Out-of-market RSN's moving to HD Premium Tier

RemyM · ‎01-28-2010

AT&T notified the CT DPUC of the following:

Beginning December 15, 2010, AT&T is making changes to the channels available in the Sports Package which is included with U400 and U450 packages. Regional Sports Network channels that are considered out-of-market will be transitioned from their current standard definition format to a high definition format and will be moved into the HD Premium Tier with different channel locations. Customers who subscribe to the HD Premium Tier will continue to receive out-of-market Regional Sports Network channels.

http://www.dpuc.state.ct.us/DPUCUndocketed.nsf/88f12116235902e185256a860056babb/85256a63004def968525...

JefferMC · ‎11-16-2009

Well, now. That's bound to make some folks unhappy.

texasguy37 · ‎05-18-2009

That would be fantastic to have all those in HD!

SomeJoe7777 · ‎01-30-2008

There's multiple ways to look at this.

Advantages

Currently, if you subscribe to U450 or the Sports Package, you get all the out-of-market RSNs, but only in SD. This move makes them available in HD, which is something that has never been available before.
If you don't currently subscribe to HD Premium Tier, you won't get them at all but if you're a pro sports fan, you wouldn't be missing anything since all the pro games were blacked out on those stations anyway.
[Speculative] It's curious that this involves Connecticut. By moving RSNs to the HDPT, they are creating a revenue stream, possibly enough to pay additional license fees for some stations, particularly in Connecticut, that they don't currently carry. This may end up allowing AT&T to provide MSG HD or other RSNs in that area or possible similar situations in other areas of the country.

Disadvantages

If you don't subscribe to HDPT and you want these channels, you'll have to subscribe to HDPT at $5/month. Fortunately, that's not a huge cost (it's less than a burger and fries once a month).
If you're a college sports fan, this causes the college games to go away unless you subscribe to HDPT.

Dead_Terrorist · ‎09-11-2009

Joe... you hit it on the head (again)!!! I imagine it will get everyone stirred up thinking they will be getting "pro content" .. but again, you can't get that without the league specific packages. (MLB Extra Innings, Center Ice, it's)...

larry11 · ‎10-09-2010

Dead_Terrorist wrote:
Joe... you hit it on the head (again)!!! I imagine it will get everyone stirred up thinking they will be getting "pro content" .. but again, you can't get that without the league specific packages. (MLB Extra Innings, Center Ice, it's)...

And U-verse won't carry them/Just peachy

hwkn · ‎05-25-2010

They ought to raise the U450 package by $5 and just give us the HD premium tier.[don't go taking away channels we're paying for without lowering our bill to maske up for the lost channels]

SomeJoe7777 · ‎01-30-2008

One other variable that's missing in this equation:

This notice was filed in Connecticut. Will this programming change apply nationwide, or is this for Connecticut only?

I would think if it was nationwide that we would get a postcard discussing the change.

hwkn · ‎05-25-2010

I hope you're right.

Dead_Terrorist · ‎09-11-2009

So far, pretty much everything Remy has posted from the DPUC affects the country .. I highly doubt UV would make such a drastic move for their smallest territory (no offense to my cousins in CT).

SomeJoe7777 · ‎01-30-2008

Dead_Terrorist wrote:

So far, pretty much everything Remy has posted from the DPUC affects the country .. I highly doubt UV would make such a drastic move for their smallest territory (no offense to my cousins in CT).

I would ordinarily agree, but Connecticut is the one market where they're having the most trouble getting carriage rights for RSNs.

mibrnsurg · ‎07-15-2008

SomeJoe7777 wrote:

One other variable that's missing in this equation:

This notice was filed in Connecticut. Will this programming change apply nationwide, or is this for Connecticut only?

I would think if it was nationwide that we would get a postcard discussing the change.

Every CT notice like this has applied nationwide on the Uverse system up to this point, so I would think this will occur to all Uverse users. Have a hunch only CT has to be informed and publish that information.

