That's fine and good. But my point is that the providers should tell it like it is. As you said, it's about the fee. Drop the nonsense about "why should people who don't want X have to pay for X?". Because 1) we know at some point, the Astros/Rockets will be on the extended basic tiers in Houston and 2) it's misleading, in that it insinuates they (the providers) are open to an a la carte model when they aren't. I know it's not as much, but if you tabulate the 30 cents/month I could save from each channel I don't watch, it adds up quickly. Just be honest and say you think CSN's asking price per subscriber isn't in line with other regional sports networks or what the Astros/Rockets ratings deserve. That's respectable. As it is, the whole argument they're using is a cheap PR stunt because it sounds good on a superficial level. In reality, they're being hypocritical because they're using a string of logic that they won't apply consistently.
so if the rockets are in the playoffs and one of their games is on NBATV.. are yall tellin me it would be blacked out on NBATV?! please tell me thats not true
Not all playoff games. However, if we get matched up with okc, I could see all 4 (maybe 5 or 6 depending how we play) being on national tv. I think that would be the only scenario where they all are.
yeah they are on NBA TV too... so would it be blacked out? there at least has to be an exception for playoffs right?!
Jeremy K @jsk_is_here @CSNHouston - I will NOT be joining you!! You SUCK!! Stop screwing the fans!!! Expand 14h emil griffin @egriffin1 @CSNHouston close the fukin deal! Expand Reply Retweet Favorite More 14h Daniel Knight @fdknight @CSNHouston I'd rather watch the #Rockets at my house. Thanks. Oh wait, I can't, because CSN Houston isn't on uverse. #LoudNoises Expand 14h Brett Bigler @brettbigler @CSNHouston For God's sake, make a flipping deal already... #EFFtheFREEmarket
The only way the Rockets would play on NBAtv would be if they played Memphis in the first round. any of the other top teams and the Rockets will be on ESPN/ABC/TNT. Anything after the first round is on those three channels anyway. Btw, **** you CSN.
My guess here is that playoff NBA games will NOT be blacked out, regardless of what station they're on. Remember during the title runs when some games were pay-per-view?
Yeah that's real close to where I live, but to hell with that. CSN Houston makes me feel like FPS Doug after some lag. Spoiler <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TsQFYceNZS8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
With the Astros season about to begin and a few Rockets games remaining by that time, will there be any chance of the Rockets games being broadcasted on a local channel. I know the Astros games were broadcasted on FSN and the rockets games on MY20, I think, will this be the case for this year when both play on the same day and relatively same time.
Really? DirecTV renewed their contract in 2010 with Fox Sports Net as art of the deal to keep FX, Nat Geo and Fox broadcast rights. Those channels appeal to a large number of subscribers on a national basis. That is why they still have FSSW. They are contractually obligated to. In this regard, the partners to CSN made a tactical error. While there may not be a precedent for local sports being on the sports tier, there also is not precedent for such a large increase in price for carrying the games. Assuming the $3.40 figure is correct, it is an increase of almost 25% over the previous carrier. This also ignores that they are still contractually obligated to carry the previous channel, likely tied to other national channels owned by Fox. It really isn't that complex. It isn't like they can just dump FSSW and pick up CSN at that price. It would have to be an a la carte for it to make sense.
Why not fight the system, then? Personally, I don't think it's fair for FSSW to be contractually lumped in with the other channels you referenced. Every channel should be judged on its own merits, using the stated words from the DirecTV CEO. Why exclusively pick the battle with CSN Houston and not elsewhere? I shouldn't have to pay for a channel if I don't want it. Their words. If they're going to say things like that, it's not hard to understand where the logic falls short elsewhere.
Fight the system? Because when they fight the system on channels like that and lose networks like AMC, fans go crazy with write in campaigns, national advertising campaigns, etc. They lose those battles. The real reason they are fighting this battle with CSN is because Houston doesn't watch enough sports to justify the price or throw a big enough fit when the channel isn't on.
Gee...I don't know. Maybe because it would be business suicide for DirecTV the first time their customers from sea to shining sea found out they missed Sons of Anarchy because their provider didn't want to carry a pissant regional sports channel in Texas. This, of course, ignores the strong possibility that picking up the entire Fox family of channels results in a lower price per channel. That's usually how bundling works. That is also why CSN is a flawed business model. They don't have other channels to bundle together to create additional broad value and additional impetus to get a deal done quickly. It also creates a situation for CSN where they are limited in their negotiating position. It paints them into a take it or leave it situation with no room for creative solutions.
Two weeks until opening day and the more we read from Jim Crane and what a ass this guys comes off as the more likely I see this not getting solved in two weeks. The networks have really not a lot of motivation to get anything done and if the ratings are really that horrible then I can't really blame them. The Astros suck and will suck for a long time so there's really no clamor to watch these guys. The blackout continues.
I'm still a fan...I still want to see if they are able to rebuild the team. I think they are going about it the right way. I want to see the Astros and Rockets....I've watched them on local tv my entire life.
