That's the Ticket

This Domo article today is the first time I’ve seen the Comcast/Time Warner battle with the NFL over their network mention the elephant in the room: the Sunday Ticket package:

 

“There's a bigger motivation at work here than that. It's the "Sunday Ticket" package. Comcast and Time Warner want it. The NFL doesn't want to give it to them.

The league sold it exclusively to DirecTV. Cohen admitted yesterday that if the league would let Comcast in on the Sunday Ticket package, it would be willing to reconsider taking the NFL Network off its sports tier.

But Jones said that's not going to happen.

"That's not in our best interest," he said. "In our basic managing of our games, we like exclusive carriers for exclusive packages. Monday Night Football. Sunday Night Football. The AFC package with CBS. The NFC package with Fox.

‘We want to have a niche of how it's distributed. We want 'Sunday Ticket' going with satellite and we want the NFL Network on basic or digital cable. That's the best way for us to get exposure.’”

 

Jones’ argument makes no sense, especially that second to last sentence. The NFL Network is already on DirectTV so Jones is being disingenuous when he says they want the NFL Network on “cable.”

 

Whatever Jones is for I’m against. And I don’t think the prospect of “missing” the Packers-Cowboys game is going to enrage enough Comcast/Time Warner customers to force a change. This is a bonus game anyway. He also better be careful in lobbying legislators to try to force cable to carry NFLN. These same legislators might start asking questions why the Ticket is only available via satellite.

 

Indeed, the potentially biggest loser in this deal is DirectTV. If Comcast and/or Time Warner are able to offer the Sunday Ticket then there is little reason to switch to satellite. I have Direct TV, and while I like the service, installation is a DISASTER. They subcontract the work out to guys loitering in the 7-11 parking lot. If Comcast got the Ticket and I was able to watch the Eagles using Comcast – and we already use Comcast for broadband Internet, I’d be very likely to switch completely and cancel my satellite subscription.