It's Official : Extra Innings Package and 24-Hour Channel Headed Exclusively to Direc

[GadgetGirl]

I am pretty much in the same boat as shodobe. I've had Dish for 8 years and waited too long for them to get MLB. Now that I've had it, I'm not giving it up. I hate to go with D* but MLB will push me over. I have invested a lot in equipment with E*, so it hurts to make a move.

Then again, I have been unhappy with moves that Dish has been making recently and have been trying cable, I guess I should give D* a look, too. I was planning on downgrading much of my E* programming and going with a special deal that Comcast has offered for the year to offset the $10 increase E* is hitting me with. I see that D* is offering some deals, too that I should consider.

I wonder if we will some legal attempts to block the deal. Cable can't be happy and there will be baseball fans hurt that can't get satellite.

 

[John Corn]

I am pretty much in the same boat as shodobe. I've had Dish for 8 years and waited too long for them to get MLB. Now that I've had it, I'm not giving it up. I hate to go with D* but MLB will push me over. I have invested a lot in equipment with E*, so it hurts to make a move.

Then again, I have been unhappy with moves that Dish has been making recently and have been trying cable, I guess I should give D* a look, too. I was planning on downgrading much of my E* programming and going with a special deal that Comcast has offered for the year to offset the $10 increase E* is hitting me with. I see that D* is offering some deals, too that I should consider.

I wonder if we will some legal attempts to block the deal. Cable can't be happy and there will be baseball fans hurt that can't get satellite.

GadgetGirl, These are my thoughts as well.

 

[Hall]

When one party is a monopoly with an anti trust exemption because as someone else pointed out there was the thought it was America's game.

"America's game" ?? That's a marketing slogan !!

Before you say "You're free to switch to D*" which is the obvious answer, there should be some consideration into the equipment that we as subs have had to invest in.

Where does it end ?? I own a Honda but let's say a new Toyota has a feature I like.... Can I sue (who ??) to get that feature ??

From a legal standpoint what MLB and D* are doing is perfectly legal. From a common sense standpoint it's completely wrong.

Do courts work on legal issues or common sense ones ?? Besides, I suspect you won't find many D* customers who consider it "completely wrong". It's only wrong to those who are customers of the 'other' companies.

 

[Lucky]

I am pretty much in the same boat as shodobe. I've had Dish for 8 years and waited too long for them to get MLB. Now that I've had it, I'm not giving it up. I hate to go with D* but MLB will push me over. I have invested a lot in equipment with E*, so it hurts to make a move.

Then again, I have been unhappy with moves that Dish has been making recently and have been trying cable, I guess I should give D* a look, too. I was planning on downgrading much of my E* programming and going with a special deal that Comcast has offered for the year to offset the $10 increase E* is hitting me with. I see that D* is offering some deals, too that I should consider.

I wonder if we will some legal attempts to block the deal. Cable can't be happy and there will be baseball fans hurt that can't get satellite.

Same here. I really like Dish and would love to stay, but if you are a big baseball fan, and get used to having all those baseball games on MLB Extra Innings, it is pretty tough to give up. I probably will reluctanly change to DirecTV. I guess DirecTV's plan will work for them with some of us. I really fell bad, but I probably will try mlb.tv during spring training, and unless it is really good I will have to change to DirecTV.

 

[rabi]

I am perplexed and bewildered that D* thinks they can make money on this situation.

D* doesn't think it can make money on just the EI package...
In fact, they expect to lose money on this deal...

But, they hope the addition of subs from cable and E* who will also be paying a monthly subsciption fee for their programming package and possible premium channels and other sports packages and other PPV(movies, events, adult)
will make up for it...

It's the same rationale with Sunday Ticket...
They lose lots of money on that, but make up for it with those who come over from other services...

 

[pdxsam]

"America's game" ?? That's a marketing slogan !!.

Actually it's not. Congress used that to give baseball the exemption.

Where does it end ?? I own a Honda but let's say a new Toyota has a feature I like.... Can I sue (who ??) to get that feature ??

