Memo to the empty suits at the major networks:

[kerouac9]

The NFL regular season is about to start, and accompaning that exciting time is the dread that the average football fan feels about the television schedule for the regular season.

50% of the population is functionally unable to get NFL Sunday Ticket through DirecTV. I've spoken to my congressmen about launching an investigation to breakup this un-American monoply (The American taxpayers own the airwaves and build the stadiums, but are not allowed to get NFL Sunday Ticket on cable for any price. Meanwhile, Candadians get NFL Sunday Ticket on cable for less than Americans). Until Congress sets things right, though, those of us without DirecTV are at the mercy of the network executives who schedule broadcasts in the regions.

As a loyal NFL viewer in the Phoenix market, let me plead to you not to broadcast the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs tilt on CBS (Channel 5) on Sunday morning. Please. No one in Phoenix cares about the AFC West, and this game is going to be a blowout. We're going to have to watch this matchup at least twelve other times this year, I think we can afford to kickoff the season without it. The New England Patriots are facing off in Buffalo on the same day at the same time. Both teams have marketable players and Super Bowl ambitions. Perhaps this might be a profitable matchup to broadcast on Sunday morn?

To the folks at FOX (Channel 10) (EDIT: Damn, can't stop livin' in the past...), you've done pretty well in the past of airing games that I, and by extention, all Phoenix area fans, care about. Please continue this trend by airing the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints matchup on Sunday afternoon, following the Arizona-Detroit game. Please do not fall victim to Parcells-mania and broadcast the Cowboys-Falcons game. No one wants to watch the Falcons without Mike Vick, I assure you. Also, please don't air the San Francisco-Chicago tilt. This game has zero chance of intrigue, as the 49ers should resoundlingly trounce the Bears by at least fourteen points.

Respectfully Yours,

A Phoenix Area Football Fan

 

[SECTION 11]

I'd be happy if they just do away with the season kickoff "Extravaganza." What the hell does Brittany Spears, Aretha Franklin and Mary J. Blige (who?) have to do with the NFL?

Enough of the media circus.
It's an embarassment to football at every level, but especially Pee Wee.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Originally posted by SECTION 11
Enough of the media circus.
It's an embarassment to football at every level, but especially Pee Wee.

What has it done to Paul Reubens?

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by SECTION 11
I'd be happy if they just do away with the season kickoff "Extravaganza." What the hell does Brittany Spears, Aretha Franklin and Mary J. Blige (who?) have to do with the NFL?

Enough of the media circus.
It's an embarassment to football at every level, but especially Pee Wee.

Hey, all that goes down before any of us get home from work, anyway, right? That's because no one cares what those of us on the West Coast think.

Bastards.

Personally, I'll take any excuse to see Britney Spears that I can. For example, this one:

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[Chaz]

Here Here!

Just 1 thing, the NFC games are on FOX(10) not NBC(12).

 

[JeffGollin]

Keruac - Know where you're coming from and share your agita. (For many years, I have been on a fruitless one-person crusade to open up viewer access to all programming (football or otherwise) in a manner similar to the way things are now happening on Internet Radio. (I miss not seeing the sun come up over the Golden Gate Bridge via KPIX, watching Puget Sound PSA's via the Seattle ABC affiliate or monitoring public response to tornado warnings over the Memphis ABC affiliate or early blizzards over the CBS Erie, PA channel).

One thing though. I believe FOX and not NBC airs NFC games.

 

[Minix]

kerouac, with that much conviction on those games you might want to consider watching the games in a big sports casino in Las Vegas with tote tickets in hand.

Good luck on your crusade and if you need soembody to sign a petition let me know.

 

[AZCB34]

Originally posted by SECTION 11
I'd be happy if they just do away with the season kickoff "Extravaganza." What the hell does Brittany Spears, Aretha Franklin and Mary J. Blige (who?) have to do with the NFL?

Enough of the media circus.
It's an embarassment to football at every level, but especially Pee Wee.

Thank you. This is pathetic of the NFL. Spears has no talent short of her half naked body. Aerosmith just can;t let go of their careers. Aretha could be a run stuffing tackle and Blige...

Truly sad.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by AZCB34
Thank you. This is pathetic of the NFL. Spears has no talent short of her half naked body. Aerosmith just can;t let go of their careers. Aretha could be a run stuffing tackle and Blige...

Truly sad.

Hey, I'm just happy that I don't have to listen to Bon Jovi singing that stupid "I'm... not afraid to fly...I'm..." song. They played that at the season kickoff, the Super Bowl, and it was on EA Sports Trax in Madden '03. I must have heard that song 1,000 times over the past year, and it was awful.

