Cox, Sony And Padres Turning High-Definition Triple Play

Padres Teaming With Cox And Sony For HDTV Promotion

Cox Communications and Sony have teamed up with the Padres to "promote high-definition television to a specific audience," according to Ken Belson of the N.Y. TIMES. Under the deal, consumers who buy Sony high-def sets "receive 12 months of free high-definition programming from Cox, ... a $72 savings." The Padres "bought 250 Sony high-definition sets, some of them models that can cost more than $10,000," to install in Petco Park "to give fans a taste of HDTV." In addition, Cox bought "dozens of Sony sets to give away in raffles during Padres games and to place in restaurants" near Petco. Sony has placed ads on Cox' Channel 4, which broadcasts 104 Padres games in high-def, "the most for a single team in the country." Subscriptions for Cox' high-def service, which costs $6 extra per month, "have tripled since the season started in April." Belson wrote the three-way deal "demonstrates a greater convergence of the broadcast, electronics and entertainment industries, one that could become a model for others." Octagon Senior VP Woody Thompson said, "You've got all three points on the triangle: the distributors of the content, the display of the content and the providers of the content." Belson: "The hope is that if high-definition TV gets fans to watch more Padres games, the value of the team's brand will rise." Padres Owner John Moores said, "I'm not going to be happy until all of our games are broadcast in HD" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/6).