Public Demand For NFL Net Game Nets Net Loss Of 4 Million Homes

You read that right.
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Because of the enormous ratings NFL Network's coverage of the 2007 regular season finale earned, the league-owned carrier will lose viewers.
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Go figure.
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Sports Business Daily via The Sporting News reports that EchoStar's Dish Network will remove the NFL Network service from it's most popular "America's Top 100" programming package. Only subscribers paying higher monthly fees for the "America's Top 200" tier will be able to receive the channel, a difference of four million households.
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Broadcasting And Cable quotes a NFL Network statement:

“We are aware of Dish's unfortunate decision, which is not in the best interest of its many subscribers who are football fans, especially this week, with NFL Network's exclusive coverage of the scouting combine featuring incoming college players from all over the country.”

EchoStar's actions would seem to be in retaliation for the NFL's decision to allow both CBS and NBC to carry the December 29, 2007 game between the Patriots and Giants which was originally scheduled as an NFL Network exclusive. Because of an ongoing dispute with the USA's largest cable TV companies, Dish Network was one of the few national service providers football fans could turn to for NFL Network programming last season. Allowing the most in-demand regular season game in decades to be aired on free terrestrial TV potentially cost Dish Network new subscribers.
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NFL Network is now available in thirty one million homes nationally.