DirecTV & Spike TV Issues, TNA Urges Fans To Call DirecTV

[Big Hoss Rambler]

-- A "contractual impasse" between DirecTV and Viacom will see the satellite service drop 17 Viacom stations effective Midnight Eastern standard time tonight if a new deal isn't reach. This would include Spike TV, which airs TNA Impact Wrestling every Thursday. Viacom is requesting a 30% increase in fees according to DirecTV, while DirecTV said on Tuesday they would be willing to agree on a different level. DirecTV is currently in 20 million homes or 17% of U.S. homes.

TNA posted the following video from Hulk Hogan addressing the DirecTV/Spike TV situation:

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ElzrVvvu5A[/yt]

Source: PW

To summarize this whole scenario, Viacom wants 30% increase from DirecTV which equals $1 billion that DirecTV has to pay. That means it will be higher payments for DirecTV's 20 million subscribers. DirecTV is saying that's way too much and isn't backing down.

This is affecting 26 channels which includes popular ones like MTV, Nickelodeon. Spike, VH1, Comedy Central, etc.. All of those channels are owned by Viacom.

 

[Farooq]

Posted that on Facebook. And I'm only calling for 10:00
I'm gonna tell DirecTV that too.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

well this sucks. Hopefully it's resolved by Thursday night

 

[Crayo]

Lol no way is Randy Savage going to be right.

 

[Snowman1]

Good. Go on to a real network with nationwide coverage, that will help you out with advertising, and shows people want to watch. Spike, there's a reason Raw left your asses in the dust.

 

[Asskicker]

Yeah Spike does suck

 

[Matt]

WHAT THE FUCK

 

[leojay]

Here's an update:

With the report earlier today on Wrestlezone which you can read here, all of Viacom's channels have gone to black as of 12:00am EST. This includes Spike TV, which was available on DirecTV prior to tonight. Other channels on DirecTV that were through Viacom include Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, BET, VH1, and CMT.

“We have absolutely no problem compensating Viacom fairly, but they have now knowingly put our customers in the unreasonable position of either accepting their extravagant financial demands or losing some of their favorite TV shows,” stated DirecTV EVP Derek Chang. Chang goes on further to say...

“We feel our customers should not have to pay more for these networks than the customers of any other TV provider. We reiterated this to Viacom today and have not heard back from them.”

This will put this Thursday's live Impact Wrestling in serious jeopardy to air on Directv. We will continue to update you on this story as more information becomes available.

Furthermore, Impactwrestling.com has added a phone number for fans to call in support of getting them back on the air.

That's a pretty dick move from Viacom, I must say. Glad I live in Australia where we don't have to put up with this bullshit networking partnerships.

 

[Stopspot]

Lol no way is Randy Savage going to be right.

I am pretty sure Viacom could find another TV provider if they wanted to. They own some pretty popular channels like MTV.

 

[Matt]

Lol no way is Randy Savage going to be right.

TNA GOING TO BE OUT OF BUILDNESS! ipebomb:

 

[Crayo]

Good. Go on to a real network with nationwide coverage, that will help you out with advertising, and shows people want to watch. Spike, there's a reason Raw left your asses in the dust.

If TNA will be accepted. Unlike RAW, they won't top the ratings on any network they potentially move to. Their current ratings could be unacceptable to some.

 

[Matt]

 

[Snowman1]

DirecTV and Viacom did not reach a new contractual agreement before midnight eastern. Thus, Viacom opted to pull their networks from the DirecTV lineup. "Viacom, the owner of this channel, forced DirecTV to suspend it despite our many requests to keep it on," reads a statement on DirecTV where the station would normally be located. We're working to bring it back as soon as possible without an unfair increase to your bill."

-ProWrestlingDotNet (via reliable sources)

Didn't notice the other post, after Crayo's reply I didn't think my post was that far above his.
But anyway, some channel might give Impact a chance. There's a lot of potential there for it to be a top show.

 

[Matt]

( such mean people

 

[Crayo]

-ProWrestlingDotNet (via reliable sources)

Didn't notice the other post, after Crayo's reply I didn't think my post was that far above his.
But anyway, some channel might give Impact a chance. There's a lot of potential there for it to be a top show.

Even though TNA is better than ever, I don't think worse ratings than last year is seen as potential though. Struggling to get 1.0's atm.

Looks like no impact this Thursday which sucks for poor Austin.