Cable Operators Not Jumping At NFL Network’s Free Offer

NFL Network is offering a free preview to Time Warner and Cablevision customers in the N.Y. DMA from 6:00am ET on December 24 to 8:00pm ET on December 30, in order, the network says, “to accommodate Rutgers University football fans” so they can watch the December 28 Texas Bowl (THE DAILY). But CABLEFAX DAILY writes Cablevision “wants only to televise” the bowl game “and its related programming,” and not carry NFL Network during the rest of the free preview period (CABLEFAX DAILY, 12/13). A Cablevision spokesperson said that the company, which has almost one million customers in New Jersey, “expects to carry the Texas Bowl telecast, but indicated it probably would not air the entire free preview week” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/13). Kagan Research analyst John Mansell: “Most cable operators are reluctant to bite because of the problems they might face in taking it off the air. It’s very difficult for the cable company to take anything away from the subscriber” (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 12/13). Cablevision CEO James Dolan “criticized the NFL for trying to use its leverage to get cable companies to show the NFL Network while not allowing the companies” to offer “NFL Sunday Ticket,” which is exclusive to DirecTV. Dolan: “They won’t sell me what I really want. We’ll certainly carry the Rutgers game, we’ll see about the rest.” Comcast spokesperson Beth Bacha noted that her company, New Jersey’s leading cable provider with nearly 1.4 million homes, “was not affected by” the offer because the MSO already offers the network to digital customers (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 12/13).

REAX: U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), who lobbied to make the Texas Bowl more widely available to Rutgers fans in the region, said, “People in New Jersey need to be able to watch Rutgers play, and now we have a way to do that” (N.Y. POST, 12/13). NFL Network Dir of Communications Seth Palansky said that “complainers miss the big picture.” Palansky: “The Texas Bowl wouldn’t exist if the NFL hadn’t stepped up to take it” (USA TODAY, 12/13).

BOWL NOTES: ESPN owns five of the 21 bowl games it airs, but ESPN VP/Programming & Acquisitions Dave Brown said that the telecasts will treat sponsors of its own bowls “in a way ‘consistent with how anybody in this business treats sponsors.’” Brown said that there is “room for even more bowling next season.” Brown: “Some 6-6 teams from major conferences didn’t make bowls, so we could schedule more” (USA TODAY, 12/13)....XM has added 12 more bowl games to its line-up — including the Rose Bowl, Gator Bowl and Capital One Bowl — for a total of 16 bowl games (XM).