Not quite in the same league. Honda is free to add that feature if it so chooses. Dish and cable are not free to add EI

Do courts work on legal issues or common sense ones ??

That's a whole different discussion for another thread. There have been many instances of both I am sure .

Besides, I suspect you won't find many D* customers who consider it "completely wrong". It's only wrong to those who are customers of the 'other' companies.

Of couse not. Just as you wouldn't find Toyota owners complaining about the extra "feature".

 

[jrbdmb]

One problem ... MLB is *not* the same as NFL.

I think that D* will see few defections from cable or E*. There are just not that many "fanatics" out there who will switch to D* just for MLB EI to justify $700M (IMHO). I wouldn't be surprised to see a significant jump in mlb.tv subs, however.

Overall, another stupid short-sighted move by Selig and company.

 

[pdxsam]

Overall, another stupid short-sighted move by Selig and company.

Who's legacy will be remembered for a lot of short-sighted moves. Without a doubt
he's put baseball in worse shape than after the strike, on a fan PR basis.

 

[dishcomm]

One problem ... MLB is *not* the same as NFL.

I think that D* will see few defections from cable or E*. There are just not that many "fanatics" out there who will switch to D* just for MLB EI to justify $700M (IMHO). I wouldn't be surprised to see a significant jump in mlb.tv subs, however.

Overall, another stupid short-sighted move by Selig and company.

Selig is merely a puppet to the owners..But that's for another thread on another board..
If he powers that be running ML Baseball wondering why the fans don't buy the EI package thye need only to look at the ridiculous territories set up to protect the Club's markets.
It is ludicrous to have a city 450 miles from a major league stadium be part of that particular team's market...
It's true. Check it out.
I live near Charlotte,NC. According to MLB I reside within the territorial markets of the The Reds (450 miles) Orioles (425 miles) Nationals(about 50 miles closer than the O's) and Braves. Atlanta I can do in about 3 1/2 hours
So according to the logic of MLB the rules are protecting those four clubs from me..The evil tv watching no ticket buying baseball fan. Sure. Like I am going to just hop in my car for a little 8 hour ride to Cincy to catch a Reds game because, oh darn, the game isn't on the tube...Right..
DTV is welcome to that stupid package. I just saved another $200...

 

[Clancy]

When the decision is made to offer your product to fewer people for more money than otherwise would have been received from more people, and considering that it doesn't cost you any more money to sell it to the original everyone gets it group, then long term it will hurt your product both in interest of product and up and coming youngsters who will be tomorrows potential ticket buyers and potential TV subscribers.
A bad decision has been made here for all, yes all.

 

[Robert NTSC Archivist]

I'm really disappointed by all of this but cant wait to see Dish Networks response on what they offered for the package. I waited from 1998-2003 for Dish Network to get this package. I watched as the superstations package lost the Dodgers off or KTLA and the Rockie's off of KWGN as well as the Met's and Yankees moving around from there homes on WWOR and WPIX with the Yankees making stops on WNWW and WCBS.

I have a secondary acount with DirecTV so I might just have to order MLB EI from them and run a long RF cable from the upstairs TV to the down stairs TV where I like to watch during the baseball season.

I am definatly not dropping Dish as I still get WPIX and WWOR as well as S.F> Giants TV on KTVU.

Sad thoug you would ****think***** that MLB wants to get as many games seen in as many homes as possible

 

[Greg Bimson]

Sad thoug you would ****think***** that MLB wants to get as many games seen in as many homes as possible.

Except you would believe that Major League Baseball would like their checks for Extra Innings to go from $60 million in 2006 to $100 million in 2007.

 

[shodobe]

I guess I will be one of those "fanatics" that still loves his baseball despite high salaries and spoiled players. I see no real difference between baseball and the other pro sports. I do love my Dish but can't justify having both systems due to cost. I jst hope Direct comes through with their projected HD programs soon. I do like some of the channels Voom offers.

