Versus Removed Sept 1 from DirecTV

[dfecarter]

will not miss Versus Ch!

Even though I'm a sports fan, although not much of a hockey fan, I will not miss Versus one bit, I can still follow my NY Islanders on my local FSN, granted maybe a few playoff games will be missed that aren't on NBC but 99.9% of the programming had zero interest to me, sorry

 

[SpaethCo]

Even though I'm a sports fan, although not much of a hockey fan, I will not miss Versus one bit, I can still follow my NY Islanders on my local FSN, granted maybe a few playoff games will be missed that aren't on NBC but 99.9% of the programming had zero interest to me, sorry

If DirecTV were to simply take a poll and remove all channels that individual people didn't care about, you wouldn't have any channels left. Out of 18 million subs, every single channel is going to have at least one person who just wouldn't give a damn if it's gone.

If they want to bitch about the price, fine -- do what Comcast did with the NFL network and put it in a more expensive "sports tier" and give people the option to pay more to get it. To cut off access completely is just lame, unless it's only as a very short term bargaining tactic.

I don't think this standoff will last too long though -- neither Comcast nor DirecTV are that stupid.

 

[skottey]

Even though I'm a sports fan, although not much of a hockey fan,

Even though "baseball" is America's pass time, we all have to admit that hockey requires more athleticism than baseball. One can be a fat slob and pitch a baseball but it doesn't take one much to become winded going up and down a hockey rink. Hockey requires good health. My point is that hockey is truly more of a sport than baseball, and far more exciting in my opinion.

Your post reminds me of a guy calling into a radio show saying hockey isn't a real sport. Hockey and soccer may not be huge in this country but on a global scale they are more popular than baseball (America's game). We just have it backwards here in the US. Baseball is a sport too, but I'll take a hockey game over a baseball game any day of the week.

 

[skottey]

To cut off access completely is just lame, unless it's only as a very short term bargaining tactic

What is lame is the tactics used by both DirecTV and Versus. The screen crawls crying to the public about a deal not being reached. Each trying to get the public to complain to each respective party involved in the argument. This is the equivalent of a grocery store putting up a sign in the milk display saying that farmers are increasingly demanding more money for milk and the bottles being embedded with a message telling customers that the grocery chain is refusing to pay what they are asking, even with the rising costs to run a dairy farm.

The public should not be dragged into these disputes. It is VERY childish the way the companies do this, like two kids fighting and telling the parents their side of the story. It is getting much worse in recent years. Look at the Viacom-Time Warner dispute eight or nine months ago, tainting all the Viacom channels with a crawl warning that the viewers may lose the channels. it is really pathetic.

As a child of the 80's, I don't ever remember seeing such messages on screen. I'm sure they have always had disputes, but they haven't always dragged the public into it. Morons.

 

[therascaldude]

Even though "baseball" is America's pass time, we all have to admit that hockey requires more athleticism than baseball. One can be a fat slob and pitch a baseball but it doesn't take one much to become winded going up and down a hockey rink. Hockey requires good health. My point is that hockey is truly more of a sport than baseball, and far more exciting in my opinion.

Your post reminds me of a guy calling into a radio show saying hockey isn't a real sport. Hockey and soccer may not be huge in this country but on a global scale they are more popular than baseball (America's game). We just have it backwards here in the US. Baseball is a sport too, but I'll take a hockey game over a baseball game any day of the week.

HELL YES! 100% agree.

 

[raoul5788]

Even though "baseball" is America's pass time, we all have to admit that hockey requires more athleticism than baseball. One can be a fat slob and pitch a baseball but it doesn't take one much to become winded going up and down a hockey rink. Hockey requires good health. My point is that hockey is truly more of a sport than baseball, and far more exciting in my opinion.

Your post reminds me of a guy calling into a radio show saying hockey isn't a real sport. Hockey and soccer may not be huge in this country but on a global scale they are more popular than baseball (America's game). We just have it backwards here in the US. Baseball is a sport too, but I'll take a hockey game over a baseball game any day of the week.

Of course you need to be an athlete to play professional hockey, but to claim that "one can be a fat slob and pitch a baseball" is just foolish. Baseball is not just pitching. Those that know say the most difficult thing in sports to do is hit a baseball. Did you see Shaq last night trying to hit "home runs" over a fence about 200 feet away? Now that was foolish!

