We Have A Deal with Disney/ESPN and ABC « Time Warner Cable Untangled

Sep 02 2010

We Have A Deal with Disney/ESPN and ABC

Attention football fans, princess lovers, and Wife-Swap watchers … It warms the core of my leathery corporate heart to bring you the following announcement:

We’re pleased to announce that we have reached a long-term agreement with ESPN/ABC and Disney to provide for continued carriage of a broad array of Disney/ABC and ESPN networks and services in standard and high-definition, including:

ABC Family, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Channel on Demand (subscription video on demand), ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Pay-Per-View, and Toon Disney.

The agreement also allows for the launch of the following networks and services:

Disney Junior, a new 24-hour basic channel for preschool-age children, parents and caregivers launching in 2012.

ESPN3.com – ESPN’s live sports broadband network will be available to all Time Warner Cable subscribers who get ESPN.

A new service allowing customers to view ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU through broadband and mobile Internet devices

ESPN Goal Line – a college football super-highlight channel will be available only to Time Warner Cable’s Sports Pass customers starting as early as September 4, 2010;

ESPN Buzzer Beater: a college basketball service similar to ESPN Goal Line, will be available to Time Warner Cable’s Sports Pass customers for college basketball season;

Expanded Video-on-demand services: including ABC On Demand, Disney-branded On Demand offerings for kids, local sports content in select markets, plus the subscription video-on-demand service “Disney Family Movies”

Start Over and Look Back features on a variety of Disney Media Networks content.

ESPN Deportes: available to a larger Time Warner Cable footprint

ESPN 3D.

It looks like sports fans are getting a fair bit of new content through this deal — good for you guys! I know I’ve gotten a lot of questions about ESPN3 over the last year, intensifying in recent weeks. I’m pretty excited to be part of providing our customers the content that they want.

These negotiations are fun for nobody. They mean a lot of long hours, white-collar fire drills and last-minute tension timed to stain the closest holiday. I know that to everyone following this at home, it reads like two enormous corporate giants slugging it out. Before I worked here, I just sort of pictured a gigantic robot mouse slugging this out with a colossal hovering set-top box like Godzilla vs. Mothra or something.

Here’s the reality: most of both teams spent the night in the office last night. They didn’t sleep. Not, like, slept poorly, or got into a bed and tossed and turned, but were literally in the office overnight working. One of our people has a four year-old son who went off to his first day of school today while his dad was in the office sweating this thing out. Some negotiators on both sides have kids who went off to college while their parents were working on this.

The end result is this: both sides put in a tremendous amount of work at no small sacrifice to their personal lives to bring you a lot of great content without interruption.

Thanks again for your patience, and have a great Labor Day weekend.

**Update 9.6.10**

I know that you’re all really excited to get ESPN3. However, I don’t know any more details on ESPN3, as we just signed the agreement Thursday evening before a holiday weekend.

It is going to take some time to work this out operationally, and I’ll share more details when I have them. This blog will likely be the first place that we announce the rollouts — but for right now, I don’t know when that’s going to happen. As soon as I know, I’ll post about it.

Categories: Content Delivery, Cool Stuff, In the Community, Product Launches, Retransmission Consent, Roll Over or Get Tough

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94 Responses to “We Have A Deal with Disney/ESPN and ABC”

Jake
Sep 02, 2010
at 5:50 pm

Yay!
sk
Sep 02, 2010
at 5:53 pm

I wish Disney wouldnt gag us with so much ESPN and make non sports fan subscribers have to pay for those channels…
Adam
Sep 02, 2010
at 6:02 pm

Just curious but is this raising our monthly rates? thanks
traci
Sep 02, 2010
at 7:10 pm

so how much with this hike up the already crappy service?
Jack
Sep 02, 2010
at 7:12 pm

That will be interesting to see how ESPN3 will work and presented on the channels. Isn’t that an Internet service where everyone can go to right now?

I compliment both the teams of TWC and Disney in getting this thing done. I wish there was some way, any way, that us football fans could get the NFL Network and the Red Zone Channel on TWC as well! That right now is the only big deal channel out there that TWC doesn’t carry, but almost all of the competition does! In fact, I think you guys and Cablevision are the only hold outs. Even small little cable outlets that I have barely heard of have the NFL Network!

