Pac-12 Network Posts Open Letter to DirecTV Subscribers

The Pac-12 Network recently posted an open letter to fans addressing the DirecTV situation.  As you might expect, they pretty squarely put the blame on DirecTV for not getting a deal done, going so far as to recommend that fans switch providers entirely.  They even provide a list of other television companies that do carry the network.

While I’m not ready to say that DirecTV is blameless in all this, as they certainly don’t seem to be valuing the Pac-12 network very highly, I am very, very weary of the way subscribers are manipulated in these network disputes.  It has become standard procedure on both sides in these to play extremely childish blame games, as both the network and the television provider attempt to convince their viewers that they have done nothing wrong and that the other party is being unreasonable.

We saw this same situation play out on a grander national stage a few months ago when Viacom and DirecTV found themselves in a dispute, and though it was eventually resolved, both sides stooped to arguing back and forth on their twitter feeds like teenagers long before the disagreement was ever solved.  As we speak, AMC and Dish Network are still in a contract stalemate as well, neither side willing to do what it takes to bring satisfactory service to their customers.  And of course, AMC has taken the time to take out ads attacking Dish and urging customers to switch providers.

I don’t mean to try to take sides.  It is very possible that in this case, either DirecTV or the Pac-12 Network is simply being unreasonable, leaving the other party no choice but to hold out.  But until I am presented with some sort of concrete evidence in the form of numbers, I find myself insulted by both parties.  Hopefully one or the other, or both, sides learn to swallow their pride sooner rather than later so that everyone can just watch some football.