After 13 years of carrying the NFL Network and NFL Red Zone, Dish Satellite Network has dropped both channels from its programming guide.
The NFL Communications department issued this statement regarding the move by Dish.
“LOS ANGELES, June 16, 2016: As of Thursday evening, June 16 at 7 p.m. ET NFL Network and NFL RedZone have been dropped by Dish Network’s satellite distribution system. This represents the first time in NFL Network’s 13 year history that one of its service providers has not continued to offer the network to its subscribers.”
Dish Network’s former NFL Network Channel now contains a message that reads:
“Our contract with NFL Network has expired. We remain open to a fair offer that allows us to carry this content at an appropriate value to our customers. Check back here for updates.”
Regarding NFL Network, it will still continue to be distributed throughout the United States through DIRECT TV, Comcast Xfinity, Charter Spectrum, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon FiOS, per the NFL’s report.
At this time, NFL Network is committed to reaching “fair distribution agreements” with the paid television industry.
Needless to say, subscribers of Dish who rely on the daily news, game replays, Thursday Night Football and Sunday’s Red Zone are quite disappointed upon hearing this news.
Thus, folks throughout social media have already threatened to drop Dish Network as a result. Sports media isn’t too thrilled either about the situation.
Arguments between satellite companies and network providers arise every once in a while, when sometimes agreements are settled. In some instances, they are not. Although, a dispute involving the country’s most popular sport and the NFL organization is a whole other animal.
If the two parties cannot come to terms, it is going to cause a lot of football enthusiasts to switch to another cable or satellite provider.
We certainly have yet to hear the end of this story.