The KJZZ argument
The Jazz folks haven't done the greatest job explaining why they deserve a programming fee from DirecTV, but I do think there are some areas worth highlighting. For starters, the programming fee is cents on the dollar for each subscriber.
It's not like ESPN, which gets somewhere in the neighborhood of $2.50 to $3 a month from every cable or satellite subscriber. From what I've been told, the fee KJZZ is one-half to one-third what DirecTV already is paying for programming on KSL and others.
While KJZZ doesn't have the NBC affiliation that KSL does, KSL also doesn't have 16 games from the only major pro team in town. Another interesting point is that DirecTV pays more for the Altitude network than KJZZ is asking.
Altitude is the sports channel out of Denver that airs Nuggets and Avalanche games. Of course, Altitude can't air Nuggets games in Utah because of the Jazz's territorial rights. So DirecTV is paying for the Avalanche games alone.
The argument is pretty solid that DirecTV might want to pay more for Jazz games than Avalanche games here in the Utah market. The KJZZ folks are arguing that DirecTV can spend its resources more wisely than it has been.
I've made the case for the DirecTV side before and won't bore you with it again. One thing that's been overlooked is that it's not so easy to just change cable or satellite providers if you don't like the way one is doing business.
My DirecTV contract runs through 2011. It's upwards of a $400 or $500 penalty to break that contract. The Jazz are talking to Dish Network and others about some kind of rebate for those customers who want to change, but there's been nothing yet.
The KJZZ folks say they have done research that up to 50 percent of subscribers would change providers if they couldn't get Jazz games. DirecTV has an estimated 20 percent to 25 percent of the local market.
At the same time, I'm still trying to understand why the Jazz would agree to a contract airing 60 games a season on FSN Utah - - from what I've been told this is either Year 1 or Year 2 of a five-year deal - - and then ask for a programming fee for KJZZ.
The good news for Jazz fans is that the next seven games are all on FSN Utah. The next Jazz game on KJZZ doesn't come until Jan. 24 against Cleveland.
--Ross Siler
It's not like ESPN, which gets somewhere in the neighborhood of $2.50 to $3 a month from every cable or satellite subscriber. From what I've been told, the fee KJZZ is one-half to one-third what DirecTV already is paying for programming on KSL and others.
While KJZZ doesn't have the NBC affiliation that KSL does, KSL also doesn't have 16 games from the only major pro team in town. Another interesting point is that DirecTV pays more for the Altitude network than KJZZ is asking.
Altitude is the sports channel out of Denver that airs Nuggets and Avalanche games. Of course, Altitude can't air Nuggets games in Utah because of the Jazz's territorial rights. So DirecTV is paying for the Avalanche games alone.
The argument is pretty solid that DirecTV might want to pay more for Jazz games than Avalanche games here in the Utah market. The KJZZ folks are arguing that DirecTV can spend its resources more wisely than it has been.
I've made the case for the DirecTV side before and won't bore you with it again. One thing that's been overlooked is that it's not so easy to just change cable or satellite providers if you don't like the way one is doing business.
My DirecTV contract runs through 2011. It's upwards of a $400 or $500 penalty to break that contract. The Jazz are talking to Dish Network and others about some kind of rebate for those customers who want to change, but there's been nothing yet.
The KJZZ folks say they have done research that up to 50 percent of subscribers would change providers if they couldn't get Jazz games. DirecTV has an estimated 20 percent to 25 percent of the local market.
At the same time, I'm still trying to understand why the Jazz would agree to a contract airing 60 games a season on FSN Utah - - from what I've been told this is either Year 1 or Year 2 of a five-year deal - - and then ask for a programming fee for KJZZ.
The good news for Jazz fans is that the next seven games are all on FSN Utah. The next Jazz game on KJZZ doesn't come until Jan. 24 against Cleveland.
--Ross Siler
4:55 PM
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1 Comments:
I don't particularly care, mostly because I'm a Comcast subscriber, so I'm not missing anything... but I do find it amusing that the LHM Sports & Entertainment group is playing the victim on this (to the extent of dedicating a large portion of Jazz telecasts to sharing their sob story).
Look, DTV hasn't been paying this fee for a long time. So why did the programming suddenly get pulled, right before big games against Chris Paul and LeBron James? It wasn't DTV's decision, DTV would have happily continued airing KJZZ for free. KJZZ, unable to negotiate what they wanted at the boardroom table, are the ones pulling their channel from the slate and asking Jazz fans to do their negotiating for them.
It might work, but my question is this... are Jazz fans OK with the Miller empire selling them out as nothing but a bargaining chip in their battle? Or do they just not realize that's what's happening?
Just wondering...
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