Postcard? Maybe yes or no, seems to be hit /miss on just about every programming change. Since these are new channels and not deleteing SD from u400/u450/sports package there is no change, new programming is being added.

Edit: Might indeed be a postcard as there would be a change in the HD premium tier and make it more attractive.

Chris

Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
1-800-288-2020, Press # a bunch of times, get a menu from Mr. Voice recognition
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

RemyM · ‎01-28-2010

SomeJoe7777 wrote:
It's curious that this involves Connecticut. By moving RSNs to the HDPT, they are creating a revenue stream, possibly enough to pay additional license fees for some stations, particularly in Connecticut, that they don't currently carry. This may end up allowing AT&T to provide MSG HD or other RSNs in that area or possible similar situations in other areas of the country.

The reason they don't carry MSG HD is because MSG won't sell it to them. MSG used to be owned by Cablevision, MSG was spun off into its own company but still has the same controlling party. Since Uverse competes with Cablevision in CT they don't want Uverse to have MSG HD so Cablevision gets a competitive advantage.

SomeJoe7777 · ‎01-30-2008

RemyM wrote:

The reason they don't carry MSG HD is because MSG won't sell it to them. MSG used to be owned by Cablevision, MSG was spun off into its own company but still has the same controlling party. Since Uverse competes with Cablevision in CT they don't want Uverse to have MSG HD so Cablevision gets a competitive advantage.

True, but everyone eventually has their price where they give in, no? If U-Verse makes enough money in HDPT receipts to offer MSG enough cash, they'll sell.

RemyM · ‎01-28-2010

mibrnsurg wrote:

Every CT notice like this has applied nationwide on the Uverse system up to this point, so I would think this will occur to all Uverse users. Have a hunch only CT has to be informed and publish that information.

CT law requires them to give 30 days notice before making a programing change. The DPUC has a great website where all the notices are posted, that's why we get the info first.

RemyM · ‎01-28-2010

SomeJoe7777 wrote:
RemyM wrote:

The reason they don't carry MSG HD is because MSG won't sell it to them. MSG used to be owned by Cablevision, MSG was spun off into its own company but still has the same controlling party. Since Uverse competes with Cablevision in CT they don't want Uverse to have MSG HD so Cablevision gets a competitive advantage.

True, but everyone eventually has their price where they give in, no? If U-Verse makes enough money in HDPT receipts to offer MSG enough cash, they'll sell.

Uverse could offer them $10 per sub and they still wouldn't sell it to them. It's about subscribers to the cable service not viewers for MSG.

hwkn · ‎05-25-2010

When they do move the RSN's to the HD Premium tier the Sports Package will be effectively kaput.[only about 5 channels left]

mibrnsurg · ‎07-15-2008

RemyM wrote:

mibrnsurg wrote:

Every CT notice like this has applied nationwide on the Uverse system up to this point, so I would think this will occur to all Uverse users. Have a hunch only CT has to be informed and publish that information.

CT law requires them to give 30 days notice before making a programing change. The DPUC has a great website where all the notices are posted, that's why we get the info first.

Just looked on all edockets on MPSC website here in MI and ATT does not have to file programming changes w/MPSC, only disputes w/cities about Uverse problems.

Chris

Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
1-800-288-2020, Press # a bunch of times, get a menu from Mr. Voice recognition
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

SomeJoe7777 · ‎01-30-2008

RemyM wrote:

Uverse could offer them $10 per sub and they still wouldn't sell it to them. It's about subscribers to the cable service not viewers for MSG.

I disagree that it's about subscribers to the cable service. It's about money. MSG HD has been missing from U-Verse for a long time, so any customer who really wants this channel has already switched to Cablevision. Cablevision can't pick up any more customers over MSG HD.

If Cablevision grants AT&T redistribution rights, then Cablevision potentially loses some customers. They have to weigh the loss of those customers vs. the gain in revenue from whatever AT&T wants to pay them for it. If there's more money to be made by licensing to AT&T, then they'll do it.

