Both sides in NFL Network dispute dig in
Recent court ruling resolves issue for only a small group of Time Warner subscribers
August 11, 2006
By Doug Nye, The State Newspaper (South Carolina)
THE NFL NETWORK is hoping a recent ruling by the Federal Communications Commission will pave the way for it to be carried on Time Warner Cable systems throughout the country.
Don’t count on that happening anytime soon.
“I would say that’s pretty far away,” said Dan Santelle, vice-president and director of marketing of Time Warner Columbia. “Negotiations on the corporate level are continuing, but I think it will be a while before an agreement is reached.”
The FCC ruling concerned an action by Time Warner after it took over Adelphia cable, which had been carrying the NFL Network. Time Warner dropped the channel from the lineup. Hilton Head Island was the only Adelphia system in South Carolina that carried the NFL Network.
“We felt that since we didn’t have an agreement with the NFL, we shouldn’t be carrying it,” Santelle said.
The NFL countered by filing a complaint with the FCC, which decided last week that Time Warner should restore the channel to those former Adelphia systems. The media bureau of the FCC criticized Time Warner for not giving subscribers a 30-day notice that the channel was going to be dropped.
For nearly three years, the NFL Network has been a year-round, 24-hour-a-day channel with a lineup of news conferences, NFL Europe games, studio shows and NFL Films productions.
Beginning Thanksgiving Day, the channel will have exclusive live coverage of eight regular season NFL games. Bryant Gumbel will do play-by-play while Cris Collinsworth and thingy Vermeil will serve as analysts.
With those games added to its lineup, the NFL figures it has a solid product to sell. Time Warner thinks the price is too high.
According to the Time Warner-created Web site
nflgetreal.com, the NFL wants the cable company to pay $100 million to carry the network.
The NFL also wants it to be placed on the expanded basic cable package. Time Warner’s position is that the network belongs in a digital sports tier.
If it were on basic cable, all customers — sports fans and non-sports fans — would see a rise in their bills. A New York Times article estimated the increase would be at least 50 cents.
“We just don’t think it is fair to do it that way,” Santelle said. “A sports tier allows those people who are interested in the network to get it. Hopefully, one day a long-term agreement will be reached and we can launch it.”
Meanwhile, Santelle was more optimistic about ESPN2 high definition and ESPNU coming to Time Warner.
“I really think we’re close to making it happen, especially ESPN2 HD, and we’re getting pretty close with ESPNU,” Santelle said. “I’ll say anywhere from 30 to 60 days.”ESPNU will have an extensive college football schedule this season. Among those already announced are Florida Atlantic at Clemson (Sept. 2), Furman at North Carolina (Sept. 16) and Temple vs. Clemson at Charlotte (Oct. 12).
Moderator's note: added link to nflgetreal.com
