DirecTV dropping Versus network

[AtlantaHotWings 983]

Happened to see this on nhl.com

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=57131&a...vid=DL|NHL|home

Basically telling us to gripe and complain. Going to call and see what they are going to offer me to stay. Already called Comcast and can get service Oct 1 so just a matter of having to buy new Tivos etc.

[dobbles 252]

too bad they don't also provide a way to contact versus to tell them that they are demanding way too much for their crappy channel...

[MadMan Mark 0]

too bad they don't also provide a way to contact versus to tell them that they are demanding way too much for their crappy channel...

Here's a copy of what I sent to the NHL:

I read the letter on the NHL.com website. Unfortunately, you forgot to invite the most important group to the discussion. . . Comcast. Comcast, DirecTV's main competitor, wants to overcharge DirecTV to broadcast their channel.

Too bad the NHL got it wrong again and, at this late date, is trying to encourage fans to complain to DirecTV. Maybe when advertisers avoid Versus due to even lower ratings since 16 million DirecTV subscribers won't get to see Versus games, the NHL will take a hard look at Comcast and why the league chooses this tiny tiny outlet for US broadcast.

I agree with DirecTV. I wouldn't pay the ridiculous price. I have bought Center Ice through DirecTV and based on their willingness to work with their customers, find their approach right on.

Maybe in your next communication to the fans, you should provide contact info for Comcast. Versus cannot make a deal with DirecTV, only Comcast can. We fans put up with a lot of BS that the NHL does but we are not as stupid as you like to think we are.

Get involved, NHL. The lack of viewership is now Comcast and your responsibility. That's 16 million less than you had last year.

Hopefully, you remember the fans this time.

[MadMan Mark 0]

This should tell you how much the NHL wants to "help". . . the e-mail address at the bottom of the letter, (nhltv@nhl.com), didn't even work.

[rage 24]

This should tell you how much the NHL wants to "help". . . the e-mail address at the bottom of the letter, (nhltv@nhl.com), didn't even work.

All too typical of the NHL.

[Holmstrom96 347]

Already called Comcast and can get service Oct 1 so just a matter of having to buy new Tivos etc.

This is exactly what Comcast wants. If DirecTV overpays, they win. If DirecTV refuses, they win, because they'll gain subscribers.

It's a win-win for Comcast and a lose-lose for consumers.

Just remember, Scamcast has introductory pricing, be sure to ask what the price will be after the promotional period; sometimes it quadruples or more.

[MadMan Mark 0]

If you go to NHL.com and go to the bottom of the page, there is a "Contact Us" button. Click it and then in Subject highlight NHL Television Broadcasting - US and Canada.

I think it's about time fans started ripping on this mediocre approach to getting the product to the fan. I bitched at them about Comcast and the way they are alienating 16 million viewers by asking outrageous pricing from DTV. I plan on sending an e-mail per day until something starts. Yeah, I'm just one person, but if enough people start bitching maybe Bettman will get off of his knees in front of Crosby long enough to do something other than wipe his mouth.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

The big issue is what to do when the playoffs start, and VS is a primary network for Red Wing games.

Maybe the Wings won't make the playoffs.

Only then will I not care about this Versus/Comcast debacle.

[RedWingsFan4Life 0]

Maybe the Wings won't make the playoffs.

Only then will I not care about this Versus/Comcast debacle.

One night about a month ago I posted this under NHL media where they say you should submit coments about the league and ideas for new NHL Network Programing. Shockingly it's still up after a month. No responses from anyone but, can't believe they didn't remove it.

New Idea for NHL Show

It could be called Gross Incompetence. They would just have to follow Bettman, the nhl marketing team and pretty much anyone else at league headquarters. Every week they could show another failed Bettman idea hopefully the season finally of the show would result with Bettman getting fired but, I know chances are the end of the season would result with a new 10 year Versus deal. Hell the first deal with Versus worked out so great why not?

[Kira 451]

You know, in a way, this is a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation.

If you give in to the fans and pay the higher costs, you will have a cadre of people who will be up in arms at their Direct TV bill going up in price. You've made hockey fans happy, but a lot of others will be pissed off at you. And Comcast will be rubbing their hands together, thinking, "we got what we want". It's kind of like the old Lily Tomlin line, "We may be the only one in town, but we screw everybody."

