Barring some last-minute compromise on pricing between TV channel heads, millions of cricket lovers are in for severe withdrawal cramps in the coming week.
Dish TV and Airtel Digital TV, two major direct-to-home (DTH) service providers, have decided to switch off two high-definition channels of ESPN STAR Sports from their bouquet — ESPN HD and STAR Cricket HD — right on the eve of the India-Pakistan cricket series. ESPN STAR is the official telecaster for the tourney.
Airtel Digital, with close to 1.12 million HD subscribers, will replace these with Sony Six HD and Zee Studio HD on Monday, the day before the series. Dish TV, the market leader (there are an estimated 6.75 million HD subscribers in the country) says it finds the pricing too high, as does Airtel.
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From the rate card on the ESS website, ESPN HD’s price is Rs 141.80 a month per subscriber, while that of STAR Cricket HD is Rs 119.90. Bundled, the broadcaster offers the two channels for Rs 183.20 a month per subscriber to a DTH company
Salil Kapoor, chief operations officer of Dish TV, said: “We have decided not to opt for the two channels as the price the broadcaster is asking us per subscriber is wrong and totally insensitive towards the consumers’ ability to pay. Some DTH players are just passing on the price to consumers, which again is wrong on their part. So, we have decided against offering the HD channels on our platform.”
Airtel Digital offers 15 HD channels for Rs 150. The asking rate of ESS is 255 per cent higher for ESPN HD and 200 per cent higher for STAR Cricket HD. Even for the combo, it is 181 per cent higher than what the DTH player charges consumers.
“Sports channels drive the HD subscription. But now with Dish TV not offering and Airtel Digital discontinuing the service, other players might also decide to discontinue the channels. DTH players will not be able to burden subscribers with the exorbitant price,” said a senior executive of a DTH entity, on condition of anonymity.
Other DTH entities offering the two HD channels are Tata Sky, Videocon D2H and Reliance Digital TV. Tata Sky is a joint venture between STAR and Tata Sons, so experts say it is unlikely the channels will be discontinued from the operator. “Eventually, the high price will force other players not to offer the channels and it will be a gain for Tata Sky,” the executive speculated.
Both Reliance Digital TV and Videocon D2H are, as of now, continuing with the two channels. Officials from ESS declined to comment, while the Airtel Digital TV spokesperson was not available till the time of filing this report.
