October 11th, 2005 | 
Author: An open Letter to Dish Network and OLN:
For some unthinkable reason, the NHL decided to sign a TV contract with the Outdoor Life Network (OLN). Is it just me, or is this possibly the worst idea ever? It’s like putting Family Guy on the Oxygen channel… just ridiculous. Anyway, being a Dish Network customer and all, I began to research what I needed to do to get this elusive OLN channel. I soon found that I could not simply just “add” the channel to my current “Top 120″ programming package (because that would be waaaay to easy). Instead, I am forced to “upgrade” my entire programming package to the “Top 180″ in order to get the OLN and 60 other “Top” channels I will never watch. So now I am paying an extra $10 a month for the privilege of watching the NHL on OLN.
Honky-Dorey we all live happily ever after, right? WRONG BIOTCHES!
I turn on OLN the other night to watch the Penguins/Buffalo game and instead of hockey, they are broadcasting a show about the 25 most deadly animals to hunt, followed by the 25 worst jobs to have (can being a Dish Network customer count as a job?). No hockey, and I was MAD as hell and not going to take it anymore!
I was cordially informed by the well spoken Dish Network customer service reps (where did these people learn to speak?) that the OLN will not allow Dish Network to broadcast the NHL because the OLN channel is not in the basic programming package… blah… blah… blah… I don’t care. I just want to watch hockey. So what they basically told me was that I get to pay an extra $10 a month for NOTHING. I implore you, reader, if you are thinking of getting a satellite dish, DO NOT GET DISH NETWORK! DirectTV are the Red Wings of satellite providers, while Dish Network are the lowly New York Rangers.
(I guess this wasn’t really an open letter, just more of a venting-rant. So sue me)
Posted in Hockey
Dude, I have Dish here in Dallas, and already had the top180, so yeah I was pissed too, but it’s not Dish Network’s fault that OLN and their owner ComCrap renigged on their deal by blacking out the games. As of now, Dish has dropped OLN completely, which is great. Just bitch at them until they give you a refund or some other free channels you would watch.