Forbes

Uninformed speculation:

Is the Bundle in more trouble than we thought? This is a bundler dropping the NFL Network over money.

Is this a downside of the NFL letting CBS/NBC co-broadcast the Thursday Night Football package? REduces the need to have NFL network.

OR is this a reflection of differences between the Dish and DirecTV subscriber bases? DirecTV has Sunday Ticket, so if you're NFL-motivated, wouldn't you already have DirecTV instead of Dish?

I predict a deal cut before game 1 kickoff to bring it back

(06-17-2016 09:27 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  Forbes

Uninformed speculation:

Is the Bundle in more trouble than we thought? This is a bundler dropping the NFL Network over money.

Is this a downside of the NFL letting CBS/NBC co-broadcast the Thursday Night Football package? REduces the need to have NFL network.

OR is this a reflection of differences between the Dish and DirecTV subscriber bases? DirecTV has Sunday Ticket, so if you're NFL-motivated, wouldn't you already have DirecTV instead of Dish?

Yes, I think the NFL crossed a line there. They need to decide whether they want to SELL games on the NFL Network, or GIVE them away on CBS/NBC, but they won't be able to do both.

Redzone is cool, but I knew very few people that had it. Basically only for the most hardcore fantasy players.

If you really care about the NFL and/or watching a particular team, you get Sunday Ticket.


Even with Thurs games, I don't think the NFL Network will ever get serious viewership until the day that the NFL decides to turn its back on the networks and make a significant amount of games available on that cable channel only. Which I doubt would ever happen. Every network would threaten to walk away and leave the NFL for dead, if they ever try that.

I always watch the free preview on Direct. It's like freaking crack or meth and I don't do fantasy football.

Fair enough. It's very cool, for the fan who doesn't mind just watching scores. It's also a goof deluxe product, no commercials.

But I think the price scares people away.

(06-17-2016 09:33 AM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  

(06-17-2016 09:27 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  Forbes

Uninformed speculation:

Is the Bundle in more trouble than we thought? This is a bundler dropping the NFL Network over money.

Is this a downside of the NFL letting CBS/NBC co-broadcast the Thursday Night Football package? REduces the need to have NFL network.

OR is this a reflection of differences between the Dish and DirecTV subscriber bases? DirecTV has Sunday Ticket, so if you're NFL-motivated, wouldn't you already have DirecTV instead of Dish?

Yes, I think the NFL crossed a line there. They need to decide whether they want to SELL games on the NFL Network, or GIVE them away on CBS/NBC, but they won't be able to do both.

definitely agree with this

DISH is not the hardcore sports fans choice, so there is no need to try and compete with DirecTV for that market. With the Thursday night games on broadcast TV for the casual fan, there is no need for the NFL network for the majority of people.

(06-17-2016 10:06 AM)MplsBison Wrote:  Redzone is cool, but I knew very few people that had it. Basically only for the most hardcore fantasy players.

If you really care about the NFL and/or watching a particular team, you get Sunday Ticket.

I don't know about that. Redzone is like crack, and it is spreading. In fact, if not for DirecTV giving away Sunday Ticket to so many people, Redzone would be seriously eroding its popularity. I actually know very few people now who "subscribe" to Sunday Ticket (not to be confused with new customers who have it free).

I see. I'm probably wrong, then. I just assumed people would actually rather watch "their" team (from out-market) than be served a buffet of scores from teams that aren't "theirs".

But I have watched it too, and it is a really cool concept. Except for that poor bas___d who has to talk for 8 hours non-stop on Sundays.

(06-18-2016 09:40 AM)MplsBison Wrote:  I see. I'm probably wrong, then. I just assumed people would actually rather watch "their" team (from out-market) than be served a buffet of scores from teams that aren't "theirs".

But I have watched it too, and it is a really cool concept. Except for that poor bas___d who has to talk for 8 hours non-stop on Sundays.

Your description isn't really how it works though. It's not just all scores, but by and large it is all "plays," and little down time in between. Especially the first window. In the second window, you see most of the plays of ALL of the games on, since there are usually only 3-4 games on.