On the other hand, if you stand your ground and don't pick them up, you have hockey fans ticked at you and canceling their subscriptions, but you haven't raised your rates and that makes everyone else happy.

So what do you do? It's Catch-22.

[RedWingsFan4Life 0]

Also if they give in then the next network whose contract is up for renewal see's it and says hey they are willing to overpay us to not piss off customers so let's price gouge them. Then it ends up with them overpaying nonstop. Eaither way this wouldn't happen if they put hockey on a real network.

[kidish 0]

You know, in a way, this is a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation.

If you give in to the fans and pay the higher costs, you will have a cadre of people who will be up in arms at their Direct TV bill going up in price. You've made hockey fans happy, but a lot of others will be pissed off at you. And Comcast will be rubbing their hands together, thinking, "we got what we want". It's kind of like the old Lily Tomlin line, "We may be the only one in town, but we screw everybody."

On the other hand, if you stand your ground and don't pick them up, you have hockey fans ticked at you and canceling their subscriptions, but you haven't raised your rates and that makes everyone else happy.

So what do you do? It's Catch-22.

Since this is the U.S. we're talking about here, the vast majority of regular subscribers is more important than the minority of hockey fans.

DirecTV won't be the one to budge on this one. Nor should they.

[Rebound 22]

Just out of curiosity, why isn't Dish Network having this problem?

Is their contract with Comcast not up yet?

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Also if they give in then the next network whose contract is up for renewal see's it and says hey they are willing to overpay us to not piss off customers so let's price gouge them. Then it ends up with them overpaying nonstop. Eaither way this wouldn't happen if they put hockey on a real network.

What consititutes a real vs. fake network?

And how did the NHL know that this debacle between Versus and DirecTV was supposed to happen a few seasons ago, a year ago, much less 3-4 months ago?

It's not about Versus being a good/bad network, Versus being on ESPN to reach more viewers. It's about Versus and DirecTV disagreeing on terms, nothing more or less.

[The Wizard of Oz 0]

has anyone with directv been charged for center ice. somehow on their website it says i have a credit of $25. so i hit the activity since last statement and it says i have center ice and have gotten to credits of 12.99 for "SPORTSfor3MoDUO". anybody else get this? also with games starting this weekend i have yet to be charged for it. hopefully they screwed up and think i already paid

[RedWingsFan4Life 0]

Fake network = a network with no history that has no ratings and wasn't even available to most hockey fans at the time the deal was signed. Now it's still not available to a huge chunk of hockey fans not only does directv not have it but, a shocking number of cable providers don't have it eaither.

Real Network= A network with a proven track record, viewership and availablity to fans.

It's all about Versus being a bad network.

As for how should NHL know that something like this would happen? The fact that Comcast owns the network and screws up just about anything they touch and the fact that they signed with them at a time when the high rated shows were fly fishing and bull riding.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Fake network = a network with no history that has no ratings and wasn't even available to most hockey fans at the time the deal was signed. Now it's still not available to a huge chunk of hockey fans not only does directv not have it but, a shocking number of cable providers don't have it eaither.

Real Network= A network with a proven track record, viewership and availablity to fans.

It's all about Versus being a bad network.

As for how should NHL know that something like this would happen? The fact that Comcast owns the network and screws up just about anything they touch and the fact that they signed with them at a time when the high rated shows were fly fishing and bull riding.

Ok, but Versus/NHL reached a deal that the NHL couldn't refuse to pass up because it made the most sense from a business standpoint at a time when NHL popularity/publicity was in the crapper.

Of course Versus/OLN was unproven at the time in showing the big 4 in sports (football, baseball, hockey, basketball). A deal with ESPN though was not going to happen.

So, with that in mind, what were the alternatives then? What other "unproven" networks at the time of showing big 4 sports would have been better than Versus/OLN?

TNT/TBS? Probably not, they got the NBA market cornered and the NBA.

Spike? AMC? FX? They are/were just as unproven at the time in showing major sports as Versus/OLN.

What are your alternatives to Versus then?

