Remember the good ol' days, back with the Rockets used to make the playoffs and we had to pay to watch the games on tv? Good news for viewers: PPV is out By DAVID BARRON Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle Remember those dreaded three little words -- pay per view -- that cropped up annually back in the days when the Rockets made the playoffs? You can forget them, at least as far as the Rockets are concerned. If the team makes the playoffs -- and thump mavens from Kenny Smith to Charlie Pallilo say they're a mortal lock to do so -- Rockets home games that don't get picked up by the networks will be shown on free, over-the-air TV on KNWS (Ch. 51). "The mechanism is there to do pay per view, but we never pursued it this time," said Rockets marketing vice president Tim McDougall. "We have a lot of momentum. We're getting a lot of our fans back in the door. Playoffs are a defining moment for a team, and we want as many people to experience it as possible." Actually, NBA teams have been moving steadily away from PPV since 1999, the last year the Rockets appeared in the playoffs. By joining their number, the Rockets have a chance to mend fences with fans, much as the Astros did by signing Nolan Ryan as a consultant a few weeks ago. "This is the right thing to do," McDougall said. "It's going to make our fans happy, and it makes sense. Our broadcasts on KNWS are doing well, and they've been a good partner. So there's no reason for us to veer off that path." Industry analysts estimate that gross revenues from four Rockets pay per view games in 1997, at $19.95 per broadcast, totaled $4.3 million. The team and Fox Sports Net, which produced the games, each kept 40 percent; 20 percent went to the cable carrier. Should the Rockets make the playoffs, they would have the right to show first-round games on Channel 51 even if they also appear on ESPN or TNT. TNT, however, has exclusivity for conference semifinals and the Western Conference finals.
THANKS TIM!!!!! (and, on a side note, my only complaint about KNWS has been the poor picture quality) -- droxford
Props to the Rockets organization. If I can't find a way to get my hands on some tickets, at least I know I'll be able to watch all the games.
My only thought is that there is not enough money to be made there or management would make us pay again. I know it's business but back in the day Rox were a huge seller and management didn't want to give away free what they could make tons of money on. If this team gets into a situation where they are perennial contenders with lots of buzz around the city Rox management will do PPV again it's just this year the buzz away from this board is not huge yet. It's like dealing crack the first little bit is always fre, they get you hooked and jack up the price.
That's great news! Thanks Tim. Correct me if I'm wrong, but KNWS is based in Conroe right? That explains the poor picture quality, especially toward the southern side of Houston.
That's ok. Free now but we'll probably have to pay out the a$$ for the Rockets/Astros cable channel in the works. I hope I'm wrong.
thing is....selling out playoff games in this city has never been a problem IIRC.. so they dont lose anything except some extra do-re-mi by not doing ppv...it wont effect the attendance numbers at TC during the playoffs. and I would imagine they are starting to pull in plenty of dough from the extra Yao-influenced merchandising...so they can afford to cut us poor slobs a break during the playoffs. Thanks Tim... question for ya tho...if you dont mind. What is the deal with that fabled Rockets sports channel? IS it still on track to be a reality? and do you envision it being a part of basic cable packages...or will it cost extra do you think? I realize the deatils may not even be worked on yet...just kinda wondering for what yall are hoping to have occur.
Thats good news. I dont have cable so I hate when the home games are on TNT. Channel 51 has been a lifesaver.
Post championship... no problem. Pre-championship... not so simple. In 1993, they couldn't sell out a first-round DECIDING game 5, without the help of Randalls buying up the tickets to lift a blackout from NBC. In 1994, they couldn't sell out the first game of the second-round series against the Suns, as many blamed it on being "mother's day." Both those teams were division champions, and were riding much excitement and MVP-type years from Olajuwon, and tickets were much cheaper back then as well. I don't think TC will have a problem selling out eventually(especially since its been so long since the playoffs), but lets say the Rockets lose the first two games on the road BADLY (which I don't see happening)... then u may see a few no-shows. If this team wins one of those first two games on the road... oooh boy, the TC will be loud for one of the first times all year in the playoffs. In a game were people will actually come just to watch the ROCKETS, and not watch who they're playing against.
of course it matters ya Fat b*stard... If I cant be at the game...I much prefer watching from the comfort and cheapness of my home....where I dont get charged 5 bucks for a shot out of my Crown bottle. now...if you are talking about a viewing party with you buying the drinks...thats another matter.
Sweet to hear. But I have to witness a Playoff expierence as I will be calling the offices tommorrow to put my deposit for the first 2 rounds.
If the Rockets make the playoffs I better not miss sa game. I mean it. They better cover EVERY SINGLE FREAKIN game!
the astros/rockets channel will be part of a cable package. it will not be expensive. they are looking to do the same as yes and msg. here in nyc, they are part of the basic cable channel. it just means more money for them as far as advertising revenue is concerned. and we get to see mets/yankees/nets/knicks games ad infintium.
No pay-per-view - Thanks Tim I just heard on the Sports Radio 610 that there will be no pay-per-view for the Rockets playoff games. They gave credit to Tim and couple of other people, I think. Thank you Tim and company
I went back 15 pages because I thought I saw a thread about pay-per-view a while back. On the first freaking page. I'm an idiot. Edit to say sorry about the double thread.
The Rockets/Astros sports channel is still on track, but we're resolving legal issues with Fox Sports right now, so, out of respect for the process, you aren't going to hear us talking about it much at the moment. There's an update later on in the same David Barron column (the one with the no-PPV news) that ran in today's Chronicle. Tim
