Time Warner sues DirecTV over NFL Network ads

[Poke]

http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/061208/timewarner_directvsuit.html?.v=1

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time Warner Cable sued rival DirecTV Group Inc.(NYSETV - News) late on Thursday in Manhattan federal court, alleging the satellite television service issued deceptive ads to get customers for its football programming.


DirecTV put out "blatantly false" newspaper ads in New York and television spots in Green Bay, Cincinnati and other cities claiming fans couldn't see local teams' games on the fledgling NFL Network if they were not DirecTV customers, the lawsuit by the Time Warner Inc.(NYSE:TWX - News) unit alleges.

"These false ads were obviously targeted at markets where DirecTV believes that loyalty to the local football team will drive consumer purchasing decisions," the suit says.

Robert Mercer, a spokesman for DirecTV, declined to comment on the suit on Friday, saying he had not seen it.

NFL Networks is operated by the National Football League with 41 million subscribers in the United States and Canada. It is offered by DirecTV and EchoStar Communications Corp's(NASDAQISH - News) Dish Network, but it does not have distribution deals with three of the largest cable providers.

Specifically, DirecTV ads in the New York Post and New York Newsday newspapers published on November 23 claimed the December 30 New York Giants-Washington Redskins game wouldn't be available to 4.4 million cable customers people in New York unless they subscribe to DirecTV, Time Warner said.

Time Warner also alleges in the suit that DirecTV falsely advertises in television ads featuring William Shatner and Jessica Simpson that its high definition television service provides better picture quality than Time Warner's.

 

[charper1]

What a bunch of whining, cry-baby, pots calling the kettle black. If anyone knows about deceptive, misleading and plays-on-words inside of advertising; its the cable industry. Just more needless litigation crap that will only lead to higher prices passed along to we the end users.

 

[Greg Bimson]

Actually, this one may have some merit.

The NFL Network sells games to the local stations for the two teams. So games are available within a local market.

And because there is this one guy that has sued DirecTV over the HD picture quality, there may als be some merit to Time Warner's claims. We shall see.

 

[vurbano]

It has merit.

 

[chazcbh]

Weather it has merit or not it is a waste of time & money that we will all pay for in the end.

 

[Hall]

Weather it has merit or not it is a waste of time & money that we will all pay for in the end.

So companies should be allowed to falsely advertise what they offer with no recourse ??

 

[chazcbh]

I am sure the ads say that they can't watch the games on the NFL network because they don't offer the station. Not a lie!!! Why should DTV be different then any other company, they are doing everything they can to get new business.

Just like all the DISH ads with the big NFL promos. See many different games every week. Nothing about the fact that they will be repeats shown all week long.

Welcome to America

 

[ScoBuck]

TAKEN FROM THE NFL NETWORK WEBSITE:
http://www.iwantnflnetwork.com/grtw.html


Time-Warner Claims:
"Our customers will not miss ANY home games. "


NFL NETWORK RESPONSE:
"Fans in Madison, WI consider themselves Packers’ home fans. People in San Antonio and Austin think of their cities as Cowboys Country. If you live in those areas you may miss your teams on NFL Network and you will not get these games on over-the-air televison because you live too far from Dallas or Green Bay. And you will also miss games including the Steelers, Seahawks, Giants, Broncos, Chiefs, and more."


So it appears that Time-Warner is just as guilty of strecthing the truth. lol funny- the pot is indeed calling the kettle black.

 

[Shazapp]

Time Warner can say what they want about the actual games, but I like NFL Network's programming/news coverage, which is NOT available anywhere else.

That's why I dropped Time Warner in October and picked up DirecTV.

 

[cariera]

Is anyone able to post a copy or scan of the ad? TW's interpretation of what was said or how it was said might be cleared up if everyone could see the ad.

 

[FlyingJ]

It has merit.

Lol, because you say so...I like your reasoning, what a joke. The statement about the NFL network game is absolutely true. Those people with that cable system (Time Warner) do not, I repeat do not get the game. Period. Oh but Vurbano says it has merit. LOL, you have turned into your own punchline.