SEC Network/sports networks
NYIceQueen
Enthusiast - Level 3

I know that down south SEC Network is offered; however, considering you offer the Big 10 network and the Longhorn network nationwide I don't see how a network for such a huge fanbase isn't offered.  Especially for the Ultimate Package.  Can we please get more sports channels, especially in HD?  

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hallrk
Contributor - Level 2

The overflow channel for the football games this week on the SEC Network will be channel 332 per this article. They are carrying two games at the same time at noon,4 pm and 7:30 pm. 

http://secsports.go.com/article/11455542

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medeski7
Enthusiast - Level 2

Whomever doesn't think not having the SEC Network in HD would make a large number of people consider changing doesn't understand the culture of SEC sports.  I don't have it in HD and was discussion the switch with DirecTV this morning.   Sure, not all FIOS customers care about SEC sports, but someone at Verizon made the decision to carry BTN on a lower teir in HD along with other complete nonsense programming in HD.  It's an easy wager to say that SEC football will carry more annual viewers than fishing.  It's a foregone conclusion. 

For FIOS to make this kind of a strategic decision evades comprehension.  You put your customers at arms length by not being forthcoming with information, and when you do come forward with information, you give the customer something other than what is being demanded (i.e. an ejoyable viewing experience).  Do they not read their facebook page, this forum, or receive the criticism from the hundreds upon hundreds of phone calls?  If this has taught me anything, it's that FIOS is not the kind of company I once thought they were.  FIOS is willing to risk the good faith relationships with their customers to save a razor thin margin off the top.  Funny thing is, had they gone HD immediately they'd probably have their phones ringing off the hook with customers seeking upgraded programming.  Penny wise, pound foolish.

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BigOil
Enthusiast - Level 2

Here in Western New York, we only have the SD version of SEC network as of this morning.

Verizon just does not get it.

Spoke to TWC, here it's in HD. In a comparable package.

I will not watch football In stretched SD Any longer than necessary.

TWC has no contract, after 90 days I get a free tablet, $50 off of installation. Pricing is roughly comparable.

Yes, I have no doubt that technically the overall fiber to house (FTTH) is better and less compressed with Verizon.

And appreciate they do not like the muscle around by Disney for this channel.

Supposedly FTTH is huge bandwidth for television, But come on man, Al freaking Jazzera in HD, really ? and no American SEC network by ESPN.  College football is a national market. Yes I'm a southerner in New York, but the brand of the Southern schools is huges, as are the number of students that are going down south college.

Hopefully, Verizon reads this. It makes no sense, there are dozens of obviously worthless HD channels in the huge bandwidth available by FTTH and no SEC  outta TX and FL.  Ima gone for now.  Crap.  I may switch back after football season, probably get a better deal from Verizon at that point anyway. Stupid. Stupid. East Coast-based marketing MBA's t Vz just don't get it. 

Cfinn67us
Newbie

SEC Network is charging cable companies about $00.25 per subscriber per month outside of the SEC footprint.  That translates into more than $12M per year in additional costs for Verizon without any additional revenue and is about double what the other conference channels have asked for.  I cant speculate about what their strategy is here but they have really alienated a lot of their most valuable customers and if 3-4K customers defected over this, they would be on the hole on the whole thing.  I am having people over and we will be using a Comcast watchESPN login to watch the game and I will take a look at what Comcast can offer.  Just a matter of time before the sports content people realize that it is easier to deal directly with consumers a la Netflix.

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bigmal
Enthusiast - Level 3

There does not appear to be any movement on adding access to the SEC Network via the WatchESPN app and website. I am beginning to wonder if it will be added....

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bluedevil2002
Enthusiast - Level 3

@bigmal wrote:

There does not appear to be any movement on adding access to the SEC Network via the WatchESPN app and website. I am beginning to wonder if it will be added....


What movement would you expect to see?  Either the app streams SEC Network or it doesn't.  There's not going to be any middle ground that we as consumers are going to see.

Yeah, they cut it extremely close to kickoff, but they got it on there.

