CSN

Anyone see this?

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/05/26/Media/Houston-rights.aspx

 

Here's the full article

 

It's cool, figured it was relevant

 

Dear sweet lord, please have AT&T buy up these rights and form their own sports network for Houston. Please!

 

That's my hope, too. As a Comcast subscriber, I'm getting very paranoid that they're going to strike back at AT&T in the ongoing RSN negotiations fight by not picking up the SEC Network (due to its close alliance with UVerse), and I'm dreading having to choose between CSN Houston and SECN. If AT&T bought the rights, that would guarantee that at least one Houston-area provider offers both.

 

Here's an audio interview with the writer of that article who was on 610 this afternoon:

http://houston.cbslocal.com/2014/05...le/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

Link isn't working on my iPad...does he say anything new or different from the article?

 

Pretty much the same. Thinks best chance is NBC followed by AT&T and Fox like the article said. Talked about the industry as a whole how Houston was made an example by providers and it worked (people didn't jump to Comcast) and now other markets like LA are following. I wish they would have asked him about a timeline of when this might go down, but they didn't.

 

That article is pretty much what I said a few posts ago.

 

I missed this post..what was said?

My only point (and I'm not arguing with you here at all, because I'm not stating opinion) is that the only legal barrier to the Astros and/or Rockets negotiating with different parties at this point is the bankruptcy stay. That's it. But for that, both have the ability, pursuant to contractual rights, to walk because they haven't been paid their media rights fees under the deal.

The litigation could continue or not continue...and it would have no bearing on the legal ability of either the Astros or Rockets moving on to find a new broadcasting partner.

 

I said a few posts back at another's suggestion that I would move on from the past and on to the updates.

 

I didn't realize I was doing something that would cause a stir. It's really not an argument at all. I'm just saying I wish the bankruptcy would blow up already so the teams could start negotiating the future you're discussing.

 

Understood but then debate began about how it landed in bankruptcy court, whose fault it was, if it should still be there... etc...

It's not anyone in particular or even just this specific point. It's the whole subject. It's polarizing like a political discussion. We're trying to figure out where this goes and we can't get off square 1.

 

If the article accurately sums up where we are today and the teams are about to lose out on roughly half the revenue windfall they thought they had, where does this leave the teams?

I don't think we see a big effect on the Rockets unless it's via ticket price increases and what's new there....

With the amount of debt the Astros are saddled with, we are likely going to see a revolving door of players going as they begin to make decent money.

 

who would be on the revolving door? most of the players that matter aren't due a new contract for years now.

Altuve is signed. The only one I could see being an issue is Castro, but I'm not sure I care.

 

I hear ya...I'm just not debating anything here. A bankruptcy stay is just that...a stay...it's the only thing preventing people from moving on. That's the legal reality. There's no argument there..it just is what it is.

 

So does anyone have any more free tickets? Are they only for tomorrow nights game?

 

If rights fees are still not being paid (ongoing, not what was owed previously), it seems that an argument could be made that this constitutes cause to lift the stay. I don't know how the judge would rule, but is would be very tempted to file a motion and make the argument.