The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports that the cable operator is still battling the NFL Network over programming fees and package rights. Consequently, Time Warner has not added the channel to its standard or high-def lineup.
At issue is Time Warner's insistence that it offer the channel in a separate sports tier which costs subscribers an additional $8.95 a month.
"There has not been any change or progress in our negotiations," Time Warner spokeswoman Vicki Triplett told the newspaper. "The cost (to carry the NFL Network) is a large amount, so what we want to do is make it to where people who are only interested in sports can pay for it, rather than make all customers pay for it."
But NFL Network spokesman Seth Palansky suggested the cable operator is trying to use the channel to boost its profits.
"Time Warner wants the network on a sports tier -- where fans would have to pay extra," he said. "That's not something we're willing to do -- have our fans exploited for Time Warner's profits."
He added: "Ultimately, we want to deal with Time Warner, but until they prove they have our fans' best interests in mind, we're reluctant to turn the network into a pay-per-view option."
Comcast, the nation's largest cable operator, recently added NFL Network HD (and standard def channel) to its sports tier in select cities. A New York State Supreme Court judge ruled that Comcast could include the NFL Network in its sports tier rather than the basic digital tier, as requested by the network.
(Unlike Time Warner, Comcast had already purchased the rights to carry the channel so they could move it to the sports tier after the judge's decision.)
In his decision, the judge noted that the NFL had awarded DIRECTV with the exclusive rights to carry the NFL Sunday Ticket.
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