Universal Sports going off free tv..

[Skittl1321]

I never got it over the air, but am sad for all the people losing it now.

We can't even get NBC over the air. We used to be able to, but after the digital transition, they changed the signal strength and we lost it (the station is not close to us, we couldn't get their analog signal, but got their old digital one. When they dropped the analog signal, they moved the digital to that channel, and so it is too low now).

We've had cable for the past 2 years, but are about to drop it again. I will miss figure skating, and the Olympics in general.

[FigureSpins]

I don't "get" this at all. Why would Universal Sports (US) use Facebook to ask people to tell US that they don't want to be "dropped," meaning they want to watch US on a platform other than DirecTV? I guess the left hand within US doesn't know what the right hand is doing. *shrugs*

In any case, the post is here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/UniversalSports

Unless you have Directv, on 1/1/12 your TV Provider may drop UNIVERSAL SPORTS from your channel lineup. Call 1-800-55-GET-US & tell your provider you want access to year-round coverage of Olympic sports & athletes. Time is running out. Don’t get dropped--Call 1-800-55-GET-US & make your voice heard. Click here to double your voice.

You can call the number or, better yet, go to http://www.universalsports.com/iwant...ollection.html to complete the online form.

It would be really sleazy of US if this is a way of building a database of names to solicit subscribers for DirecTV.

[Octoberopals]

Is there an ice-skating schedule out for Universal Sports/NBC Sports on the ComCast cable network? I've looked & looked & can't find anything.

[HisWeirness]

No Universal Sports GP skating schedule has been released yet. It should appear on the page linked below when it is released:
http://www.universalsports.com/figur...ide/index.html

NBC GP Sports schedule:
http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=46360&type=media

[AJ Skatefan]

I don't "get" this at all. Why would Universal Sports (US) use Facebook to ask people to tell US that they don't want to be "dropped," meaning they want to watch US on a platform other than DirecTV? I guess the left hand within US doesn't know what the right hand is doing. *shrugs*

In any case, the post is here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/UniversalSports



You can call the number or, better yet, go to http://www.universalsports.com/iwant...ollection.html to complete the online form.

It would be really sleazy of US if this is a way of building a database of names to solicit subscribers for DirecTV.

The Universal Sports website also has a button to click to fill out a form requesting that Universal Sports not be dropped. Just to be safe I'd suggest that people do that. It sounds like they're rearranging their coverage and some cable companies may drop it???? or something....

[museksk8r]

I'm dimwitted and do not understand. I only have US because I have cable, it isnt part of a free package.

I never knew there were people who were able to watch it on free TV either. I have Universal Sports because it is part of my Time Warner basic cable package. I hope I will still have it come January 1st!

[FigureSpins]

I'm dimwitted and do not understand. I only have US because I have cable, it isnt part of a free package.

In the days before cable and satellite bills, people watched TV via broadcasts "over the air" from television stations in their area, for free. When DTV was introduced a few years ago, anyone who wanted to continue to receive those broadcasts had to get a converter box if they had older TVs that weren't DTV-ready.

Part of the DTV conversion was to add channels "between" the existing channels. The larger stations filled those extra channels with other programming, including UniSports. I know I've posted about the access since well before Vancouver, but it's gone now.

Example: NBC in New York was channel 4.1, NBC Mobile was 4.2, and Universal Sports was channel 4.4.

With the DirecTV implementation, Universal Sports is supposed to be removed from over-the-air broadcasts as well as cable providers and Dish network.

[museksk8r]

With the DirecTV implementation, Universal Sports is supposed to be removed from over-the-air broadcasts as well as cable providers and Dish network.

Well, it's a shame . . . there goes their audience. It's really sad that any hope of gaining public interest in figure skating and gymnastics has to die due to corporate greed.

[genevieve]

I saw my first US ad for the changeover this weekend. I'm so very bummed.

[AJ Skatefan]

Well, it's a shame . . . there goes their audience. It's really sad that any hope of gaining public interest in figure skating and gymnastics has to die due to corporate greed.

So, I'm confused. Does this mean that Universal Sports will only be on Direct TV? So, if I currently get it on Comcast, will it go away?

[Frau Muller]

Oh, so do I now have to switch from Comcast to DirectTV, in order to get UnivSports? But, wait... wasn't UnivSports purchased by Comcast a few months ago? Sorry, this isn't making sense.

[AJ Skatefan]

Oh, so do I now have to switch from Comcast to DirectTV, in order to get UnivSports? But, wait... wasn't UnivSports purchased by Comcast a few months ago? Sorry, this isn't making sense.

I know. But they've been running ads on US tv that if you don't want to lose Universal Sports, call the number. And on the website there's a button to click, which I did again.

