NFL Network and Comcast situation

[Russ Smith]

I'm probably way out of the loop on this I haven't had digital cable since I moved last December but with a great deal (24.95 a month thru end of year) I decided to give Comcast one more try to get me working digital cable(I tried before and 4 boxes later gave up and took basic cable I never had working digital for more than a few hours).

So I installed my box last night and after 2 failed auto program sessions I had to call in and get it done manually, but it DID work and I did have working digital. My idea was stay with the 24.95 service until the NFL Network starts
airing games and then switch over to Digital Plus to add that. This morning I read a story in my paper that probably most already know, cable companies have almost universally shifted NFL Network onto a special sports programming tier it's NOT in Digital Plus anymore. They make you pay an extra 8 bucks and my understanding is you have to already have Digital Plus to add the sports tier, you can't go from digital classic and just add sports.

So I log on to their site to find out how much this is going to cost me in a few months and enter my address and hit the enter key and I get "Sports package not available in your area." What the hell? How can you the NFL add games that you know are ONLY available on the NFL Network and allow cable companies to put that channel on a tier that won't be universally available to cable subscribers?

So I called Comcast this morning and they confirmed that there are areas they serve that can NOT get NFL Network, they could before they moved it to the sports tier, but they can't now. THey had no rational explanation, it's not a technical issue because before they moved it Digital Plus got you NFL Net. For some reason I can't begin to grasp they think it makes good business sense to move it to a tier that some people can't get?

Am I missing something, how do they make more money this way theyr'e losing subscribers who won't bother to get more than Digital Classic since no matter how far they upgrade, they still won't get NFL Net?

My plan now is wait until the season starts and take that 8 bucks a month I was going to spend on sports tier and instead get Comcast HD. If in the interim they manage to add the sports tier to my area I'll probably go ahead and get that too.

Is this happening elsewhere or am I just in a weird pocket in Cupertino, CA
that has this?

 

[Gambit]

I just signed up for Comcast and just have the basic digital package and added the sports dealie. I think it's about $4-5 for me here. I haven't had any problems, knock on formica.

 

[40yearfan]

I'm probably way out of the loop on this I haven't had digital cable since I moved last December but with a great deal (24.95 a month thru end of year) I decided to give Comcast one more try to get me working digital cable(I tried before and 4 boxes later gave up and took basic cable I never had working digital for more than a few hours).

So I installed my box last night and after 2 failed auto program sessions I had to call in and get it done manually, but it DID work and I did have working digital. My idea was stay with the 24.95 service until the NFL Network starts
airing games and then switch over to Digital Plus to add that. This morning I read a story in my paper that probably most already know, cable companies have almost universally shifted NFL Network onto a special sports programming tier it's NOT in Digital Plus anymore. They make you pay an extra 8 bucks and my understanding is you have to already have Digital Plus to add the sports tier, you can't go from digital classic and just add sports.

So I log on to their site to find out how much this is going to cost me in a few months and enter my address and hit the enter key and I get "Sports package not available in your area." What the hell? How can you the NFL add games that you know are ONLY available on the NFL Network and allow cable companies to put that channel on a tier that won't be universally available to cable subscribers?

So I called Comcast this morning and they confirmed that there are areas they serve that can NOT get NFL Network, they could before they moved it to the sports tier, but they can't now. THey had no rational explanation, it's not a technical issue because before they moved it Digital Plus got you NFL Net. For some reason I can't begin to grasp they think it makes good business sense to move it to a tier that some people can't get?

Am I missing something, how do they make more money this way theyr'e losing subscribers who won't bother to get more than Digital Classic since no matter how far they upgrade, they still won't get NFL Net?

My plan now is wait until the season starts and take that 8 bucks a month I was going to spend on sports tier and instead get Comcast HD. If in the interim they manage to add the sports tier to my area I'll probably go ahead and get that too.

Is this happening elsewhere or am I just in a weird pocket in Cupertino, CA
that has this?

