Bright House Networks and Time Warner Cable might lose ESPN in time for football season

ESPN is the content creator that cable and satellite providers love to hate. On one hand ESPN and, its sister networks, are the only reason some people even subscribe to pay TV, and on the other it is also the most expensive -- those who don't like sports are obviously caught in the middle, paying for some of the most expensive programming, whether they like it or not. Well today we noticed an ad on our site -- no, the contributors of the site have no clue or connection of what ads show up -- by ESPN that notify Bright House Networks and Time Warner Cable customers that the current contract ends on September 2nd (although separate companies, the two negotiate carriage deals together to gain leverage). The banner ad leads customers to I Have Choices.com to tell them the alternative providers they can use to ensure they continue to receive ESPN and displays a short video explaining ESPN's position. Without a new deal this would of course mean the channels could go dark just in time to miss the 2010 college football kickoff on September 4th on ABC (one of the networks involved in the dipute). This is old news to those in the industry, in fact you might even remember the when Time Warner launched its own site Roll Over or Get Tough when it looked like Fox might get pulled from said companies just in time to miss the BCS Bowl Games earlier this year. We feel sorry for all of those who might be affected, but at the same time have no lost love for neither cable company.

[Meekermoloko Posted Jul 27th 2010 9:18PM]

This won't happen. One side will cave. More than likely ... the cable providers will.

You know what I'd like to see? All these pay channels to offer their services through the internet. ESPN is gonna use ESPN3 through Xbox Live ... which is a step in the right direction.

I'd love to just get rid of my provider and then be able to watch a streaming channel of AMC or Cartoon Network or TBS or Comedy Central or TCM etc. I hate paying for hundreds of channels, yet only really watch less than 30.

[Nn4458 Posted Jul 27th 2010 9:45PM]

It's kinda sad that ESPN has to run ads about this problem.

[StalkyTheFish Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:02AM]

@Nn4458

It's kinda sad that ESPN (really Disney) doesn't realize that they could be profitable by simply offering their wares to willing comers the way pretty much any other business does. Instead they do this all-or-nothing crap that pulls other non-sports channels (and now internet services) into a single, indivisible package.

I'm happy to see the days of buying CHANNELS coming to an end in favor of just buying programs. You can't do that so much with sports though, so ESPN may find the ground that their business model is built on slowly crumbling beneath them.

[krische Posted Jul 27th 2010 10:08PM]

It seems like this happens at least once a year with Time Warner Cable.

Both sides make a big fuss, and then negotiate at the last second.

[CtrlBurn Posted Jul 28th 2010 10:46AM]

@krische
And then prices go up for all the customers. This is pretty much why I'm canceling my TWC subscription.

[Brendan H Posted Jul 27th 2010 10:48PM]

@corbett3000 Go away, corporate spambot. I'm down-voting you.
That's MY choice.

[corbett3000 Posted Jul 28th 2010 11:51AM]

@Brendan H That was a powerful vote! Looks like my original comment is gone :/

Regardless, I think it's important for people to have access to the cable finder we built so you can see what your choices are:

http://www.ihavechoices.com

Peter

[Yakuza Fighter Posted Jul 28th 2010 12:01AM]

Ben,

I'm almost shocked by your comment:

"but at the same time have no lost love for neither cable company."

What about no lost love for that greedy company known as ESPN? They have a gun to the head of every person who doesn't like sports but has to pay for their outrageous fees whether they like it or not - and according to this spreadsheet it costs $5.28/month or $63.36/year. Remember, you have to buy all their channels if you want ESPN :-) The total cost per month for every sports channel is $11.61

http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/files/2010/03/cable-sub-fees.png

All the money they suck from everyone goes to billionaire owners, billion dollar stadiums, and middle relievers and bench players that make 8 figures a year. It also leads to the ultimate in narcissism where clueless athletes have 1-hour specials to decide "where they are going to take their talents to".

Ben, you're coming across as arrogant: "I'm a sports fan, so people need to pony up because I like to watch sports."

[Yakuza Fighter is giving a virtual roundhouse kick to Ben - WHAM!]