Another NFL Network Thread, From a Different Prespective

[utrunner07]

I know there have been a lot of NFL Network and Time Warner Cable threads on here in the past week and a half and I don't want this to turn into another NFL Network vs. Cable thread...I simply have one question...why have an NFL Network?

What was wrong with the old system? Why was the introduction of the NFL Network necessary? It simply means that there are less games that are going to be viewed by fans. Fans, by the way, that pay taxes that go towards supporting NFL teams in the forms of shiny new stadiums! So now with the NFL network we, the fans have to buy a whole new cable package in order to just watch a few more games...at least with the Sunday ticket or deals like that you get a lot of games for your buck.

The only reason I can see for the NFL to introduce its own network is cash. They get more money and get it directly if they own the network on which their games are played. I have seen some argue that its the NFL product they can do what they want. Fine, they are going to start loosing fans as they make it more and more about THEM, cooperate NFL, making more money, (in an all ready ridiculously wealthy league). Sure YOU may not quit being a fan of the NFL NOW, with the induction of the NFL network, but what about when they start making you pay to watch the Super bowl...better yet what about 10-15 years down the road when they start showing games as PayPerView (see boxing). Don't think it won't happen.

Don't let the NFL's diversion tactic of attacking the cable company divert you from the real problem which is the NFL itself and its drive to take more and more of OUR, the fans' money. Eventually the NFL will go to far and will cease to exist as we know it...20-30 years from now I wonder if it will not have gone the way of professional boxing.

Just something to think about during the three vacant hours some of you may have Thursday evening.

 

[J-DOG]

But why not have an NFL network?
I gotta say that during the off season and especially before the draft, a true NFL nut like I am, loves the pre-draft stuff.
The NFL product is the most popular and it should be year-round in some form.
ESPN is so full of crap now-a-days the NFL network is a refreshing change.
There is no monetary reason not to get the NFL network unless you live in an aparment complex that prohibit's a satellite dish.
I get my phone,internet and dish bill all under the AT&T umbrella and it's cheaper than what I was paying for cable,phone and internet before.
The NFL network is actually a good thing...especially in the off-season.

 

[tecolote]

But why not have an NFL network?
I gotta say that during the off season and especially before the draft, a true NFL nut like I am, loves the pre-draft stuff.
The NFL product is the most popular and it should be year-round in some form.
ESPN is so full of crap now-a-days the NFL network is a refreshing change.
There is no monetary reason not to get the NFL network unless you live in an aparment complex that prohibit's a satellite dish.
I get my phone,internet and dish bill all under the AT&T umbrella and it's cheaper than what I was paying for cable,phone and internet before.
The NFL network is actually a good thing...especially in the off-season.

Totally agree, I love the NFL network, sure they have a lot of reruns but their programing has gotten a lot better since they first started.

And as you said, it helps a lot during the off season.

 

[Nors]

In a nutshell -

You vote by your $

Why a hardcore fan would not shell out $ for Sunday Ticket and get NFL network is perplexing.

And its at same cost as cable or cheaper and more programming....

 

[SportsAnalyzer]

I know there have been a lot of NFL Network and Time Warner Cable threads on here in the past week and a half and I don't want this to turn into another NFL Network vs. Cable thread...I simply have one question...why have an NFL Network?

What was wrong with the old system? Why was the introduction of the NFL Network necessary? It simply means that there are less games that are going to be viewed by fans. Fans, by the way, that pay taxes that go towards supporting NFL teams in the forms of shiny new stadiums! So now with the NFL network we, the fans have to buy a whole new cable package in order to just watch a few more games...at least with the Sunday ticket or deals like that you get a lot of games for your buck.

The only reason I can see for the NFL to introduce its own network is cash. They get more money and get it directly if they own the network on which their games are played. I have seen some argue that its the NFL product they can do what they want. Fine, they are going to start loosing fans as they make it more and more about THEM, cooperate NFL, making more money, (in an all ready ridiculously wealthy league). Sure YOU may not quit being a fan of the NFL NOW, with the induction of the NFL network, but what about when they start making you pay to watch the Super bowl...better yet what about 10-15 years down the road when they start showing games as PayPerView (see boxing). Don't think it won't happen.

Don't let the NFL's diversion tactic of attacking the cable company divert you from the real problem which is the NFL itself and its drive to take more and more of OUR, the fans' money. Eventually the NFL will go to far and will cease to exist as we know it...20-30 years from now I wonder if it will not have gone the way of professional boxing.

Just something to think about during the three vacant hours some of you may have Thursday evening.

I think it was because the NBA has it's own network and they gelt the need to have one for it's fans. Now there is a NHL Network and I'm sure the MLB Network will be created soon.

 

[PullMyFinger]

I think if there's some nonsense like a golf channel, there should be an NFL network.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

The only reason I can see for the NFL to introduce its own network is cash.

Umm, you think?

But you said you didn't want to have to buy a whole new cable package to see the games... That is exactly why the fight is going on. The NFL wants their channel on the basic packages so you don't have to pay extra... Just like ESPN.

Of course, on satellite, you don't have to pay extra.

But yes, of course this is all about money. The NFL is a business. Do you think the owners are in this to lose money?

 

[StarHead69]

It's all about money. In case you haven't been paying attention, In our current society it is considered a mortal sin to leave money on the table. It doesn't really matter what the consequences are, if you are a business executive, your job is to squeeze every red cent out of your goods or services. Thats why there is an NFL network, and thats why the NFL and the cable companies are fighting over how to offer it to the paying public.


