This NFL Network thing stinks

[Hokie]

I always look forward to the Saturday NFL games the last couple of weeks of the season. There are usually a couple of good games with playoff implications. This year the only Saturday games are the Saturday night games on the NFL network which I do not get. The NFL wants to shove the NFL Network down our throats. Screw them!

[BOSSHOG]

1. I agree

and its driven by greed and players salaries. I get it through Directv satellite although I'm not paying extra for it (although I pay plenty to Directv.) And bryant gumbel's monotone play by play is irritating. Production wise it pales in comparison to Fox and CBS. No doubt NFL's long term plan is to have all football pay per view instead of reigning in salaries and making do with trillions instead of zillions in profits.

[GOPisEvil]

2. The NFL is also putting the screws to cable companies.

The NFL wants NINETY CENTS per subscriber to carry the NFL Network from Time Warner? Are you kidding me? That's robbery. For me to come out on the side of a fucking cable company is insane, but no more insane than the NFL wanting to hold cable companies hostage.

[Hokie]

3. Time Warner's slant

Here is Time Warner's (obviously biased) take on the NFL Network:

The NFL Network is demanding $137 million – that is more than the network’s programming and ratings justify.

The facts are that:

* The NFL Network is insisting on a price that is much higher than we believe is appropriate for the value of the programming.
* The NFL Network is insisting it be included in our basic cable package.
* The NFL Network is broadcasting 8 regular season games, on Thursdays and Saturdays, beginning in late November. These games were offered at no extra charge on traditional networks last year.

...more
http://www.nflgetreal.com/index.php

[Captain Hilts]

4. Yep. I won't do it. It's my inalienable right as a citizen to get NFL for free. nt

[rep the dems]

5. Yeah, I really wanted to watch the Cowboys Falcons game tonight.

Stupid NFL Network.

[bmbmd]

6. You're not missing much.

Dick Vermeil has laryngitis, and Gumbel is without doubt the worst ever....

[Hokie]

8. I saw the game last night. You're right

I was visiting relatives this weekend who have the NFL Network on Insight cable. The game itself was pretty decent but the broadcast was horrid. Gumbel still sucks. Vermeil sounded like he was dying until he finally gave up at halftime. To top it off is was not in HD.

[Awsi Dooger]

7. I agree, what a bunch of crap

When I'm in Las Vegas I can watch those games in any sportsbook. But beginning this week I'm vacationing in Florida and missed the Cowboys/Falcons game tonight. I had no idea the schedule had been mangled to this extent, without the standard Saturday games on the normal networks, after the college regular season ended.

The NFL Network is useful for scouting combine coverage in February but no way it warranted regular season games at this point.

[Renew Deal]

9. They want to shove it down the cable networks throats.

You have to watch with friends that get it.

[Daylin Byak]

10. And this crap is a reason why I cant stand football

I can't stand the NFL, the game or the players in it, no offense but I hate it when people like Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson trash talk to the end.

I'm a hockey man through and through and that will never change. Hockey is my sport that I follow religiously.

[LisaM]

11. Like hockey is so easy to get on TV?

I pay a fortune for hockey - there is no local team in my market, Seattle, so I have to buy the package. ESPN dropped it, and no networks carry it either. I can watch it on Canadian TV sometimes, but my team (the Red Wings) isn't on CBC that often. Last year the NHL was on OLN sometimes, but I don't even know if they carry games this year.

[Captain Hilts]

12. That ticks me off too. nt