Give DirecTV the BOOT if they don't add Philly Comcast Sportsnet NOW!! (search this on Facebook)

[PhillyPhreak]

Comcast is to blame...Scott already touched on it. They used a loophole for decades until ti got closed. Now they're playing the old "well we will charge you 10 bucks for our feed"

This may be the case, in which case we're saying PAY THE TEN BUCKS!! Otherwise, Comcast AND DirecTV are to blame. We don't want to hear "we can't afford it" from DirecTV, when I have to click by one hundred do-it-yourself channels, a dozen religious channels, and 2 dozens Investigation channels just get to something I wanna watch.

 

[oldengineer]

I completely agree with PhillyPhreak here. D*s technology is the only thing keeping me around. If E* or my Cableco ever gets Whole Home or MOCA I'll be gone in an instant. I pay for cable service just to get CSN and TCN. I don't understand why we are kept in the dark about the status of any D*/Comcast negotiations.

 

[PhillyPhreak]

I completely agree with PhillyPhreak here. D*s technology is the only thing keeping me around. If E* or my Cableco ever gets Whole Home or MOCA I'll be gone in an instant. I pay for cable service just to get CSN and TCN. I don't understand why we are kept in the dark about the status of any D*/Comcast negotiations.

Yup, that is exactly what we are trying to say. We don't want to leave DTV, because IMO they are superior to cable. But if they can't come through for Philly fans (when it's seems quite feasible that now they can), they are going to lose many of them. As a matter of fact, if FiOS was in my area now, DTV would be already be gone.

 

[Mr Tony]

And if they don't want to fork out the big bucks, perhaps they could lose some channels like the GEM Network, GOD TV (since there's already 6 different Jesus channels in their line-up), Jewelry TV, and the dozen or so other ridiculous channels that take up programming space.

you do realize those channels PAY DIRECTV to be on there..

obviously not

 

[Mr Tony]

This may be the case, in which case we're saying PAY THE TEN BUCKS!! Otherwise, Comcast AND DirecTV are to blame. We don't want to hear "we can't afford it" from DirecTV, when I have to click by one hundred do-it-yourself channels, a dozen religious channels, and 2 dozens Investigation channels just get to something I wanna watch.

why the hell should I pay $10 a month so YOU can have CSN Philly? Remember everyone outside of Philly would all be blacked out . I threw that number out as an example but we know CSN is playing "whiny spoiled child" because they got their "ball" (loophole) taken away from them. So now they're gonna go to option B which is make the price so outrageous that nobody wants it. But they will say "well we offered it to them".

Religious and shopping channels PAY to be on D*
most other stations are way cheaper than a RSN.

 

[PhillyPhreak]

why the hell should I pay $10 a month so YOU can have CSN Philly? Remember everyone outside of Philly would all be blacked out . I threw that number out as an example but we know CSN is playing "whiny spoiled child" because they got their "ball" (loophole) taken away from them. So now they're gonna go to option B which is make the price so outrageous that nobody wants it. But they will say "well we offered it to them".

What? I wasn't saying YOU should be paying $10 for anything. I thought you were using that as an example of CSN saying, "OK, we'll give you the channel for $WHATEVER". That's why I said they should pay the money, regardless of price. They can afford it.

As far as religious and shopping channels.........fine. Point taken. Then lets just deal STRICTLY with sports channels. There are NO PHILADELPHIA region sports channels on DTV. NONE!!! Therefore if it's a matter of finances, instead of having 5 New York stations, 3 Dallas, 3 New England, 3 Washington, 3 Florida stations etc, etc, they could provide 1 or two of those markets and SOME PHILLY markets as well. Next to New York, Philadelphia is the biggest sports market, hence why Comcast was using CSN Philly as leverage, because they know it is coveted. There are a lot of frustrated Philly fans who get the shaft from DirecTV.

And by you saying something along the lines of "Why should I pay for you getting to see CSN Philly", is like me saying, "why should I pay for people to see CSN Florida, New England, or Dallas?" Or better yet, "why should I be paying for YOU to see Phillies games on channels that I'm not allowed to access". None of that makes sense, so why even bring it to a discussion?

 

[PhillyPhreak]

why the hell should I pay $10 a month so YOU can have CSN Philly? Remember everyone outside of Philly would all be blacked out .

