Updated: Versus, DirecTV Disconnect In Carriage Dispute
Parties Blame Each Other As Comcast's National Sports Service Goes Dark On Top DBS Operator
Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 9/1/2009 1:22:45 AM
The carriage dispute between DirecTV and sports network Versus has resulted in the service going dark on the No. 1 satellite provider.
DirecTV, in a statement early this morning, said that Comcast, which owns Versus, "has forced us to take down the channel because we will not agree to their ridiculous demands that simply do not reflect current market valuations for their programming." The contract expired at midnight on Sept. 1.
Versus, which has a different view of the distribution proceedings, responded with its own statement: "On behalf of millions of passionate sports fans, we are disappointed that DirecTV has chosen to remove Versus from its service and deny their subscribers access to our all-encompassing coverage of the sports they love. Since our last deal with DirecTV, Versus has added many marquee properties and has become one of the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country. Versus offered DirecTV a fair and reasonable offer to carry the network at the market price. We hope DirecTV will make the right decision for their customers and put Versus back on the air."
According to SNL Kagan, Versus is getting about 18 cents per subscriber per month in monthly carriage fees from distributors in 2009.
DirecTV said it already pays Versus more than any other independent distributor and that the 20% hike it is seeking "for what is basically a paid programming and infomercial channel with occasional sporting events of interest is simply piggish."
Versus, formerly Outdoor Life Network, was rebranded in 2006 and is the exclusive national cable home of the National Hockey League, and the U.S. home of the Tour de France bicycle race. It also carries collegiate sports from the Pac-10, Big 12, Mountain West and Ivy League conferences; the Professional Bull Riders (PBR); World Extreme Cage fighting; and the Indy Racing League, among other properties.
In the weeks ahead, Versus will present some high-profile events, including college football matches pitting No. 2 Texas at Wyoming and No. 18 Florida State at No. 20 BYU on Sept. 12 and 19, respectively; Indy Car Series races on Sept. 18 and Oct. 10; the opening face-off of the National Hockey League season, with Washington visiting Boston on Oct. 1; and a live WEC fight on Oct. 10.
Versus enters the fall season with significant Nielsen momentum, coming off the most-watched NHL postseason on cable since 2002 and the highest-rated conference semifinal and conference final rounds on the medium in more than a decade, while the 2009 Tour de France was the most-watched in its history, as more than 46 million tuned its 14 hours of daily coverage of the cycling's top race.
The dispute also pertains to positioning as DirecTV has offered Versus on its Choice Xtra level of service and above.
DirecTV said that Comcast allows other distributors to carry Versus at much lower level of distribution, including Dish Network, which positions it on its AT250 package.
"Comcast has set a market with arms length negotiations with these other distributors and DirecTV expects equal treatment," the satellite provider said.
DirecTV, noting that it offered to continue Versus through the end of September while negotiations continued, said it has heard from a small number of subscribers who were unhappy about the network being pulled.
"But we want them to understand that we must hold the line on programming costs and protect them from unwarranted price increases, especially in this challenging economy," according to DirecTV.
-
Looks to me like Direc TV ought to ask us about what
we want. All I know is I got Versus and then I did't
with no decrease in my bill!
Gary Deskins
Clinton, MO
with no change in my bill!
Gary Deskins
Clinton, MO
gary deskins - 12/15/2009 9:49:03 AM EST -
DirectTV has been my choice but lately with this Versus crap going on and not 'all' of the NHL games being available on the Center Ice package, I am seriously considering a switch asap. Versus is really a crappy channel except for the NHL (at least for me) I don't give a crap about bull riding or fly fishing or bike races. I just wish I could get AT&T UVERSE or Verizon Fios in my area because I would switch in a heartbeat!
Mark - 12/3/2009 12:34:20 PM EST -
So I recommended Direct TV to my best friend and neighbor. He's 81 and an ex-bull rider. Following the PBR is his passion. He followed my reccomendation and changed from Comcast to Direct Tv late in August....and immediately lost Versus. I'll never forgive myself for reccomending Direct TV. If he cancels his contract, Direct TV has vicious penalties.
A letter to Direct TV, pleading for the channel, telling them that extra charges were OK, was answered with the same form letter that everyone else received.
My 81 year old friend was told that there would be huge penalty charges for breaking their new contract with Direct TV. I feel that Direct TV has broken their contract with US.
Eliz Donahue - 10/28/2009 11:13:51 PM EDT -
I personally can't stand DirecTV or Comcast. DirecTV: They tried to get exclusive rights to the MLB, had exclusive to the NFL, until the NFL came out with the Red Zone (btw $5.99 a month with DISH's multi sports pack in place of $100+ a month fpr Sunday Ticket on DirecTV), and wine about having to pay more for Versus. Of course Comcast will charge them more, considering how much DirecTV screwed them by obtaining exclusive rights to several events. They call Comcast piggish, but lets use Cinemax as an example. On Verizon Fios and I also think AT&T Universe, Cinemax costs about $13 a month, and there is every Cinemax channel with most offering both east and west coast feeds, DirecTV has only 2 of the Cinemax channels, with one having both east and west coast feeds, AT THE SAME PRICE! They call out DISH, but brog about being the sattelite's exclusive provider of the YES Network. Basically, they run their mouths when times are good, and complain when times are bad. In the end, they are quick to monopolize what they can and screw the consumer. Am I right about them providing less Sirius XM music channels than DISH also?
Comcast: Money hungry! If you have phone and ISP from them, your all right. The minute you get into TV with them watch out. In my area, The Movie Channel is offered at $20 a month, and there are only 2 channels. That's the same price as any other premium service, which provide more channels. 6 channels of Showtime or 2 of The Movie Channel? Any other service offers it along with Showtime, or better yet Fios gives it with Showtime, Starz, and Encore for $15 a month. DISH offers it in its top 250 package with Encore, no subscription fee for either. As for sports, wasn't Comcast just in a simular dispute with the NFL Network, over the same 2 issues? Cry back in the spring and pull the same crap in the fall.
I'm with the person who said that they were switching away from both Comcast and DirecTV. Go to a third party (DISH, Verizon, AT&T, etc.) and when you sign up with them, tell them why you are there, so they know that when they become too money hungry like DirecTV and Comcast, they won't be surprised that you left them too.
Jack Jackson - 10/3/2009 2:33:14 PM EDT -
If you're a cycling fan then Versus is pretty much the only channel you MUST HAVE. There are a couple big races on Universal Sports and several minor races on other stations but Versus and only Versus carries about 90% of what cycling fans want.
I switched to DirecTV 9 years ago specifically to get OLN but I just dropped them for Dish Network last week. Dish Network has a good package and good introductory rates and it really wasn't that much hassle; also their Versus contract is confirmed for at least three more years.
I can't believe anybody really cares what contract disputes Comcast and DirecTV have had or which entity is the bigger butthead. DirecTV made a business decision, I'm sure they knew to high accuracy how many people would leave because of it... no hard feelings... bye bye.
Diablo Scott - 9/30/2009 6:47:21 PM EDT
DirecTV Could Drop Versus
08/19/2009Versus, DirecTV Talk; Remain Disconnected
09/18/2009Versus to Move to Comcast HQ in Philadelphia
10/07/2007
VIEW ALL PODCASTS
