Indians Channel on Dish?

[rowemance]

Well here we go again. This was in The Cleveland Plain Dealer on 2/15/2006

Indians strike out with pitch to Cox Cable
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Roger Brown
Plain Dealer Columnist
The Indians are confident they eventually will convince area cable and satellite TV providers to carry their new TV network, but they already have gotten a blunt "no" - for now - from one outlet.

Kevin Haynes, general manager at Cox Cable - which has some 70,000 subscribers in Cleveland's western suburbs - says his company has rejected the Indians' initial contract offer to carry the network. Haynes contends the Indians' fee demands are unreasonable and would force every Cox subscriber to pay another $1.50 a month - at minimum - just to finance carrying the team network.

"They're asking us to pay 200 percent more than we did when their games were on FSN Ohio, and that's for 20 [fewer] telecasts," Haynes said of the Indians.

"It's totally unacceptable and outrageous. We're trying to stand up and look out for our customers. So, at this point, no, we're not agreeing to carry [the Indians' network]."

The Indians' network will show 130 regular-season games this season. FSN Ohio, the team's former TV partner, had been airing 150 regular-season games in recent years. Jim Liberatore, president of the Indians' network, defended the team's fee request, saying it was "a fair price" based on the Indians' proven popularity as a TV draw.

"The fact is, the Indians have been one of the highest-rated TV teams in the majors for years," Liberatore said. "Watching Indians games has become a way of life in this town, and there's a cost associated with that."

I Doubt that we will see the Indians on Dish or DirecTV at those rates.

 

[webbydude]

Like I've stated before, it would be nice if it would happen, but I don't feel the Cleveland market is large enough for to substantiate either satellite provider to carry it. I won't EVEN get into how irate the fans are with the owners over recent trades and essentially making the Tribe into a farm team for the rest of the league (Colon, Crisp, Alomar, etc)

 

[Tom Bombadil]

If you do the math, it sounds like the Indians network wanted approx $1.25M from a cable company with 70,000 subs.

I would expect them to charge more per sub to this cable company than to E*, as all of these cable customers are close to Cleveland. But if they expect a similar fee from E* for say all of the E* subs in northern Ohio, then I expect they will get a similar answer.

This is the kind of service that I think should be an a la carte offering. Let E* offer it for say $5/month to all Cleveland area subs and let it sink or swim on its own merits.

 

[ronjohn]

If the Indians are that big of a TV draw, why don't the make their money on commercials as opposed to making everyone pay $18 a year to watch it?

 

[dishcomm]

Well here we go again. This was in The Cleveland Plain Dealer on 2/15/2006

Indians strike out with pitch to Cox Cable
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Roger Brown
Plain Dealer Columnist
The Indians are confident they eventually will convince area cable and satellite TV providers to carry their new TV network, but they already have gotten a blunt "no" - for now - from one outlet.

Kevin Haynes, general manager at Cox Cable - which has some 70,000 subscribers in Cleveland's western suburbs - says his company has rejected the Indians' initial contract offer to carry the network. Haynes contends the Indians' fee demands are unreasonable and would force every Cox subscriber to pay another $1.50 a month - at minimum - just to finance carrying the team network.

"They're asking us to pay 200 percent more than we did when their games were on FSN Ohio, and that's for 20 [fewer] telecasts," Haynes said of the Indians.

"It's totally unacceptable and outrageous. We're trying to stand up and look out for our customers. So, at this point, no, we're not agreeing to carry [the Indians' network]."

The Indians' network will show 130 regular-season games this season. FSN Ohio, the team's former TV partner, had been airing 150 regular-season games in recent years. Jim Liberatore, president of the Indians' network, defended the team's fee request, saying it was "a fair price" based on the Indians' proven popularity as a TV draw.

"The fact is, the Indians have been one of the highest-rated TV teams in the majors for years," Liberatore said. "Watching Indians games has become a way of life in this town, and there's a cost associated with that."

I Doubt that we will see the Indians on Dish or DirecTV at those rates.

The Yankees have enough clout to pull this off..The YES network does not appear on Dish for the same reasons that cable co doesn't carry the channel, so Yankee fans either go to cable or DTV....Now the Indians are doin the same thing..I think the Indians management may be bting off more than it can chew.....Of course with the high price of tickets, fans are content to stay home and watch on tv....Team owners may be trying to "protect" their ticket buyers by seeking more $$ from tv viewers.....who knows....This is the one instance where living outside a teams market is beneficial..At least you have a chance to see the games if you get the MLB package.....I don't think I will be going out on a limb by saying Dish will not carry the Indians channel....

 

[dishcomm]

If you do the math, it sounds like the Indians network wanted approx $1.25M from a cable company with 70,000 subs.

I would expect them to charge more per sub to this cable company than to E*, as all of these cable customers are close to Cleveland. But if they expect a similar fee from E* for say all of the E* subs in northern Ohio, then I expect they will get a similar answer.

This is the kind of service that I think should be an a la carte offering. Let E* offer it for say $5/month to all Cleveland area subs and let it sink or swim on its own merits.

That's the rub..The YES network refused to be a "pay" channel on Dish as well as Cablevision(Largest cable syst in NY metro area) ....YES management stated they wanted ot be a part of the same package as MSG and FOX/NY or no go...But yet YES wanted like $2 per sub for this.....
DISH told them to stuff it as did Cablevision......
I understand the Mets have or are developing their own channel as well...I imagine the reaction by the various carriers will be the same....We aren't carrying it....

 

[jeffwtux]

Clearly, pro-sports teams are beginning to not like DBS and prefer that everybody go back to cable.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Well, in this case, it is cable that is rejecting the offer.

