from www.creativeloafing.com – Who knew offering 8 pay-per-view porn channels was more cost effective than carrying a single NFL channel?
While Time Warner Cable (TWC) has refused to add the NFL Network to its cable lineup, the major cable company recently added 8 new movies-on-demand porn channels, including “Manhandle on Demand” and “Penthouse on Demand.”
Greg Aiello, a spokesman for the NFL, expressed his disgust on twitter: “Interesting page 3 story in today’s NY Post. Time-Warner is offering 8 new porn channels [but not NFL Network!]. What a world! What a world!”
The real problem may not be one of taste, but of greed and complacency. The NFL has long been accustomed to commanding the key demographic of 18 to 34-year-old male viewers. Now that their market control is being compromised by mixed martial arts and yes, the mainstream acceptance of adult entertainment, the NFL may be starting to realize that they’re no longer the powerhouse they once were in the media market place.
The NFL wanted 80 cents a month per subscriber for the cable distributor to carry the NFL Network. TWC wasn’t the only cable company to pass on this deal. Cablevision and a few other major TV distributors have opted not to carry the Network, leaving the NFL channel with only 60 million subscribers.
Adult content isn’t the only thing defeating the NFL Network. TWC recently accepted The Wonderful World of Disney, which costs 50 cents per subscriber.
Adult Video News (AVN) speculates that TWC had to add the six porn channels to help defray the monthly $6 million it costs to carry Disney.
If true, not only is adult content directly supporting family programming, but TWC would have to add roughly 12 more porn stations to help defuse the cost of the NFL Network. That’s a lot of porn, though I doubt the adult industry would belly ache about such a deal.