I just noticed the 2nd part of this quote. So since I, who lives in the Philly market, should have to go without seeing my hometown Phillies, Sixers and Flyers, so that you, who live in "some place men fear to tread" can see the games without being blacked out. That's pretty fair.......pffft! I guess you're right. Maybe DirecTV shouldn't get CSN Philly access. That would be unfair to the rest of the United States. My apologies.

 

[Mr Tony]

I just noticed the 2nd part of this quote. So since I, who lives in the Philly market, should have to go without seeing my hometown Phillies, Sixers and Flyers, so that you, who live in "some place men fear to tread" can see the games without being blacked out. That's pretty fair.......pffft! I guess you're right. Maybe DirecTV shouldn't get CSN Philly access. That would be unfair to the rest of the United States. My apologies.

You're confusing out of market packages with in market RSN availability.
MLB Extra Innings carries some CSN Philly feeds but alot of times they arent available so only the opponent feed is on there. I know "My17" games are on MLB EI (had some during the free preview). I dont know about sixers or flyers games but if I remember right those feeds are more readily available for those out of market packages. CSN Philly has an agreement with those entities (MLB, NBA and NHL).

Now in market RSN's its all back to "Can CSN and Directv make a deal" and obviously they can't. It all goes back to the PRISM/Sportschannel Philly loophole CSN was exploiting. Basically if the channel was not available on satellite (C-Band...as that is how lots of channels are beamed up) it didnt have to be made to sat providers. CSN is using the old PRISM infrastructure so they got around that with the "loophole". Thats been closed (finally) but CSN decided they want to place an outrageous price tag on their channel. And thats why neither Directv or Dish carries it.

 

[Mr Tony]

What? I wasn't saying YOU should be paying $10 for anything. I thought you were using that as an example of CSN saying, "OK, we'll give you the channel for $WHATEVER". That's why I said they should pay the money, regardless of price. They can afford it.

we all pay for the RSN's regardless of location. I pay for them just like you do. I guess the only difference is I get FSN North (because they cut a deal that both parties can agree on)

As far as religious and shopping channels.........fine. Point taken. Then lets just deal STRICTLY with sports channels. There are NO PHILADELPHIA region sports channels on DTV. NONE!!!

and the reason is CSN and D* havent made a deal. Plain and simple. No matter how you spin it, my answer isnt going to change.

Therefore if it's a matter of finances, instead of having 5 New York stations, 3 Dallas, 3 New England, 3 Washington, 3 Florida stations etc, etc, they could provide 1 or two of those markets and SOME PHILLY markets as well.

see my above response.

Next to New York, Philadelphia is the biggest sports market, hence why Comcast was using CSN Philly as leverage, because they know it is coveted. There are a lot of frustrated Philly fans who get the shaft from DirecTV.

of course CSN is using it as leverage. Do you think they said "hey lets be nice and offer it to Dish and DIrectv for 50 cents"...hell no they said "heh heh we have the lowest satellite penetration in the US due to us holding CSN Philly hostage"

And by you saying something along the lines of "Why should I pay for you getting to see CSN Philly", is like me saying, "why should I pay for people to see CSN Florida, New England, or Dallas?"

The other providers have made an agreement with Directv to be carried. If you add the sports pack you can see all the non-pro sports on there.

This is no different than Dish subs in NY. They have NO RSN's either (because DIsh pulled them in disputes)

Or better yet, "why should I be paying for YOU to see Phillies games on channels that I'm not allowed to access".

the only way I can see those games is to pay 200 bucks or so for the "privilege" of seeing Phillies games via MLB EI. But I may not get to hear the local broadcasters. I may have to resort to listening to the opponents broadcasters as lots of CSN Philly feeds arent avaialble

None of that makes sense, so why even bring it to a discussion?

you're the one who brought this up...not me

 

[PhillyPhreak]

I really have nothing to add to that last comment, Iceberg, since everything you just mentioned was already hashed over previously and understood by both you and I. Nothing new.

OK, one comment. "....and the reason is CSN and D* havent made a deal. Plain and simple. No matter how you spin it, my answer isnt going to change."

