I didn't see this posted anywhere yet. If this happens I am going to be so pissed. ---George Bodenheimer President, ESPN and ABC Sports sorry if this has already been posted.
i don't have Cox cable, but i got the email anyway. wtf is this all about? how can espn not be on a basic cable package? i don't even know, who's arguing from the position of strength here at this point, Cox or ESPN? and why is cox trying to make people pay for it?
I read about it in USA today, apperantly, Cox thinks that ESPN makes them pay too much to show ESPN. Their logic is that cable viewership is down, they shouldn't have to pay increasing prices for cable channels. Something about how they shouldn't have to dip into their revenues from highspeed internet access and what not to pay for channels like ESPN. I don't think they realize that many people will quickly look for alternative service providers if they don't get ESPN.
seriously..... what brain-trust is behind this idea? these guys are busch-league thinking they can charge for ESPN. i wouldn't even consider a cable company that would even think about charging for ESPN. that's f*cked up.
This is going to work about as well as New Coke. DirectTV subscriptions will skyrocket in their markets.
If ESPN would just go over the air, via rabbit ears, I may never need any pay-to-view TV service. Cable without ESPN is like AM Radio with no sports talk.
What part of the city, state, or country does Cox Cable operate in? I agree with all of you...if my cable service discontinued ESPN, it would be Direct TV here I come.
Cox is like the 2nd or 3rd largest cable company in America. I have Cox damn it and every morning I expect to wake up to SportsCenter. This sucks!!!
Somewhere the DirecTV braintrust is laughing uncontrollably. Cox not carrying ESPN would make a grave decision. ESPN is one of the most costliest cable channels for good reason. They carry ALL 4 major sports on their channel. I believe the ONLY channel in history to simultaneously carry all 4 major sports. They have SportsCenter and original programming. All of that costs money. Of course their channel will be expensive to cable companies. That is the price you pay for a QUALITY channel. If Time Warner, Cablevision and Comcast can deal with ESPN's costly nature why can't Cox???
Damn straight. This reminds me of last year when Cablevision and the YES Network (who show Yankees games) were at odds. Cablevision refused to pick up the new YES Network because the two couldn't agree to a financial deal. New Yorkers went absolutely ape sh*t (don't EVER deny Yankees fans their right to watch games, or else...). The battle was ugly as hell. (Of course, I, one of the few Astros fans in New York, had a grand ole time watching Yankees fans suffer.)
Don't piss off the fans of cheerleading competitions and the World's Strongest Man...you'll live to regret it...
If I were the Dish Network or DirecTv, I wouldn't wait to act. I'd offer some sort of special deal to Cox Cable subscribers now, while they're just beginning to get pissed off.
Anyone remember a couple of years ago when Time Warner and ABC 13 got into a fight, and Time Warner pulled ABC 13 and replaced it with Disney. Back then Disney was a premium channel so I was like "I want free Cinemax you money grubbin bastards". Time Warner customers were given a free coupon for a set of rabbit ears. The fight ended after a couple of days and ABC 13 was back.
I think what they mean is Cable viewership is down, because many people have switched to Sattelite. Cox is digging their own grave if they do this.
I have cox and really hope this isnt true. What really sucks is that direct tv is not an option because of my appartment and i will have no choice but to pay the extra amount. I imagine this is true for a lot of renters.
