Versus

[WickerBill]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-versus-directv22-2009aug22,0,4477246.story?track=rss

[trish]

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.


Versus and the IRL, perfect for each other. :laugh:

[High Sided]

anyone on the fence about dumping direct tv "jump"! as long as you have u-verse available. i finally upgraded my viewing pleasure to a 40" hdtv and elected to dump direct tv instead of adding $10 a month and 2 yrs to my contract for hdtv. at&t already had my phone/internet and adding u-verse not only saves me money even with the top package i'm able to tape 4 shows at once (2 max in hd), watch recorded shows on any tv, and no contract ta'boot.
i've been in hd heaven this weekend with the return of F1 as well as bristol and even irl qualifying.

HDTV ROCKS!:thumbup:

[trish]

Doesn't Versus stand a chance of losing some programming if they don't cut a deal with Direct TV? I mean, how many households would they then reach? And what sport would want to live up to a contract with a network that has lost viewers?

Edit: Actually, assuming they don't cut a deal, that may work out for the IRL if they want to break their contract.

[dando]

One would hope that the NHL would have an out clause if this came to pass. It needs to get back on E$PN badly.

-Kevin

[dando]

HDTV ROCKS!:thumbup:

Yes, but DSL doesn't. The in laws have AT&T DSL and it is horrid. :saywhat: :thumdown:

-Kevin

[High Sided]

Yes, but DSL doesn't. The in laws have AT&T DSL and it is horrid. :saywhat: :thumdown:

-Kevin

i don't know, being able to surf the web on my ipod is pretty cool. horrid compared to what? only other internet i've ever had was aol.

[trish]

Cable is the best.

[dando]

i don't know, being able to surf the web on my ipod is pretty cool. horrid compared to what? only other internet i've ever had was aol.

It's about 1/2 the speed of standard Road Runner in these parts. :irked:

-Kevin

[devilmaster]

One would hope that the NHL would have an out clause if this came to pass. It needs to get back on E$PN badly.

-Kevin


“OLN is anticipating, as are we, subscriber growth,”

[Insomniac]

I imagine for some people on here, they will miss the Tour de France coverage. Maybe a couple will miss the IRL. :gomer:

Will DirecTV add AMC HD please? Seriously, we're up to two seasons and counting of Mad Men and Breaking Bad in SD.

Continuing the AT&T/DSL/Cable/U-Verse discussion.

I've had AT&T DSL for 4 years now and it has been very solid. Cable is faster, but has been a lot more here. For a long time I was getting 1.5 Mbps DSL for $15/mo. Now I have 3.0 Mbps for $30/mo. (With bundling and stuff my price for unlimited everything and DSL has been flat for 4 years.) No U-Verse here, and I think it will be a long, long time before it does show up. (You'd think fiber to the node would be a lot quicker to roll out.)

[TKGAngel]

One would hope that the NHL would have an out clause if this came to pass. It needs to get back on E$PN badly.

I dunno. The NHL is getting about $73ish million from Versus per year. They just extended that deal through 2010-11. Walking away from that deal is stupid just two months before the season starts. Also, Versus is owned by Comcast, who also own the Phylers. Bettman isn't dumb enough to piss off another one of his team owners while he's dealing with the Phoenix debacle.

For what it's worth, Direct TV only has an audience of about 18 million, cable has about 60% penetration into homes in the US (individual DMAs are higher, of course).


Will DirecTV add AMC HD please? Seriously, we're up to two seasons and counting of Mad Men and Breaking Bad in SD.

I'd like Time Warner to add Lifetime in HD. Project Runway sucks in HD.

[dando]

I'd like Time Warner to add Lifetime in HD.

:saywhat: :gomer:

-Kevin

[WickerBill]

18M homes is nothing to sneeze at when you're getting 0.5 to 0.8 ratings *with* that 18M.

IRL has a ten year agreement with them. I posted this basically hoping they rot together.

