Digital cable seems to be making some good moves vs. the Satellite companyies. They recently introduced a lot of good, free DIgital on Demand programs. Movies, Specials, Kids shows, concerts, etc. Acts like a VCR where you can pause, rewind, etc.
Kdogg should be proud.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Comcast Corp. on Monday said it plans to launch the National Football League Network this month as part of a plan to bolster the operator's video-on-demand offerings.
The NFL network will be added to the Philadelphia-based cable operator's digital cable service, featuring 54 preseason games, a deep trove of historic games, and other programs.
Although analysts do not view the current deal as a major boon to Comcast's business, they said it could be a precursor to a more extensive agreement to gain access to lucrative Sunday games, as it seeks to lure more television watchers back to cable.
DirecTV Group Inc. currently owns on an exclusive basis the NFL's most prized asset -- the cable broadcast rights to Sunday games, through 2005.
Cable operators have vowed to lure back video subscribers, which they lost to rival satellite television services at a higher than expected rate in the second quarter.
"To the extent those people are pressured by DirecTV growth, they'll try to take away any advantage they can," said John Hill, an analyst at Schwab SoundView Capital Markets, regarding Comcast.
Indeed, Comcast executives have talked publicly about their interest in taking a gander at the rights when DirecTV's exclusivity rights expire at the end of 2005, but declined to speculate on future plans.
Separately, Walt Disney Co.'s top-ranked cable sports network ESPN also has the rights to broadcast Sunday night football games, further complicating Comcast's run at a deeper relationship with the NFL.
For now, the NFL Network deal could be a good start. "It may end up being something bigger," Hill said. "We'll see."
Kdogg should be proud.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Comcast Corp. on Monday said it plans to launch the National Football League Network this month as part of a plan to bolster the operator's video-on-demand offerings.
The NFL network will be added to the Philadelphia-based cable operator's digital cable service, featuring 54 preseason games, a deep trove of historic games, and other programs.
Although analysts do not view the current deal as a major boon to Comcast's business, they said it could be a precursor to a more extensive agreement to gain access to lucrative Sunday games, as it seeks to lure more television watchers back to cable.
DirecTV Group Inc. currently owns on an exclusive basis the NFL's most prized asset -- the cable broadcast rights to Sunday games, through 2005.
Cable operators have vowed to lure back video subscribers, which they lost to rival satellite television services at a higher than expected rate in the second quarter.
"To the extent those people are pressured by DirecTV growth, they'll try to take away any advantage they can," said John Hill, an analyst at Schwab SoundView Capital Markets, regarding Comcast.
Indeed, Comcast executives have talked publicly about their interest in taking a gander at the rights when DirecTV's exclusivity rights expire at the end of 2005, but declined to speculate on future plans.
Separately, Walt Disney Co.'s top-ranked cable sports network ESPN also has the rights to broadcast Sunday night football games, further complicating Comcast's run at a deeper relationship with the NFL.
For now, the NFL Network deal could be a good start. "It may end up being something bigger," Hill said. "We'll see."