Yes, dude, that's the ENTIRE POINT of this discussion! I, we, all of us......we understand there is no deal. And since there are no more legal barriers preventing one, DTV needs to MAKE A F**KING DEAL ALREADY!! It is now about finances (already discusses), which DTV can afford.

 

[Mr Tony]

D* isnt going to get a channel at an outrageous price "just for the sake of having the channel"

They did that years ago with YES Network. Now when the agreement came up in April they wanted a fair shake for the renewal.

CSN Philly is on Fios and other cable companies outside of Philly. So if (hypothetical) CSN offers it to them (fios/cable) for say 1.50 and they offer it to D* for $6 gee I wonder why D* balked at it. CSN is playing the extortion game any way they can. They know if they offer it cheap and Directv takes it, folks have a CHOICE of programming provider in Philly proper for sports.

 

[oldengineer]

I get CSNHD and TCNHD as part of the second lowest basic cable package offered by my cable company, SECTV Lehigh Valley, so the cost to FIOS and cable subscribers isn't outrageous. I believe that the FCC requires providers to offer services at reasonable prices so I don't think that SECTV is getting CSN/TCN for say $2.00 per subscriber while Comcast is trying to get D* to pay say $6.00. As stated, we in the Philly locals region get no regional sports coverage now. If D*'s legal team weren't busy writing airtight customer agreements and responding to class action lawsuits they may have time to try to enforce the fairness clause.

 

[JerryVolunteer]

You are completely right, if this was 2009. Now what's the excuse. If you have some dynamite info on what the hold-up is, let me know. I have a few hundred friends who are curious.

Just because you when a lawsuit doesnt mean you get what you want out of it. D won but Comcast still isnt budging which is the lawyers are still in it.

I have to keep basic Comcast where I can get my local sports as well. D doesnt wanna pay the absurd price and I dont blame then

 

[Jimbo]

What? I wasn't saying YOU should be paying $10 for anything. I thought you were using that as an example of CSN saying, "OK, we'll give you the channel for $WHATEVER". That's why I said they should pay the money, regardless of price. They can afford it.

As far as religious and shopping channels.........fine. Point taken. Then lets just deal STRICTLY with sports channels. There are NO PHILADELPHIA region sports channels on DTV. NONE!!! Therefore if it's a matter of finances, instead of having 5 New York stations, 3 Dallas, 3 New England, 3 Washington, 3 Florida stations etc, etc, they could provide 1 or two of those markets and SOME PHILLY markets as well. Next to New York, Philadelphia is the biggest sports market, hence why Comcast was using CSN Philly as leverage, because they know it is coveted. There are a lot of frustrated Philly fans who get the shaft from DirecTV.

And by you saying something along the lines of "Why should I pay for you getting to see CSN Philly", is like me saying, "why should I pay for people to see CSN Florida, New England, or Dallas?" Or better yet, "why should I be paying for YOU to see Phillies games on channels that I'm not allowed to access". None of that makes sense, so why even bring it to a discussion?

And they WOULD be on D* if COMCAST wasn't asking for 5-10 times what OTHER Sports Networks are asking.

 

[jerseyfla]

Wow this thread starter is so uneducated on sooooo many levels with this whole deal and/or misunderstood!

First off, I'm not gonna repeat what others have mentioned because its been explained to death to oblivion. How can you equate Philadelphia as being the #2 sports market? Is this a points system? Have you forgotten LA, Chicago, and the SF Bay Area? All of those teams have more teams than Philly. I understand your frustration my wife is a South Jersey native, but you sound as whiny as Angelo Cataldi on 610 WIP. Networks charge a certain amount per subscriber for their channel. Comcast charging 10 bucks per subscriber would not be far off as ESPN charges about that but ESPN is a network of 5 channels. The problem is that the rate would get passed on to other subscribers like me who don't live in the Delaware Valley and thus create an uproar and D* losing subs. Not a smart business practice especially when you already have a leg up sports wise over other providers. The other CSNs were "grandfathered" as they were channels bought out by Comcast after Directv's existence like HTS is now CSN Mid-Atlantic, FSN New England and Bay Area are CSN New England and CSN Bay Area now. And you must know that Comcast is based in Philadelphia so they want to keep the footprint on their home territory hence the banner around the Wells Fargo Center that says "Welcome to Comcast Country".