Russ, that makes absolutely no sense at all. My advice. Go to the below web-site, join it and pose the question in the proper forum. They have some real technical wizards on that site and can answer almost any question regarding cable/satellite.

http://www.dbstalk.com/index.php?

 

[Russ Smith]

I just signed up for Comcast and just have the basic digital package and added the sports dealie. I think it's about $4-5 for me here. I haven't had any problems, knock on formica.

Yep that's how it's supposed to work. My buddy lives about 4 miles away but is in San JOse not Cupertino, has Comcast and added the sports tier just as you did. But they told me on the phone it's NOT available in my area.

There's an article about it in my local paper this morning that's why I checked in the first place so I was a bit stunned to see I was one of the unlucky who apparently can't get it. It has to be temporary it's not a technical issue at all, people had NFL Net here before they moved it to the sports tier, just for some reason they haven't enabled the sports tier at all locations and I'm one of the unlucky few in the area not enabled apparently.

I just spoke to them again and talked to a supervisor who confirmed I am currently unable to get NFL Network where I live but that they are working on
adding it in my area, within a few weeks. I was a bit baffled I said so you're telling me no matter how much I spend to upgrade right now I can NOT get NFL Network via Comcast, and he said "that's unfortunately correct sir."

All I can fathom is they plan to have it added by the time NFL Net is airing games so they figured people would wait until then to add the sports tier anyways?

Comcast baffles me, I have digital basic. I can add HD for 8 bucks a month, but if I want any worthwhile HD channels like Discovery or ESPN, I have to upgrade to Digital Plus to get those. Digital Plus is currently about 40 bucks more than my discount rate so they are expecting me to pay 48 bucks more a month to add HD?

 

[Mulli]

Comcast baffles me as well.

 

[Gambit]

Yep that's how it's supposed to work. My buddy lives about 4 miles away but is in San JOse not Cupertino, has Comcast and added the sports tier just as you did. But they told me on the phone it's NOT available in my area.

There's an article about it in my local paper this morning that's why I checked in the first place so I was a bit stunned to see I was one of the unlucky who apparently can't get it. It has to be temporary it's not a technical issue at all, people had NFL Net here before they moved it to the sports tier, just for some reason they haven't enabled the sports tier at all locations and I'm one of the unlucky few in the area not enabled apparently.

I just spoke to them again and talked to a supervisor who confirmed I am currently unable to get NFL Network where I live but that they are working on
adding it in my area, within a few weeks. I was a bit baffled I said so you're telling me no matter how much I spend to upgrade right now I can NOT get NFL Network via Comcast, and he said "that's unfortunately correct sir."

All I can fathom is they plan to have it added by the time NFL Net is airing games so they figured people would wait until then to add the sports tier anyways?

Comcast baffles me, I have digital basic. I can add HD for 8 bucks a month, but if I want any worthwhile HD channels like Discovery or ESPN, I have to upgrade to Digital Plus to get those. Digital Plus is currently about 40 bucks more than my discount rate so they are expecting me to pay 48 bucks more a month to add HD?

Sorry to hear that bro. Comcast is better than Time Warner at least, which we used to have here. I like the NFL Network a lot but if I had my way they would show a lot more NFL films shows. Also too many repeats. That will probably change once the real season commences.

 

[Russ Smith]

Apparently they baffle themselves too I'm on the phone with them again right now and a guy is going through their website trying to find the cost of Digital Plus because they don't know either.

He keeps insisting I can add HD for 7 bucks and get Discovery and ESPN HD even though their website very clearly says to get them you have to have digital classic or digital plus.

At least I know I'm not the only one confused, when their own employees don't know that tells you how messed up they are.


Edit, aha, they finally conceded that it won't actually cost me an additional $48. When the sports tier is available I will have to upgrade to digital classic for an extra $11, and then the sports tier is supposed to cost another $4 so it will only be a $15 increase, not 48. They still can't tell me when it will be enabled in my area but that $33 difference
is pretty huge so when they enable it, I'll add NFL Net.

