Time Warner/NFL Network Feud Continues As More Games Missed

Menendez Wants TWC To Resolve NFL Network Dispute

Texas state Rep. Jose Menendez (D) on Thursday called on Time Warner Cable (TWC) “to resolve its differences” with NFL Network over carriage of the channel, according to CABLEFAX DAILY. With Saturday’s Cowboys-Falcons game and the December 29 Insight Bowl between Texas Tech and Minnesota affecting his constituency, Menendez said he believes “it is time for [TWC] to figure out a solution.” TWC is “miffed that the filing fails to assign any blame” to NFL Network. A TWC spokesperson said, “It’s the NFL Network, not us, that’s robbing Texans of the ability to watch [their games].” NFL Network “currently has no intention of offering a free net preview” in Texas similar to the offer in New York and New Jersey because neither TWC nor Cablevision has accepted the offer (CABLEFAX DAILY, 12/15). In K.C., Jeffrey Flanagan reports it is “possible the offer could extend to the [K.C.] area down the line.” NFL Network Communications Dir Seth Palansky said, “We don’t have any resolution to that situation (New York/New Jersey) yet. You can’t go any further until that is resolved.” He added that one of the reasons that the New York/New Jersey situation “was a priority was that many fans in that area don’t have the option of getting satellite because they live in high-rise apartments” (K.C. STAR, 12/15). Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, who sits on the NFL’s Broadcast Committee, said of the net’s disputes with MSOs, “We’re here for the long haul, and we’re going to stand up for our fans and insist that they put it on the basic package” (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 12/15).

AD OUT: DirecTV (DTV) has been ordered to stop running ads claiming that TWC subs will not be able to see their home NFL team’s games if they are broadcast on NFL Network, pending resolution of TWC’s false advertising suit against DTV. The injunction was agreed upon by the companies and accepted by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Laura Taylor Swain (TWC).

Jones Says NFL Network Will Continue To Call For Inclusion On MSOs’ Basic Tier

SCOREBOARD WATCHING: In N.Y., Michael Schmidt notes NFL Network is not available in the New Jersey hotel where the Giants stay before home games. That means they will not see Saturday night’s Cowboys-Falcons “which has huge playoff implications for the Giants” (N.Y. TIMES, 12/15).

SLOPPY THURSDAYS: During the second half of NFL Network’s broadcast of 49ers-Seahawks Thursday night, play-by-play announcer Bryant Gumbel said of the first half, “We’ve just seen another sloppy half of football, which has become our wont on Thursday night.” Noting several coaches have complained Thursday games do not give players the chance to recuperate fully from Sunday’s game, Gumbel “at the risk of biting the hand that feeds us,” asked analyst Cris Collinsworth, “Are we seeing evidence of it in the sloppy games we’re seeing on Thursday night?” Collinsworth responded, “I personally would prefer to see these games played earlier in the season for a lot of reasons: One, I think it’s easier on the players, and two, all the games would be more significant” (NFL Network, 12/14).