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NFL & Comcast reach agreement: NFL Network switches to digital classic by August 1

by Richard Lawler, posted May 19th 2009 at 12:34PM


Forget all the fights and accusations, the NFL Network and Comcast have reached an agreement that will see the channel moved from the sports tier to its Digital Classic level by August 1, available to almost 2/3 of the company's subscribers. Also coming to cable bound NFL fans? Video on-demand content and Comcast will have the "ability" to offer the no longer exclusive NFL Redzone Channel when it launches. No word on what this means for any other operators but we wouldn't be surprised if this deal is just the first of several providing wider access to NFL Network. Now, just to see how much our cable bill jumps in the fall to know the real cost of this addition.

NFL Network & Comcast could be close to a deal, moving channel to digital basic

by Richard Lawler, posted May 17th 2009 at 9:23PM


Not that we usually put much stock in Peter King's NFL rumors, but word is the NFL Network and Comcast are close to working out a deal that will put the channel right where the NFL wanted it all along, on the regular digital cable package instead of the added-price sports tier. Since the channel didn't disappear May 1 as threatened, it would seem an agreement on pricing has been reached and according to King things were nearly finished on Thursday and Friday but the two have been hammering out final details even today. We'll see if this really happens, and not a moment too soon negotiations also under way with Fox, CBS and NBC and labor talks due to get under way with the Players Association.

Dallas Cowboys record breaking 1080p display caught on video before the stadium opens

by Richard Lawler, posted May 7th 2009 at 9:39PM Breaking News


It took long enough, but we've finally got video (embedded after the break) of the giant 159 x 72-foot 1080p displays facing each sideline of the new home of the Dallas Cowboys, playing back some highlights of a game vs. the Colts. We've seen the specs and the mockups of Mitsubishi's huge DiamondVision screen, but suddenly things look very different when the camera pans down and one realizes exactly how large these displays are. Once we've confirmed the stadium isn't built by the same guys that put together the team's practice bubble, we'll be making plans to head down and catch a game. Eat that, Dolphin Stadium.

[Thanks, Yaggs]

Continue reading Dallas Cowboys record breaking 1080p display caught on video before the stadium opens

NFL Network remaining on Comcast, for the time being

by Richard Lawler, posted Apr 30th 2009 at 10:08PM


As you already know, the NFL Network's contract with Comcast expires tonight, and while the two fight it out over where the channel belongs, on basic cable or a sports tier, it's been threatening to leave the cable company's lineup altogether. Not quite at the 11th hour however, comes word from the Comcast Voices blog that the two are still trying to work things our and due to currently "productive discussions" NFL Network will stay on Comcast systems for now. It'll still be some time be some time before their court case has a ruling, but we're sure your voice on the matter has already been heard.

ESPN prepping its first HD NFL draft coverage

by Richard Lawler, posted Apr 23rd 2009 at 4:36PM


Sure, ESPN's been taking advantage of widescreen to cover the NFL Draft, but it's still a bit surprising that the 2009 Draft Weekend is the first one ready for HDTV, getting beaten to the punch by the WNBA. Check out the picture above for a quick comparison of the 2008 screen (bottom) to the new 2009 compression format (top), shot in HD and better able to take advantage of the 16x9 frame. Also new for '09? If you haven't noticed already, Todd McShay's gone all CNN on us with a "perceptive pixel touch screen" to swipe around player stats and draft possibilities, along with 21 remote cameras following potential draftees on both days. Check the gallery for bigger versions, then resume your 5th mock draft of the day, unfortunately for us, it probably won't include the Detroit Lions doing the smart thing and picking an offensive lineman first.

Gallery: ESPN 2009 NFL Draft

  • 2009 NFL Draft Presentation
  • 2008 NFL Draft presentation
  • Todd McShay's

Sony packs the new Cowboys stadium full of HDTVs

by Richard Lawler, posted Apr 21st 2009 at 1:26PM


Hopefully in a deal that works out better than the Yankees new jetstream-enabled ballpark, Sony has signed up as the official HDTV of the Dallas Cowboys, and will be planting more than 3,000 LCDs throughout the facility. The entire system featuring 19- to 70-inch monitors is IPTV and RS-232 controlled and operators from the control room (once again, Sony-kitted) can throw any information or video on any display at a moment's notice. Of course, it's going to be tough for even a 70-inch monitor to distract fans from the main attraction, but if they are, they'll be looking at a Sony.

Poll: Who is right in the NFL Network / Comcast battle?

by Richard Lawler, posted Apr 18th 2009 at 12:00PM


The hearing is over and both sides have presented their cases to the judge, but it could be up to a month before there's a ruling on the NFL Network vs. Comcast case, and with the channel due to disappear in just a few more days we're leaving the decision up to you. Who do you roll with, the sports channel arguing the cable giant won't open up its lucrative massive subscriber base while keeping them tied to its own useless channels, or the cable company protesting too high subscriber fees for a niche product? Submit your amius briefs in the comments.

Who do you side with, NFL Network or Comcast?

DISH & NFL work out a new multiyear agreement

by Richard Lawler, posted Apr 12th 2009 at 11:24AM


Things haven't all been sweet between DISH Network and NFL Network, wrangling over details of their agreement since '06, but a new deal should keep the channel on the Classic Silver 200 package for years to come. Combined with DirecTV's new Sunday Ticket deal satellite dish owning football fans can rest easy, but it still looks like Comcast subs will be sweating it out 'til the end of the month.

