It’s Too Early…  |   Home  |   Clinton Foundation Heavily Funded by Foreigners

Bad Choices

I understand that the NFL is showing some games exclusively on the NFL network in order to encourage people to pay for that network, but it’s having the opposite effect on me.  I kind of wanted to watch the Colts/Jags game tonight, but when I saw that it was on the NFL network (which we don’t have), I thought “eh, screw it… and screw the NFL for being a bunch of jerks… I’m never going to buy the NFL network if they act like this…”  Am I wrong?

I love to watch football, but there are very very few games that I HAVE to see.  And if I have to see them and I don’t have the channel, I’ll go to a sports club.

Posted by Owen at 1956 hrs
Off-Duty

1. Last year I bought the digital sports tier from my cable company just prior to the first Thursday night game, and cancelled it just after the final Thursday night game.  I think the whole thing cost me about ten dollars.

   I’m sure that my approach was not was the NFL was shooting for, but if your cable company doesn’t require you to keep a package for a certain number of months, it’s an easy way to get the games at relatively low cost.

   Posted by Recess Supervisor on December 18, 2008 at 2019 hrs
   
   
   

2. What makes me mad is i cant watch Vikings games here in lacrosse. while the packers were done sunday and the vikings were on at 3 fox decided only to air 1 game.
   so i had to go to a sports bar to watch my Vikings.
   Its not fair.
   nfl ticket is not fair.
   They want that extra income.
   so i wont get the nfl ticket also.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 18, 2008 at 2019 hrs
   
   
   

3. Geographically, the LaCrosse stations aren’t obligated to carry Packers games, but I think they choose to do so for obvious reasons.  Why your FOX affiliate would’ve chosen to not air a Vikings game at 3 p.m. when there were no restrictions on them carrying it is a little strange, though.

   As far as paying to watch sports, weekly soccer games in Europe (other than the functional equivalent of Sunday and Monday Night Football) are usually on pay-per-view, somewhere around ten bucks a pop.  You can get the games for less if you’re willing to watch them on tape delay.  And granted, the format of soccer limits the ability of networks to run commercials, so perhaps the is the best financial setup for them.

   I’m not suggesting one model is better than the other, just that there are parts of the world where people don’t think twice about the fact that they either have to go out or order in to watch their favorite team play.  “Free” isn’t an option.

   Posted by Recess Supervisor on December 18, 2008 at 2042 hrs
   
   
   

4. Here in Austin (and I think across the state, but I wouldn’t swear to it), the only way to get the NFL Network is to have a dish. They’ve been in some kind of fight with Time-Warner ever since they went on the air, so the temporary upgrade won’t fly here. And the Cowboy game is on the NFL Network this week.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 18, 2008 at 2045 hrs
   
   
   

5. Yeah, same here.  I live in Time Warner world again, which makes DirecTV or going out your only options.

   On the flip side, I can appreciate why Time Warner doesn’t want to be bullied by the NFL.  For 359 days a year, there’s zero demand for NFL Network.

   Posted by Recess Supervisor on December 18, 2008 at 2103 hrs
   
   
   

6. I’m sure that FOX affiliate in La Crosse had no choice in the matter.  Each week one of the networks gets the right to air a national game and the other networks can only show games in their local markets during that time.  That’s what caused that FOX station to go to different programing (actually it was probably the post game show).  Basically it boils down to this; each week one network gets to show a doubleheader and the other can’t.  Stupid rule brought to you by the NFL.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 18, 2008 at 2119 hrs
   
   
   

7. The complaints about NFL network remind me of people pitching a fit about a Packer game being on ESPN Sunday night football in the early 1990’s.  All the claims of unfair for those who didn’t have cable, etc, etc.

   It is a product, and eventually the NFL network will be carried by enough cable systems and satelitte systems that they will put Sunday night or Monday night games on their network, reap all the ad revenue, without sharing a cut with the networks or cable channels.  And it will grow from there, and we will all learn to accept it.

   They’ve learned from the lunacy of boxing, of putting everything on PPV, but they’ve also learned from the success of cable, and are getting their own network to rival ESPN, just like the Big Ten Network, to cut out the middle man on their profits.

   I find it interesting that a free market, pro-capitalist Republican would call them jerks for figuring out how to make a few extra bucks.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 18, 2008 at 2132 hrs
   
   
   

8. I understand their strategy.  My point is that it isn’t working on me and I suspect there are a few other folks like me.  They overestimate the value of their product if they think I’m going to pay extra to watch one game when there are 15 others I can watch for free over the course of the next few days.

   Posted by Owen on December 18, 2008 at 2140 hrs
   
   
   

9. Exactly, Owen. I formed my allegiance to the Cowboys when Don Meredith was the quarterback, but I’m still not going to disrupt my whole cable/internet access/phone thing just to get the one or two Dallas games a year that are going to be on their network.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 18, 2008 at 2326 hrs
   
   
   

10. You could always just give Time Warner the bird and go with U-Verse from AT&T;. I just got it at my house and its really amazing.  We saved a whole lot of money too seeing as we have internet phone and cells with them. And the NFL network is GLORIOUS!

    Posted by Justin on December 18, 2008 at 2344 hrs
    
    
    

11. Lefty im not against them for making a few bucks.
    Im not buying it for 1 or 2 games a year.
    I have charter and there is no deal between the 2.
    I believe we should have a choice of ala carte.
    if i want a certain channel ill put it in my package.
    if i dont, leave it out.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 19, 2008 at 0326 hrs
    
    
    

12. I got DirecTV for the sole purpose of being able to get their NFL Sunday Ticket HD package.  It’s the greatest thing to happen to televised football since instant replay.

    And I get the NFL network.  Feel free to come on over for the Cowboys’ game. 

    Posted by Jed on December 19, 2008 at 0639 hrs
    
    
    

13. I’m with you.

    Posted by Lance on December 19, 2008 at 0907 hrs
    
    
    

14. I’m the other way. There are relatively few games I’m interested in watching, and even 99.999% of cable shows are crap. I’m almost at the point of dropping all cable/satellite TV service and just going out for a brew for the few games I want to watch.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 19, 2008 at 0916 hrs
    
    
    

15. You could always just give Time Warner the bird and go with U-Verse from AT&T;

    Other than the NFL Network deal, I’m extremely happy with Time Warner; their service and support is outstanding. Besides, they’re the only cable game in town, or at least in my part of town.

    Oh, and Jed, I thought that yellow first down line was the greatest thing to happen to televised football since instant replay.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 19, 2008 at 0921 hrs
    
    
    

16. I’m the other way. There are relatively few games I’m interested in watching, and even 99.999% of cable shows are crap. I’m almost at the point of dropping all cable/satellite TV service and just going out for a brew for the few games I want to watch.

    You should.  I did just that two years ago.  I got tired of paying for satellite when I barely watched a thing on TV from April to October.  With the network affiliates switching to a digital signal you can get the on air games fine, and it is fun to go to the local tavern to watch a game on NFL Network, ESPN or Big Ten.  It is actually nice to socialize with people.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 19, 2008 at 0934 hrs
    
    
    

17. Socialize?  With people?! 

    Why would anyone want to do that?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on December 19, 2008 at 1006 hrs
    
    
    

Commenting is not available in this channel entry.