If I see Jon Bon Jovi walking down the street, I'm going to punch him in the face (Ugh, another name to add to the list...).

EDIT: Oh, did someone mention Britney Spears? Who's that? Oh yeah...

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[pinnacle]

I miss the USFL.



I figured someday..someone (or a group of someones) would find a way to break up the monopoly held by the NFL... looks pretty unlikely..

 

[Russ Smith]

In Baja one of the guys fishing was a former cable company CEO(small regional company that was acquired). I asked him that exact question, why does the NFL do exclusive rights with Directv when cable could get them so much more viewers if they just let BOTH carry the games? His answer surprised me he said the NFL did the actuarials on it and decided it made MORE money this way?

Apparently Directv pays MUCH more over and above what would be "market" to get exclusive rights, if they share with cable, their payment to the NFL would go down DRAMATICALLY. He basically confirmed what I have noticed, if you call anybody who sells directv as soon as they know you're a man they're trying to sell you NFL sunday ticket. They know THAT is the primary thing that sets them apart from cable, and if they don't have it exclusively, they have to compete with cable on cost and performance and that hurts both of them. Basically the NFL knows that given the choice between watching a game you really don't want to watch, or watching something else, most will still watch the game. If it's convenient, you'll go watch the game you want to somewhere else, but they're banking that you will still watch an NFL game even if it's the 49ers or Raiders every Sunday in the Bay Area.

I can relate. I have been trying for nearly 2 weeks to get my new dish reception. I got my stand and signal finder last night and gave up an hour later. My "free" install only covers basic setup, in an apartment balcony on a stand is not basic, so I have to pay the going rate. It turned out to be cheaper to pay someone else to come out and evaluate it(instead of Circuit City) and tomorrow morning I'll be waiting for that person. If they can get the signal I'm in business, if they can't, they put it in writing so I can return the receiver and dish to Circuit City. I still only get a zero signal so I'm really starting to think either my receiver is bad, I'm an idiot, or the tree that appears to be just to the right of 132.2 degrees is in fact in the way of it )-:

It's incredibly frustrating I'd gladly pay money to watch the Cards game at home on digital cable every weekend, but the NFL has decided they make more money this way.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Russ Smith
In Baja one of the guys fishing was a former cable company CEO(small regional company that was acquired). I asked him that exact question, why does the NFL do exclusive rights with Directv when cable could get them so much more viewers if they just let BOTH carry the games? His answer surprised me he said the NFL did the actuarials on it and decided it made MORE money this way?

Apparently Directv pays MUCH more over and above what would be "market" to get exclusive rights, if they share with cable, their payment to the NFL would go down DRAMATICALLY. He basically confirmed what I have noticed, if you call anybody who sells directv as soon as they know you're a man they're trying to sell you NFL sunday ticket. They know THAT is the primary thing that sets them apart from cable, and if they don't have it exclusively, they have to compete with cable on cost and performance and that hurts both of them. Basically the NFL knows that given the choice between watching a game you really don't want to watch, or watching something else, most will still watch the game. If it's convenient, you'll go watch the game you want to somewhere else, but they're banking that you will still watch an NFL game even if it's the 49ers or Raiders every Sunday in the Bay Area.

I can relate. I have been trying for nearly 2 weeks to get my new dish reception. I got my stand and signal finder last night and gave up an hour later. My "free" install only covers basic setup, in an apartment balcony on a stand is not basic, so I have to pay the going rate. It turned out to be cheaper to pay someone else to come out and evaluate it(instead of Circuit City) and tomorrow morning I'll be waiting for that person. If they can get the signal I'm in business, if they can't, they put it in writing so I can return the receiver and dish to Circuit City. I still only get a zero signal so I'm really starting to think either my receiver is bad, I'm an idiot, or the tree that appears to be just to the right of 132.2 degrees is in fact in the way of it )-:

It's incredibly frustrating I'd gladly pay money to watch the Cards game at home on digital cable every weekend, but the NFL has decided they make more money this way.

I actually called McCain's office to ask his staff to review the monopoly. He's the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, and has direct oversight over this. When I called, the NFL was still reviewing the decision to extend the monopoly. They said to wait for the decision and then lobby Senator McCain. All Arizona residents should take the opportunity to call McCain's office and say something. Canada, for goodness's sake, gets subsidized NFL Sunday Ticket, and DirecTV is technically impossible for 50% of the population to recieve. The fact that most of the stadiums in the NFL are built with taxpayer money only compounds the injustice of the monopoly. I hate it, and everyone that wants DirecTV but can't have it should contact their congressional representatives immediately.