RemyM · ‎01-28-2010

SomeJoe7777 wrote:
RemyM wrote:

Uverse could offer them $10 per sub and they still wouldn't sell it to them. It's about subscribers to the cable service not viewers for MSG.

I disagree that it's about subscribers to the cable service. It's about money. MSG HD has been missing from U-Verse for a long time, so any customer who really wants this channel has already switched to Cablevision. Cablevision can't pick up any more customers over MSG HD.

If Cablevision grants AT&T redistribution rights, then Cablevision potentially loses some customers. They have to weigh the loss of those customers vs. the gain in revenue from whatever AT&T wants to pay them for it. If there's more money to be made by licensing to AT&T, then they'll do it.

But there isn't any more money to be made by MSG. If someone switched from Cablevision to Uverse MSG has no change in the number of subscribers it has since Uverse carries MSG in SD. No significant extra revenue is generated from the HD version. However, Cablevision loses a sub who was paying $140 a month on average.

texasguy37 · ‎05-18-2009

hwkn wrote:
They ought to raise the U450 package by $5 and just give us the HD premium tier.[don't go taking away channels we're paying for without lowering our bill to maske up for the lost channels]

What if you have the U450 package and are not interested in receiving the channels in the HD Premium Tier? Why would those customers want to pay an extra $5 for those channels?

hwkn · ‎05-25-2010

Then you're between a rock and a hard place......either you move down to the U300 package or switch providers.[or accept that you're going to have the HD Premium tier whether you like it or not]

texasguy37 · ‎05-18-2009

Sounds like a lose-lose situation for both AT&T and the customers.

hwkn · ‎05-25-2010

Losing channels but paying the same for less is definitely a lose-lose proposition for the customer.

Dead_Terrorist · ‎09-11-2009

IMHO .. I think this will clear up the misconceptions / misrepresentations of the Sports Package. Everyone (CSRs included) thought the Sports Package was for pro content, now it will be strictly for those channels is was really meant for.

NHL Network

Sportsman Channel

CBS College Sports Network

Fox College Sports - Atlantic, Central, Pacific

Fox Deportes

GolTV

The Tennis Channel

TVG Network

Horse Racing TV

Outdoor Channel

Now, for us College Sports fans who will lose all those exciting games not normally carried in our area, we will have to pony up an extra $5 (course I already have it, so it's neutral to me).

hwkn · ‎05-25-2010

What's going to happen to the Sports Tier now that they're basically rendering it undesirable?....will they move the remaining channels into a regular tier?[there'll only be around 10 left after they move the RSN's and it won't be worth paying for that tier at that point]

Dead_Terrorist · ‎09-11-2009

hwkn .. I don't know about that .. .as much [Word Filter Violation] and complaining about adding CBS College Sports, then The Tennis Channel and lately NHL Network.. folks might disagree with you.

Me, I always subscribe to the "all you can eat" anyway, so it's usually moot to me.

Mobutu · ‎12-10-2009

My only beef is I don't want those sports stations cluttering up my HDPT. That is one of the "shortcuts" that I use the most and all those sports packages will clutter it up.

texasguy37 · ‎05-18-2009

hwkn wrote:

Losing channels but paying the same for less is definitely a lose-lose proposition for the customer.

Do you currently subscribe to the U450 package and the HD Premium Tier?

texasguy37 · ‎05-18-2009

Dead_Terrorist wrote:

hwkn .. I don't know about that .. .as much [text removed] and complaining about adding CBS College Sports, then The Tennis Channel and lately NHL Network.. folks might disagree with you.

Me, I always subscribe to the "all you can eat" anyway, so it's usually moot to me.

I could be wrong, but I would suspect that the majority of sports fans who subscribe to the Sports Package also subscribe to the HD Premium Tier Package (in order to receive the NFL Red Zone Channel). Thus, they won't lose any channels. They will gain the out of market RSN's in HD in the HD Premium Tier.