 

[PhillyPhreak]

As stated before, Philadelphia is the largest sports region outside of New York. Which is why Comcast uses that channel as leverage since Philadelphia has the lowest number of satellite customers as a result of not sharing the channel (as Iceberg was so kind to point out earlier). So logic would tell me, that if DTV picked up the channels, they would have 10's of thousands of new customers in the greater Philly area who could switch to DTV. BELIEVE ME, I can find NO Comcast cable customers who are happy. Their prices are outrageous and they receive about half of what DTV offers. So regardless of the high price to pay, DTV would end up benefitting in the long run. And like "oldengineer" mentioned above, DTV could easily take them to court for the price gauging if their chrging one service $1.50 and another service $6.00. But in the meantime, getting the channel, even at a higher rate, would be beneficial to everyone, including DTV. For you folks who are not from PA,this is NOT something type of channel in line with "The Home Gardening Network" or the like. This is the largest Philly Sports Network in PA or anywhere, and the reason hundreds of thousands of cable subscribers don't switch to DTV. This is not a matter of adding this channel "just for the sake of having the channel", as Iceberg put it. This would be DTV's goldmine. And you don't get goldmines cheap.

 

[jerseyfla]

Philadelphia is NOT the largest sports region next to NYC area. Philly is actually #4 or #5 behind....

LA area- Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, Clippers, Kings, Ducks, Galaxy, Chivas USA, USC, UCLA

Chicago- Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Fire, Northwestern, DePaul

Bay Area- Giants, Athletics, 49ers, Raiders, Warriors, Sharks, Earthquakes, Stanford, Cal.

 

[JerseyMatt]

Just let him look like a fool with his silly little facebook group. He obviously wouldn't know the truth if it kicked him in the balls, and he has no idea how broadcasting contracts and blackout requirements work, and he has told everyone who has tried to educate him that they're wrong. So let him do what he wants and we'll all just laugh at him.

Oh, and Philly isn't even the #4 market, it's #8. Behind NY, LA, Chicago, Baltimore, Boston, San Francisco, and Dallas.

 

[Jimbo]

As stated before, Philadelphia is the largest sports region outside of New York. Which is why Comcast uses that channel as leverage since Philadelphia has the lowest number of satellite customers as a result of not sharing the channel (as Iceberg was so kind to point out earlier). So logic would tell me, that if DTV picked up the channels, they would have 10's of thousands of new customers in the greater Philly area who could switch to DTV. BELIEVE ME, I can find NO Comcast cable customers who are happy. Their prices are outrageous and they receive about half of what DTV offers. So regardless of the high price to pay, DTV would end up benefitting in the long run. And like "oldengineer" mentioned above, DTV could easily take them to court for the price gauging if their chrging one service $1.50 and another service $6.00. But in the meantime, getting the channel, even at a higher rate, would be beneficial to everyone, including DTV. For you folks who are not from PA,this is NOT something type of channel in line with "The Home Gardening Network" or the like. This is the largest Philly Sports Network in PA or anywhere, and the reason hundreds of thousands of cable subscribers don't switch to DTV. This is not a matter of adding this channel "just for the sake of having the channel", as Iceberg put it. This would be DTV's goldmine. And you don't get goldmines cheap.

You seem to think that this ONE channel is a great Goldmine for D*, however, as far as D* is concerned, it only effect one area of the country.

If ESPN is asking $ 10 and is a 5 channel mega channel, why does Comcast think they can also get $ 10 for ONE channel ?

Now the figures are hypothetical as we don't know for sure what the numbers are, but if the rest of the RSN's are asking $3, Comcast wants $ 10 doesn't seem right.
Why would D* in this case pay the extra money that would be a HUGE amount difference over the rest of the RSN's.

 

[JerseyMatt]

You seem to think that this ONE channel is a great Goldmine for D*, however, as far as D* is concerned, it only effect one area of the country.

If ESPN is asking $ 10 and is a 5 channel mega channel, why does Comcast think they can also get $ 10 for ONE channel ?

For whatever reason, he seems to think that Philly teams are so golden that the entire country gives a rat's ass about them. The way I see it, there's 300 million people that wouldn't care if Philly dropped off the face of the earth.