I Want My OLN
Sometimes the things that companies do to their customers baffles me. Such was the case with Dish Network last month. We had been subscribers to their satellite TV service for over 7 years in two different houses (cable doesn't exist out here). No major complaints really. Of course there is all that wonderful bullshit from the FCC we get to deal with around here - some geniuses have decided that although we live Southwest Colorado, we are forced to get our network TV feeds (cable and satellite) from the Albuquerque/Santa Fe, New Mexico market instead of from our home state capitol's market in Denver (Anyone who has watched any local news channel in Albuquerque will probably agree they should change the name of the evening news programs to the Evening Crime Report and Police Blotter). But this whole fiasco is Uncle Sam's doing (and some big business I'm sure) and not the fault of Dish Network.
So anyway, like I said, no real problems with Dish network in all of those years. Until I tuned in (or tried) to the Outdoor Life Network to watch an NHL game (OLN picked up broadcast rights to NHL games from ESPN after a lockout cancelled the entire 2004-2005 hockey season). But instead of the game, all I saw was a message from Dish Network stating OLN's parent company, ComCast, was making "unreasonable demands" and therefore they discontinued broadcasting of OLN (without warning) because Dish Network would not allow its customers to be "bullied".
Let me tell you a little something about myself. I am not a big sports fan. I do not watch (and could I care less about) professional or college football, baseball or basketball. I haven't watched a Super Bowl game in probably 20 years. But I became a hockey fan in college, and I am also an avid bicyclist. The only two professional sports I enjoy watching are bicycle racing in the summer and hockey (college or pro) in the winter.
Guess who is the only network that covers bicycle racing? OLN.
Guess who is the broadcast home of the NHL? OLN.
Meanwhile, DirecTV, Dish Network's competitor didn't seem to have this problem. In fact, DirecTV's website is proclaiming they are the only satellite TV provider offering OLN. So goodbye Dish Network, hello DirecTV.
So anyway, like I said, no real problems with Dish network in all of those years. Until I tuned in (or tried) to the Outdoor Life Network to watch an NHL game (OLN picked up broadcast rights to NHL games from ESPN after a lockout cancelled the entire 2004-2005 hockey season). But instead of the game, all I saw was a message from Dish Network stating OLN's parent company, ComCast, was making "unreasonable demands" and therefore they discontinued broadcasting of OLN (without warning) because Dish Network would not allow its customers to be "bullied".
Let me tell you a little something about myself. I am not a big sports fan. I do not watch (and could I care less about) professional or college football, baseball or basketball. I haven't watched a Super Bowl game in probably 20 years. But I became a hockey fan in college, and I am also an avid bicyclist. The only two professional sports I enjoy watching are bicycle racing in the summer and hockey (college or pro) in the winter.
Guess who is the only network that covers bicycle racing? OLN.
Guess who is the broadcast home of the NHL? OLN.
Meanwhile, DirecTV, Dish Network's competitor didn't seem to have this problem. In fact, DirecTV's website is proclaiming they are the only satellite TV provider offering OLN. So goodbye Dish Network, hello DirecTV.
4 Comments:
Nothing beats watching Bob Roll ("Toor Day France") in the summer during the tour! And the Englishmen: "My God, I think he injured his manhood during that nasty tumble! Can we get a replay?"
I'm feeling sorry for you.
I am upset about losing OLN as well.
There has been a petition started at www.petitionspot.com/petition/oln. Please sign and pass it on. Let's get back our OLN!!!
This years tour will be interesting without Lance and I am already getting excited. On another note...you seem to be the one of many fathers of twins that also cycle. Strange coincidence.
You are dead on with this. OLN is holding all the cycling fans hostage and the collateral damage will be the advertisers who will not see my wallet this summer.
Post a Comment
<< Home