This week, for the first time in NFL history, two 13-0 teams (Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints) will have played in the same week. And thanks to NFL politics, most of the nation will not see either game. Both games are on the NFL Network, which is only available to approximately 35 million viewers.
People that have Direct TV's NFL Package will see the games. People that have the NFL Network will see the games. People that go to sports bars and pay high prices will see the game. But everyone else will miss those games. Even if you wanted to see it in streaming broadband, the NFL has not made that option available. It is a loaded issue. So Shots Heard will address the consequences of poor NFL marketing strategies one issue at a time.
Direct TV's NFL Package
In 2002, when I was a cable salesman, I was annoyed when a sales manager told me that Direct TV signed a big contract extension to have the exclusive rights to the 'NFL Package.' I lost a lot of potential sales by not having that in my arsenal. But all is fair in love and corporate war.
Certainly, the NFL can be given some leniency for initially taking a fat pay day from Direct TV. It was an inconvenience to the fan base, but when a new product rolls out, consumers are at least accustomed to various barriers of access. Certainly, the contract was designed to at least get a segment to switch television programming providers while rewarding the NFL for their efforts to get the product to the customers. Given the fact that start-up costs are always the hardest thing in business, customers could arguably understand that as well. Fair enough.
But now it is 2009 and it is clear that the NFL is giving cable subscribers (over half of their fan base) the finger. NFL executives love to pass the blame to the 'greediness' of the cable companies, but they have made no real case on the matter. This inexcusable omission is on the NFL and not the cable companies. Any maleficence by the cable companies are only mitigating factors at most.
We are well aware that Direct TV is still paying gobs of cash for exclusivity. This subsidizes any lost potential earnings. So from a financial angle, the NFL does not feel pressure to maximize exposure.
But it has been over a decade and the status of the NFL's Balance Sheet does not justify their contemptuous doings towards the American public. The American public is the backbone of their operations. If you have any doubt of that, just notice how many truck, fast food and beer commercials are shown during games.
As such, the American public deserves the NFL's respect. That is not at all a given with the NFL. But this is no secret. We have seen the NFL holding local TV markets hostage every time a game does not sell out.
No live games on broadband due to Direct TV
The NFL loves to blame cable companies for not being workable. But how does that explain that their is no internet option to watch live games on nfl.com? These options are available by the other major sports.
Clearly, Direct TV wants the brunt of NFL fans dollars for television service. And the NFL is willing to circumvent good faith with their to make that happen since the price is right.
Congress needs to step in and regulate the NFL monopoly access
The NFL is leveraging their monopolistic position not to make a pay day that is not proportional to the actual direct sales of the NFL Package. There are only about 1.6 million subscribers. Instead, the NFL has made a trust with Direct TV in an attempt to maximize profits at the expense of American values of competition and fair access to all.
Nobody should have to sacrifice their cable services (or pay unneccessary extra charges) to get the NFL games at this point. NFL fans should start to write their elected representatives and let them know that the NFL is violating the stipulations of their monopoly protection status.
NFL's attempt to make cogs out of cable customers backfires
Most cable companies do not carry the NFL Network. In fact, there are only about 35 million homes that have the NFL Network.
So in an attempt to put pressure on carriers to pick up their network the NFL has scheduled big games on their network. In 2007, you may remember a big match-up between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. It was late in the season and home field advantage in the playoffs was seemingly on the line.
This tactic irked sports fans initially. But again, we can give some latitude to the NFL as they were rolling out a product. If the price was right and cable customers were willing to put enough pressure on their carriers to get the service then why shouldn't the NFL try it?
But now it just seems that the NFL is trying to strong arm the unrelenting carriers and it is happening at the expense of the fans. Never mind the fact that most of the country is not watching a potentially historically match-up between the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys tonight (as the Saints go for 14-0).
The wound is deeper than missing a high profile game. The NFL is making cable customers into cogs in their attempts to gain more direct advertising dollars (avoiding network middlemen). And in the pursuit of those dollars, they are frittering away consumer expectations. You may remember that Saturday December games were always on network stations. That was just a given. It still should be. Making the fans suffer like this is just another shameful power play by the NFL.
This Christmas Season, if you are looking for the Grinch then look no further than the NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell. He is the master mind signing off on all of these shameful anti-American tactics.
Well I am not going to stand here and let him badmouth the United States of America! Gentlemen (Click Link To Watch Video)!
No comments:
Post a Comment