DirecTV says it will no longer carry Versus network

For the last couple of days, DirecTV satellite television subscribers have been seeing a crawl if they've watched any Versus network programming telling them that as of Aug. 31, DirecTV will no longer carry Versus.

For college football and NHL fans who get their television through DirecTV, this could be bad news.

Five Pacific 10 Conference games (as yet undetermined) as well as an assortment of Big 12 and Mountain West games, and an NHL package of 54 games could become unavailable to DirecTV subscribers just when those seasons start.
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Robert Mercer, director of public relations for DirecTV, said: "Versus' overall ratings are poor and have not increased nearly enough to justify what we're paying them, let alone the significant increase they're asking for."

i dont blame directv from a money stand point. why waste money on something that is doing poor and then be asked to pay more? i'd say no. Sucks on a hockey fan level for whoever has DirecTv

If we are unable to reach an agreement by August 31, we will continue to negotiate with Versus, however, it's unlikely that we'll be able to keep Versus on the air during negotiations. In the meantime, you'll still be able to watch college football on Big Ten Network, the MTN., ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN GamePlan, local channels and your Regional Sports Network (RSN). NHL games are available on NHL Network, NHL Center Ice, and your RSN.

Does this mean that if they don't reach an agreement with Versus those games will be on NHLN?

Update on the DirecTV Versus feud. I wrote DirecTV and received an answer. Here's an excerpt:

Does this mean that if they don't reach an agreement with Versus those games will be on NHLN? Stay tuned.

Versus on DIRECTV

Comcast, the largest cable company in the U.S., owns Versus. They regularly try to charge us amounts well in excess of what is fair and reasonable to carry the programming they own. Their reason is obvious: they want to stifle competition from DIRECTV. Comcast's unfair terms undermines DIRECTV's ability to offer our customers the best possible value. If we simply accept these terms, we would have to absorb the unreasonable costs Comcast wants to charge us, and in turn we will be forced to increase the rates our customers pay. We do not want this to happen. In fact, Comcast has forced us to remove Versus because we would not accept the terms they demanded.

We are currently in contract negotiations and will continue to work with Comcast until the matter is resolved. Rest assured that we are making every effort to ensure that you continue to be satisfied with your service.

For more information, please read our FAQs below...

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When a three-year extension was announced with Versus in 2008, your commissioner was all smiles and claimed interest in the game would grow in the U.S. along with the Versus viewership.

Well, surprise, surprise, that looks to be yet another ruse in a long line of poppycock propaganda that insults the intelligence of hockey fans across the board whenever it’s shamelessly used.

Dreadful turn of events, but then when it comes to hockey coverage we so often have to settle for what the powers that be decide. I don't get NHL centerice package for the sheer reason that if I had it I would be watching hockey 24/7. I have a very hard time pulling myself away from a game. As a matter of fact the NHL Network free preview is on right now and I caught myself watching (being mesmerized) by a last year playoff game between Carolina and Boston. I mean come on, not particularly the best choice but hey I haven't seen a hockey game for soooooooooooo long it was just really nice on the eyes. But alas I have to be a mom to two and wife and other major everyday duties so in order to effectively do these things I don't get centerice. Long story short don't take my Versus away too!

Versus president Jamie Davis said the network's distribution fallout with DirecTV is about positioning, not price.

..."DirecTV wanted to take Versus away from 6 million subscribers who were receiving it for no additional cost," said Davis in a Sept. 2 interview. "That was simply not acceptable for us. We hope to resolve things amicably, but that's a non-starter."

DirecTV, in an email response later that day, wrote "we've asked for packaging rights similar to other distributors like Dish," which it says carries Versus on its AT250 tier and has about a 35% penetration rate. "Our contention is, if it's good for Dish, why isn't it good for us? At this [point], the deal is terminated and we are treating this as a new network, from scratch. So we're attempting to gauge the market and Dish seems like a good barometer."

