NFL Greed keeps me from watching the game

[Wodin]

The Cowboys vs Packers matchup is the 2nd biggest game of the season so far, two 10-1 teams going head to head in a special Thursday night matchup. I'd really love to watch it, but I can't. See I have cable and its not available on cable, because the NFL wants the cable companies to pay to carry the NFL Network. It's available through Satellite, but I'm not likely to ever have satellite, because I Love my High Speed Internet, and around here cable does it best. But the real point is that only 33% of homes can see this great matchup because of the greed of the NFL. Celizic: NFL Greed causes fans to pay Not to say that the cable companies aren't greedy too, but in this case, the NFL could easily make the game available to me, and they're holding back. I think they're making a big mistake, and this could be the day the fans turned (off) the NFL.

[Tech Star]

You can watch it online. http://www.nfl.com/live

[kak]

Call your cable company up and complain. Once they get enough complaints, they'll get NFL Network. I've had it since I came to college as part of my basic digital cable.

[Wodin]

You can watch it online. http://www.nfl.com/live

I tried that. They don't show the whole game, they give you peeks of the game. The rest is filled with commentary from 3rd rate broadcasters, interviews etc. Not to mention poor video quality and a 12"x12" screen. I had just left trying to watch it on NFL Live to come here and post this.

[lothodon]

or just live in wisconsin, we had it on cable due to some deal a long ass time ago about not blocking any games for residents.

[thejohnnyq]

Yea, let's blame the NFL. They only have basic rules on what is required to care the NFL network, and the cable companies din't want to follow it.

Thanks god for Dish network, i have it, and it is in the lineup no issues or problems.

[Prosidius]

Actually your wrong.

The NFL network wants like $1.10 per subscriber and be played on the extended basic tier whereas cable companies wnat to place it in a sports package so those who dont want the chanel wont have to pay for ti.

[Wodin]

All they have to do is have commercials ( they probably want to have them on top of the charge anyway) and they can make money that way. The NFL is the one that has the power to correct this. They started the conflict with unreasonable demands in the first place. If the cable companies did agree they would pass the cost on to us anyway, and I'm already paying out the arse. If the NFL figures out everyone sees it as the bad guy, hopefully they'll back down from there unreasonable demands.

[The Natural]

This is an interesting conversation. Those that blame the NFL need to know this. ESPN, FoxSports and NFL Network each charge the cable companies a 'subscriber fee'. This fee is charged for each service for each subscriber.

ESPN: $3.26

Fox Sports Net: $1.92

NFL Network: 80 cents

Now, look at that, and tell me that this is the NFL's fault. Cable is bickering over $0.80 per subscriber. I'm just glad I have Satellite. Cable bickers about everything nowadays.

[Mathachew Veteran]

ESPN has been notorious for their fees and being a cause of rising cable rates. Add in the NFL's tight leash on their broadcasts and you've got yourself an undesirable situation.

[CatnipOligarchy]

Nobody is without blame. The cable companies are taking the stand they wish they could take against ESPN, and don't want to be bullied into carrying a niche sports channel on basic cable, a service that loses ground to digital cable and dish every day, and is also less profitable for the cable companies than the digital tiers, when they already pay ridiculous fees to ESPN and FSN to cover the same sport, albeit in a more general fashion. The NFL Network's 80 cents is still 20-30 cents higher than the average channel charges, and while the NFL is the most prominent sporting league in America these days, and I'm as big of a fan anyone else, and i too had to go watch the game Thursday at a sports bar filled well past capacity, but there are still a lot of cable subscribers that wouldn't be thrilled about seeing an increase in their bills year round just so rabid football fans can see a few games at the end of the season they wouldnt be able to see otherwise. There are games on every Sunday I would love to watch but I don't get to choose which ones I see because I haven't paid for Sunday Ticket. I honestly don't see where the NFL Network situation is much different.

[L3thal Veteran]

I have the NFL Network and I do not even bother watching it.

[Tokar]

You have to remember, the games which the NFL decides on for those 8 NFL network games back in April are considered bargain bin games.

First choice is CBS and FOX. They get to lock up 8 games every season, preventing them from being picked by NBC, ESPN, and NFLN.

Second choice is NBC. They choose 10 games or something which they cant change. Then the remaining are flex games. They can keep them if they want or they can change them to a more appealing game from that week two weeks in advance.

Third choice is ESPN. They pick 17 games which they cant change.

Last choice is NFLN in those 8 NFL Network games.

Considering that NFLN gets last choice, it really is a crapshoot. 9 times out of 10 they are going to get burned, as you have seen with all 8 games last season and every game except for the DAL/GB game this season.

It is April 2007, you look at GB's 2006 record (8-8) and the fact that they didnt make the playoffs, and they are going nowhere fast with Favre still at QB, and you are going to tell me that DAL/GB looks appealing?

Who the heck knew that it would pit #1 vs #2 in the NFC 8 months ago.

Similarly, who wouldnt want to book Manning vs Vick? NFL Network did in game 1 (IND vs ATL) and they got burned when Vick got burned. It became a David vs Goliath matchup which Goliath won.

Yes, I feel your pain with these NFL Network games, but at the same time I feel the majority of those games are crap anyway.

[I am Reid]

You cant really compare the NFL network to ESPN. ESPN is watched all day, by many people, with broadcast for all the popular sports with news and sports related content, but the NFL network is most likely only to be watched for a few hours out of the WEEK by those you even get the channel. What ESPN asks for is very well deserved, the NFL network, not so much.

[Bawx]

Aslong as the Pats aren't on the NFL network, it's all good! That's we have Sportscenter for.

[Mathachew Veteran]

Aslong as the Pats aren't on the NFL network, it's all good! That's we have Sportscenter for.

Well geeeeeeeeeet ready, their last game is on the NFL network!

[+StevoFC MVC]

Well geeeeeeeeeet ready, their last game is on the NFL network!

He's from Mass. Local team games are shown anyways.

But the NFL is out of their mind to not show a team trying to get to 16-0 on national television...

[Mathachew Veteran]

He's from Mass. Local team games are shown anyways.

But the NFL is out of their mind to not show a team trying to get to 16-0 on national television...

Oh, I didn't pay attention to that...

But you're right. It's been noted several times that the NFL's ratings for Patriots games are setting records. Last game of the season, why would you not make this available to twice as many people?

[yisman]

it's being shown on CBS and NBC. Since I live in New York City, it apparently will be on four channels.