Then I have to go through the whole mess again later to add FSN pacific to get UCLA basketball games not on regular FSN, that's a completely different tier.

I hate cable companies.

 

[Mulli]

Having to call Comcast with technical problems is more stressful to me than the service going out 15 minutes before Sopranos or Monday Night Football is going to start.

 

[40yearfan]

Apparently they baffle themselves too I'm on the phone with them again right now and a guy is going through their website trying to find the cost of Digital Plus because they don't know either.

He keeps insisting I can add HD for 7 bucks and get Discovery and ESPN HD even though their website very clearly says to get them you have to have digital classic or digital plus.

At least I know I'm not the only one confused, when their own employees don't know that tells you how messed up they are.

Don't argue with him Russ. Take him up on the deal---quickly.

 

[Goober Man]

i had the same problem when i moved..just get Direct TV you'll get espn,espnews,espn 2 and NFLN and also you get local channles so you can see the Cards vs Raiders on Saturday..and btw i checked nfln and they're not showing it so you'll have to watch it on one of the local channles (LA5) will be showing it at 7pm

 

[JeffGollin]

Plug for DirecTV

If you live in a private home or a condo/apt complex that allows you to install a small dish antenna, DirecTV is a good way to go for various reasons (most important of all, Sunday Ticket and every regular season Cardinal game if you live in Cupertino).

NFL Network is on Channel 212 of DirecTV. And, if you sign up for the Total Sports Package, you get the Cardinal highlight and preview shows (on FSN AZ - Channel 649) - although much of the "live" stuff (including preseason football) is usually blacked out.

Although we have DirecTV receivers in 4 places in our home, we have Comcast (for Internet and Telephony and their basic-basic package) for backup to DirecTV in case of outage since it only costs us a couple of bucks a month more as part of our original Internet service package deal.

What you might consider doing is the exact opposite of what I did - i.e. take advantage of one of DirecTV's intro promotions (which might net you an antenna, one receiver and free installation for something like $150) sign up for only the programming you want (I believe you can cherrypick Sunday Ticket-Only or Total Sports-Only without having to subscribe to anything else) and then keep your Comcast service as your main service. I'm not positive you can do this, but I think you can.

Personally, I prefer DirecTV to Comcast, but I believe either option may be available to you.

 

[Russ Smith]

Can't get directv here without a huge hassle. Due to prior damage during installs they require a $1000 deposit to install a dish, even a dish on a tripod that makes absolutely no penetrations(we're renting an apartment right now).

I'm not even sure if that's legal but that's their rules and I just don't have the desire to fight them on it since I don't plan on being here past December.

ASsuming the sports tier is enabled in my area soon I will end up getting NFL net, if it's not, oh well, can't miss what I don't have.

At least I know they're not really expecting me to pay 48 more a month just to add either NFL net or HD, that would be criminal, just took a lot of my time this morning to get that actually answered.

 

[Stout]

Yeah, DirecTV is really the only way to go for people who want the NFL and NFL Network.

 

[Goober Man]

Can't get directv here without a huge hassle. Due to prior damage during installs they require a $1000 deposit to install a dish, even a dish on a tripod that makes absolutely no penetrations(we're renting an apartment right now).

I'm not even sure if that's legal but that's their rules and I just don't have the desire to fight them on it since I don't plan on being here past December.

ASsuming the sports tier is enabled in my area soon I will end up getting NFL net, if it's not, oh well, can't miss what I don't have.

At least I know they're not really expecting me to pay 48 more a month just to add either NFL net or HD, that would be criminal, just took a lot of my time this morning to get that actually answered.

if you live in an apartment it shouldn't be necessary to pay the $1000 desposit because you can setup the dish on the patio and have the wire go through the crack of the door,thats what i've done instead of haveing the wire go through the wall

 

[Heucrazy]

At least you have the option of getting the NFL network with Comcast.

Charter Cable doesn't offer it anywhere.