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Dear Sir or Madam:

I have been a loyal DirecTV customer for years, and had been planning on being one for many years to come. However your recent decision to remove the sports network Versus from your service will soon force me to switch to another provider so I may continue to receive their NHL programming. I strongly encourage you to reconsider your position regarding renewing Versus’ contract and hope that you begin to understand just how many customers you are about to lose by not doing so. I hope to remain a customer going forward but will cancel my service at the beginning of the NHL season if this situation is not rectified.

Sincerely,
-

Link

Along with DK's approach to the situation, here's one form letter suggested by a Kukla's Korner member...

Versus, DirecTV talking; deal for season opener still doubtful

The NHL's first games on Versus this season are scheduled for two weeks from today on Oct. 1, with the Washington Capitals visiting the Boston Bruins and the San Jose Sharks at the Colorado Avalanche on a night when Joe Sakic's(notes) No. 19 will be raised to the rafters.

In other words, the time for genuine concern has arrived if you're a hockey fan with a DirecTV subscription that hasn't had Versus on the satellite service since it was unceremoniously yanked on Sept. 1 following a contract dispute.

Good news: Both sides confirm negotiations are ongoing after talks broke down earlier this month; and Jade Ekstedt, spokesperson for DirecTV, said the parties are "very aware" that the clock is ticking to the start of the season.

The less-than-good news: Getting Versus back on DirecTV by the first official puck drop isn't looking particularly promising at this point, according to the network's president.

"The two sides are now talking again, and that's a good sign," said Jamie Davis, president of Versus...

Puck Daddy

EDIT: I see that DK has already posted this on the NHL News thread. Unless otherwise notified, I think I will leave this here in this thread just as documentation.

Each side’s interpretation differs greatly, but the bottom line for the 14 million homes in which Versus was available on DirecTV is this: If the dispute isn’t settled by Thursday, the hockey lovers in that group won’t be able to see the two NHL games that will be broadcast exclusively on Versus…
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“If we don’t have a deal with Versus by the time hockey season starts, DirecTV would certainly be open to putting these games up for our customers while we continue to negotiate,” DirecTV vice president of public relations Darris Gringeri said. “Obviously, Versus has to allow us to do that, but we’d certainly be open to doing that. At the end of the day, it would be their decision.”

A Versus spokesman who did not want to be named said: “Why would it be our decision when DirecTV is the one who took us down in the first place?”

This feud is becoming increasingly bitter, all at the expense of the fans. How many games did Versus have on their schedule for the Ducks this year?

Bettman, sharing the stage with Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis at the "Capitals Convention" at National Harbor, made a call-to-action for disgruntled fans caught in the DirecTV/Versus standoff -- one that threatens to keep the opening of the NHL season on the cable network off of the satellite service.

"Call DirecTV and tell them you're not happy," the NHL commissioner instructed. So it's pretty clear on which side of the battle-lines the League resides.

Open letter to NHL fans that are also DirecTV subscribers and interested in the NHL on Versus.

I'm sorry, this is crap, but VERSUS never impressed me anyway. They are so East coast biased in the games they show and we aren't even on their schedule this year anyway so what ever.

Yeah DK, you got me there. For my own

The National Hockey League season starts Thursday, but a dispute threatens to keep DirecTV subscribers from watching the games televised by Versus. If there is no resolution, an opening-night doubleheader (Washington at Boston and San Jose at Colorado) will not be seen on DirecTV, and the Rangers-Devils game Monday night will be blacked out.

DirecTV, a satellite operator, pulled Versus from its lineup at midnight Aug. 31 when the two sides could not agree on a request for higher fees by Versus and DirecTV’s plan to change the way it distributes Versus.

“They’re looking for us to pay 20 percent more in total dollars,” said Derek Chang, DirecTV’s executive vice president for content, strategy and development. He said Versus had also sought to expand its availability beyond what DirecTV’s Choice Extra package provides. Versus was included in DirecTV’s Choice Extra package until Aug. 31.

