Versus dropped from DirecTV
by Killion on Sep 1, 2009 10:59 AM CDT
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PrintIf you're like me - one of your favorite things about the beginning of hockey season is finally seeing Brian Engblom on Versus again and then trying to determine how drunk or high you'd have to be to consider that haircut a good idea.
Ok so maybe that's not actually one of my favorite things but if you have DirecTV - well you might be SOL. The contract between Comcast, who owns Versus, and DirecTV expired yesterday. Right now, they're evidently working on a new contract but as of now Versus is no longer available to their almost 18 million subscribers.
More fuel for everyone who considers the NHL a joke I guess. DirecTV called Comcast's bluff and the contract negotiations will start again.
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Can WOW get in on that action, too?
With nine national games, and most of them on VS, I hope Wide Open West pulls its head out of its ass and picks up Versus this season.
From what I understand
Comcast hasn’t made it at all reasonable for WOW to carry Versus. Could be wrong though…
FifthFeather.com
by El Duque's Raft on Sep 1, 2009 12:54 PM CDT up reply actions
Since Rupert Murdoch owns DirecTV, I’m blaming him.
HOCKEENIGHT.COM...home of FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS and the HOCKEENIGHT PUCKCAST!!!
I didn't realize...
He sold his stake last year.
I blame him anyway.
HOCKEENIGHT.COM...home of FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS and the HOCKEENIGHT PUCKCAST!!!
Both satellite companies have a history of taking channels off the air for days or even weeks when trying to extort more money. I have to pay an extra $10 a month on Dish Network to get the package where Versus is located (pretty much their premium package). I think it’s bullshit that Versus is on that tier.
Cable companies
are like publishing companies (particularly the ones who publish books for college students) when it comes to setting and raising prices…’We’ll charge whatever the fuck we want…what are you gonna do about it!? Huh!? Go without TV!? muhahaha!’ Gouging at its finest gentlemen.
If I didn’t already convince myself and (probably even more importantly) my wife that the household budget must include Center Ice this year…this would make me angry.
"What the hell, let's review it." - Dale Tallon
"They are!" - Pat Foley
"What a farce." - Dale Tallon
Center Ice
Center Ice or not, you wont be able to watch games carried by Versus. Apparently, Versus games are blacked out on the Center Ice package (at least according to Eklund on Hockeybuzz.com… a less than reliable source at times). Now you have to convince the wife to let you out to the bar for about 9 games this year.
That is true...
I did read that this morning on Puck Daddy’s blog too about Center Ice being blacked out for VS. games. Well, that’s ridiculous.
"What the hell, let's review it." - Dale Tallon
"They are!" - Pat Foley
"What a farce." - Dale Tallon
The real crime here
is that everyone with DirectTV just missed out on The Big Lebowski on VS. Although, the movie on cable just isn’t the same.
twitter.com/kaner88
What?
You don’t like the line changes?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCcKBcZzGdA
“THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FEED A STRANGER SCRAMBLED EGGS!”
They BETTER get a deal done!
I live in Wisconsin and the only way I can see the Hawks is on Center Ice and Versus. If DirecTV loses VS, I will be extremely PO’d.
Is there someone I can call up and threaten? Beg? Bribe? (Oh wait, I already pay them a crapload of money!)
If you have Center Ice and you live in Wisconsin, why do you need to worry about DirecTV losing VS? I would think that you would be out of the blackout area for the 9 Hawks games on VS, so you should be able to watch them on Center Ice.
I don't think so.
Since VS. is technically a national station they’re blacked out across the country. I remember I had the Gamecenter deal on NHL.com last year and I couldn’t watch the Hawks/Wild game on my computer when I was visiting my parents in DC because it was on VS.
This is hilarious, I just signed up for Direct last night. I saw that they have both Versus and NHL channel, my cable company only carries Versus and CSN. I figures “Hey, it’s a no brain-er. I get NHL channel AND I save 25 dollars a month”
Then I threw in the fatal phrase that never pays…
“What could go wrong?”
SHOOOOOOOT IT!!!! Anon
right after that phrase,
a chorus of four midgets should pop out of unexpected nooks and crannies and, in a deep baritone that belies their wee stature, sing
Bum-bum-buuuuuuummmm!
by russellguldin on Sep 3, 2009 6:46 AM CDT up reply actions
As long as they don’t look like that cloned Oompaloompa on the nasty remake of Willy Wonka I can deal with them.
