Did Dish Network just drop BTN?

[MNHawkeyeFreak]

[/B]Claaasic! I'm lucky that my kids are old enough to buy me drinks at the bar... but do you think they ever would?

No kidding! Our two adult daughters always play the waiting game when it comes to the food and drink bill!

 

[DesMoinesHawki]

I just got off the phone with DISH. In a nutshell, I got them to go give me what amounts to a $250 credit over the next year. The rep on the phone said he thinks BTN will be back. And, he even told me to keep checking back today as last week they reached a tentative agreement 5 minutes before the game. Again, this was one rep telling me this. I would assume they keep their reps informed. While today's games might be a wash BTN will have to be back on BTN. DISH can't afford to lose the channel.

 

[treychase]

It would not surprise me one bit of DTV drops BTN. There is dwindling support for it even in the B1G footprint. Here in KC, people don't even know it exists.

 

[mccarthyizm]

It would not surprise me one bit of DTV drops BTN. There is dwindling support for it even in the B1G footprint. Here in KC, people don't even know it exists.

The numbers indicate the exact opposite.

 

[mccarthyizm]

Same here, and it'll probably happen.

I doubt it. For one, DirecTV markets themselves as the choice for sports. Second of all, if the BTN is still not on Dish when the DirecTV contract negotiations begin, then they'll have a lot less leverage. Something tells me BTN isn't willing to be unavailable on both satellite platforms.

 

[HawkeyeShane]

You could get the Multi-Sports package from Dish for $9 a month which includes BTN. Call them back and tell them your going to drop them and maybe they'll offer the Multi-Sports package to try out for a couple months for free ?

I'm going to guess that that's not true since I pay to have BTN included on my Top 120 package and it's not there...it's not about which package you have, it's about BTN and Dish not having an agreement.

 

[HawkeyeShane]

I ended up with $20 off my bill for the next three months and $10 off my bill for the 21 months after that. All without any obligation to continue service if the negotations don't resolve themselves. Good luck to all.

My biggest issue now is how I can text my wife and tell her that she needs to leave her friend's baby shower early to come home and watch our kids so I can find a bar to watch the game in. Any suggestions on the "correct" language to use in that text.

"Baby, I want you! Come home now for big papi!" should be your opener...save the rest of it til after she comes bursting through the door...

 

[HawkeyeShane]

I worry about switching over to DirectTv and then having to go through this crap again

Same here, and it'll probably happen.

Speaking of this, does anyone know how much longer Dtv and BTN are under contract?

 

[DwayneTwill]

I doubt it. For one, DirecTV markets themselves as the choice for sports. Second of all, if the BTN is still not on Dish when the DirecTV contract negotiations begin, then they'll have a lot less leverage. Something tells me BTN isn't willing to be unavailable on both satellite platforms.

Oh, I don't believe they'll actually drop it, but there will be a very similar negotiation and Direct TV will have to fork over a lot more money to carry the BTN. I disagree with your second point, if BTN isn't on Dish when the contract is up with DTV, they'll want big money from DTV to be the 'exclusive' satellite provider. They'll have Direct over a barrel and will be able to threaten to go back to Dish if they don't get their money from DTV.

 

[HawkeyeShane]

Oh, I don't believe they'll actually drop it, but there will be a very similar negotiation and Direct TV will have to fork over a lot more money to carry the BTN. I disagree with your second point, if BTN isn't on Dish when the contract is up with DTV, they'll want big money from DTV to be the 'exclusive' satellite provider. They'll have Direct over a barrel and will be able to threaten to go back to Dish if they don't get their money from DTV.

Not to mention there's always the cable option...no matter how slimy it is.

 

[brett108]

The numbers indicate the exact opposite.

What numbers? A few people on a message board is not a broad slice of any demographic. And people whining about it not being on the sports tier are right. Its not because the B10 doesn't allow it. I applaud dish for saying no to a product that only interests about 10 of the 50 states. No one outside of Big10 country watches it. They shouldn't be forced to pay for it like Delaney would want.

 

[HawkeyeShane]

What numbers? A few people on a message board is not a broad slice of any demographic. And people whining about it not being on the sports tier are right. Its not because the B10 doesn't allow it. I applaud dish for saying no to a product that only interests about 10 of the 50 states. No one outside of Big10 country watches it. They shouldn't be forced to pay for it like Delaney would want.

Exactly...Dish should be applauded because we all know that the alumni of the 12 universities involved only live in the states those universities are located in...and who WOULDN'T want to risk losing 20% of their business' footprint!?!?