Comcast Playing Tough With NFL Network -- But Consumers are Still Losing Posted by Bob at 05/22/07 02:27 PM

You may recall the big row that erupted a few months ago between cable companies and the NFL Network.

With the playoffs about the begin last December, the NFL Network dialed up the pressure on cable companies to carry its programming as part of their basic cable package. By forcing its way onto basic cable, the NFL Network would be able to claim to reach more viewers and charge higher advertising rates. And that would be in addition to the hefty fees the NFL Network charges the cable companies to carry its programming.

Some cable companies refused, arguing that putting the NFL Network on basic cable would be unfair because it would force cable subscribers who have no interest in football to pay for a channel they would never watch. You can read more about the whole sordid affair by clicking here and here.

It was against that backdrop that your humble correspondent received a notice in the mail from his cable company Comcast yesterday, which you can read by clicking here.

The notice said the NFL Network would no longer be available on my fairly basic cable package -- which is called Digital Plus. From now on the NFL Network will only be available as part of a new "Sports Entertainment Pack," which includes nine other sports channels ranging from Horse Racing TV to the Tennis Channel.

We stand by what we said when this standoff first surfaced last December: A pox on both their houses. The only clear loser in this battle from the beginning has been customers, who aren't allowed to choose and pay for only the channels they watch -- a fairly simple concept called channel choice or cable a la carte.

We won't be subscribing to the "Sports Entertainment Pack," even if it might mean we won't be able to watch a game or two involving our beloved Washington Redskins. This type of anti-consumer behavior -- by both the NFL Network and cable companies such as Comcast -- should not be encouraged.

By the way, we will watching closely to see if Comcast drops the price of the Digital Plus package now that it no longer includes the NFL Network. We're not holding our breath on that one, however.

comments (3)

1 Posted by Walter Fessenden at 06/01/07 05:57 PM

Our family would like to have Channel Choice....do not want to pay for trash TV programs.

2 Posted by cedric at 06/26/07 08:30 AM

this is not right! comcast is already very high!!i think i will drop HBO, cuz we know that the sopranos sucked!! maybe then i can afford th digital plus package.

3 Posted by John at 06/28/07 12:54 PM

Comcasts' dropping the NFL Network is a classic case of bait and switch. It wasn't available on the digital package, so I had to subscribe to the Digital PLUS package. I signed a contract, they broke it and all they can say is "Oh well, that's how it is now". Gee, thank God the FCC is so worried about XM and Sirius merging...why not break up the Comcast monopoly?