Edited September 29, 2009 by SouthernWingsFan

[RedWingsFan4Life 0]

Actually ESPN was still willing to give them a deal it just wouldn't of paid much. Overall the increased viewership still would of been good for the NHL. If not I would of said trying to reach a deal with Spike or USA Network. USA network would of been a perfect fit due to the ratings of the shows they had and on nights such as the repeat of law and order or movie nights they could of tossed hockey on. Spike would of even been better due to them having monday night raw at the time and it being available to fans they could of done alot of marketing. Could of had a nice ad of hard hits and goal scoring on during monday night hyping up the games on whatever night they were to be broadcast on. Any of those options would of provided more viewership then the current situation.

The only thing that could be worse then this deal would be the league adding 2 more teams in Florida.

[MadMan Mark 0]

What ^he^ said.

I'll be the 1st to bash Bettman on any number of issues pertaining to the NHL, but on this issue I cannot.

I agree that the choices were slim to none in coming back from the lockout once ESPN waved their dick in front of Bettman. Versus has been an OK alternative. However, I find it hard to believe that the NHL did not see this coming. They either turned a blind eye/deaf ear to the situation or were truly in the dark regarding the main broadcast outlet in the US (doubtful).

However, if there were any type of business savvy remaining in the NHL front office, alternate plans, ideas, etc, should exist. It's not just DirecTV being held hostage by Comcast, so is the NHL. Their product loses a huge amount of exposure because Comcast has alienated the largest satellite TV company in the US.

I've said it before, ultimately, the advertisers will ***** loud enough and force Comcast to drop their outrageous demands. I do not see DirecTV budging, especially since they are taking the "we have our customers best interest in mind" approach by offering discounts and free services.

Edited September 29, 2009 by MadMan Mark

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Ok, but Versus/NHL reached a deal that the NHL couldn't refuse to pass up because it made the most sense from a business standpoint at a time when NHL popularity/publicity was in the crapper.

Of course Versus/OLN was unproven at the time in showing the big 4 in sports (football, baseball, hockey, basketball). A deal with ESPN though was not going to happen.

So, with that in mind, what were the alternatives then? What other "unproven" networks at the time of showing big 4 sports would have been better than Versus/OLN?

TNT/TBS? Probably not, they got the NBA market cornered and the NBA.

Spike? AMC? FX? They are/were just as unproven at the time in showing major sports as Versus/OLN.

What are your alternatives to Versus then?

ABC drops Gray's Anatomy and Dancing With the Stars in favor of broadcasting primetime NHL games throughout the week.

Bettman's had this ace up his sleeve for a while now. Just wait and see.

[Made in Kariya 0]

Hey guys. I'm not sure if it's on here already...too lazy to read the whole thread. I just called Directv and told them I just heard about this. The girl gave me the whole negotiation thing. I asked to be transferred to the cancellation dept. She sent me over and I was asked why I wanted to cancel. I told them I wanted to upgrade to HD but wanted VS and can't afford Center Ice. In no time they gave me free Center Ice for the season plus a free HD DVR upgrade. I suggest you guys that have Directv call asap and do the same before they hammer out a deal. I think the key is to be polite and get past that first person that answers the phone. Good luck.

Edit: I also told them I was switching to Dish since they have VS.

Edited September 30, 2009 by Made in Kariya

[Made in Kariya 0]

blog post at kukla's saying the same thing:

http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/mc/c...what_its_worth/

looks like it's working for others too.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

blog post at kukla's saying the same thing:

http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/mc/c...what_its_worth/

looks like it's working for others too.

Meh, my people skills are terrible lately.

They'd probably pull all my favorite channels instead of giving me free anything.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I have a question for everyone.

Couldn't DirecTV just air the games on some satellite-like channel (say channel 800 or something) while these negotiations are taking place? That way there wouldn't be a Versus because of the negotiations, but at least we'd get to see the games that were supposed to be aired.

[jmgriffith 2]

Just out of curiosity, why isn't Dish Network having this problem?

Is their contract with Comcast not up yet?

I called DirecTV yesterday to complain about Versus and asked them that same question. He said that Dish Network's contract with Versus is not up until January. Whether it's true or not, I don't know...but that was his excuse.