DISH finds way around Fox blocking its Hopper ads

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Dish NetworkSince FOX and the other three major broadcasters are turning down DISH’s ads over the current copyright violation litigation suits re: The Hopper and AutoHop ad-skipping service, they found a unique way to get on Fox 2/24 for The Daytona 500.


DISH says it has “hopped” into Sunday’s Daytona 500 race via its sponsorship of the Leavine Family Racing’s No. 95 DISH Ford Fusion to be piloted by up and coming driver Scott Speed. Other than the Hopper logo, the car will be virtually ad-free, meaning consumers will see the DISH brand on FOX in spite of the network’s ongoing refusal to air ads for DISH’s Hopper Whole-Home HD DVR.

“The world of technology moves fast, but Fox keeps trying to wave a yellow flag and put consumers under caution, attempting to slow their access to the best in TV entertainment,” said DISH President and CEO Joe Clayton. “The Hopper is in the pole position as the fastest in the consumer technology race. We are giving consumers what they want, when they want and where they want it. Fox is trying to hold up traffic. You can’t stop the future.”

Late Thursday night, Fox Broadcasting’s lawyers launched another attempt to block DISH from offering certain consumer-friendly features on the Hopper Whole-Home HD DVR, after months of unsuccessful attempts to thwart Hopper’s AutoHop and PrimeTime Anytime features.

“Everybody skips commercials and if FOX, CBS, ABC and NBC think that’s illegal, well I guess that makes us a nation of outlaws,” continued Clayton. “We might as well make the No. 95 car the DISH fans’ getaway car in what is sure to be an exciting race on Sunday!”

RBR-TVBR observation: That’s a great idea, but we wonder if the real reason this was done was that most of the local cable spot insertion inventory has been sold out for the race. Either way, they’re definitely continuing the game of one-upmanship.