You guys really should present an offer to allow NFL Network on the Digital Variety Package. NFL Network won’t allow the channel on the optional Digital Sports Package. While I agree that NFL Network should be on the optional Digital Sports Package, the NFL Network will not permit that. So negotiate a deal for about 60 to 65 cents for the channel on the Digital Variety Package. If this is not done, football fans will probably NEVER see the NFL Network on TWC. If you add this channel at a very reasonable approximation of 60-65 cents a sub, who’s gonna complain? The compliments would probably out-number the complaints by as much as 500 to 1. This channel is just too popular, too intense, and too important among its fans for TWC to not carry it.

Everyone should send an E-Mail to the following CEO’s at TWC. It’s OK if you want to use any of my examples above to illustrate why TWC is overdue for this channel. There are millions of fans who have been waiting for the NFL Network on TWC for six years!

Here are their addresses:

glenn.britt@twc.com
landel.hobbs@twc.com
melinda..witmer@twc.com

The time for NFL Network on TWC is now!
Angela Orr
Sep 02, 2010
at 7:26 pm

Excited for Disney Junior, but if kids really started school and others left for college while these negotiations were going on and parents missed it, they need to take a serious look at their priorities. I’m not impressed, I’m rather horrified. Poor kids…
Ryan
Sep 02, 2010
at 8:06 pm

When can we expect to have access to ESPN3?
patricia
Sep 02, 2010
at 8:17 pm

finally it was not nice of disney to torture us like that
James
Sep 02, 2010
at 9:00 pm

See there is ALWAYS somebody crying about it…. Never fails…
DBB
Sep 02, 2010
at 10:00 pm

I want to thank you for getting this done. When will we be able to use ESPN 3?
J R Smith
Sep 02, 2010
at 10:05 pm

When?

At what cost to customers?
C Byars
Sep 02, 2010
at 10:58 pm

I only have Internet access through Time Warner Cable. Does this mean I will not have access to espn 3 since I do not get my tv service through them? It just states that people who subscribe to espn will get espn3. I think the people who subscribe to the broadband service should have some stakes.
Ashley
Sep 03, 2010
at 3:33 am

Its not fair to anyone involved at the negotiation level what the corporations put you through, thank you so much for doing it. You may have sacrificed much, and I’m sure some people will say “its your job” but you know you really are the ones who protect and serve the consumers. Your work has special meaning not only to your company but to the economy, to our country, and to consumers everywhere. Keep fighting the good fight, and don’t let each other forget that your service extends beyond the walls of your office and into the lives of your friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens. You’re the soldiers who fight wars without guns, and uphold the values of TW which I think most of us believe in. Great work, I hope you all know that. I’d come hug all of you if I could, but I think security would raise an eyebrow at a request for access on that basis
Ashley
Sep 03, 2010
at 3:35 am

“It warms the core of my leathery corporate heart”

Priceless…. We love you Jeff
Jaxon
Sep 03, 2010
at 4:03 am

What did it cost TWC? Did you roll-over or did they? And what will it mean to the average subscriber’s bill?
Rich
Sep 03, 2010
at 5:47 am

WHEN WILL WE BE ABLE TO ACCESS ESPN3.COM?
Islandguy
Sep 03, 2010
at 7:09 am

Now how about making the deal for NFL Network like almost every other MSO has in North America.
Chuck Jette
Sep 03, 2010
at 8:31 am

I guess that it is good to have this done and all the extra “services” available. But like J R Smith above, my question is how much more comes out of my pocket? Hopefully these will be more of the on demand type channels. I don’t need to shell out oodles more $$$ for channels I care nothing about. And a 24 hour kid’s network………………….????
WENDY DAVIS
Sep 03, 2010
at 9:22 am