SHOOOOOOOT IT!!!! Anon
by burpchelischili on Sep 3, 2009 9:16 PM CDT up reply actions
Burke will be pissed
the Nucks signed Luongo to a 12y/$64M extention…cap hit of $5.33M.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=289692
and some Nuckles humor
http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Salo+over+groin+gluteus+groans/1953053/story.html
“But it all came to an agonizing end just 5:35 into the Canucks’ second game of their second round playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks. That’s when Salo unleashed his calling card, a laser of a slapshot which rocketed over the glove hand of Hawks goalie Nikolai Khabibulin.
But the big blast did some serious damage. Wincing, Salo went straight to the dressing room. Team doctor Mike Wilkenson chased closely behind. If you watch the replay and can lip read you will see trainer Mike Bernstein return from the medical room, lean into head coach Alain Vigneault and say, “He hurt his ass.”
Good for the Nucks
and good for Luongo. The trade Luongo talk after their series with the Hawks was kind of ridiculous.
I especially like how Vancover finalized this deal (strikingly similar to the Hossa contract) before the NHL releases it’s findings of the big “investigation” into long term deals like Hossa and Pronger. F you Bettman.
So is the NHL
Going to investigate the Nucks? Bloody hypocrites.
by AirTrafficAJ on Sep 3, 2009 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions
Without a doubt, the most unfricken believable of Sammy’s many injuries.
The thing is, Gillis saw from that series that eh needed more D’men, and went and got some.
I don’t know if I would call the other story humour though…theprovince.com is a respected institution in Vancouver…
HAH!!
Now, who’s buying NHL Network and Centre Ice now?
You know, before the rush…
and…bonus question…how comfy are you guys with the back up goalies? We might have one for a trade…which should we ask for back?
vancitydan
Comcast is a bunch of idiots
They look stupid for their negotiations with Big Ten Network and NFL Network for the last couple of years. So to get back at DirecTV for working out good deals with BTN and NFL and not trying to put them on extreme tiers they decide to use Versus as a chip to make DirecTV look bad? What a bunch of morons. I hate Comcast and if they are my only other choice, I will not be returning to them.
by Southside Hawks Fan on Sep 2, 2009 4:53 PM CDT reply actions
Comcast Garbage, But DirecTV Blackouts Annoy Too
Here in Indianapolis, I’ve paid extra for the DirecTV package that has the Comcast Sports Network – Chicago just to watch the Hawks, However, that doesn’t stop them from blacking out every Hawks vs. Redwings game during the regular season. According to CSR’s from both CSNC and DTV, it seems they consider both teams in my “local area” which sucks. A three or six hour drive from here, respectively.
I also have Fox Sports Detroit – and can get the pre and post game shows for both the Tigers and RedWings – but not the games themselves. What BS!
But if they’re in his “local area” shouldn’t he just get the games like anyone else who lives in the viewing area?
twitter.com/kaner88
by Original Six on Sep 3, 2009 12:12 PM CDT up reply actions
no
because in Indy the basic ‘local’ sports channel is “Fox Sports Midwest” and it’s a total joke. I’m assuming it’s the same as it was a couple years ago (when I was down at BSU) but you get the Pacers games and their baseball/hockey coverage is diverted to the St.Louis market which the games were always blacked out…every single one of them, even though most people in the Indy area are either Cubs or Reds fans. This is how the cable/satellite companies get you to pony up for the individual packages. That regional sports package is pure garbage. They allot a certain number of “out of market” games per week and those are usually west coast games that no one would want to watch.
If you think the U.S. regional coverage is bad...
…The system put in plce in Canada is hilarious! Especially when you consider that there are 6 Canadian teams, yet on Bell ExpressVu I only get the Ottawa Senators games with Rogers Sportsnet (the rest of the Canadian teams are BLACKED OUT). If you want the other Canadian teams you have to pay for the Centre Ice package, unless you’re a leafs fan as the MLSE sticks it to them for they have at least 15 games on Leafs TV which is another $10.00 a month. Oh and the Habs fans have to pay for RDS seperately as well. What a joke!
Which is quite ridiculous when you consider that all the Hawks games on WGN are FREE! For WGN comes with your initial package which in the end is sad. You can watch the Blackhawks for 25 games a year for nothing, but if you’re a Leafs, Habs, Oilers, Canucks, and/or Flames fan you have to pay extra eventhough they are Canadian teams on a Canadian satellite service. Shake your head and laugh.
It's never about the eventual destination, but rather the long journey and its challenging obstacles that are presented and what it takes to overcome them, that makes the taste of success all the more worthwhile!!!
Can only speak for our market, but apart from the 10-13 PPV games yearly (great excuse to go to a pub or bar and watch with friends), the Canucks have all the rest of the games on either TSN, Sportsnet or CBC.
And the first two are in some pretty cheap and basic packages.
Unless you are me and get the full meal HD deal that is so awesome you could make the calls for them faster than the T.O war room!
HD was made for hockey!
vancitydan
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