Shakeup At Dish Headquarters??

[Islandguy43]

I ran across this info and thought it was interesting.

The executive in charge of negotiating programming deals for Dish Network is leaving the company, sources confirmed last week. Eric Sahl, EchoStar's senior vice president of programming, will leave the satellite operator by the end of the year.

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/60730http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article.preview&articleid=60730

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Wow this is surprising news indeed. Eric has been a great friend to SatelliteGuys over the years.

I don't know what else to say.

 

[HDRoberts]

This raises 2 important questions in my mind:

Who's replacing him?
Will his replacement be a better negotiator, bringing us more channels?

Sadly, I more see him quitting after getting one too many good deals stuck only to see Charlie veto them to save a buck.

 

[Hall]

Follow the link to the story from Google's finance page here, DISH - DISH Network Corp. - Google Finance, and get the entire story, no subscription req'd.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Did he get a Job at D*?

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Sounds like a good thing ,from reading this.
"""
Under Sahl's charge, Dish Network has been known for its tough stance with sports programmers, as the network does not have deals with the likes of MLB Network, The mtn. or YES Network, for example, because of disputes over price and channel positioning.
The satellite operator has been embroiled in several other fights over the years. After the NFL Network made last year's season-ending New England Patriots-New York Giants game available to over-the-air broadcasters, EchoStar moved the channel to a less widely distributed tier. The NFL sued and the case is in the courts.
In October 2005, EchoStar dropped OLN (now Versus), just as the Comcast-owned network was debuting NHL games, after balking over the channel's surcharge demands to carry live NHL games. EchoStar did not put OLN back on its system until April 2006, when the NHL playoffs were about to start."""""""

I don't think I'll miss him.

 

[tigerfan33]

I wonder if Charlie is making him the "fall guy" for Dish's problems. They say he is leaving but I wonder if he is being asked to leave.

Charlie needs to take a look in the mirror for his on problems.

 

[Islandguy43]

Sounds like a good thing ,from reading this. I don't think I'll miss him.

Perhaps he will be the scapegoat for the churn rate; or was it his idea that we would have 150 hd channels by year's end and then can't deliver?

 

[RandallA]

This might be a good thing for Dish Network, I'm getting tired of their programming feuds with the programmers.

 

[Slamminc11]

Perhaps he will be the scapegoat for the churn rate; or was it his idea that we would have 150 hd channels by year's end and then can't deliver?

Dish would have UP TO 150 hd channels by years end! Not will have 150 channels...

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I dont think all the feuds were Sahls doing, if you remember Dish had the same issues when Michael Schwimmer was there. That leads me to believe the issue is from above Eric.

 

[jlhugh]

then why have the guy if he is not making the decisions anyway?

 

[goaliebob99]

I welcome a change. I have been saying that things need to change over the past three years because of the deals dish hasnt gotten done and the fact that they are no better off then what they were two or even three years ago. Dish has been often behind in the game plan and I hope charlie hires someone with passion, and extensive knowledge of the industry. The problem has allways been that D* has been able to get the deals done and the prices are very simular to E*'s. While Eric is a great guy, I just dont think he knew what the average joe wants when it comes to programming, Look at WFN for example. We all want to see dish overtake D*, I would consider coming back if they could get there programming act together especally with the sports teirs. In the mean time, Charlie if your looking for some one, Ill throw my hat into the ring .

 

[cosmo_kramer]

then why have the guy if he is not making the decisions anyway?

Someone's got to do the dirty work of negotiating. Could you really see Charlie doing it??

 

[RandallA]

"Dish has been often behind in the game plan and I hope charlie hires someone with passion, and extensive knowledge of the industry."

If what Scott said is true, let's hope Charlie gives him more power to make programming decisions too.


"In the mean time, Charlie if your looking for some one, Ill throw my hat into the ring ."

Nah, you'll only give us the Obama channel.

 

[roachxp]

That leads me to believe the issue is from above Eric.

But there is one one person above Sahl right and that would be Charlie. Right?

 

[Jerryinvirginia]

I welcome a change. I have been saying that things need to change over the past three years because of the deals dish hasnt gotten done and the fact that they are no better off then what they were two or even three years ago. Dish has been often behind in the game plan and I hope charlie hires someone with passion, and extensive knowledge of the industry. The problem has allways been that D* has been able to get the deals done and the prices are very simular to E*'s. While Eric is a great guy, I just dont think he knew what the average joe wants when it comes to programming, Look at WFN for example. We all want to see dish overtake D*, I would consider coming back if they could get there programming act together especally with the sports teirs. In the mean time, Charlie if your looking for some one, Ill throw my hat into the ring .

If you are a DEM. you might have a good chance?

 

[VinceT3]

He may have negotiated some crappy deals in Charlie's eyes.. or not been able to negotiate deals with fox, mlb, etc.. who knows..

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

You got it

 

[Hall]

then why have the guy if he is not making the decisions anyway?

"not making the decisions" ? I'd say that's hardly the case... He probably makes 97% of the decisions for that part of the company. Ergan isn't going to deal with the day-to-day stuff that Sahl dealt with. It's called "delegating".