EL PASO, Texas -- The 10-1 Dallas Cowboys versus the 10-1 Green Bay Packers... two of the best teams in the NFL this season. It's a marquee matchup with a potentially huge TV audience. However, there's a problem.

"I'm not happy about it. I'm going to have to go out someplace and find somebody that does have the NFL channel," said Margo Lowder, of central El Paso.

The NFL Network owns the rights to broadcast next Thursday night's game. It's a channel currently unavailable to cable customers.

"We've gotten quite a few phone calls today; people wanting that NFL channel, which is only available on satellite, either through Dish Network or DirecTV," said Tessy Manzanares, with Coronado TV & Satellite.

When they tune to channel 319, Time Warner digital cable subscribers currently see a message on the screen. It's a message to Cowboys owner, and key NFL Network supporter, Jerry Jones. Time Warner wants to carry the NFL Network as a digital channel. However, the NFL says no. The league wants access to all cable subscribers, as well as a big chunk of change.

"Business is business, but I think the NFL is big enough where it makes enough money on the fans and the sponsors that pay into it, and I think that the game should be available for all parties to watch," said Mike Gorman, of northeast El Paso.

Time Warner argues the NFL is holding fans hostage, demanding a ransom for a channel showing just eight late-season games. Some fans argue they pay enough already.

"Subscribers pay anywhere between $70 to a $100 right now to have cable or satellite. I don't think they should have to pay to get eight additional games. I don't think it's right," said Gorman.

The battle over giving customers what they want versus paying extra for what they used to get for free. In the end, for many, this dispute is all about the bottom line.

"It's a win for the bar. It's business. It's all it is, just business," said Matt Vantasselo, with Frankie's Sports Grill.

Next week, the FCC could vote on rules that would force cable operators and the NFL into binding arbitration to resolve this. Time Warner claims it can add the channel to its digital lineup with less than 24 hours notice.