Posted on 10/21/2005 12:59:46 PM PDT by ZGuy
The owner of The Dish Network said Thursday it pulled the Outdoor Life Network from its system after the cable channel failed to provide NHL games to the nation's second-largest satellite television provider.
EchoStar Communications Corp. spokesman Marc Lumpkin said the network did not show games on Oct. 10-11 and on Monday and Tuesday as advertised. "We were not given advance notice that they would not show the programming," he said.
Although best known for broadcasting the Tour de France and cyclist Lance Armstrong, OLN this fall took over broadcasting National Hockey League games on cable from ESPN, a unit of The Walt Disney Co.
"We are surprised and disappointed that Dish has unilaterally chosen to stop providing OLN to its customers, and denied fans the opportunity to watch sports coverage on OLN," spokeswoman Amy Phillips said.
The contract dispute between EchoStar and OLN revolves around OLN's placement in a higher-priced channel package by Dish Network, which is distributed to fewer viewers.
OLN, owned by cable giant Comcast Corp., set a requirement that the channel must be seen by 40 percent of a cable or satellite TV system's viewers in order for it to broadcast the NHL games. It said the Dish Network has failed to meet that requirement.
Lumpkin declined to comment on the specifics of the dispute.
EchoStar would have to move the channel from its top package to a lower-cost package that may have fewer channels but more viewers. That would raise the fees Dish Network viewers pay.
"We work hard to provide choice for customers and to keep prices low," Eric Sahl, an EchoStar senior vice president, said in a statement. "Most of our customers have made the decision they do not want to pay the additional cost of watching the channel."
EchoStar hasn't been afraid to take on networks before. In March 2004, it pulled Viacom Inc. programming — including MTV, the Comedy Channel and Nickelodeon — from the Dish Network for two days until an agreement was struck on a long-term contract.
Based in suburban Englewood, EchoStar's Dish Network has about 11.4 million customers.
Go get 'em, Charlie.
Ping!
I wondered what happened to the Stars game on OLN that night. Tuned in and instead of hockey, they were showing some bear hunting thing.
Fortunately, we also have basic cable with OLN and they were showing the hockey game. We wondered why OLN on Comcast cable had it, but OLN on DISH did not.
We'd have really been pi@@ed if not for the cable OLN.
All these "packages" are lame. Just offer cable/satellite ala carte and let me choose what I want to watch...
Perhaps OLN is reaching too far, attempting to get more out of their NHL contract than is realty there?
OLN is shown on basic Comcast cable because they own OLN. They're trying to package and position it as psuedo ESPN 2 or Fox Sports Net.
I'm on an Adelphia system that was purchased by Comcast and expect OLN to get moved to expanded basic down two tiers from the second digital package that cost $70 something a month with ZERO movie channels.
No hockey on cable?
Whatever am I going to do!
< /sarc >
There's hockey on TV?
Who knew?
What's hockey? Is that anything like soccor?
The NHL and the networks covering this league are really doing their best to piss me off - between stunts like this and an antiquated black-out policy governing the Center Ice package - I've pretty much given up trying to follow this league on TV this year.
Freep mail/ping airborne or Hat-Trick if you want on or off the Hockey Ping List.
I wish it were so. Back when I had a big C-Band, you could essentially do that, and it was way cheaper, which i guess is why they don't do it that way on mini-Dishes.
I get the Pittsburgh feed for all the Penguin games.I don't pay for anything but 'Burgh games.
I just wish we would win!!!!!
Sorry again.
Don't worry, I've got nothing against hockey.
My remark was more a knock on the NHL for missing all of last year and winding up on OLN in the first place.
Is it Sports Channel part Deux?
Glad I have Center Ice. Loving being able to switch between 3-4 games and the find the one with the best play (surprisingly Carolina-Toronto the other night).
You mean there are actually people who want to watch hockey on television? Amazing!
Oh, I forgot. I'm Texan, have basic cable, not Dish, and could not care less about some silly northerners slipping around on the ice whacking at a biscuit.
:)
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