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by kerouac9
I actually called McCain's office to ask his staff to review the monopoly. He's the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, and has direct oversight over this. When I called, the NFL was still reviewing the decision to extend the monopoly. They said to wait for the decision and then lobby Senator McCain. All Arizona residents should take the opportunity to call McCain's office and say something. Canada, for goodness's sake, gets subsidized NFL Sunday Ticket, and DirecTV is technically impossible for 50% of the population to recieve. The fact that most of the stadiums in the NFL are built with taxpayer money only compounds the injustice of the monopoly. I hate it, and everyone that wants DirecTV but can't have it should contact their congressional representatives immediately.

I'm just waiting for Arnold to become governor so he can take care of it!

it's annoying as hell, my girlfriend is ready to kill me since I keep spending hours on HER balcony adjusting my dish trying to get a signal and and getting mad when I can't.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by kerouac9

If I see Jon Bon Jovi walking down the street, I'm going to punch him in the face (Ugh, another name to add to the list...).

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[/B]

You have a list too?

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Originally posted by kerouac9
The NFL regular season is about to start, and accompaning that exciting time is the dread that the average football fan feels about the television schedule for the regular season.

50% of the population is functionally unable to get NFL Sunday Ticket through DirecTV. I've spoken to my congressmen about launching an investigation to breakup this un-American monoply (The American taxpayers own the airwaves and build the stadiums, but are not allowed to get NFL Sunday Ticket on cable for any price. Meanwhile, Candadians get NFL Sunday Ticket on cable for less than Americans). Until Congress sets things right, though, those of us without DirecTV are at the mercy of the network executives who schedule broadcasts in the regions.

As a loyal NFL viewer in the Phoenix market, let me plead to you not to broadcast the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs tilt on CBS (Channel 5) on Sunday morning. Please. No one in Phoenix cares about the AFC West, and this game is going to be a blowout. We're going to have to watch this matchup at least twelve other times this year, I think we can afford to kickoff the season without it. The New England Patriots are facing off in Buffalo on the same day at the same time. Both teams have marketable players and Super Bowl ambitions. Perhaps this might be a profitable matchup to broadcast on Sunday morn?

To the folks at FOX (Channel 10) (EDIT: Damn, can't stop livin' in the past...), you've done pretty well in the past of airing games that I, and by extention, all Phoenix area fans, care about. Please continue this trend by airing the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints matchup on Sunday afternoon, following the Arizona-Detroit game. Please do not fall victim to Parcells-mania and broadcast the Cowboys-Falcons game. No one wants to watch the Falcons without Mike Vick, I assure you. Also, please don't air the San Francisco-Chicago tilt. This game has zero chance of intrigue, as the 49ers should resoundlingly trounce the Bears by at least fourteen points.

Respectfully Yours,

A Phoenix Area Football Fan

Awesome post!!!

Yes, Football should be a free for all.

As for Britney: I don't think kerouac9 cares about her singing as much as he wants her for his brithday with a little bow on her and nothing else. I seem to have the same problem with girls that dress up like private school girls.

THANK GOODNESS THE WOMAN (my woman) CAN PUT ON A GOOD SHOW.

 

[Renz]

Originally posted by AZCB34
Thank you. This is pathetic of the NFL. Spears has no talent short of her half naked body.

Truly sad.

I'm sorry, your point was...?

 

[Card Trader]

Forgive my ignorance, but since it is a sattelite feed why CAN'T everyone get DirecTV? They have limitations other than a clear view of the souther sky?

 

[Chaz]

People can get DirecTV but not Sunday Ticket without DirecTV. That is the point.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Card Trader
Forgive my ignorance, but since it is a sattelite feed why CAN'T everyone get DirecTV? They have limitations other than a clear view of the souther sky?

First, because a lot of people don't have a clear view of the southern sky. Wooded areas, large cities, etc. Many people, especially on the east coast, live in wooded areas or large cities.

Second, since I live in an apartment, I can't affix a dish to the building, and no one would put a dish "on a post on the balcony" because they won't guarantee the work. Many people live in apartments.

Basically, if you have anything to the south of you, you're totally and arbitrarily prohibited from ever getting NFL Sunday Ticket. Are people supposed to plan their real estate purchases, and architects design around, availability to DirecTV?

I don't think anyone would have a problem with DirecTV (also, by the way, owned by FOX CEO Rupert Murdoch [FOX, therefore, has a stake in having/making people watch broadcast NFL games]) being exclusive where it's available, but the fact that those who can't get DirecTV (approximately 50% of the population) are totally denied the opportunity to purchase NFL Sunday Ticket, while Canadians get to watch 16 games a week on basic cable, is baffling.

EDIT: Rugby, who's that girl?

