Since ESPN is behind most of the rate increases

[purvis]

and the reason behind this is the Pro sports contracts they have bought. Would it not be better if ESPN organized their pro sports packages into something similar to the NFL sunday ticket that Direct has? It seems that would help prevent the overall package of ESPN channels from going through the roof!

Dish / Direct and the cable companies have to have someway to bargin to keep the rates down somehow As it is, they seem to have no bargining power at all !

 

[Juan]

See the Lifetime Thread and just read what happens when a satellite company tries to use "bargaining power"!!

 

[MikeD-C05]

and the reason behind this is the Pro sports contracts they have bought. Would it not be better if ESPN organized their pro sports packages into something similar to the NFL sunday ticket that Direct has? It seems that would help prevent the overall package of ESPN channels from going through the roof!
Dish / Direct and the cable companies have to have someway to bargin to keep the rates down somehow As it is, they seem to have no bargining power at all !

From what I have heard , all of the games that were on ABC for the last 35 years will be headed to ESPN next year. So it make sense if they wanted to spin it off into some kind of ESPN Sunday ticket like the NFL Sunday ticket is today. Then they could charge extreme Prices for the package , without the rest of us being extorted to pay like we do presently with Espn included in every basic programming pack.

Knowing how greedy Espn is already, they would most likely do both. Force you to still pay high programming pack fees for just ESPN in your most basic pack and also make you pay High prices for a seperate seasonal programming pack like ESPN Sunday Ticket.

 

[jerryez]

ESPN woould rather have a $1 from 90 million viwers( whom do not watch ESPN), than $10 from the 5 million who would pay $10 to watch ESPN.

 

[roachxp]

ESPN woould rather have a $1 from 90 million viwers( whom do not watch ESPN), than $10 from the 5 million who would pay $10 to watch ESPN.

Too bad the average is 3.25 x 90million Dam players get paid too much, then they complain ex. NBA plaayers want clothing allowance, or 15 million can't feed their kids.

 

[kb7oeb]

I honestly resent ESPN, I never watch them and I know they cost the most. If I could drop ESPN from the hd pack to save 25 cents I would, even though it probably eats up most of the monthly fee.

I think I probably hate ESPN getting any of my money as much as the people who hate having any of their money going to MTV.

 

[liquidnw]

From what I have heard , all of the games that were on ABC for the last 35 years will be headed to ESPN next year. So it make sense if they wanted to spin it off into some kind of ESPN Sunday ticket like the NFL Sunday ticket is today. Then they could charge extreme Prices for the package , without the rest of us being extorted to pay like we do presently with Espn included in every basic programming pack.
Knowing how greedy Espn is already, they would most likely do both. Force you to still pay high programming pack fees for just ESPN in your most basic pack and also make you pay High prices for a seperate seasonal programming pack like ESPN Sunday Ticket.

Last I heard there was already sports packages for all the major sports call MLB EI,NBA Leage Pass, etc. People always want to point to espn for the increase in cable prices but espn alone isn't responsible for double the price of inflation increase of the past 10-15 years. I'm sure I can find a buch of channels that some love that add up to equal or more than the price of espn. Should we have essentially a ppv Sunday ticket model for those to? No sports fans don't like it but sports is the driving force of cable and tv in general. Which is why broadcasters pay through the nose for the top sporting events. By the way the only reason NFL suday ticket is so expensive is because its exclusive. If and when its available to everyone the price per sub will drop dramatically.

 

[Purogamer]

How can anyone hate ESPN, wtf do you watch?

Players are paid too much? Strap on some pads and play running back for a game and see how many days it takes you to get out of bed afterwards...

They provide incredible entertainment for hundreds of millions of people and do it while undergoing extraordinary physical pain. They deserve every penny they get.

 

[Ramy]

How can anyone hate ESPN, wtf do you watch?

Players are paid too much? Strap on some pads and play running back for a game and see how many days it takes you to get out of bed afterwards...

They provide incredible entertainment for hundreds of millions of people and do it while undergoing extraordinary physical pain. They deserve every penny they get.

Are you kidding me? They get paid to play a game that I play for free. Don't get me wrong I would play for money too, but it is still just a game.

 

[CPanther95]

With ESPN's mandatory carriage (tied to Disney channels, ABC O&O's in some cases, etc.) along with mandatory carriage of ESPN2, Classic, News, Desportes, and whatever other channels they decide to add - plus 4% - 7% annual increases yearly, we're fast approaching a fee closer to $4 per sub. That's almost as much as HBO, but it isn't voluntary. Considering only about 1 in 7 households watch ESPN regularly, they'd be out of their mind to screw with the current format which gives them unlimited bidding power on sports contracts.

Don't blame the sports or the players, they're just distributing the revenue. Blame the system that allows ESPN to bid ridiculous amounts on contracts and just send the bill to 90 million (out of 110 million) households. We all get to pay the $1 billion tab for the priviledge of watching MNF on ESPN instead of ABC.

 

[hpman247]

How can anyone hate ESPN, wtf do you watch?

