks. It goes out when the weather is bad and the interface is terrible compared to Comcast as well.

How much do you Direct TV guys pay anyway? With internet, HD and DVR I pay about 95 I think.

For my service, less than $95 and I have DVR and HD, not factoring in NFL Sunday Ticket and NHL Center Ice, which is separate.

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

so i thought about just doing the online hockey this year. i have gotten center ice for 5 years now in a row. how good is the online feed if anyone has had it and how good is that other hockey online feed that some of you have gotten...its not center ice but something else..i can;t think of the name.

[esteef 2,679]

so i thought about just doing the online hockey this year. i have gotten center ice for 5 years now in a row. how good is the online feed if anyone has had it and how good is that other hockey online feed that some of you have gotten...its not center ice but something else..i can;t think of the name.

This?

http://www.hockeystreams.com/

esteef

[Selke13 0]

The problem there is then you lose NHL Network, which pulls games from time to time. This was one of the main reasons I left Time Warner. Not only that, DirecTV gives you CenterIce in HD. That's why DirecTV was perfect for NHL fans. Absolutely zero chance of missing a single game....until this snag.

i didnt realize center ice was in HD...im pissed comcast doesnt have that. im tired of watching the best team in the world not in HD

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

i didnt realize center ice was in HD...im pissed comcast doesnt have that. im tired of watching the best team in the world not in HD

I knew it was broadcasted in HD, but Time Warner wouldn't show it...the same as Versus. When I switched to DirecTV I knew I was going to get Versus in HD, but it was an added bonus getting CenterIce in HD as well. Not to mention the fact that you get to choose which feed you view (I.E. FSN-Detroit or the Away-feed).

[auxlepli 17]

Fine. Looks like I won't be buying DirecTV when I get back home.

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

This?

http://www.hockeystreams.com/

esteef

yeah how good is that? is it worth it?

[esteef 2,679]

yeah how good is that? is it worth it?

I only used it during the Ducks/Wings series because a lot of Anaheim games are blacked out in my area but it was pretty nice. I think the HD version was a little flakey and slow coming over the wire (having to constantly buffer) but the low res was reliable.

esteef

[MadMan Mark 0]

I shot them an e-mail today and already have a response. . .

Response (Richelle C. - 100184031) - 08/25/2009 12:51 PM

Dear Mr. Adamowicz,

Thanks for taking the time to write us. I see that you have been a loyal DIRECTV customer for several years. I understand your programming concerns.

Our agreement with Versus expires on August 31, 2009. We are working hard to reach an agreement to keep Versus on the air. If we are unable to reach an agreement and must take Versus off the air, we will communicate with you via on-air slides or messaging.

We understand how important Versus is to you. It's equally important to us to keep your monthly fees low, so we're doing everything we can to avoid paying exorbitant programming fees. We feel that the terms Versus is asking for from us do not reflect the market or what they are asking of other distributors.

Furthermore, I would like to personally assure you that your feedback is very important to us.

I've forwarded your email to DIRECTV's Management Team, who review every suggestion, inquiry and complaint for trends from our most important customers to determine what changes should be considered.

Thanks again for writing.

Sincerely,

Richelle C

Employee ID 100184031

DIRECTV Customer Service

I guess we'll see what becomes of this. I suggested they cut the cost of Center Ice a bit if the Versus agreement is not renewed. . . who knows.

[dobbles 252]

it seems like a lot of people are quick to give up on directv. to me this is just a normal bargaining tool to keep prices down. its no different than the struggles the big10 network has had trying to get the prices it wants. we really don't know if its directv trying to lowball versus or versus asking for too much from directv. versus is pretty lame in teh regular season, so as long as its resolved by april when the playoffs start, i am fine with it. i think now that they have college football, if those games get canned, people will freak out. the american sheeple love their college sports!

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Just got my response as well. Same as most people's:

Response (Marinelle P. - 100166661) - 08/25/2009 01:47 PM

Dear Mr. Weiland,

Thank you for writing.

We understand how important Versus is to you. It's equally important to us to keep your monthly fees low, so we're doing everything we can to avoid paying exorbitant programming fees. We feel that the terms Versus is asking for from us do not reflect the market or what they are asking of other distributors.

Our agreement with Versus expires on August 31, 2009. We are working hard to reach an agreement to keep Versus on the air. If we are unable to reach an agreement and must take Versus off the air, we will communicate with you via on-air slides or messaging.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

Marinelle P.

Employee ID 100166661

DIRECTV Customer Service

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

it seems like a lot of people are quick to give up on directv. to me this is just a normal bargaining tool to keep prices down. its no different than the struggles the big10 network has had trying to get the prices it wants. we really don't know if its directv trying to lowball versus or versus asking for too much from directv. versus is pretty lame in teh regular season, so as long as its resolved by april when the playoffs start, i am fine with it. i think now that they have college football, if those games get canned, people will freak out. the american sheeple love their college sports!

yeah but it could turn into a time warner deal with nfl network

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

it seems like a lot of people are quick to give up on directv. to me this is just a normal bargaining tool to keep prices down. its no different than the struggles the big10 network has had trying to get the prices it wants. we really don't know if its directv trying to lowball versus or versus asking for too much from directv. versus is pretty lame in teh regular season, so as long as its resolved by april when the playoffs start, i am fine with it. i think now that they have college football, if those games get canned, people will freak out. the american sheeple love their college sports!

I'm *not* ok with missing 9 Red Wings games this coming regular season. I've ordered NHL CenterIce the past 4 years and I spend extra by subscribing to DirecTV in order to get NHLNetwork since they sometimes pull the Wings games from NHL CenterIce. What more do I have to do to ensure I don't miss games? You can't win no matter what you do.

