Intresting read on Sunday Ticket - Oakland Raiders Forum | Message Board

Jimi18 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-17-2006, 11:43 PM

Quote:

The secondary markets rule is especially offensive because the NFL continues to grant a monopoly over its Sunday Ticket package -- a fabulous product that allows viewers to pay to see any game -- to DirecTV, the satellite provider. DirecTV is great, but since millions of American households cannot receive DirecTV, this monopoly effectively bars viewer choice, even to viewers who happily would pay extra.
Today the Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on whether the DirecTV monopoly on Sunday Ticket is anti-consumer and constitutes restraint of trade. Finally, Congress has noticed this issue! TMQ's prediction: The NFL, which seriously does not want Congress rethinking the antitrust exemption granted to the league in 1961 over its television contracts, better move pronto to make Sunday Ticket available to all cable carriers. The 1961 agreement with Congress specifies that in exchange for an antitrust exemption, the NFL will make its broadcasts available to everyone. Instead, the Sunday Ticket broadcast operates under a monopoly structure. Congress is already in a foul mood about the NCAA's tax-exempt status for profitable D-I football. The new Congress will want to differentiate itself from the last by being pro-consumer. The NFL's television contracts are worth nearly $4 billion a year; the league would be foolish to run any risk with that sum. Roger Goodell, change your deal with DirecTV before Congress changes it for you.

alot of other good reads on here as well

Link:http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...erbrook/061114

**LOUISVILLE R8R** · #2 (**permalink**) 11-17-2006, 11:58 PM

cool! thanks jimi!

Dark-Helmet · #3 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 12:50 AM

Nice Jimi, Esterbrook is always great reading. I didn't know Direct Tv was being looked at by Congress. seems unfare they are they only ones allowed to brodcast Sunday ticket. I know they are taking a close look at the NFL Network also.

Jimi18 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark-Helmet

Nice Jimi, Esterbrook is always great reading. I didn't know Direct Tv was being looked at by Congress. seems unfare they are they only ones allowed to brodcast Sunday ticket. I know they are taking a close look at the NFL Network also.

yep, thats why i added the link, cause it was listed on futher down

Dark-Helmet · #5 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimi18

yep, thats why i added the link, cause it was listed on futher down

I know ProfootballTalk.com has been all over that story. Something about the NFL being able to brodcast its own games on its own network seems fishy

Having said that, I'm still happy there are more games on Thanksgiving, I'll be watching!

Jimi18 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark-Helmet

yep, thats why i added the link, cause it was listed on futher down

I know ProfootballTalk.com has been all over that story. Something about the NFL being able to brodcast its own games on its own network seems fishy

Having that said, I'm still happy there are more games on Thanksgiving, I'll be watching![/quote]

I got NFL network on its first day of broadcasting, and it was alot laid back its first 6 months, the commercials were awesome, and they even had a "Raiders access" replace total access one day.. (man i wish i tivod that)

but they brought taglibue in one day, and they said they were trying to get games to be aired on there.

i do think it is wrong with direcTV, cause i would have cable here local if it were not for sunday ticket.. that is the only reason i have direc TV

Dark-Helmet · #7 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 01:19 AM

I've had Direct TV since is was called Primestar. But I would definitly switch if the ticket was available on cable. Time Warner is the provider around here and they have a "all in one" deal for broadband, cable and phone. Its like 100 bucks a month! Plus the Direct TV Tivo just pisses me off, the USB ports that are clearly there, don't work! and I can't hook it up to the internet because they disable all that ****. bogus man.

**OaklandRdr** · #8 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark-Helmet

I've had Direct TV since is was called Primestar. But I would definitly switch if the ticket was available on cable. Time Warner is the provider around here and they have a "all in one" deal for broadband, cable and phone. Its like 100 bucks a month! Plus the Direct TV Tivo just pisses me off, the USB ports that are clearly there, don't work! and I can't hook it up to the internet because they disable all that ****. bogus man.

The Sunday ticket is not the only reason I subscribe to DTV instead of cable. There is no comparison with picture quality and DTV can correct problems remotely without having to deal with making a technician appointment to fix cable issues. I do have a time warner cable modem account, but to me, its worth it to dish out the extra dough and get better TV.

Jimi18 · #9 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OaklandRdr

The Sunday ticket is not the only reason I subscribe to DTV instead of cable. There is no comparison with picture quality and DTV can correct problems remotely without having to deal with making a technician appointment to fix cable issues. I do have a time warner cable modem account, but to me, its worth it to dish out the extra dough and get better TV.

yea.. thanks for that, cause i got the hd tv package now, and i would prolly not get the quality i get on direct. that was the reason i got direct though.
sunday ticket. i had prime star as well, so that may have been another reason?

Lupey · #10 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 01:57 AM

Doesnt Congress have anything better to do?

Isnt DirectTV available across the Country?

**Hawaiian Raider** · #11 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 02:18 AM

Mahalo Jimi!

I've actually written to my cable provider and asked them, "What's up?". They wrote me back and explained nearly everything that's also included in your post.

I hope something gives here. I'd like to see an option for each team to be able to "purchase" a feed for a specific game. I'd be willing to pay upwords of $50 to see an individual Raider game.

DirectTV wants to lock me into a 2-year contract to get Sunday Ticket. But, I only want the Sunday Ticket otherwise, I don't need all the other crap. Also, games contracted to the regular networks are blacked-out by Sunday Ticket. So, if the Raiders game was on a regular network, I would need a differenct feed - cable - to catch those games.

I'm glad congress is looking into this. Give me my Raider games on TV, I'll pay for them.

**ekgraider** · #12 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 02:21 AM

I hope sunday ticket does get opened up to everyone. I am a Direct TV user and happy about it, i save about $15 per month compared to what i was spending with adelphia. Plus i now get sunday ticket. However if all the cable companies get Sunday ticket they will be priced more competitivly(sp?) and i wont have to spend $180 per year on it.

but im with Lupey, they cant figure out social security or a health plan or what they are going to do with iraq, so they just focus on little things.

**ekgraider** · #13 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaiian Raider

Mahalo Jimi!

I've actually written to my cable provider and asked them, "What's up?". They wrote me back and explained nearly everything that's also included in your post.

I hope something gives here. I'd like to see an option for each team to be able to "purchase" a feed for a specific game. I'd be willing to pay upwords of $50 to see an individual Raider game.

DirectTV wants to lock me into a 2-year contract to get Sunday Ticket. But, I only want the Sunday Ticket otherwise, I don't need all the other crap. Also, games contracted to the regular networks are blacked-out by Sunday Ticket. So, if the Raiders game was on a regular network, I would need a differenct feed - cable - to catch those games.

I'm glad congress is looking into this. Give me my Raider games on TV, I'll pay for them.

does direct tv not have local channels over there?

**Mr. Blonde** · #14 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 02:59 AM

That's cool because I want the NFL package, but I have no interest in paying for direct tV also. I am happy with my local cable. Do it Rog.

**Hawaiian Raider** · #15 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ekgraider

does direct tv not have local channels over there?

Yes they do. They carry the regular networks but, there is a disclaimer in the contract that says they have "something" that blacks-out those games.

I've been wondering about that. If I get the regular networks, how is it those games are blacked-out? I'll have to find someone here locally that has Sunday Ticket and ask them about it.

I know that the bar I go to - if a game is on the regular network - whichever TV they are going to use to broadcast one of those regular network games - the bartender has to disconnect the DirectTV feed and connect a cable feed so, ... .