Players are paid too much? Strap on some pads and play running back for a game and see how many days it takes you to get out of bed afterwards...

They provide incredible entertainment for hundreds of millions of people and do it while undergoing extraordinary physical pain. They deserve every penny they get.

Lol. I 100% agree with you. Seems like eveyone on this forum hates something about ESPN, but I don't.

And there is no way players get paid to much. Sorry you can't get that kind of money, but don't be jealous about it.

Now you are going to say you are not jealous, at least some of you, well think what you want.

 

[jeffwtux]

With ESPN's mandatory carriage (tied to Disney channels, ABC O&O's in some cases, etc.) along with mandatory carriage of ESPN2, Classic, News, Desportes, and whatever other channels they decide to add - plus 4% - 7% annual increases yearly, we're fast approaching a fee closer to $4 per sub. That's almost as much as HBO, but it isn't voluntary. Considering only about 1 in 7 households watch ESPN regularly, they'd be out of their mind to screw with the current format which gives them unlimited bidding power on sports contracts.
Don't blame the sports or the players, they're just distributing the revenue. Blame the system that allows ESPN to bid ridiculous amounts on contracts and just send the bill to 90 million (out of 110 million) households. We all get to pay the $1 billion tab for the priviledge of watching MNF on ESPN instead of ABC.

I've only been screaming this at the top of my lungs 24x7x365 and nobody hears me. I tell this to my dad, and he thinks I'm crazy

 

[liquidnw]

Are you kidding me? They get paid to play a game that I play for free. Don't get me wrong I would play for money too, but it is still just a game.

That excuse is so tired. Just sounds like jealousy to me. Playing flag football or a pick up baskbet ball games isn't the NFL or NBA. Its a buisness not just a sport they play for fun. No different than actors or musicians. Wonder how happy you would be playing for free while someone was making billions of you. When you think of the money these players generate don't you think they deserve a piece of the pie?

 

[RobertsD]

Lol. I 100% agree with you. Seems like eveyone on this forum hates something about ESPN, but I don't.

And there is no way players get paid to much. Sorry you can't get that kind of money, but don't be jealous about it.

Now you are going to say you are not jealous, at least some of you, well think what you want.

I also love ESPN, I watch it every day(well ESPN HD), and watch ESPN 2 pretty often.

 

[jayn_j]

I also love ESPN, I watch it every day(well ESPN HD), and watch ESPN 2 pretty often.

Yeah, but you gotta admit that Charlie didn't consider dropping ESPN like he did with Lifetime, even though the rate increase was an order of magnitude higher. Yet people over on that thread are willing to throw Lifetime to the wolves rather than pay the added dime.

I appreciate the fact that a large number of people here watch a lot of sports. However, those of us who don't watch sports seem to be subsidizing those that do at a higher rate than the other way around.

People here have latched onto the high rate pro athletes get paid, but paying them less probably won't bring prices down. The only thing that will stem the arterial bleeding is when enough ordinary citizens say 'enough already' and stop subsidizing the beast through broadcast fees and stadium taxes. Sports may be cool, but I bet most fans would be amazed at how much everybody is paying to keep it going.

 

[Sarang]

Yeah, but you gotta admit that Charlie didn't consider dropping ESPN like he did with Lifetime, even though the rate increase was an order of magnitude higher. Yet people over on that thread are willing to throw Lifetime to the wolves rather than pay the added dime.
I appreciate the fact that a large number of people here watch a lot of sports. However, those of us who don't watch sports seem to be subsidizing those that do at a higher rate than the other way around.
People here have latched onto the high rate pro athletes get paid, but paying them less probably won't bring prices down. The only thing that will stem the arterial bleeding is when enough ordinary citizens say 'enough already' and stop subsidizing the beast through broadcast fees and stadium taxes. Sports may be cool, but I bet most fans would be amazed at how much everybody is paying to keep it going.

Exactly and some of those overpaid athletes are giant a**holes who deserve to get the sh*t beat out of em', for example, Barry Bonds. Sorry but I hate that jerk.
I would also not like to pay for ESPN2 and ESPN Classic for a while even if that means I'mmissing Karate and Arli$$.

 

[kb7oeb]

I dislike EPSN because they force people who don't want to watch their channel to subsidize it. If espn was optional they could offer probably two dozen more channels in the basic package. I don't care about sports and I would feel the same way if ESPN was a 24 hour opera channel.

I wonder how many people with basic would trade ESPN for HBO if offered the choice?

 

[Barry Erick]

We all get to pay the $1 billion tab for the priviledge of watching MNF on ESPN instead of ABC.

While ESPN runs as many commercials (although they don't charge as much). That is where they should raise rates.

 

[bowens]

I wonder how many people with basic would trade ESPN for HBO if offered the choice?

No way would I trade ESPN for HBO. I like movies but there is probably only a couple movies a week I would watch on HBO. I watch ESPN every day.

 

[jerryez]

I would give up Disney, ABC and the rest of the Disney owned channels to get rid of ESPN from my monthly bill. Do you hear me Dish?