That being said, I hope you're right in stating that they'll get this resolved as they did with the Big 10 Network, Fox HD, etc. before we lose any games.

Note: The first Wings game of the season in Sweden is being aired exclusively on Versus. I'm most certainly not ok with missing that game!

DISH network also broadcasts many Center Ice games in HD; once you see games in HD - it's hard to go back to watching games in SD.

Does DISH Network have NHL Network though? I know they don't have NFL Network which is another selling point for DirecTV that I like. Not as important as NHL Network though.

[esteef 2,679]

I'm *not* ok with missing 9 Red Wings games this coming regular season. I've ordered NHL CenterIce the past 4 years and I spend extra by subscribing to DirecTV in order to get NHLNetwork since they sometimes pull the Wings games from NHL CenterIce. What more do I have to do to ensure I don't miss games? You can't win no matter what you do.

Add in local blackouts to that equation and you're in the same boat as me. I get cable (with Versus) and Center Ice to ensure I don't miss games, only to have the f***in' Ducks/Wings blacked out pretty much every time they play. Booooooooooooooooools*** I tell you!

esteef

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

DISH network has both the NHL, & NFL Networks - not the NFL Sunday Ticket (a DirecTV only deal).

Aaah....that's a horse of a different color then. I don't need (nor would I pay for) NFL Sunday Ticket, but I'd pay practically anything for NHL CenterIce. I sure hope I don't have to switch to DISH Network though...it's just a hassle.

Does DISH have as many channels in HD?

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

The Mountain West Conference, which the school I went to is a part of, also has their own sports network called The Mountain much like Big 10 Network. They opted out of their contract with ESPN like 3 years ago I think once the Mountain got established. Contracts were also established with CBS College Sports TV and Versus.

The first season of establishment all games were available online for fees, which thankfully saved me.

The second season of the Mountain being established, games available online were pulled. So I barely had any games to watch 2 seasons ago. It drove me nuts.

Until last year, the Mountain Network was not available at all on Direc TV, pretty much just local cable providers of the schools in that conference, in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, etc. Well, the school I went to is in Texas. It wasn't available there AT ALL. So you could imagine how frustrating it was for fans of my school to not be able to watch. It still isn't available on Dish Network.

It'd be a damned shame if fans of the Mountain West confernece and my school get another run around of TV accessiblity, AGAIN, like it happened a few seasons ago, this time with Versus.

I'm just glad I at least have Charter and know of places to watch games on either satellite network.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Add in local blackouts to that equation and you're in the same boat as me. I get cable (with Versus) and Center Ice to ensure I don't miss games, only to have the f***in' Ducks/Wings blacked out pretty much every time they play. Booooooooooooooooools*** I tell you!

esteef

But local blackouts are due to ownership, not networks or providers. Correct?

That just means the D-Bag owner of the Ducks is screwing his fans. Are almost all Ducks games blacked out in that case (including the ones on CenterIce) for you?

[MadMan Mark 0]

I think it is kind of funny. . . first people bitched that it was no longer on ESPN, then they bitched when it went to obscure OLN (Versus). Now there is an issue of Versus with a satellite provider. . . For some reason, I can't help but think that Versus thinks they are bigger than they really are. Quite frankly, I don't think Buttman wants to lose 18 million homes that could carry NHL, since he has nothing else in place. . . he would be smart to start flexing some NHL muscle on this, but I know he's never been accused of being smart.

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

I think it is kind of funny. . . first people bitched that it was no longer on ESPN, then they bitched when it went to obscure OLN (Versus). Now there is an issue of Versus with a satellite provider. . . For some reason, I can't help but think that Versus thinks they are bigger than they really are. Quite frankly, I don't think Buttman wants to lose 18 million homes that could carry NHL, since he has nothing else in place. . . he would be smart to start flexing some NHL muscle on this, but I know he's never been accused of being smart.

Bettman doesn't care. At this point I'm convinced that he'll have that job until "he" says otherwise. No one can really make him do s***.

If he does care about the game's marketability, then he hasn't done much to convince anybody of that during his tenure. It's just one mistake after another.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Robert Mercer, director of public relations for DirecTV, said: "Versus' overall ratings are poor and have not increased nearly enough to justify what we're paying them, let alone the significant increase they"re asking for."

It's sad to see DirecTV do their negotiating with Versus out in the open like this, but it happens all the time. DirecTV is basically saying "Versus' rating are worse than bad and they want too much money for us to carry them". If Versus stands firm on the amount they want, DirecTV has three options:

1) pay

2) try to negotiate a lower figure and pay

3) walk.

If 2) is attempted, Versus may then turn to the League to help make up part of the difference.

Also, CBC and TSN rock!

[esteef 2,679]

But local blackouts are due to ownership, not networks or providers. Correct?

That just means the D-Bag owner of the Ducks is screwing his fans. Are almost all Ducks games blacked out in that case (including the ones on CenterIce) for you?

Yep, it's actually a combo of both (ownership deal/network zoning) but whatever. It sucks either way. And yes, a lot of Ducks games are blacked out even on Center Ice.

esteef

[Zata fan 40 6]

I emailed them as well and got pretty much the same response. They gave me free showtime for 3 months free though...Not that I'll watch it,but at least some kind of gesture.

[ShanahanMan 473]

But local blackouts are due to ownership, not networks or providers. Correct?

That just means the D-Bag owner of the Ducks is screwing his fans. Are almost all Ducks games blacked out in that case (including the ones on CenterIce) for you?

I had Dish Network last year. While they have SOME center ice games in HD, its nowhere close to the amount Direct has. In fact, that was my reason to switching in the first place. Plus, its absolutely impossible for Dish Network to broadcast anything shown on MSG in HD as well.

I pray this gets sorted out. I literally just switched to Direct tv over the weekend and get this bright news the next day.