DISH introduces new Business Package with ESPN

[Scott Greczkowski]

DISH had a special Business Retailer Chat yesterday and introduced a new package called DISH Complete Plus Sports.

Now what makes this package interesting is while it includes ESPN and ESPN 2 it does NOT include ESPN and ESPN 2 in HD... (All the other sports channels in the package are included in HD) if you want ESPN and ESPN 2 in HD it will cost you an additional $25 a month.

REMEMBER THIS PACKAGE IS FOR COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES - NOT FOR HOME CUSTOMERS!

Now reading between the lines here, why would they be coming out with a new business pacakge with sports with ESPN and ESPN 2 a month before the channels might be removed from the lineup and why are they charging more for the ESPN and ESPN 2 HD feeds? To me this is another sign that a deal with ESPN is done...

Something to make you go hmm...

 

[gatekeeper]

Theres no way this.will work.I will be.heading.to directtv if it does.

 

[lparsons21]

Interesting and not very welcome from me. I'm not a big sports fan, but I like my golf and boxing and I like them in HD. ESPN & ESPN2 are two channels that have quite a bit of both of those. But a $25/month premium on those would not be welcome nor tolerated by me. There are other choices or maybe they've forgotten that?
?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Theres no way this.will work.I will be.heading.to directtv if it does.

Remember this is for BUSINESSES not consumers.

 

[gatekeeper]

Ok sorry Scott.Should of paid closer attention to the post

 

[lparsons21]

Remember this is for BUSINESSES not consumers.

I didn't realize that, thanks for the clarification.

so....

never mind!
?

 

[Juan]

DISH had a special Business Retailer Chat yesterday and introduced a new package called DISH Complete Plus Sports.

Now what makes this package interesting is while it includes ESPN and ESPN 2 it does NOT include ESPN and ESPN 2 in HD... (All the other sports channels in the package are included in HD) if you want ESPN and ESPN 2 in HD it will cost you an additional $25 a month.

REMEMBER THIS PACKAGE IS FOR COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES - NOT FOR HOME CUSTOMERS!

Now reading between the lines here, why would they be coming out with a new business pacakge with sports with ESPN and ESPN 2 a month before the channels might be removed from the lineup and why are they charging more for the ESPN and ESPN 2 HD feeds? To me this is another sign that a deal with ESPN is done...

Something to make you go hmm...

it sounds to me like they are dropping ESPN and ESPN2 in HD (lol)

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The thing here is why promote a new sports package with ESPN and with new ESPN pricing if DISH could be in a dispute with ESPN next month...

As I said my gut says they have a deal in place or are close to having a deal in place with ESPN / DISNEY.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Looks good to me, Im getting more excited for ESPN and Fox as each day passes with all these tidbits coming out.

 

[HDRoberts]

Strange. What business that provides sports viewing does not have HDTV?

Perhaps the deal includes the crazy Disney "pay us twice for the same channel" idea, but Dish got the right to charge extra for Disney HD programming.

 

[gatekeeper]

Looks good to me, Im getting more excited for ESPN and Fox as each day passes with all these tidbits coming out.

+1

 

[gadgtfreek]

Strange. What business that provides sports viewing does not have HDTV?

Perhaps the deal includes the crazy Disney "pay us twice for the same channel" idea, but Dish got the right to charge extra for Disney HD programming.

Plenty of bars I go to have sports on, HDTV's, but no HD service.

 

[Yespage]

What sort of price increase is that for a business account? 5%, 1%, 10,000,000%? And does Dish have that many commercial accounts to make this increase significant or is this a sign of things to come on the consumer end?

The thing here is why promote a new sports package with ESPN and with new ESPN pricing if DISH could be in a dispute with ESPN next month...

Dish needs a little more money for retaining lawyers?

As I said my gut says they have a deal in place or are close to having a deal in place with ESPN / DISNEY.

If the deal was all set, why wouldn't we be getting HD on the fringes of ESPN now?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

If the deal was all set, why wouldn't we be getting HD on the fringes of ESPN now?

Because the new contract does not start until October 1st. (Thats my GUESS anyways) As I said its a gut feeling...

 

[theoak]

...

If the deal was all set, why wouldn't we be getting HD on the fringes of ESPN now?

All deals typically have a start date I would think ...

 

[gadgtfreek]

Because the new contract does not start until October 1st. (Thats my GUESS anyways) As I said its a gut feeling...

I agree with you, this is a good sign things are shaping up. I just hope if they agree on our normal packages to add ESPNU HD etc..., they dont wait until 9/30 to fire them up. Id hope as soon as they agree we'd get them, but maybe not.

 

[GaryPen]

Theres no way this.will work.I will be.heading.to directtv if it does.

As Scott mentioned, this is for Commercial customers - offices, bars, retail, etc. - which is always priced much higher than residential service, especially for sports.

It is not indicative of the pricing for Residential customers.

 

[GaryPen]

Plenty of bars I go to have sports on, HDTV's, but no HD service.

You'd be surpised how many have HD dservice, but do not setup/connect/configure their displays correctly. It always drives me crazy when I see it.

 

[rajmarie]

Offices & sports. My office only have news channel. All the time.

 

[Yespage]

Because the new contract does not start until October 1st. (Thats my GUESS anyways) As I said its a gut feeling...

Yeah, but the HD was taken away in a spat by Disney. It could just as easily be brought back, so me thinks (quite ignorantly) that if a deal has been made, it isn't a simple one because otherwise, why continue holding up the HD?