I WANT TO KNOW IF WE HAVE TO PAY MORE FOR OUR TWC SERVICES? MY CABLE IS NOW 112.08 A MONTH.
DC
Sep 03, 2010
at 9:23 am

I also want to know…When can we access ESPN 3?
chris
Sep 03, 2010
at 9:25 am

It is still fuzzy on how much espn 3 will cost to the stand-a-lone internet subscribers with no video service. I hope you are not planning to leave us on the curb with no option of getting in besides ordering tv service we do not want.
ga
Sep 03, 2010
at 9:44 am

they are beating around the bush and not telling how much this will cost us!!!!
Diane
Sep 03, 2010
at 10:02 am

How much is this going to raise our already enormous bill? We all seemed to have noticed that you left that part out. (As fro the hours you put in, isn’t that what you get the big bucks for?) With that build up, only sounds like you’re getting ready to tell us the bill will be outrageous.
Ron C.
Sep 03, 2010
at 10:21 am

Good job, TWC, in landing ESPN3. But dittoes to the question – when will we actually have ESPN3 availability? My question in this regard to TWC has not been answered. ESPN got right back indicating it would take some time to get the wires all connected to give us ESPN3. Of course, the college football season starts tomorrow. So ESPN3 delays will cost us opportunity in the near term to see games broadcast in that format. Please get busy TWC and get that service up and running for us.
Tim
Sep 03, 2010
at 10:51 am

WHEN will ESPN3 be available????
Max DiOrio
Sep 03, 2010
at 10:52 am

When can we expect ESPN3 access? I’d like to be able to watch the Syracuse v Akron game Saturday.

Thanks for making this happen TW. Although I’d still say that family should have been a priority over this deal. Streatch the deadline an extra day to make sure that you don’t miss important things in your family life.
Jose
Sep 03, 2010
at 10:59 am

I too want to know when we can start using espn3. Also, will espn deportes hd be available to all areas or just major markets? Thanks.
Joe
Sep 03, 2010
at 11:20 am

I travel a lot for business but am a Time Warner customer. Will I be able to use ESPN3 from another network?
Thomas
Sep 03, 2010
at 11:30 am

As a Roadrunner only subscriber, will I get access to ESPN3.com? If not, I know of a similarly-priced ISP in my area that will provide me access.

And if you are not providing ESPN3.com service to Roadrunner Only subscribers, I hope members of the media will start reading through your cleverly-written press release and realize that NOT ALL Time Warner Cable Customers will get access to ESPN3.com.

Hey media, take notice!
Joni
Sep 03, 2010
at 12:16 pm

Yeah, service is not great and programming schedule is always off. They have a certain program scheduled and something else is on instead. The old Adelphia was right on with their scheduling!
lynn
Sep 03, 2010
at 12:19 pm

Call 1 800-342- 3377 to complain about Time Warner ripping off New Yorker’s. We are paying for unwanted channels this is another excuse to raise our already high bill. I know for a fact Time Warner will edit this go to Facebook for the real deal
Jeff Simmermon
Sep 03, 2010
at 12:23 pm

Lynn: How do you “know for a fact Time Warner will edit this?” I just posted the comment, unedited like I do all the others. Do you have evidence here?
Ruth Conone
Sep 03, 2010
at 12:31 pm

I get a basic Time Warner Cable package and am a road runner only computer subscriber. Will I be able to get ESPN 3 to see the football games?
Nancy in NYC
Sep 03, 2010
at 12:34 pm

Like other commenters, I’m also eager for more details about availability of ESPN3. Also, someone mentioned ESPN Deportes HD. Is there a plan to make ESPN Deportes available in HD?
Thomas
Sep 03, 2010
at 12:37 pm

Hi Jeff,

Can you answer my question above? “As a Roadrunner only subscriber, will I get access to ESPN3.com?”
Mark
Sep 03, 2010
at 1:00 pm

When will these new services rollout? Especially ESPN3?
Jeff Simmermon
Sep 03, 2010
at 1:14 pm

Hi — thanks for all your comments here. I know that you’re all really excited to get ESPN3. However, I don’t know any more details on ESPN3, as we just signed the agreement yesterday.