“We’re looking for packaging flexibility,” Chang said. “What they’re asking for isn’t normal, by any means.”

But Versus says that DirecTV wants to slash its availability from 14 million subscribers to 8 million.

“They’re saying we’re trying to charge way above market rate, but the price we’re asking is the same as everyone is paying,” said Jamie Davis, the president of Versus. “And they want us to sign a contract that lets them take us away from six million subscribers.”...

NY Times link

Getting a deal done between Versus and DirecTV needs to be done by NHL commissioner Garry Bettman. Just like when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reached out to Comcast president Brian Roberts to get the NFL Network on the cable giant it is time for the NHL boss to bring both parties together and get a resolution.
Meanwhile talking to both sides there are two very different stories last night as I spoke to both sides.

LEAGUE DROPS VERSUS; SIGNS WITH CINEMAX

... “It’s more exposure for the NHL,” Bettman says. “More nudity, yes, but more exposure.”

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"What [DirecTV officials] wanted to do and what they're insisting on and what they have also not told the public is that they were insisting on a clause that would give them the ability to take Versus away from 6 million existing subscribers by re-tiering it, putting on a different tier and going back and saying 'now if you want to continue getting Versus, which you used to get for free, now you have to pay X dollars more a month,'" Davis said. "That's something we wouldn't accept and that's what this is about."

Davis denied DirecTV's allegations that Versus is asking for more money per subscriber -- a cost the satellite company said it would be forced to pass along to its customers.

VS. president: 'Not asking for any extra money'
Davis said. "That's something we wouldn't accept and that's what this is about."
Read More >>

Well, that's no good. The sides are still talking, but a source with knowledge of the negotiations told me that there's a multitude of issues still being debated in the stalemate. The source characterized the talks as "two sides speaking different languages."

The same source said recent optimism that a deal would get done by March, mostly coming from MMA media that are also affected by the DirecTV/Versus dispute, doesn't sync up with the current state of negotiations -- going as far as to say it's status quo from the end of last year.

Looks like the Ducks picked the right year to miss the playoffs for us DirecTV customers!

what about the playoff games that are on versus, second round ducks games were on versus... does that mean those of us with direct tv cant watch the playoff games??

yes...and it is all games up to i think games 4-7 of the SCF

Puppies must love Hockey because Direct TV hates puppies!

"We think Versus is doing a terrific job for us," Bettman said. "They're giving us the most promotion and attention that we could ask for from a cable and TV partner and, quite frankly, we are the most important property that they have."

Bettman said he is hopeful the cable network will resolve the issues that have kept Versus off DirecTV.

"I believe that it will work out and we will be back in the 16 million home that we were on in the DirecTV universe once they work this out," he said. "And I am hopeful that the sides will work this out in advance of the playoffs. But in terms of the coverage we get and the treatment we get, we couldn't be treated better by anybody else."

Link

DIRECTV's Twitter Page: Versus Coming Soon?

... there have been rumors that the two sides will reach an agreement before the start of the NHL playoffs in April. And now fueling the rumors are comments from DIRECTV itself on the company's official Twitter page.

In the last week, readers have asked DIRECTV's Twitter reps if Versus will soon return to the air. The standard reply: They think so.

"We have productive talks going on with Versus and should have an update soon," one DIRECTV tweet said.

Another DIRECTV Twitter rep stated: "We have productive conversations going on with Versus and hope to have news soon."

The two sides are believed to be battling over how Versus would be packaged to DIRECTV's subscribers. The satcaster apparently wants to include the sports channels in a premium sports package that would be seen by fewer people because it would be more costly to subscribe to.

However, Versus would like to be included in a basic package that would be seen by more people -- and generate more money for Versus. Channels are traditionally compensated by the number of subscribers who watch them.

Link

With his head lodged in the place where the sun don't shine, Bettman twists it in even further:


Thanks for nothing, Gary.