garymedley@comcast.net

OLN, nee Versus, moved to basic cable nationwide last fall as part of its deal to broadcast the National Hockey Association. There's no way the NHL will allow Comcast to bump the NHL to a more-expensive package with even LESS viewers. It would be death for the NHL's already small advertising revenue.

Unless they figure the NHL is a lost cause anyway.

-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Erik Voldengen"

I don?t know if you?ll loose it for sure.

I wanted to watch the Tour de France last summer, but I did not have cable. I called Comcast and asked if OLN (now Versus) was included in the basic cable package. They said it was NOT. Same thing was on their website.

I then polled this email list and I believe 20 out of 20 confirmed they did have OLN with basic cable.

Further, I read somewhere that part of the NHL television rights require broadcast to hit a certain number of homes, which apparently isn?t possible with the larger cable packages ? only basic cable has enough penetration.

So maybe it will go away, but maybe it won?t. At least you can still watch Mythbusters ;)

-Erik

From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of John Schader
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 3:06 PM
To: OBRA
Subject: [OBRA Chat] Bad News from Comcast

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I just got my Comcast bill with the products & services price list effective 3/7/07. RATS! Although they are lowering the bare bones basic service fee by 25 cents to a mere $8.15, they have eliminated Versus (OLN) and the Golf Channel. Now one needs at least "Standard Cable" at $50.89/month to get those channels. Come July, I'm going to miss all my favorite bull riding and BBQ competitions. Say it ain't so!

John

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