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bigmal
Enthusiast - Level 3

@bluedevil2002 wrote:

@bigmal wrote:

There does not appear to be any movement on adding access to the SEC Network via the WatchESPN app and website. I am beginning to wonder if it will be added....


What movement would you expect to see?  Either the app streams SEC Network or it doesn't.  There's not going to be any middle ground that we as consumers are going to see.


What movement would I expect to see??? Oh, I don't know, maybe them making some sort of announcement that the WatchESPN feed was forthcoming. Or, giving an actual date or start seeing folks getting access to it in waves, just as we did with the phased roll-out of the SD and HD (in FL and TX) channels. But thankfully we've see that the WatchESPN feed is now live....but not working.

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Ustavio
Newbie

I'm able to watch SECN on WatchESPN here in Southern California now. However, the video quality is.... poor. I guess that the same quality SD feed I get on the tube is all I'm going to get on WatchESPN. I thought the video quality  was based on available bandwidth bandwidth and computer resources, both of which are more than adequate. So, I can watch SD on television or SD on the computer.

It's great to have so many options.

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Ustavio
Newbie

Just a follow up since my last post. I am now watching "to be announced" on channel 75 SEC Network. I am in Southern California, so I surmise that anyone who gets their FIOS feed out of Pomona will also be getting it. There is content being broadcast but no guide information yet. There is also no  channel 575 HD.....zip. Nada.

As I have TiVo, I can "untick" channels I do not watch so the guide isn't cluttered with stuff I do not watch. When a new channel is introduced or there is a channel line up change, it powers through my settings and I have to adjust accordingly. Earlier this morning I reviewed my channel line up and there wasn't even a channel 75 in the list. Prior to this post, I checked once again for something else and noticed an "unticked" channel 75. I ticked it and am now able to view SECN in retro blurry stretched SD. Ick.

So, TiVo people, check your channel list. You may already have it.

Now regarding 575 HD, I have on authority, absolute and certain insider knowledge that we may or may not get it. If we do, It may or may not be sooner or later or ever. That being said, you did or didn't hear it here first.

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Ustavio
Newbie

Okay another follow up. No joy yet on WatchESPN or ESPN3 via My Verizon. Not yet available. No joy on SECN 575HD. However, I did a TiVo service connection  and now have full guide information.  In addition to the aformentioned TiVo, we had an STB prior to contract renewal in April. The price increase prompted us to ditch it in favor of a old shelved TiVo (which still had lifetime on it) and a cable card. It turned out to be cheaper. I don't recall how or if one can force a guide update on the FIOS STB or DVR. I think one has to do a hard reboot but perhaps someone in the know...will know.

Good luck SEC fans. Don't forget the Buffalo Wings!

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Bondi1
Newbie

I live in So Cal and the SD Version of the SEC Network is working. No Watch ESPN though....

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banderaaggie
Newbie

No HD? Really? As a Texan living in Brookyn, I just wanted to watch the SEC Network and Texas Aggies tonight!  I can watch the Real Housewives and their botoxed plastic faces and the blood soaked hand of the Chopped contestants in glorious High Definition.  Yet when I want to watch football which is the only reasons to pay for HD....nooooo I'm not important enough!

I'll be moving soon and won't be taking you with me Verizon....

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Ylinen
Enthusiast - Level 2

Not only does the watch now espn app not allow us to what SEC,  but the Verizon Ipad app does not list the channel either.  Shows all the other ESPN channels.

It is clear that Verizon and ESPN played chicken with this contract and the customers are the ones that are getting run over.

Sad that we can not see what we thought we would in the time we thought we would.

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Ustavio
Newbie

@CRobGauth wrote:

The announcement was clear that only folks in Texas and Florida will get the HD version.

A decision will be made later if the HD channel will be delivered to all.

I find it hard to beleive that many people will switch providers over a channel that didn't exist a month ago.


Unfortunately for many it was  not clear. Especially when  CSR feedback to various posters on this thread often contradicts the content of the announcement. Even journalists reporting on the subject give differing interpretations.

As to a decision being made later regarding HD delivery to everyone, it too runs the gamut of misinformation and obfuscation. Many are being given (or at the very least reporting being given) conflicting information.

