PFT: DirecTV could pull plug on NFL Sunday Ticket

[Deep_South]

I think it would be fair to point out that my situation is unique, and I am very happy with Directv. I've had it since it first became widely available many years ago. My problem is I just can't personally deal with paying so much to watch the Cowboys lose one game on television, with commercials. The problem is, they pay billions of dollars for exclusive rights to Sunday Ticket, and they can't offer pay-per-view at a price point that would allow them to make a profit, or as much profit as they are making with the current all or nothing offering. Clearly if they could, they would do it.

Still it is very frustrating to have something that is free in Dallas to cost so much here.

I should add that if the Boys would start winning again and ditch the meltdowns, they will go back to showing all of the games here like they used to.

 

[SportsGuru80]

That mess is only worth $100

 

[Aikmaniac]

This will impact Dallas Cowboys fans the most as most of the team's fans live out of Texas and out of the SW zone where Cowboys games are broadcast on regular TV.

Personally, I can say I am one of those fans since I live in Chicago, IL and Cowboys games are not shown here. This is why I have DIRECTV, to get the NFL Sunday ticket - to get my Cowboys games. And if DIRECTV drops the NF Sunday Ticket, that's the dt

Good points, but the reality is that Dallas is part of the national game every week more often than not.

Imagine being a Titans or Jags fan living out of state.

 

[kristie]

I suspect this is a negotiating tactic. The NFL knows they can make more revenue by signing non exclusive deals and Directv is scared.

exactly!

 

[kristie]

I'd also add that if Time Warner were to get the Ticket, I'd be tempted to switch anyway since they have Pac12 network and the local channel that covers local college and high school sports.

that would be a problem for me because optimum is the cable provider where i live, not time warner.

 

[playmakers]

I really can't see how a CEO of a company would let this go. That would be making tv suicide. How can Directv compete without this? What would be there drawing power? Without this Directv would lose so much money and might have to fold in the long run. I agree its a negotiating tactic. If I'm directv, if I'm putting out billions of dollars I would make red zone channel exclusive too. They would get so many more customers because people from fios and Comcast are used to it by now many would come over.

 

[HanD]

No they did show the Seattle game. It wasn't their fault it was one of the worst games the Cowboys have ever played. But, I paid 200 dollars to see it. The only choice you have with Directv is all of the games or none. So, from now on, I choose none. Paying $200.00 to see that one game is simply one of those things I have to ensure never happens again. The score was 27-7, but it wasn't nearly as close as the 20 point differential would make it appear.

yeah having lived in southern cal and hawaii where most cowboy games were shown on regular tv, i opted to go to a bar the few times they weren't available. cost savings since i don't have the time anymore to watch all the games.

 

[JakeCamp12]

I dropped the NFL ticket after I learned that if the Eagles game was before Dallas, Eagles are the home team here in Philly/S. NJ, and the Eagles game ran long, they would not show the Dallas game until the completion of the Eagles. That really irked me as I would lose the first quarter sometimes of the Dallas game. I called to complain and they told me it was NFL rules. I dropped it after that season. Even when you pay, they still have rules to keep you from what you are paying for.

 

[noshame]

There is no way DTV would allow themselves to take this hit in subscribers, it would kill them.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

NFL Redzone and being able to access games for free online hasn't helped Directv any.

Yes, theft/piracy, whatever you want to call it, has really affected DTV's ability to attract customers exclusively for any of the sports packages.

We're eventually going to see major issues in the NFL as the TV contracts drop in value. All thanks to thieves.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

There is no way DTV would allow themselves to take this hit in subscribers, it would kill them.

I'm ditching Direct TV this summer anyway, hopefully pulling the plug altogether. My brother has it and will get Sunday Ticket, so I am just paying him $100 to upgrade to the All inclusive package. I can just watch online or through my PS3.

I'm just tired of paying over $100 per month to watch basically a handful of channels. Seems a tad ridiculous.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

Yes, theft/piracy, whatever you want to call it, has really affected DTV's ability to attract customers exclusively for any of the sports packages.

We're eventually going to see major issues in the NFL as the TV contracts drop in value. All thanks to thieves.

curious.....how much royalties are you paying Michael Richards to use his picture as your avatar?

 

[TheCount]

Maybe they'll use Joe Flacco's contract as leverage. :laugh2:

This is all posturing. DirecTV is always having to negotiate and renegotiate deals with all these guys.

Perhaps the NFL is behind the recent price drop and DTV isn't happy about it, so they want more money directly from the NFL.

I suspect this is a negotiating tactic. The NFL knows they can make more revenue by signing non exclusive deals and Directv is scared.

Can they? Basic laws of Supply and Demand might suggest otherwise. If they sign a number of non-exclusive deals, then the prices have to come down, don't they? Maybe it still means more money long term, I don't know. The NFL signed an exclusive deal with EA Sports and made MAdden the only option, and it actually made them more money, not less.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

Good points, but the reality is that Dallas is part of the national game every week more often than not.

Imagine being a Titans or Jags fan living out of state.

About half the games are NOT shown. If you want to see all of them outside of the SW region then you have to get the Sunday Ticket.

This is the ONLY reason I buy DIRECTV. I already have Comcast Cable (here in Chicago) because its bundled with my home phone and hi- speed Internet service.

I would LOVE IT if Comcast offered the Sunday Ticket; I'd drop DIRECTV in a heartbeat and save myself about $40 a month.

 

[hornitosmonster]

Directv dropping Sunday ticket is the day I drop Directv.

same here

 

[hornitosmonster]

I dropped the NFL ticket after I learned that if the Eagles game was before Dallas, Eagles are the home team here in Philly/S. NJ, and the Eagles game ran long, they would not show the Dallas game until the completion of the Eagles. That really irked me as I would lose the first quarter sometimes of the Dallas game. I called to complain and they told me it was NFL rules. I dropped it after that season. Even when you pay, they still have rules to keep you from what you are paying for.

That only happens if the local Fox/CBS is showing the Cowboys game after the home team game. Games on the ticket never start late.

 

[BlueStar22]

I hope so. Honestly, this year was the first year that i've had Sunday Ticket and didn't really care for it. I would like Directv to off Redzone as a standalone channel. It sucks that now you have to upgrade Sunday Ticket to the premium ST package to have Redzone included.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

Let's have a show of hands For those who have DIRECTV and the NFL Sunday Ticket: If DIRECTV dropped the NFL Sunday Ticket would you drop DIRECTV or keep it, and why?

My answer: I would drop DIRECTV because I'm already paying for another cable TV service that bundles in my Internet service at a lower bundled cost. I would save money if my current cable provider also offered the NFL Sunday Ticket.

 

[BlueStar22]

Let's have a show of hands For those who have DIRECTV and the NFL Sunday Ticket: If DIRECTV dropped the NFL Sunday Ticket would you drop DIRECTV or keep it, and why?

My answer: I would drop DIRECTV because I'm already paying for another cable TV service that bundles in my Internet service at a lower bundled cost. I would save money if my current cable provider also offered the NFL Sunday Ticket.

I wouldn't. My other two options are expensive. We had ATT Uverse and left them after it being expensive and a bunch of billing screwups and Time Warner is too expensive for the cable service that you get. Their channel tiers are all screwed up.

 

[Doomsday101]

In ways this could be good because it would open it up to cable and other satellite companies instead of direct TV having the sole rights.