 

[rowemance]

Time Warner is producing this channel for the Indians and is also in the process of taking over Adelphia which is the major cable provider in Cleveland. Hopefully all the other cable and satellite systems will join forces and not carry the Indians Channel that is only in contention 3 months out of the year. Its funny how Dolan owns the Indians and His brother owns Cablevision that wouldn't pay for the YES network.

 

[fayrich]

I see in today's Plain Dealer that the Indians are trying to force the rest of the area's cable companies into offering it a-la-carte for about 1.80 per month. Don't know if I will take it since I am so PO'd at cheapskate Dolan for his "sit on wallet" approach to this years team. I may just content myself with the 20 games that will be on local channel 3 in HD. As I have said before, I hope that Dolan loses his ass on this cable venture. Then maybe he will be forced to sell, and we can get a real owner. Was a sad day when the Jacobs Brothers sold out to him.

 

[webbydude]

Hear, hear!!

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I'd like to see E* make it available for the $1.80 a la carte option. Sounds like the right thing to do, assuming there is a little profit in it for E*. This would keep E* Indian fans happy.

 

[rowemance]

Let them put the Indians channel on al carte for say $5.00 a month if he can keep the team in contention for more than 3 months he will make more money.
12 months x $1.50 = $18.00
4 months x $5.00 = 20.00
out of the penant race june 1st = $10.00

Lets face the facts the channel is only good for 130 games or days and only 4 hours when the game and pre game are on.

Thats 520 hours out of 8760 hours in a year.

The rest of the time will be useless programing (repeats or infomercial).

Personally I'll just go to the bar if I want to watch the game.

 

[dishcomm]

Time Warner is producing this channel for the Indians and is also in the process of taking over Adelphia which is the major cable provider in Cleveland. Hopefully all the other cable and satellite systems will join forces and not carry the Indians Channel that is only in contention 3 months out of the year. Its funny how Dolan owns the Indians and His brother owns Cablevision that wouldn't pay for the YES network.

The fact that TW is involved leads me to believe they will keep it off satellite if they can.....
Comcast has had an anti satellite stance in Philadelphia ever since Comcast bought the old Sports Channel Philadelphia. The service has been unavailable on satellite to Philly market customers....Comcast has since purchased HTS in the DC market and Fox Sports Chicago....However, Comcast sports DC and Chicago are still on Dish and DTV regional sports lineups......
The Doalns are not the smartest businessmen in the world....I am from northern NJ and Cablevison was our provider. It seemed like every year they werre in a catfight with somebody....one year we lost CBS and ABC for about two weeks over fees....Cablevisin wanted to get the channels for free.Their conetention was that die to "must carry" thye should not have to pay up.....ANother time they got into it owith Madison Square Garden Network which carried Yankees, Rangers and Knicks games..The Dolans wanted MSG to be on the same tier as the Dolan's SportsCahnnel NY......MSG told them BS..Becuase that service had always been on a standrard tier....So ,Cablevision took the channel down for a year..Yankee fans were livid resulting in many cancellations....Ironically,Cablevision now owns the Rangers and the Madison Square Garden arena....Weird.....
Anyway, I will keep up with Indians situation....Good luck!

 

[John Corn]

Boy I really hope Dish and the Indians can make it happen. I just can't see myself staying with satellite if they can't come to a monetary agreement. I really love watching my Tribe games!!

 

[dishcomm]

Boy I really hope Dish and the Indians can make it happen. I just can't see myself staying with satellite if they can't come to a monetary agreement. I really love watching my Tribe games!!

Here's the rub.Most often the channel or service in question does not wish to be a pay channel.
For example, the YES network, demanded they be put into Dish's lineup as another regional sports net would be..However the per subscriber price gave rise to protests from Dish because that cost would be passed on to ALL Dish subs in the NY market..Dish's reasoning agianst this is "not all Dish subs in the NY market are Yankees fans". Dish fiurtehr claimed it would be unfair to charge their subs for a service they have no interest in..The alterantive would be an a la carte situation which YES was not intersted in ..this would drive up the price to those subs wanting the channel..YES believed the price would unpalatable....YES said no dice to the a la carte option..SO Dish refused to put the channel into their lineup.....i'm sure Dish lost some subs over this..But apparently not enough of them to make a difference...
Now to Cleveland......i have no idea what the per sub cost would be...YES was looking at over $2....That's up in the ESPN area....ESPN is the most expensive service but no Sat/cable company would dare exclude ESPN....
If the Indians organization is smart, they won't over price the service ..If they look for big bucks Dish may do the same as they did with YES........Good luck!
BTW, DTV took the YES net on day one....I wrote earlier about the issue in Philly with Comcast... I speculate that Comcast does not want Satellite subs in their service areas...Hence their apparent reasoning for keeping their signal off satellite...I think it's all bull$hit....If ran the FCC I would tell broadcasters and sports franchises the jig is up..You no longer have rights to territories or DMA's..I believe that if I am willing to pay for something on my tv I should be able to get it....
Ironically, the FCC had this issue on their table last year..They could have made a historical move to free up the 1950's type stranglehold broadcasters have on the rules....The FCC sat on their hands...What I don't understnd is the memebers of the FCC are appointed not elected.They serve at the pleasure of the President...But it seems the lobbying efforts by the NAB and the cable industry have had the undivided attention of the FCC for decades......this has to stop..I would like it if the FCC had the balls to exhibit as much independence as the Federal Reserve....

 

[rocatman]

IIRC, at one time with Dish, all Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) were a la carte. I remember paying I believe $1.50 or $1.99 per month for Sportschannel which carried Indians/Cavaliers games.

In regards to YES, I believe Steinbrenner wanted Dish to carry it in their basic package like AT60 or AT40 and have Dish pay the monthly subscriber fee for basically all their subscribers not just in the N.Y area. Steinbrenner compared YES to TBS that carried most of the Braves games.