#2 on the BK counterparty bus...
>>Maffei: Sirius/DirecTV Bundles Could Come
But Mobile TV Farther Off In Future
Mike Farrell -- Multichannel News, 2/25/2009 12:19:58 PM MT
...Maffei told analysts that he saw opportunities for bundling Sirius service with DirecTV in the future, but declined to be specific.
"One could talk about or imagine bundles, probably the $80 [per month] DirecTV product offering free trials of the $11 [monthly] Sirius XM product more likely than the other way around,' Maffei said. "I certainly think those are things we have talked about and we didn't put a lot in our valuation for that. But it is something [Sirius CEO] Mel [Karmazin] is enthused about and something I believe [DirecTV CEO] Chase [Carey] is enthused about. I hope we will be able to proceed on some of those in ways that are obviously beneficial for both parties." <<
My Commentary: I wonder. Why does Maffei talk about this to analysts rather than any impending uncertanties of the deal? Also, he specifically says "in our valuation." To me this confirms Liberty entered this deal only after their own due diligence (I'm being duh obvious here, but why not given the neg buzz!?). And further, since I do not consider Liberty stupid, I can't believe 100% they don't not expect this deal to complete once Mel and BOD's agreed to any part of it. Through statements like the above, it's clear they want this to happen for many reasons above and beyond just benevolently allowing SIRI to BK with dignity (shielded from the clutches of evil Ergen, as Brandon so laughably opines at the end of his article). Belllly laugh!