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11/14/2007
Time Warner goes on offense
Time Warner isn’t taking the Big Ten Network sitting down with its feet up. No sir. Catch this ad for Buckeye Football (only one game left) and Basketball. To be fair, four football games already played were available only via Big Ten Network – Time Warner doesn’t tell you that. And they list 17 basketball games available on one of their cable stations, not mentioning the 13 games unavailable on their local cable channels.
Nevertheless, Time Warner isn’t taking Big Ten Network lying or sitting down.What does Big Ten Network want?
The Big Ten Network has said it wants $1.10 per customer per month for cable companies to bring you Big Ten Network programming. At this rate, the Big Ten Network stands to make $237 million each year from cable customers in the Big Ten states alone. Outside the eight-state Big Ten region, Big Ten fans are being asked to pay far less for the same programming – only 10 cents per month per customer. That means an avid Ohio State fan who happens to live in Kentucky only pays $.10 per month while those of us living in Ohio are being asked to pay $1.10 per month. It’s just not fair.
The ad goes on to claim lots of less expensive (than Big Ten, that is) sports networks and points out to fans the games free last year – but no longer available this year. These games were available to you free last year!
Games being carried by the Big Ten Network were carried on broadcast television or cable networks you already have last year. This includes 10 OSU football games, 15 OSU men’s basketball games and 7 OSU women’s basketball games.
Now, the Big Ten Network wants to be carried as part of the Standard Package, which means every cable customer would have to pay its high asking price for this niche sports programming. Time Warner Cable would like to make it optional for those who do not wish to pay an extra fee for it. Who is the Big Ten Network?
The Big Ten Network is 51% owned by the Big Ten Conference and 49% owned by FOX. FOX also owns part of DirecTV, the only major video provider with an agreement to carry the Big Ten Network. How does the Big Ten Network’s asking price compare to other cable networks?
Other networks that focus exclusively on college sports, including those that provide far more games on a national basis, cost one-tenth the price.
And then Time Warner lists ten articles from major newspapers acclaiming its position, including our own Cap Times.
Of course I don’t have to tell you it all comes down to us loyal fans (Well, loyal Badger fans, that is, in Badger-land). The hearty Buckeye fan who shared the Time Warner ad wasn’t buying it: “The way it looks to me is that it will cost each consumer a dollar a month--how many times have they [Time Warner] raised my bill a dollar, it happens all the time, why don't they just eat this one!?”
COMMENTS
Why doesn't that hearty Buckeye fan just get DirecTV and stop complaining? I want IFC to be part of basic cable, but you don't hear me complaining about it. Aren't these the same people who complain month after month about cable rate increases but inexplicably STAY with cable?
There is all sorts of competition to cable (which didn't need a stupid bill to foster, but don't get me going on that one!) DirecTV and Dish both have Big Ten, and next year AT&T will have it when they're done flooding our curbs with their ugly beige cabinets.
(By the way, Dish Network is going to move Big Ten from the Top 100 tier to its Top 100 Plus tier in 2008, and that will up your bill $10, according to a September Associated Press article. Why should Dish be able to move it to a premium sports tier but Time Warner isn't allowed?)
I'm a Time Warner customer and personally am glad they're not budging in the face of Big Ten and the NFL. I'm more afraid of the precedent these sports networks are setting for other cable networks. Hallmark Channel is apparently looking to hike their normal 3-cent per sub rate next month. They believe that since they get more ratings than sports networks like Comcast's Golf Channel (which gets 23-cents a sub), they can command more moolah. I foresee plenty of unhappy networks crying foul down the road too. Why do you think you can't see the Packers in HD on Fox 11 on cable OR satellite? They want 20 cents per home for something you can get for free with a pair of rabbit ears. It's ALL money. Yours and mine.
And while it sounds nice in theory, I don't believe a la carte cable will ever happen, or at the very least, it won't be as rosy as people believe it will be. ESPN, which gets north of three bucks a home, would likely hike their rates if people could omit it from their bill. There's a lot of people out there who watch a lot of those other channels sports people complain about not wanting, and I'm doubting they'd miss ESPN. Wouldn't that mean less income for Disney, and higher prices for those who take it?
Sorry... this kind of issue hits home for me. Long story short -- if you want Big Ten and don't like cable, call up DirecTV. Plenty of your Time Warner brethren already have. Otherwise, why not just hit one of Appleton's *many* bars or restaurants who have it?
Mark (Tue Nov 13 23:46:28 2007)
I'm proudly switching from Time Warner cable to DirectTV on Monday.
I will not only save money by switching, but also have access to the Big Ten Network and NFL Network.
As a lifelong Badgers fan, I find it profoundly stupid that I couldn't watch the OSU game from the comfort of my own home.
Moreover, now that basketball season is upon us, I simply cannot fathom going to a sports bar just to see the games.
Trust me: It's just about impossible to find a sports bar in the Valley that shows Badgers basketball games with sound. I went to The Bar and Buffalo Wild Wings on Sunday night and neither had the game on. The Bar said they wouldn't put the Badgers opener on because the late NFL games were on.
And I had to beg Buffalo Wild Wings to switch from figure skating to the Badgers game (without sound).
Just make the switch to DirecTV. You'll be happy you did.
Mike (Wed Nov 14 09:52:01 2007)
If I have to pay for someone else to be able to watch Badger games on Big Ten TV, then you should have to pay for Setanta and GolTV so I can watch my soccer.
Very easy solution to your dilemma. Go to a bar to watch the game.
John (Wed Nov 14 15:08:03 2007)
I'll trade 50 of my 300 channels for the Big Ten Network. Hell, make it 60! I don't want the Hallmark channel, the shopping channels, Catholic channel, MTV, etc. Neither do I want to sign a contract for over a year, have a dish stuck on the side of the house and all the rewiring that would be needed.
Time-Warner and BTN just need get the deal done already. Otherwise, I'll be spending too much time in smokey sports bars watching basketball and yelling "Go Badgers!"
Steve (Wed Nov 14 15:23:04 2007)
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