It is going to take some time to work this out operationally, and I’ll share more details when I have them. This blog will likely be among the first places that we announce the rollouts — but for right now, I don’t know when that’s going to happen.
Vic
Sep 03, 2010
at 1:52 pm

This is just great! (NOT!) More sports channels I will never watch. How much is this going to cost me in increased rates? Rates are too high already. I’d be happy to give up the Disney and ESPN channels I have now if I could lower my rates. I am tired of subsidizing the sports nuts as it is. I’m sure this means it is only going to get worse.
Donna Chralowicz
Sep 03, 2010
at 2:51 pm

How much is this going to cost?!?! I don’t watch ESPN or Disney and now I’m going to be forced to pay for this extra crap that I won’t ever use? That sucks. This kind of enhanced specialty programming for kids and sports fans should come in packages that are optional to purchase.
Jake
Sep 03, 2010
at 3:01 pm

I am a Road runner only subscriber, will I have access to ESPN3? I actually called AT&T yesterday before I saw the press release to compare prices because I didn’t have ESPN3 access. If Road runner doesn’t get it I am gone…
Kelly
Sep 03, 2010
at 3:53 pm

Nice post, Jeff. thanks for laying it out in relatable terms. Please thank your team for their hard work!
Kate
Sep 03, 2010
at 10:01 pm

I, too, want to know how much my bill is going to go up. I don’t want these channels and would like to see them become “on demand”. It seems like the only ones you’re getting “tough” with is your customers. If my bill goes up yet again, I’ll have to consider cutting back. How about giving your average non-sports fan, non-mommie subscribers a break?
Robert
Sep 03, 2010
at 10:10 pm

I don’t care about any of Disney stuff why should I have them period.
Gerard
Sep 04, 2010
at 9:52 am

As a senior citizen, I would like to know why you keep removing movie channels, like fmc, and why do I have sooo many foreign channels.
I don’t watch Disney
Vadim
Sep 04, 2010
at 10:30 am

Finaly, that’s a great news I missed espn3. I wish it came earlier for world cup.

anyway thank you.
brandon
Sep 04, 2010
at 10:47 am

now that we are going to be able to get espn3 does that also mean that we will be able to get espn3 over are xbox 360 when it comes out in november?
Jim_Bob
Sep 04, 2010
at 11:43 am

It’s great that we are going to have access to ESPN3.

To all those lamenting that we are going to receive this and more Disney access, grow up.

The idea is to have a variety of channels, and enough of them so that everyone’s tastes in programming can be satisfied.

You say you don’t want sports?
Well, the main reason that I have cable TV at all IS for the sports.

I don’t particularly enjoy paying for all of the channels you like, but I don’t complain about it.

If we all share the load, we can all be happy.
Jon
Sep 04, 2010
at 3:14 pm

So you have to subscribe to cable television in order to get ESPN3.com. Not cool. I don’t subscribe to cable TV but have enjoyed using the on-line service in another market in the past – and it was great.
This will not get me to order cable TV service.

Another less-than-satisfied customer…
Richard
Sep 04, 2010
at 4:50 pm

I just got an email back from brighthouse customer care.. no ESPN 3 for Roadrunner only… Wow that is lame
here is the reply

Thank you for your email regarding your Bright House Networks service.

We are pleased to announce that with a recent carriage agreement with ESPN. Bright House Networks cable and digital cable subscribers will not have access to ESPN3.com

ESPN’s live sports broadband network, which will be available to all Bright House Networks subscribers who get ESPN.
ESPN3.com gives Bright House Networks fans a 24/7 online destination that delivers more than 3,500 live, global sports events annually as part of the TV Everywhere application for sports.

You do need to subscribe to our basic/standard or digital cable service to qualify for the ESPN3.com access as both compliment each other.

If you have any further questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us by replying to this email. Or, if you prefer, call us anytime at 877-892-EASY (3279) or chat with us online using Live CHAT. Thank you for being a customer of Bright House Networks.
Zach
Sep 04, 2010
at 5:00 pm

Thanks for the hard work to Jeff and the rest of the team. However, Jeff you did respond but didnot answer the question besides “I dont know when ESPN3 will be ready”. But we wont have it for this Saturday? I am really, really frustrated its not available today! Jeff, how about a real time frame?