Although the channel itself didn't exist, most , if not all, of the SEC games that one could watch last season on the ESPN networks (in HD) are simply not available to watch anymore.  Not even via WatchESPN. If one is a die hard SEC fan (and there are many of us) and Verizon is either not going to provide the only channel the games can be seen on, or limit viewing quality to SD only,  then it is perfectly reasonable to switch to a provider that not only carries SECN but in HD as well.   

Unless Verizon gets its act together on this, and quickly, they will find out just how vast the SEC Nation is, when subscribers go elsewhere.I suspect a similar sentiment is brewing with the PAC 12 Network.

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H472
Newbie
SD only in Philly but I can get 2 channels of
hunting and fishing in HD , 252 a month for a
whole lot of junk, I'll have to go out into my duck blind and break out the rabbit ears maybe that will help the picture
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bransfrye
Enthusiast - Level 2

Ch. 75 up and running here in NoVa. No sign of it on the guide yet. I adjusted the aspect which brought it full screen and honestly it was tolerable in SD on my Sony Bravia. I also have Apple TV and am anxious to check out the quality there once the SECN is up and running there.

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eugene491
Enthusiast - Level 2
Channel 75 on in Pgh. area...why even bother? Why would you add any new channel - especially a sports channel - in only SD ? What junior executive at Verizon made this decision? We have so many junk channels now in HD but for some reason this wasn't deemed worthy. Verizon is probably trying to figure out a way to add another lame surcharge for the privilege of HD. Oh well, there are plenty of football games on other channels - in HD.
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Sthunn
Newbie
I spent all morning on the phone and live chat with VZ. We are not getting HD right now. Just bush league. Folks will probably game to leave for them to open their eyes.
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NoVaGmCk
Newbie

What is so hard for you all to understand wrt receiving Channel 575 SEC Network in HD?  According to Verizon's official communication dated August 26, 2014 anyone outside of Florida and Texas WILL NOT receive SEC network on 575.

Why not refocus on getting 575 into the "other than Fla and Tex" markets instead of proclaiming your ignorance?

Verizon will begin airing the channel prior to August 28 on channel 75 and 575.  It will be available on those channels to all FiOS TV customers in Florida and Texas that receive ESPN in their FiOS TV package and to FiOS Extreme and Ultimate customers ON CHANNEL 75 IN ALL OTHER MARKETS AT LAUNCH

See more at: http://newscenter.verizon.com/residential/news-articles/2014/08-22-sec-network-added-to-fios-tv-line...

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dlm0501
Enthusiast - Level 1

THANK YOU--VERIZON??? Thank you for telling me that after paying premium prices for Ultimate packages that I can only watch PREMIUM football in SD....Thank you for reminding me that there is North/South divide...as a nation we need more divides and reminding me that the money I pay monthly is not worth as much as in FL & TX...I have watched SEC football longer than TX fans have been in the SEC...

NEWSFLASH...PEOPLE CAN LIVE IN THE NORTH AND WATCH SEC FOOTBALL...to me it is the BEST college football ...and if we pay for premium packages we want premium viewing of all SPORTS networks...who in this day and age watches football in SD....you even have HS games in HD...oh but I can watch the..the BIG 10...in HD...because I live in the North...THANK YOU  VERIZON...but I think since I pay...who I watch & the quality of viewing should be my decision....

This is insulting...because I live in the Northeast --- I can't appreciate SEC football...If I can switch I will (I am not sure who else is offering SEC in HD)...i switchedfor an years to another provider but  came back for Fios...so maybe it is time to change again...but this time I will stay away for good...

PS....I know everything is by the numbers and number crunchers but here are some numbers for you...---I am over 50 - female---who loves sports...married in NJ...and there are a lot of round pegs who do not fit into your square holed demographics and you missed those numbers in the equation!!!

becrequ
Enthusiast - Level 2
HD now showing in MD. Had to manually enter channel though then reboot STB for the channel to show in the guide
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uaphan
Contributor - Level 2
HD is showing in MD??? I thought it was only HD in TX and FL???

The watch espn app still isn't showing the network either.
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