 

[Russ Smith]

if you live in an apartment it shouldn't be necessary to pay the $1000 desposit because you can setup the dish on the patio and have the wire go through the crack of the door,thats what i've done instead of haveing the wire go through the wall

yes but they specifically state ANY dish requires the deposit.

They're pretty strict, the other day we had a note asking us to remove dead plants on our balcony that were visible. First off, they weren't visible without looking over the balcony, second, they'd been there ONE DAY, my girlfriend moved a pot with 2 dead plants outside the day before.

Third, well there is no third but they're strict about it so I assume if I just hooked up my own dish they'd notice and demand the deposit right away.

I just can't believe the NFL gave them these games knowing they were going to do this sports tier thing and realizing there are going to be people who won't be able to get NFL Net without a lot of effort.

Apparently the NFL and cable companies are blaming each other for the problem based on the article I read this morning.

 

[Gambit]

yes but they specifically state ANY dish requires the deposit.

They're pretty strict, the other day we had a note asking us to remove dead plants on our balcony that were visible. First off, they weren't visible without looking over the balcony, second, they'd been there ONE DAY, my girlfriend moved a pot with 2 dead plants outside the day before.

Third, well there is no third but they're strict about it so I assume if I just hooked up my own dish they'd notice and demand the deposit right away.

I just can't believe the NFL gave them these games knowing they were going to do this sports tier thing and realizing there are going to be people who won't be able to get NFL Net without a lot of effort.

Apparently the NFL and cable companies are blaming each other for the problem based on the article I read this morning.

I believe this is the issue the NFL sued Comcast over and Comcast won. Or something. NFL wants it to be part of the basic cable package, cable companies know fans will pay extra for it. They will actually squeeze a little blood from the turnip.

 

[Lloydian]

yes but they specifically state ANY dish requires the deposit.

The FCC, on their web site, says that Over the Air Reception Device (OTARD) rules apply to rental locations. The FCC fact sheet indicates that restrictions cannot be placed to unreasonably increase the cost of the installation. Since you do not propose to drill any holes through the wall, they would have to assert that anything put on a balcony of similar size (a trash receptacle for instance) would incur the same deposit requirement.

That said, you'd probably have to spend some time in court to enforce this.

Reference: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

 

[Dr. Jones]

Come to the light my friends.......

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[Dr. Jones]

The FCC, on their web site, says that Over the Air Reception Device (OTARD) rules apply to rental locations. The FCC fact sheet indicates that restrictions cannot be placed to unreasonably increase the cost of the installation. Since you do not propose to drill any holes through the wall, they would have to assert that anything put on a balcony of similar size (a trash receptacle for instance) would incur the same deposit requirement.

That said, you'd probably have to spend some time in court to enforce this.

Reference: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

First.... That really sucks about the apartment issue... I had the same problems for a long time.

Second.. Speaking towards this issue directly, Most apartments required that I get my renters insurance increased to a larger amount. In some cases, I have found that landlords have said that in a windy or stormy situation, the tripod setup raises the chances of causing injuries to people walking under your deck. I believe that is why the apartment wants the $1000 deposit. Or it might be their comeback if you bring up the FCC ruling. If you have renters insurance you might want to offer the compromise of increased liability protection. That way, the apartment is covered from any damages a normal install may cause (drilling holes, etc.), or any injuries related to the increased ability to fall over from having a non-invasive tripod.

 

[Totally_Red]

2 cents worth

Cable companies are pricks out to rip off consumers any way possible.

IMO, they are squeezing the NFL any way they can in revenge for the NFL's exclusive arrangement with Directv over Sunday Ticket. And this is coming from a consumer with two cable options for to-the-house service. The local company and Mediacom refuse to put the Big Ten Network on expanded basic service. Go figure!

OTOH, Directv is equally greedy and has been raising the price of Sunday Ticket *and* their basic service each and every year. The basic service usually increases by double the inflation amount. NFL Ticket is up to $229 a season. This will be my last year. After the season I switch to Dish Network, where I can get NFL Network on the basic package.