[Via USA Today]

NFL Network, Comcast slapfight could see channel yanked May 1

by Richard Lawler, posted Apr 9th 2009 at 4:31PM


This Hatfield & McCoy-like dispute has been going on for years now and it might be ready to come to a head. In case you haven't seen the ads, the NFL Network could leave Comcast altogether May 1. As always, the NFL wants to be on the basic tier in every subscriber's house alongside ESPN and, less popular, Comcast owned channels, and Comcast wants to keep it on the sports tier, where only those willing to shell out extra will see what it claims is the 4th most expensive channel it has. We like the NFL, but we also hate higher basic cable bills for stuff not everyone wants to watch. Of course, an 11th hour reprieve is always possible -- see Viacom, Big Ten Network and more, but next month Comcast subs may have to choose which large, greedy corporation they love more.

Read - NFL, not Comcast, is behind dispute over NFL Network
Read - I Want NFL Network

The NFL and DirecTV extend exclusive Sunday Ticket through 2014

by Ben Drawbaugh, posted Mar 23rd 2009 at 11:38PM

NFL Sunday Ticket banner
Bad news for NFL fans that can't see the southwestern sky, DirecTV and the NFL have once again extended the exclusive pay-per-view Sunday Ticket contract, and this time through 2014. The rumored 4 billion dollar deal includes a few other nuggets like broadband access for Sunday Ticket subscribers who also subscribe to the Superfan package (an additional $99 fee) in 2012 -- although we're not sure how it differs from today's services. The other thing worth mentioning in the deal is that also starting around 2010, the Redzone channel will no longer be exclusive to the Superfan package, and will in fact be offered to other carriers with no strings attached to the leagues other cable channel, The NFL Network.

Verizon's FiOS playing big role in Super Bowl XLIII

by Darren Murph, posted Feb 1st 2009 at 6:18AM


If you can't quite afford a ticket to attend Super Bowl XLIII, you may still be able to get close enough to feel the noise. If so, there's a decent chance you'll be enjoying the action nearby courtesy of Verizon. This year, said operator has become the first ever "non-partner" vendor allowed in the NFL Experience, as it was selected to wire the Tampa Convention Center and several affiliated hotels in the area with its FiOS fibers. All told, the outfit laid some 14,000 years of fiber in downtown Tampa is preparation for the big game, and FiOS TV will power 143 TVs throughout five downtown venues. Additionally, 116 FiOS TV set-top-boxes were installed along with 138 data lines, though there's no telling if any of this will remain after fans pack up and head home. More details are just past the break.

Continue reading Verizon's FiOS playing big role in Super Bowl XLIII

VIZIO does it big time with own Super Bowl ad

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 30th 2009 at 6:01PM


We've always respected those who practiced what they preached, and we've got to give it to VIZIO here -- it's definitely standing by its word of switching marketing gears from discount to high-quality. The company famous for delivering HDTVs at rock bottom prices has just announced that it will air a commercial in this year's Super Bowl, and at around $3 million per slot, you know it'll be worth watching. Of course, you probably shouldn't expect scantily clad females or overdone explosions, as the company's co-founder and VP of sales and marketing Laynie Newsome has stated that the spot is one that's "simple and speaks directly to its customers." Low-key and Super Bowl? Those don't mix, do they?

Survey finds that HD Super Bowl could bring families together

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 28th 2009 at 3:53PM


We've seen some pretty outlandish survey results before, but this might just take top honors. A Samsung-commissioned poll has revealed that "an HDTV can entice your spouse to visit the in-laws, even for the Super Bowl, if it means viewing football in high-definition." Heard that? Your family could actually grow fonder of one another if your in-laws are showing the Super Bowl in high-def. The actual results were that 43 percent would make the trek to their in-laws if they could count on watching the big game in HD, with 50 percent of that subset being men and 34 percent being women. The survey also found that 81 percent felt image quality was more important than food, and we're left to wonder what on Earth those other 19 percent are drinking so heavily. Check the read link for even more laughs.

[Image courtesy of PBase]

Prepared for Super Bowl XLIII? Here's how.

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 22nd 2009 at 1:00PM


Believe it or not, Super Bowl XLIII is but days away. If you've been putting off that home theater expansion, the time to get serious is now. We've hosted up a handy guide to get your abode totally ready for hosting a rather monumental bash, so why not head over to Engadget Classic and check it out? We're not responsible for the condition of your wallet should you follow each and every recommendation, but we are guaranteeing that it's a darn good recipe for joviality.

HDTV to blame for possible NFL playoff blackouts?

by Richard Lawler, posted Jan 2nd 2009 at 2:23PM

The NFL may need to rethink blackout rules in the face of swank HDTV setups and tanking economy. Word is Arizona and Minnesota are both under the gun for possible local TV blackouts of playoff games if enough tickets aren't sold this afternoon. Breaking a string of sellouts for the 0-16 Lions is one thing, being 8,000 tickets short as the Vikings were or 3,700 out for the Cardinals at last count yesterday could leave flat screens dark in the Twin Cities and Tempe this weekend. C'mon folks, someone is going to have to actually go to the game, should we start drawing straws?

Read - Arizona gets another blackout deadline extension
Read - Vikings face possible blackout; thousands of playoff tickets still up for grabs




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