 

[Clancy]

Except you would believe that Major League Baseball would like their checks for Extra Innings to go from $60 million in 2006 to $100 million in 2007.

Using your numbers Greg, the short term thinking here with a $40. million increase split amongst 30, yes 30, teams is a whopping $1.333 million per team.
Coffee money at best.
Wouldn't even meet the requirements for a signing bonus for 1 good player.
And to think that baseball will turn their back on all the cable subscribers and all the Dish Network subscribers to put an extra million and a third in the bank.
Corporate America has some real honeys running things.
It's a good thing all the corporations aren't run this way.

 

[Greg Bimson]

And still it is a $1.333 million dollar increase over the $2 million they've been receiving.

And how is it that baseball will turn their backs on their faithful? Anyone that takes cable TV still will receive more baseball than they received 10 years ago.

 

[JeremyL]

And still it is a $1.333 million dollar increase over the $2 million they've been receiving.

And how is it that baseball will turn their backs on their faithful? Anyone that takes cable TV still will receive more baseball than they received 10 years ago.

I disagree. Take Atlanta Braves fans for example. Ten years ago they would see 130 games on TBS. This year it will be cut to around 70 games, and next year probably none since TBS will have national broadcast rights to show games from all MLB teams on certain days.

TBS built quite a nationwide following for the Braves, until AOL/Time-Warner took over and started cutting the number of games they contracted with MLB to show.

Next year the only way for this nationwide following to see all the Braves games they are used to seeing would be to buy MLB Extra Innings. But, wait! Now to buy MLB Extra Innings you have to be a D* subscriber.

It's just one more example of MLB trying to drive fans away.

 

[dishcomm]

I'm really disappointed by all of this but cant wait to see Dish Networks response on what they offered for the package. I waited from 1998-2003 for Dish Network to get this package. I watched as the superstations package lost the Dodgers off or KTLA and the Rockie's off of KWGN as well as the Met's and Yankees moving around from there homes on WWOR and WPIX with the Yankees making stops on WNWW and WCBS.

I have a secondary acount with DirecTV so I might just have to order MLB EI from them and run a long RF cable from the upstairs TV to the down stairs TV where I like to watch during the baseball season.

I am definatly not dropping Dish as I still get WPIX and WWOR as well as S.F> Giants TV on KTVU.

Sad thoug you would ****think***** that MLB wants to get as many games seen in as many homes as possible

KTVU?.....How do you get that station?...I have the Dish superstation pack and I don't get that one...

 

[mikew]

Selig mentioned last year he would be doing something about the blackouts. With the money DirecTV is paying, something certainly must have been done. I guess we'll know in April.

 

[Trouthead]

The last few years, if I was home (and I made sure I was) I watched the Red Sox play. I think every single game was on EI and I watched most of them. That is what a baseball fan does to his home team. I was able to do this because I live in Wyoming so no black outs on Red Sox games.

With EI going to DIRECT I will have to have a DIRECT account. Will the games be in HD? NESN does broadcast in HD, but when or how will we know if the EI will be in HD. Will it be possible to just have EI and no other service from DIRECT??

Having had at one point three satellite providers, (C-band, Voom &Dish) doing two is not that big a deal, just more hassle to explain to the wife how to get the ball game.

 

[dishcomm]

I disagree. Take Atlanta Braves fans for example. Ten years ago they would see 130 games on TBS. This year it will be cut to around 70 games, and next year probably none since TBS will have national broadcast rights to show games from all MLB teams on certain days.

TBS built quite a nationwide following for the Braves, until AOL/Time-Warner took over and started cutting the number of games they contracted with MLB to show.

Next year the only way for this nationwide following to see all the Braves games they are used to seeing would be to buy MLB Extra Innings. But, wait! Now to buy MLB Extra Innings you have to be a D* subscriber.

It's just one more example of MLB trying to drive fans away.

I have always had the perception that MLB owners think there are far too many games available on TV...That perception is supported by the proliferation of propriatary sports channels such as YES, SNY, MASN, Altitude, etc..