 

[jkohnman]

The only thing difficult about baseball is trying to stay awake for the whole game.
Someone mentioned about D* putting it in a more expensive tier. D* did try to do that, that's when the disagreement started.

 

[TomCat4680]

The only thing difficult about baseball is trying to stay awake for the whole game.
Someone mentioned about D* putting it in a more expensive tier. D* did try to do that, that's when the disagreement started.

I don't see how anyone can stay awake for a hockey game. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Gives me a neck cramp.

 

[SpaethCo]

I don't see how anyone can stay awake for a hockey game.

2 words: Goal horn.

 

[skottey]

I don't see how anyone can stay awake for a hockey game. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Gives me a neck cramp.

You are right Lion's fan. You are used to watching the Lions defend their end zone so you aren't turning your head too much during play.

Growing up in Michigan, I often wondered why I didn't get into pro football in my youth. I just never cared. As son as I moved away I became a fan. It was the Lions that turned me off with their loss after loss, decade after decade. They are a reflection of Detroit in general since the 1970s. They just hover at bad and nothing changes. At least being a Bucs fan in Tampa Bay I have inconsistent seasons. They aren't ALWAYS bad. As each new season starts there is real hope. Granted, they are often put too rest early, but they aren't always put too rest, like the Lions (1 and 15, 0 and 16, 3 and 13.... is the norm.

Become a Red Wings fan my friend. As a Michigan transplant to Florida I am a Lightning fan (some respectable seasons and a Stanley Cup even) but I still enjoy a good Red Wings game.

 

[ETS]

Indycar Series on their website has a picture up saying for Indcar fans who have Directv to switch to dish and tell them I want Indycar on Versus to get 3 months free

LOL last year DirecTV was the offcial sponsor of the Indycar series.

 

[scoop8]

I don't see how anyone can stay awake for a hockey game. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Gives me a neck cramp.

:haha That's good....and I'm a big NHL fan as well as MLB. OT: Surprised that Dish doesn't have EI. Just figured the major carriers all have that pkg.

Vs: I admit that I started out an optimist about the DTV vs Comcast slugfest...nost sure now. I'm just concerned that it's going to spread to the other RSN contracts later.

 

[Dog6869]

Well Dtv Is going to be a distant memory.. There is no place to watch Pro Cycling, and Dtv is dropping VERSUS. MSNBC is not in HD like every other carrier in the USA has it now… I have been waiting for years, for (WYES) PBS HD in New Orleans and I still am waiting!!! After reading Scotts post on how DTV is playing childish games with this site, shows me how I really do not want this company to have my money any more..
I am getting ready to put my home up for sale and when I move Directv will not make the move with me, unless I see a big improvement in how this company treats us customers…. I know I am only one subscriber but maybe if we all do this they will listen to us and treat us like ???????.....

 

[skottey]

MSNBC is not in HD like every other carrier in the USA has it now…

MSNBC is not carried by every other carrier yet.

Some people are still waiting for Fox News HD and that has been live for a while now.

 

[raoul5788]

The only thing difficult about baseball is trying to stay awake for the whole game.
Someone mentioned about D* putting it in a more expensive tier. D* did try to do that, that's when the disagreement started.

I would love to see you trying to hit a curve ball thrown at your head that breaks over the outside corner. You would be wetting your pants!

 

[Jimbo]

I don't see how anyone can stay awake for a hockey game. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Gives me a neck cramp.

Particularly in Playoff OT when your into the Third OT and it's about 2 am

 

[skottey]

I would love to see you trying to hit a curve ball thrown at your head that breaks over the outside corner. You would be wetting your pants!

Too bad the game from a spectator's perspective is so boring. I think he was referring to viewing the game and not sleeping while being at bat.

 

[raoul5788]

Too bad the game from a spectator's perspective is so boring. I think he was referring to viewing the game and not sleeping while being at bat.

To those who aren't real fans I can see your point. Those of us that really know the game don't think it is boring.

 

[lefatman]

I know I am an old SOB, but to me the pitch buy pitch confrontation is what makes baseball the best game in the world. I loved baseball long before I was aware of gambling and I will forever contend, that if it were not for gambling and fantasy games, the NFL would be in the same boat as the NHL and no one would care if their cable contract as dropped by D*. I think the powers that be at D* should realize that sports is what makes them money and give us as many HD feeds as possible. Especially ESPNUHD.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

My favorite D* programming is MLB:Extra Innings. Close to 50% of my total viewing this summer has been baseball.