Contributor
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SEC Network on UVerse 300 in NC but not on Sports Package?
Hello there. Recently at our house we were on the U300 package but due to a rate increase/promotion expiration the charge for that went up quite a bit. However, we were about to work something out with AT&T. We went down U200 and kept the Sports Package. We did not watch channels like Showtime very much.
I especially like UVerse for its sports content. Most sports channels can be found on either U200 or the Sports Package. Take the PAC 10 and Big 10 Network, for one of a few examples.
So naturally I was a bit surprised when I learned that the SEC Network would be available only on U300 and up packages outside of states which have SEC schools located in them. Interestingly enough, the SEC Network itself is based in Charlotte.
It would seem to make more sense that this channel would at least be included on the Sports Package as well. This is indeed the case for the PAC 10 Network on the other side of the country. People would be able to pay for sports programming that they want instead of paying for Showtime and other premium channels they might not have as much use for.
Thanks for your time, and I look forward to hearing from AT&T and others on this Community Forum!
JefferMC
ACE - Expert
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35.2K Messages
10 years ago
North Carolina does not have an SEC school in it. To reduce the total fees AT&T pays ESPN, it put the network in a higher tier in states where there is no SEC school, resulting in fewer subscribers that have to be paid for (or more income for those that do have to be paid for). This is similar to how they structured the deal for The Longhorn Network (Texas: U-200, not-Texas: U-450). The PAC-12 is also available by subscribing to U-450 outside the PAC-12 area.
If you'd like to talk to one of the many ACC schools in NC into putting together a real football program, then maybe they could join the SEC. Though I suppose East Carolina might be a better choice.
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beatfan4
Scholar
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153 Messages
10 years ago
The unfortunate reality is that the South Carolina border is less than 10 miles from the Charlotte city limit and there are many, many South Carolina fans here, along with tons for other SEC schools.
I think it is a mistake to relegate border states like us to the 300 pkg.
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dhascall
Master
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9.8K Messages
10 years ago
@beatfan4 - I hear ya when it comes to territories and geographics. I was not at the negotiations but I figure that ESPN and the SEC agreed to this as well.
Similar issues for local TV stations in the Midwest. There are subscribers in SE Michigan who have (for years) received TV from Toledo moreso than Detroit. And some in NW Ohio who got their TV from Detroit. AT&T used the state line as a boundary. Often something as small as a state line can have implications.
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JefferMC
ACE - Expert
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35.2K Messages
10 years ago
It can be something as arbitrary as a Zip Code boundary in many viewing situations.
Anytime there's a group of haves and have nots, the border between then is going to be a horrid, capricious thing.
I looked at a job in Charlotte 20 years ago, if I had taken it, I'd likely have lived in Rock Hill. One (of many) reason I didn't take the job was that my wife hates Charlotte traffic. Driving North on I-85 last Friday didn't do much to change her opinion of it. She looked for another route back.
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beatfan4
Scholar
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153 Messages
10 years ago
As a native, she is right to hate Charlotte traffic!
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dhascall
Master
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9.8K Messages
10 years ago
My only time being in the "Queen City," was in 2012. Flew in on a Friday night, after rush hour and flew out Tuesday, after the AM rush. Thank Gawd! that it was not rush hour. I-85 in most of the area is 2 lanes, each way. Go 40 miles NNE to Salisbury (a MUCH smaller city) and it's like 8 lanes across!
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JefferMC
ACE - Expert
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35.2K Messages
10 years ago
True, but Salisbury is right next to Greensboro, Burlington, Winston-Salem, etc. That would be a real mess without those lanes. Charlotte should borrow a few of them, because I-477 isn't the answer to everything.
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baseballisback
ACE - Professor
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7.7K Messages
10 years ago
Speaking of boundaries and whatnot, many years ago, I would go on a yearly vacation to the area between Buffalo and Cleveland. The hotel would get some local channels from Buffalo, NY and others from Erie, PA. I believe one of the channels (such as NBC) we got two of.
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