CSN Philly saga could end - if DIRECTV and Dish agree to arbitration

[doublek97]

"Comcast SportsNet has offered to go to arbitration with both of the satellite services with the hope that they will sign on soon to give Phillies fans the opportunity to tune in regardless of their service provider."

"When Comcast became a king of content as well as distribution by acquiring NBCUniversal, the FCC ordered program disputes to be settled via 'baseball-style arbitration,' an unusual process that makes an arbitrator pick one party's figure or the other's, no compromises allowed."

"So what is SportsNet worth? Like Comcast, the satellites won't discuss details, but it's clear that arbitration could put them at risk. SNL Kagan estimated in 2012 that Comcast's Washington SportsNet earned $4.02 per subscriber. Some reports say Comcast wants as much as $5 apiece for the Philadelphia version - near the high price tag for ESPN that leaves many of its counterparts complaining loudly about the exploding cost of TV sports."

How about arriving at a cost per subscriber FOR THOSE THAT WANT THE CHANNEL? Why can't it be a la carte, like HBO? Just thinking aloud....

 

[Tampa8]

While your thought on A La Carte is correct, it is an old old argument. DISH has begged, in fact offered RSN's particularly in NYC to charge whatever they wanted, with DISH getting nothing beyond the cost to transmit them if they went A La Carte. You see how far that went.

And Comcast "Offering" to negotiate is a Joke. They already have because they were loosely forced to, and if reports are to be believed they wanted the Moon, Stars, your first born, and if you owned an expensive car, that too.

 

[oldengineer]

All of the local cable companies carry CSN and it's sister and overflow station The Comcast Network (TCN). If they can afford to carry it the fairness clause in the Telecommunications Act should dictate that both satellite providers should be able to get an affordable rate so that Philly RSN subs get something for their Sports Package money. They are also changing their name, apparently, to Sports Net Philly although they are still showing CSN on the screen now.

http://www.philly.com/philly/busine..._with_Comcast_still_leaves_some_fans_out.html

 

[david_jr]

All of the local cable companies carry CSN and it's sister and overflow station The Comcast Network (TCN). If they can afford to carry it the fairness clause in the Telecommunications Act should dictate that both satellite providers should be able to get an affordable rate so that Philly RSN subs get something for their Sports Package money. They are also changing their name, apparently, to Sports Net Philly although they are still showing CSN on the screen now.

http://www.philly.com/philly/busine..._with_Comcast_still_leaves_some_fans_out.html

Isn't it interesting that these RSNs never seem to go dark on cable systems. Maybe they do but we just don't hear about it as much.

 

[oldengineer]

I just had a wonderful dream. The changes they're making to the EA sats next week include the addition of CSN Philly and TCN to the Dish Channel lineup.
LETS GO FLYERS, DA DA..DA DA DA!

 

[oldengineer]

Isn't it interesting that these RSNs never seem to go dark on cable systems. Maybe they do but we just don't hear about it as much.

I've had Service Electric Cable Lehigh Valley for 25 years and don't remember it ever going black.

 

[Tampa8]

SNY was dark on Charter in Eastern Ct for years after it was carried at first. It's now back, ONLY because they now carry Uconn Basketball. MSG is still dark after being carried.

 

[jrbdmb]

If Comcast says they are willing to negotiate in good faith for CSN-Philly, they are lying. They know that as soon as Dish and DirecTV offer CSN-Philly a large number of cable subs will bolt for satellite - and in this area the vast majority of those subs have Comcast/Xfinity.

I'm holding out no hope of seeing this channel on satellite anytime in the near future.

 

[chuckster_dude]

Isn't it interesting that these RSNs never seem to go dark on cable systems. Maybe they do but we just don't hear about it as much.

MSG went dark on Time Warner Cable in New York for a brief time 2 years ago.


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[oldengineer]

If Comcast says they are willing to negotiate in good faith for CSN-Philly, they are lying. They know that as soon as Dish and DirecTV offer CSN-Philly a large number of cable subs will bolt for satellite - and in this area the vast majority of those subs have Comcast/Xfinity.

I'm holding out no hope of seeing this channel on satellite anytime in the near future.

Me too but not all because Comcast, with Ed Rendell on it's payroll and half of PA's politicians in their pocket is 100% at fault. If D* and E*, especially E* who seemingly is willing to engage in any kind of lawsuit, had the will they could take Comcast down because their rates to local cablecos aren't so high that the cablecos don't carry them. CSN and TCN are part of SECTVs basic (not lifeline) package. Dish wants me to pay $10 a month for the sports package and the only decent thing in it is the Redzone channel and BTN (which is supposed to be free for states with a team but is conveniently left out of the Philly RSN). I wonder if NJ and MD subs will get screwed when Rutgers and U of MD join.