Sickening :jackpot:

 

[big dog cowboy]

The only reason I can see for the NFL to introduce its own network is cash.

 

[31smackdown]

It may also have something to do with completely owning all of the video and distribution rights. IMO, the NFL is very focused on owning all the content for the future.

 

[Mavs Man]

So how long before the NFL goes Pay-Per-View?

 

[Jay-D]

So how long before the NFL goes Pay-Per-View?

These games being broadcast on NFL Network already ARE pay-per-view.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

I don't mean to start an NFLN/cable argument but the NFLN's owners are a bunch of greedy *******s.......


Those that see value in the NFLN are doing something about it (as witnessed by the record declines in the cable industry) and those that don't see value bash the network.

 

[lspain1]

I know there have been a lot of NFL Network and Time Warner Cable threads on here in the past week and a half and I don't want this to turn into another NFL Network vs. Cable thread...I simply have one question...why have an NFL Network?

What was wrong with the old system? Why was the introduction of the NFL Network necessary? It simply means that there are less games that are going to be viewed by fans. Fans, by the way, that pay taxes that go towards supporting NFL teams in the forms of shiny new stadiums! So now with the NFL network we, the fans have to buy a whole new cable package in order to just watch a few more games...at least with the Sunday ticket or deals like that you get a lot of games for your buck.

The only reason I can see for the NFL to introduce its own network is cash. They get more money and get it directly if they own the network on which their games are played. I have seen some argue that its the NFL product they can do what they want. Fine, they are going to start loosing fans as they make it more and more about THEM, cooperate NFL, making more money, (in an all ready ridiculously wealthy league). Sure YOU may not quit being a fan of the NFL NOW, with the induction of the NFL network, but what about when they start making you pay to watch the Super bowl...better yet what about 10-15 years down the road when they start showing games as PayPerView (see boxing). Don't think it won't happen.

Don't let the NFL's diversion tactic of attacking the cable company divert you from the real problem which is the NFL itself and its drive to take more and more of OUR, the fans' money. Eventually the NFL will go to far and will cease to exist as we know it...20-30 years from now I wonder if it will not have gone the way of professional boxing.

Just something to think about during the three vacant hours some of you may have Thursday evening.

This is actually a much larger topic than you might think. Consider the changes that are occurring in the media business these days. The continually decreasing dominance of the "big three" networks, the advancement of the internet, on-demand movies, streaming media and the like. At the same time the NFL has recognized great success in its "off-season" events such as the combine and the draft. The NFL has observed the commercial success of ESPN and has long wanted to increase the quality in specific content production rather than counting on (or sharing with) ESPN.

The better question isn't why the NFL Network exists, but why did it take so long? Please consider the vast array of specific content being generated by the NFL Network and others. Beside the NFL Replays weekly and airing of all pre-season games, the NFLN is now producing two daily shows (Put Up Your Dukes and Total Access). NFL Network also produces it's own GameDay Show showing analyses, game highlights and press conferences. ESPN produces NFL Live two or three times weekly, and has major "prep" shows on Sunday and Monday Nights. Sirius NFL Radio has several daily shows and Sirius broadcasts all the games over satellite (not only can you get the game but you can get the game broadcast from either team's radio hosts). The NFL Live feature permits you to get the same game content streamed to you over the internet. If you are a subscriber, you can get the Sirius NFL Radio channel over the internet as well. HBO has it's own show, and NBC also does a major highlight show on Sunday night before it's game. There is separate national content generated each week on ESPN Radio both during the season and during the off-season. NFL Films has also generated superb content down through the years.

I'm sure I've missed something in the above list, but my point is that the array of content being generated by the NFL (and the NFL football product) is both massive and extraordinarily profitable. The NFL needed its own studio and set (production capability) in order to generate more of this profitable content and set out to establish the NFL Network to respond to the demand for content. At the same time, by reducing it's dependence on the networks and ESPN, the NFL keeps more of the content and profit in-house. The NFL Network, because it is still "young," has not fully achieved all of these goals and the cost of establishing all of the infrastructure plays a part in this. The current spat with the cable providers is, at least, partly a result of the supreme confidence of the NFL that its content has reached the point where it can not be denied.

I could go on with some more details of the technical (and cost) challenges faced by the NFL Network because it was/is institutued during the transition to HD programming. There are techie discussions on the internet over the fact that the NFL Network live shows are not produced in true high definition. This was a major cost issue in instituting the NFL Network and remains an issue currently. We NFL fans like our content in HD and ESPN gives it to us. NFLN, at least currently, does not except for the games themselves.

 

[Dayton Cowboy]

But why not have an NFL network?
I gotta say that during the off season and especially before the draft, a true NFL nut like I am, loves the pre-draft stuff.
The NFL product is the most popular and it should be year-round in some form.
ESPN is so full of crap now-a-days the NFL network is a refreshing change.
There is no monetary reason not to get the NFL network unless you live in an aparment complex that prohibit's a satellite dish.
I get my phone,internet and dish bill all under the AT&T umbrella and it's cheaper than what I was paying for cable,phone and internet before.
The NFL network is actually a good thing...especially in the off-season.

In your package with AT&T, how is your long distance billed? Part of the attraction that I have with My Time Warner package is that I can call anywhere in the US and Canada because of the VOIP without paying for long distance as an extra cost. Having friends and family spread out all over this is an attractive feature. Does your AT&T have something similar?