Kerry Offers To Broker Cable-NFL Deal
Senator Invites NFL, Comcast, Time Warner to D.C. Office
By Ted Hearn -- Multichannel News, 12/12/2007 6:52:00 AM
Washington – Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) wants to meet here next week in person with officials from the National Football League, Comcast and Time Warner Cable to broker a deal designed to ensure that millions of fans get to witness on cable TV whether the New England Patriots can complete their regular season undefeated.
New England, which is 13-0, has to win two more games before they travel to play the New York Giants on Dec. 29 in a match televised exclusively by the NFL Network. Time Warner isn’t carrying the NFL-owned channel and just 1 million Comcast customers have signed up for the sports tier that includes the NFL Network. The two cable giants combined serve about 38 million customers.
“Given the unique circumstances surrounding this [New York] game, we cannot allow proprietary interests to trump commercial interests and prevent an agreement from being reached in time to ensure the broadest possible level of viewership,” Kerry said. “Since time is of the essence, I would ask that representatives from the NFL, Time Warner and Comcast join me in a meeting next week in my Washington office to discuss potential solutions to this problem.”
This past April, Kerry, looking out for distant members of Red Sox Nation, helped cable pay-per-view provider In Demand restart negotiations to gain access to the Major League Baseball's Extra Innings out-of-market games package. In Demand secured a seven-year deal to distribute Extra Innings and the planned MLB Channel.
The NFL claims the Comcast and Time Warner, by refusing to carry the channel on a widely viewed programming tier, are denying consumers access to some of the most popular programming on TV. The cable companies, on the other hand, insist the NFL is demanding too much money and that only die-hard NFL loyalists should bear the cost, not everyone with a cable subscription.
Kerry, offering to play peacemaker, sent identical letters Wednesday to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Comcast executive vice president David Cohen and Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt.
Evidently confident that the Patriots won’t stumble and lose a game before the contest with the Giants, Kerry stressed that his goal in seeking a solution was to protect the interest of the fans.
“The popularity of the [NFL] was built around the accessibility of the game to the fans. If possible, such a principle should be upheld with respect to a game of this significance,” Kerry said. “I remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached in time to ensure that a maximum number of Massachusetts residents, as well as football fans across the country, are able to view this game.”
The NFL Network said it would meet with Kerry and cable company officials, but stressed its goal is long-term carriage.
"We are prepared to negotiate immediately --anytime and anywhere -- with Time Warner and Comcast for a long-term solution that will make NFL Network and its 24/7 programming available on a broad and affordable basis," the NFL Network said in a statement. "We are fully prepared to meet with Senator Kerry next week along with Time Warner and Comcast. We are not interested in a piecemeal approach that involves broader distribution of NFL Network for only one game. The full NFL Network service should be easily accessible and affordable on Time Warner and Comcast on a year-round basis, just as their own channels are, and just as NFL Network is on the two satellite companies, telco video providers and 240 other cable companies."
Under prior agreement, the Patriots-Giants game will be seen on broadcast TV in the Boston and New York markets. Cable operators carry local TV signals under contract or under Federal Communications Commission mandatory carriage rules.
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if you dont want to pay for NFL network how come you aren't complaining about the games on ESPN? isn't that just another channel you pay for? funny how every sees it as greed for the NFL network and the owners but nobody says anything about all the rate increases the cable companies charge. would all of you be advocating that the game be moved to a free channel if the final Pats game was scheduled for ESPN (cause not everyone has ESPN). stay out of this senator Kerry, you aren't looking out for anyone but yourself with this foolish attempt to try and play negotiator. stay strong NFL network and maybe more people will realize what a monopoly the cable companies are and that you can break free of their stranglehold on your community.
mike interbartolo - 12/15/2007 1:38:00 PM EST -
I am hoping Kerry can help the NFLN and Comcast/Time Warner settle their differences and come up with some sort of deal that would ensure carriage of the NFL Network. If Comcast and Time Warner can make a reasonable deal (and I really mean Time Warner) then other cable companies holding out can get the network like Cablevision, Charter, Mediacom, Suddenlink, and others.
Josh - 12/14/2007 2:58:00 AM EST -
Ditto Quigley Spargus. The only reason this game will not be seen on broadcast TV is the greed of the NFL and its owners. I do NOT want yet another channel that I don't watch to be charged to me and my cable bill. I do hope that Comcast and Time Warner do not cave. The NFL can put this game on regular Broadcast TV if they want the widest audience.
James Henry - 12/13/2007 4:45:00 PM EST -
Message to Senator Heinz 57, you want the broadest audience to enjoy the game? Abandon your efforts to pad the pockets of 32 multi-millionaire/billionaire owners and advocate the failure of NFL Network. Return the games to broadcasters where they once were so that all might enjoy as we once did. I would say where they are free but congress took care of that too with Retrans. I do not want the NFL Network - it's not worth $15 a year for me to endure Bryant Gimples stumbling play-by-play. Stand strong Comcast & Time Warner and all the others that have said "No way - NFL"
Quigley Spargus - 12/13/2007 7:13:00 AM EST -
I say to everyone reading this to start writing ceos of major official sponsorhips of the NFL. Ther are several like Pepsico, Coors, Home Depot, and many more. I have sent out numerous letters like this one( I am writing to you for your help and if not you, maybe you could forward this e-mail to the right person.
I am aware that your company is the official sponsor of the NFL. This puts your company in a place of power. On December 29th 2007, the New England Patriots will be taking the field with a possible record of 15-0. No doubt this will be the biggest record breaking Nielson rating sporting event ever. Oops, sorry no it won't because many people who are stuck with cable like me will not be able to see the game. Trust me, if I had my way I would cut down the 1000 acres of 50 to 60 ft trees in back of the apartment where I live for a clean line of sight for satellite. I am sure you understand this is not possible.
All I am asking is that you use your power of persuasion with the NFL to get this possible historic sporting event placed on a broader network for simulcast or switch it out with one of the Sunday games. I understand you have contracts and everything and it is not as easy as I make it out to be, but this is possibly going to be the biggest NFL game in 35 years and people all over the country and world who are football fans deserve to see this game whether or not they get the NFL Network.)
requesting that these companies use their power to show the NFL that this game should not be on only the NFLN.
chris - 12/12/2007 3:00:00 PM EST
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