Poll
How much extra would you be willing to pay per month for ESPN?
Your vote has been counted, thank you for voting.
Will rights fees make ESPN a pay channel?
Would you pay $10 per month for ESPN and its related channels? How about $15 a month?
As rights fees continue to soar – ESPN will pay about $15 billion over eight years for "Monday Night Football" and programming for digital platforms – small cable operators say all consumers are paying more to watch TV as the additional costs are passed on to TV providers and consumers.
Providers are asking Congress to push ESPN to allow them to put the sports network on a sports tier, paid for only by folks who want it – much like HBO and other premium channels.
"Non-sports fans are subsidizing the cost for sports fans," Matt Polka, president of the American Cable Association that represents 1,000 small cable companies, told an Orlando, Fla., radio station Tuesday, Politico.com reported.
Cable and satellite subscribers already pay about $5 per month for ESPN and ESPN2 as part of their basic plan, according to Politico.com.
"There's no doubt that sports programming is very popular," Polka said. "But people should be able to choose whether or not they want to pay for it on a monthly basis."
We'd raise the same argument for many cable channels, such as HGTV, Lifetime and A&E. If we don't watch them, why pay for them?
TV providers argue that bundled packages keep prices lower for all viewers.
But if we're forced to pay a premium for ESPN and other sports programming, we ought to be allowed to drop the dozens of channels we don't watch to make up the difference.
What to watch
College football, LSU at Mississippi State, 5 p.m., ESPN: Will the third-ranked Tigers be challenged by the No. 25 Bulldogs?
Today's poll
How much extra would you be willing to pay per month for ESPN?
• $5 • $10
• $15 • Nothing
Vote above or leave your comments in the comment field; Or, go to www.sacbee.com/sports
Wednesday's results
Do you participate in The Bee's Preps Plus Live on Friday nights?
• Yes: 2%
• No: 26%
• Never heard of it: 72%
Total votes: 54
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Contact Tom Couzens at tcouzens@sacbee.com or (916) 321-1097.
• Read more articles by Tom Couzens
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