Deal between NFL Network, Charter is a compromise - Ingles

The announcement this week that Charter and NFL Network finally have made a deal amounts to a compromise between the parties, one that should benefit many customers of the largest cable/satellite TV programming provider in the St. Louis market.

The NFL and Charter have been at odds over where the channel should be placed since the network was launched late in the 2003 season. The league wanted it included in general programming packages, with outlets such as ESPN, CNN, TNT, etc. Charter balked, saying it was a specialized channel that wouldn't attract enough viewers to merit passing the costs along to the masses.

And the sides remained at loggerheads until finally reaching accord in a contract announced Monday. NFL Network won't be placed on basic cable, but instead included in the lineup for those who have digital cable and purchase the "digital view plus'' or 'sports tier" — which Charter spokesperson Jessica Myers said costs $59.99 for the first six months, $71.99 monthly thereafter.

She wouldn't say how many of the company's 551,700 subscribers in the market have a plan that will include NFL Network, but said anyone who has a digital subscription without the packages that will carry NFL Network can add one of those for $10 a month.

The date for NFL Network's debut on Charter isn't finalized, but it is expected to launch before the season begins Sept. 8.

NFL Network carries six exhibition games live this month, starting with Green Bay at Cleveland on Aug. 13, and has every other preseason game on tape. (The first Rams appearance will be at 9 p.m. Aug. 14, a day after they play the Indianapolis Colts).

The network carries extensive highlights shows, analysis and historical pieces, and shows live NFL games on Thursday nights (plus one Saturday) in the latter part of the season. Former Rams Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner and Torry Holt are among the network's contributors.

But there is a caveat — NFL RedZone channel, an NFL Network sister station that switches from game to game on Sunday afternoons during the regular season, will be available only to those Charter subscribers who buy the sports tier. RedZone is not the same service in which each NFL game on Sunday is shown live in its entirety. That "NFL Sunday Ticket'' is the sole property of the DirecTV satellite company.

By landing a deal nationally with Charter, NFL Network will be in about 60 million homes — about 40 million behind ESPN and only about 3 million more than MLB Network, which is in just its third season.

DOUBLE COVERAGE

Charter won't have NFL Network on in time for Saturday's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, but customers of other programming providers can choose between the coverage on that network and ESPN's presentation as former Rams running back Faulk is one of those being enshrined.

NFL Network's coverage starts at 3 p.m. with pre-induction programming including scheduled appearances by former Rams coach Dick Vermeil and former Rams receiver Holt.

The ceremonies begin at 6 p.m., which is when ESPN's coverage starts. Former St. Louisan Trey Wingo serves as ESPN's host and Rich Eisen is in that role for NFL Network. Faulk tentatively is scheduled to be inducted fifth in the class of seven.
This article was written by Dan Caesar and appeared in The St.Louis Post-Dispatch.