[Indy]

U-verse internet is not the same as AT&T DSL. And you get what you pay for -- I have had both, and they have consistently delivered the speed advertised. Plus, I may be wrong about this, but I believe that service diminishes with greater distance from the node, so the experience may depend on your location.

No complaints here.

[Napoleon]

I posted this basically hoping they rot together.

Since the IRL basically has a reverse Midas Touch, I wouldn't bet against that happening.

[oddlycalm]

Since the IRL basically has a reverse Midas Touch, I wouldn't bet against that happening.

In a development along those lines Versus went dark for the entire duration of the Sonoma race in our area yesterday according to local race fans. :tony: Sonoma is the geographically closest EARL race to Portland.

oc

[Don Quixote]

In a development along those lines Versus went dark for the entire duration of the Sonoma race in our area yesterday ... Classic example of a tree falling in the forest and nobody there to hear it. :laugh:

[cameraman]

In a development along those lines Versus went dark for the entire duration of the Sonoma race in our area yesterday according to local race fans. :tony: Sonoma is the geographically closest EARL race to Portland.

oc

They blacked out an IRL race??? You've got to be kidding me.
:tony:

[oddlycalm]

They blacked out an IRL race??? You've got to be kidding me.
:tony:

Maybe some group of real race fans will take credit for it...:laugh:

oc

[datachicane]

Holy crap, it works!
http://brassgoggles.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/unnatural-selector-right.jpg

[mapguy]

Holy crap, it works!
http://brassgoggles.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/unnatural-selector-right.jpg

:rofl:

[oddlycalm]

Holy crap, it works!

Nice, I should have known...:laugh:

oc

[indyfan31]

I've had AT&T DSL for 4 years now and it has been very solid. Cable is faster, but has been a lot more here. For a long time I was getting 1.5 Mbps DSL for $15/mo. Now I have 3.0 Mbps for $30/mo. (With bundling and stuff my price for unlimited everything and DSL has been flat for 4 years.)
Where in the world do you live? AT&T charges me $25 for 768K and never even gets close to that speed.

[SurfaceUnits]

rumour says another point 2 for reversus, far exceeding all expectations :rofl:

[SurfaceUnits]

Versus and the IRL, perfect for each other. :laugh:


all you need to know


According to Nielsen ratings numbers, Versus is averaging 3,000 more viewers at any given time since rebranding itself from the Outdoor Life Network to Versus in 2006-2007. On DirecTV, Versus ranks 61st among 74 English-advertising supported cable networks.

wow, 1000 new viewers a year. that's .1racingleague numbers there

[chop456]

Link (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/09/missing-versus-on-directv-dish-network-has-the-answer.html)

Monday at 9 p.m. DirecTV dropped the Versus network, which is owned by Comcast. The DirecTV contract with Versus expired Aug. 31 and no new agreement was reached. Versus has become a mostly sportscentric channel known most for its coverage of the Tour de France and NHL but also with a slate of college football games including several in the Pac-10, bull riding, cage fighting and IRL auto racing.

Listed in order of importance...

:laugh:

I just hope jAMeS rOBErT and bUCk get cable.

[Indy]

TheY DoNt but WAlmArt dus.

[oddlycalm]

The ultimate irony will be when Comcast drops Versus :cool:

oc

[TKGAngel]

PT on Twitter earlier this morning...


Just looked at the tv ratings for the Irl on vs, I will need a long bike ride to figure out how to spin that one to a sponsor

[trish]

Anyone see the ad versus put out?

[grungex]

The IndyWheel is rather prominent...

http://www.multichannel.com/photo/146/146093-Versus_Worthless_ad.jpg

Linky. (http://www.multichannel.com/article/339625-Versus_Launches_Worthless_Ads_In_Distribution_Disp ute_With_DirecTV.php)

[DagoFast]

There is a lot of truth in that ad as far as I'm concerned! :laugh:

[trish]

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b167/trish8/versus.gif

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