Expert

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1.3K Messages

Thursday, May 10th, 2012 7:02 PM

Time Warner Cable Sports to Tip Off Lakers-Centric RSNs on Oct. 1

It will be interesting to see what type of carriage issues arise with these new sports channels.  Here is an excerpt from the article found in the link below:

 

It's official now: Time Warner Cable will tip off its two regional sports networks, centering on the Los Angeles Lakers, on Oct. 1.


The largest MSO in Los Angeles will bow Time Warner Cable SportsNet and Spanish-language RSN Time Warner Cable Deportes, which will have its own production team and programming sensibilities, shortly before the National Basketball Association begins its 2012-13 season, according to Time Warner Cable Sports president David Rone.


The foundation for the services was established in February 2011, when Time Warner Cable secured local rights to the Lakers -- whose games have been televised by Fox Sports West and KCAL-TV -- for a 20-year period in a deal that is reportedly valued at $3 billion. Since then, Time Warner Cable Sports also gained rights to the defending Major League Soccer champion Los Angeles Galaxy and the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.

Rone, in an interview, said Time Warner Cable counts some 2 million customers in the RSNs' territory that extends from "Fresno to the north, the Mexican border to the south, east to Palm Springs and Las Vegas, and Hawaii to the west." All told, those areas encompass some 6 million TV homes.



Rone said that he, senior vice president and general manager of Time Warner Cable Sports Regional Networks Mark Shuken and Dan Finnerty, the senior vice president of Time Warner Cable Sports, who heads affiliate sales, recently began discussions with potential distributors.

 

"We have not had many of them, they literally began last week. In between now and the NCTA Cable Show [which starts May 21 in Boston}, we will have gotten in front of all of the MVPDs that we need to speak to. I'm stressing MVPDs because we're speaking to MSOs, satellite companies and telcos."


Rone would not discuss pricing. Published reports have placed the ask at $3.50 per subscriber for the pair of networks. For his part, ISI Group analyst Vijay Jayant pegs the price at $2.50 per month per subscriber.



A former  executive at Fox Sports, CAA and Evolution Media Capital, Rone did say Time Warner Cable Sports' distribution game plan calls for equal footing for the services.

 

http://www.multichannel.com/article/484345-Time_Warner_Cable_Sports_to_Tip_Off_Lakers_Centric_RSNs_on_Oct_1.php

ACE - Expert

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605 Messages

13 years ago

Fox Soccer Plus is $15 a month, iirc. Big difference from the $3.95 you're willing to pay.
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Contributor

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1 Message

13 years ago

Get the deal done already! If at&t doesn't get twc sportsnet soon, i'm going to cancel in a week or so, I'm not taking any chances and miss any regular season games.

ACE - Master

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480 Messages

13 years ago


@Michaelmaxwell2012 wrote:

I understand business needs.  I also understand that The Los Angeleds Lakers are one of the most valuable franchises in all of sports.  They are an international brand.  Smaller regional networks command a very simialar price. I understand that sports networks have increased the able bill of everyone who doesn;t watch sports.  I completely get that.  IMHO customers should be able to purchase these networks a la carte (liek Fox Soccer channel)  I would willingly pay 3.95 personally for my laker games.  

 

 

But this is where ATT/Verizon. TWC/comacast and all the other guys run the game their way.  Yes netwroks (Turner TW) shove certain channels down cable companies throats by refusing to package certain channels.  This is extremely common.  

 

ATT doesn't want indivual a la carte cable channels.  BC people wouldn;t subscribe to 90% of channels.  Nor would most media companies,  then they'd be forced to produce quality programming. 

 

anyway

 

i am not alone

 

you think i'm kidding that lakers fanbs will revolt.. try it.. 

 

uverse will bleed customers

 

especially with this team

 


You do realize that only those in the LA viewing area will be able to view the game regardless of what provider you have.  NBA blackouts prevent viewing of professional teams outside of the regional viewing area.  So even if UVerse or Cox or Comcast or Dish or Direct had a contract with TWC for the channel they still wouldn't be able to watch the games outside of LA.

” Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports … all others are games.”- Ernest Hemingway
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*I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.

Mentor

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12 Messages

13 years ago

I was looking at Titan TV listings in my area and see the following:

 

1777  TWCLAHD

 

1779  TWCESPHH

 

I assume its English and Spanish TWC Los Angeles networks in HD.  I don't see them in the SD area though.  Can someone else confirm if they are seeing the same thing? 

ACE - Master

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480 Messages

13 years ago

Yes I'm seeing it. Titan has been wrong before, and they have also jumped the gun on putting listings in that contracts haven't been finalized but in the works.  Who knows, maybe it will show up one day. AT&T usually doesn't announce any channel until a few weeks after it's been added

 

” Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports … all others are games.”- Ernest Hemingway
Award for Community Excellence Achiever*
*I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.

Contributor

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1 Message

12 years ago

great, no lakers but now i got another channel appearing FSSD   san diego i guess.  wow minor league baseball in the padres-now that the season is over.   ohhhhh that with make me forget all about the lakers.  3 fox sport channels  really?

 

and yeah i know nobody has the channel yet

Tutor

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8 Messages

12 years ago

I can't get the Lakers!!  If I can't get them on U-Verse TV, I'll have to switch services.  Tell me I will be able to see the Lakers...I really don't want to have to go through the hassle!

Tutor

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8 Messages

12 years ago

The bottom line is, I can't get the Lakers!  Why even have cable TV???

Tutor

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8 Messages

12 years ago

So...We're being screwed by the Lakers AND by our local TV provider.  Great.  If this is about a lousy 3.95 per month, we'll pay it.  Otherwise, guess we'll have to switch back to TWC...

Tutor

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8 Messages

12 years ago

So...We're being screwed by the Lakers AND by our TV providers...

Tutor

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8 Messages

12 years ago

I know I'm getting out if something doesn't happen soon...

Tutor

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8 Messages

12 years ago

When will be getting the Lakers games in Southern California???

Expert

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1.3K Messages

12 years ago


@rwnewell wrote:

 

So...We're being screwed by the Lakers AND by our local TV provider.  Great.  If this is about a lousy 3.95 per month, we'll pay it.  Otherwise, guess we'll have to switch back to TWC...


$3.95 would be the amount of the carriage fee paid directly to TWC.  The TV provider receives no part of that fee.  A TV's provider would incur additional costs above the carriage fee which would also be passed on to the customers.  Thus, the monthly amount for a customer might be twice that amount.

ACE - Professor

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911 Messages

12 years ago


@rwnewell wrote:

So...We're being screwed by the Lakers AND by our local TV provider.  Great.  If this is about a lousy 3.95 per month, we'll pay it.  Otherwise, guess we'll have to switch back to TWC...


Instead of making threats while posting six straight one or two line posts, why don't you just make a call to Time Warner Cable and get them as a provider. No one on this forum can answer your questions, let you know if and when U-Verse is getting the Laker's channel, or do anything about your threats. We are subscribers to U-Verse just like you (if you are truely a subscriber).

 

If you need the phone number to inform U-Verse that you are dropping their service, here it is:  1-800-288-2020.


Owning a computer and not having the internet is like buying a refrigerator and not stocking it with food.

 

Owning a computer and not having the internet is like buying a refrigerator and not stocking it with food.
Award for Community Excellence Achiever*
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Voyager

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3 Messages

12 years ago

What is ATT's plan for Lakers broadcasts?  Season starts October 30th and if no answer provided 5 days before I recommend mass exit of customers of U-verse to the Provider that will carry the Lakers games.  I don't want to watch the other Teams on the NBA channels.  I want to watch the Lakers.


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