[LynnW]

So, I'm confused. Does this mean that Universal Sports will only be on Direct TV? So, if I currently get it on Comcast, will it go away?

No, from my understanding, Directv does not have exclusive rights to US. The way I understand it is that Comcast owns US and is going to be charging for the transmission after 1/12. Before this, it was a free channel to the cable companies so it cost nothing for them to broadcast. I used to have RCN and they included it in the basic package along with local channels.

However, other cable companies are now threatening to drop US because they will now be charged to broadcast it. US is trying to gather support for the other cable companies to continue broadcasting it.
I think it is just a coincidence that Directv is now beginning to broadcast US. Their decision to broadcast it has no corrlation to others dropping it or threatening to drop it. That is my understanding anyway.

Edited to add link: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/158377/

[avivadawn]

I guess that it's "Goodbye US" because I watch it over the air and cannot afford cable or internet at home.

It was nice while it lasted.....one of the only ways that I could see some of the sports that I love.

[A.H.Black]

With the DirecTV implementation, Universal Sports is supposed to be removed from over-the-air broadcasts as well as cable providers and Dish network.

DISH TV has never carried Universal Sports. I haven't seen anything yet that explains what will happen with Comcast and other cable providers.

Many people think that Universal Sports is part of the Comcast package - IT ISN'T. Those who get Universal Sports on Comcast get it because their local NBC affiliate chooses to broadcast Universal Sports on one of their optional digital channels on Comcast. Here's the way it works (I think)

Your local network affiliates are given a group of channels to use on Comcast as part of their contract with Comcast. They have their main channel (2, 4, 5 , 7 etc.) plus one or two or three other channels to use at their discretion. My NBC affiliate has chosen to use those channels to broadcast weather, news, and Universal Sports. Those channels then become part of the Comcast package. Whether the network affiliates will lose the ability to broadcast that channel in January has not been made clear.

I suppose it's possible that Comcast will be pulling Universal Sports as an option for the local affiliates and then making it a "real" cable/satellite channel. That way Comcast, DISH and any other providers will have to have direct contracts with Universal Sports, rather than having it available through the local affiliates. Right now the only cable/satellite provider that has a specific contract with Universal Sports is DirectTV (that I know of).

I have a couple of calls in to my local affiliate to see if I can get some specific information. When I hear back, I will post. It's sort of tough to find the right person to ask. No one seems to know anything about it yet.

[MacMadame]

That's a very clear explanation AH.

I don't get US on AT&T uVerse and I think I am unlikely to after this change. But at least now it's possible. Before it was up to the NBC affiliate according to your explanation and now it will be up to AT&T uVerse corporate. I think it might be easier to get AT&T corporate to add the channel than to get a bunch of local NBC affiliates to do so.

[Cherub721]

So I have to rely on Cablevision to contract with US and pay them. Ugh. Cablevision sucks (they actually took Game Show Network out of the regular cable package and added it to a premium sports package, forcing all the senior citizens who loved that channel to pay extra or lose the channel). I like US, but I'm not going to pay extra for it with a package of other channels I'll never watch.

[BaileyCatts]

I never knew there were people who were able to watch it on free TV either. I have Universal Sports because it is part of my Time Warner basic cable package. I hope I will still have it come January 1st!

You have Time Warner and you get the US channel? I have Time Warner too and I don't get it and have been hounding them with requests when are we gonna get it and the answer ranges from "what channel?" to "never". What state are you in? Maybe I'll move there!

[Frau Muller]

[QUOTE=LynnW;3324736]No, from my understanding, Directv does not have exclusive rights to US. The way I understand it is that Comcast owns US and is going to be charging for the transmission after 1/12.... [QUOTE]

Thanks for this. So nothing will really change for current Comcast subscribers who already get US...we pay for it now & we will continue to pay for it after January 1, 2012.

I believe that the current ad campaign by DirectTV is just to get more DirectTV customers....but nowhere in the ads do they state "After January 1, you will not get US unless you are with DirectTV." If you listen carefully, it is "...you may not get US unless you have DirectTV..." So US stays with Comcast too which, after all, owns US.

Borderline deceptive advertising to scare people into thinking that they must run and get DirectTV, even if they currently get US for a cost on Comcast or other providers.

[SpeedySucks]

Thanks for this. So nothing will really change for current Comcast subscribers who already get US...we pay for it now & we will continue to pay for it after January 1, 2012.

No, Comcast does not currently have a distribution deal with Universal Sports. If you get Universal Sports on Comcast, it's because your local NBC station carries it over-the-air. You will lose Universal Sports on January 1st.

NBC Universal/Comcast has only a minority ownership in Universal Sports. They are currently working on a distribution deal with Comcast, but it may or may not happen by January 1st.