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NY Times:3 Cable Systems Will Add N.B.A. TV (great news for TW cable subscribers)

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by Agent86, Oct 1, 2003.

  1. Agent86

    Agent86 Contributing Member

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    http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/29/sports/basketball/29nba.html (must be member)

    3 Cable Systems Will Add N.B.A. TV
    By RICHARD SANDOMIR

    Published: September 29, 2003


    .B.A. TV, which midway through last season began to televise games but was available only in homes with satellite dishes, will announce today that it has signed agreements with Cablevision, Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications.

    Signing agreements with large cable operators is a major step for N.B.A. TV, which began in 1999 as NBA.com TV, a news and highlights channel that promoted the N.B.A. League Pass subscription of out-of market games. Until now, it has been available only to the 20 million satellite subscribers of DirecTV and the Dish Network.

    Last year, the National Basketball Association and Time Warner failed to persuade cable operators to carry a planned sports cable channel on expanded basic, with N.B.A. games at its core. The proposed monthly fee of about 50 cents a subscriber was rejected by cable operators. "It was a good stalking horse for us, because it let us know what our value was," said David Stern, the N.B.A. commissioner.

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    The league reconfigured it as N.B.A. TV last year, added games in January and began marketing it to cable operators at half the price of the previous effort, and as a digital channel with increasingly extensive high-definition production.

    "I think 96 live games, with the ability to offer it on a digital tier that lets the customers choose whether they want it or not, is very attractive," said Fred Dressler, the executive vice president of Time Warner Cable.

    Dressler said the N.B.A. understood, the second time around, how to market its channel better than the fledgling N.F.L. Network did. He said the N.F.L. Network, which is to start on Nov. 4, "does not understand pricing, packaging and content."

    Seth Palansky, a spokesman for the N.F.L. Network, which is seeking to charge 10 to 20 cents a subscriber, said, "Our content is as valuable as anything in the entertainment world."

    The N.B.A. is hoping to complete deals with other cable operators before the season starts next month. But even with what it believes is a good product, Ed Desser, the president of N.B.A. new media and strategic initiatives, said: "Just because it's the N.B.A., it doesn't mean cable operators are falling over themselves to sign up. But there has been a recognition of the value proposition."

    Crucial to that proposition is agreeing to be a digital channel. Digital upgrades are allowing cable operators to add numerous channels and offer packages that some but not all customers can buy. While 22 million homes are served by Time Warner, Cablevision and Cox, distribution of N.B.A. TV will be limited by how many people buy the digital packages.

    Stern is unworried. "The digital rollout has been growing frenetically," he said.

    Time Warner will carry N.B.A. TV on its sports digital tiers (with channels like ESPNEWS and the Outdoor Life Network), which are available in 75 percent of its systems, but not yet in the New York area. Those tiers have anywhere from 4 to 11 channels and cost $1.95 to $6.95.

    Cablevision will insert N.B.A. TV on Wednesday into its most expensive digital tier, called iO Gold, which costs $84.95 a month. Cox, which has 1.9 million digital subscribers, about a third of its systems, will add N.B.A. TV to its sports and information digital package, which will cost customers an average of $3.20 extra.

    Since its reinvention last season, N.B.A. TV has been expanding. The 96 games it will carry will be nearly double the 50 shown last season. It is adding several series, including one that will follow the Denver Nuggets during training camp, and others about basketball films and fashion. Another series, "N.B.A. Makeover," will bring retired league legends to streetball players to improve their hoops and style skills.

    "We're focused on access and giving expression to the passion people have for the game," said Gregg Winik, N.B.A. TV's executive vice president.

    League officials insist that producing games and other programming in high definition will be crucial to the success of N.B.A. TV, at a time when there are about five million HDTV sets in use and another four million expected to be sold by the end of the year.

    This season, 50 of 96 regular-season games and 85 percent of the other programming will be in high definition. N.B.A. TV also carries W.N.B.A. and National Basketball Development League games.

    More teams are starting to produce in HDTV, as are international broadcasters that feed tournaments to N.B.A. TV. Stern said, "I'd be disappointed if by the 2004-05 season, we were anything but 100 percent HD."
     
  2. DCkid

    DCkid Contributing Member

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    Feck...I just moved to a new location and now I have Comcast rather than Cox. Maybe they'll add more. Thanks. I'm going to send a link to this article to Comcast.
     
  3. Pimphand24

    Pimphand24 Member

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    Although this has already been posted, I still have a question about it.
    How do I get this NBATV?!

    I have Time Warner Digital Cable, I already have the sports package (which I'm told NBA TV comes with) but when I go to the channel for NBATV, my TV says its locked and I have to call my company to subscribe.
    I thought it comes with the sports package (Espn Classic, Fox Sports World, Atlantic, Southwest etc..)? Or is it even more extra to get NBA TV?
     

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