 

[Card Trader]

Originally posted by SirChaz
People can get DirecTV but not Sunday Ticket without DirecTV. That is the point.

So what? You can get regular TV with an antenna but you can't get ESPN.....you get what you pay for. If you want Sunday Ticket get DirecTV....pretty simple actually.

 

[Card Trader]

Originally posted by kerouac9
First, because a lot of people don't have a clear view of the southern sky. Wooded areas, large cities, etc. Many people, especially on the east coast, live in wooded areas or large cities.

So it is your "right" to get a service, a relatively new service even if you don't meet the requirements? That doesn't make too much sense to me....it would be like someone getting upset at the Cable company because they don't provide service to a very rural area. Clear the trees if you want.

Second, since I live in an apartment, I can't affix a dish to the building, and no one would put a dish "on a post on the balcony" because they won't guarantee the work. Many people live in apartments.

When we moved back to AZ while looking for a home we lived in an apartment for about a year, I rigged a little support for my dish and it worked great....I'd be happy to email you a drawing of what I did.

Basically, if you have anything to the south of you, you're totally and arbitrarily prohibited from ever getting NFL Sunday Ticket. Are people supposed to plan their real estate purchases, and architects design around, availability to DirecTV?

If it's that important to you, yes. When looking for a home that was one of the things(not a huge importance but still was a consideration) we looked for.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Card Trader
So what? You can get regular TV with an antenna but you can't get ESPN.....you get what you pay for. If you want Sunday Ticket get DirecTV....pretty simple actually.

But there are people who want Sunday Ticket, have the money to subscribe to Sunday Ticket, but are arbitrarily denied DirecTV for technical reasons totally beyond the control of the consumer.

This isn't like people not able to get MTV because they can't get cable yet. These people are never going to be able to get DirecTV, and that's the only way you can get it. You can get ESPN on all the different cable companies, as well as all the satellite services. NFL Sunday Ticket is denied to anyone except DirecTV subscribers.

Finally, the NFL is massively subsidized by the general public (most notably in the case of taxpayer-financed stadiums), and should have a moral imperative to give as much access to the fans as they can. In this case, they're purposefully denying access in order to make more money than they would if they just opened the system to all providers.

 

[Chaz]

Originally posted by Card Trader
So what? You can get regular TV with an antenna but you can't get ESPN.....you get what you pay for. If you want Sunday Ticket get DirecTV....pretty simple actually.

The difference is there are several providers I can get ESPN from. There is only 1 for Sunday Ticket. It is a question of choice.

Now I am not one to get the government involved. I had hope when the contract was up they would open it up to cable companies to offer as well as DirecTV.
I also wish people had the choice to buy individual games or weeks in addition to the season as a whole.

The bean counters make those decisions not the fans.
That is just the way it goes.

 

[Card Trader]

Originally posted by kerouac9
But there are people who want Sunday Ticket, have the money to subscribe to Sunday Ticket, but are arbitrarily denied DirecTV for technical reasons totally beyond the control of the consumer.

I don't see the difference between them and the people who can't even get cable because they are in a rural area. The can afford it, they want it, but can't get it because of technical reasons........

Finally, the NFL is massively subsidized by the general public (most notably in the case of taxpayer-financed stadiums), and should have a moral imperative to give as much access to the fans as they can. In this case, they're purposefully denying access in order to make more money than they would if they just opened the system to all providers.

I agree with this....but seriously, when has big business ever been moral or done what is right at the cost of profit? It's rare.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Card Trader
So it is your "right" to get a service, a relatively new service even if you don't meet the requirements? That doesn't make too much sense to me....it would be like someone getting upset at the Cable company because they don't provide service to a very rural area. Clear the trees if you want.

I don't think this is the case. First, it's not a matter of technology. All satellite providers, and all cable companies with digital capability, have the ability to provide NFL Sunday Ticket. As I've said, in Canada, NFL Sunday Ticket is available for less than we pay for in the United States. This service has been around long enough for them to go through one contract. The main reason that I'm upset is that the NFL decided to continue the exclusive contract when it was obvious that the consumer would be better served by competition between multiple providers.

What if it's your neighbor's tree blocking the view? Or an office tower? These are the people most concerned/denied access.

If the NFL is fundementally opposed to providing access to NFL Sunday Ticket to everyone, then they should give back all they money they took from the general public for the financing of their stadiums.

EDIT: Even a farmer in Nebraska can get some kind of above-broadcast television, like satellite. They have a choice. The problem that I have is that there's no competition for Sunday Ticket, and that's purposeful, and it's denying people the opportunity to participate for non-financial reasons beyond the control of the consumer.