Depressing update really. DirecTV wants to pass the costs through to customers -- that's a non starter. Dish has no comment. AT&T complains about the price. Guess we'll have to see if the Astros season starting helps it at all. Looks like we're in for a long battle here.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Big Q: If <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Houston">#Houston</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Astros">#Astros</a> take hard-line stance w/ non-@<a href="https://twitter.com/csnhouston">csnhouston</a> carriers, will club lose leverage once <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23MLB">#MLB</a> season starts, losses mount?</p>— Brian T. Smith (@ChronAstros) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronAstros/status/317492049182064640">March 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I'm starting to feel like this is the case. The providers are not going to lose money by adding another network with the worst team in baseball combined with an apathetic basketball fan base. They're either going to demand it goes on a premium tier (which I am okay with for 5 or 10 extra bucks a month) or wait until deals with FSN run out so they can bump FSSW to premium tier and then put CSN on basic. So as long as CSN doesn't budge, this isn't going to happen because the providers have very little to lose. I think there are very few that are jumping to Comcast so they aren't feeling any pressure really to add the channel. There is much more pressure on CSN, so they're going to have to be the one's to budge here, and judging by Crane's comments that isn't going to happen. And for that, Jim Crane can kiss my ass if he thinks I'm going to spend a dime in his stadium till this is settled. Fans were happy with FSN, providers were happy with FSN, but it was the teams (and primarily the Astros as they are majority owners) who wanted the rsn so they could get rich.
Apparently Crane was on "The Odd Couple" last night and said (or alluded to) that DirectTV made an initial counter offer sometime back in October and that it was so out of line (according to Crane/CSN) that there really haven't been any negotiations since.
I thought CSN was supposed to be "working night and day" to get a deal done. I can't imagine the Astros have any leverage at all and won't for a couple of seasons. CSN will never allow Rockets & Astros fans to pay for the channel. That would solve enough of the problem that a deal may never get done. IMO, this is the way to go.
do people forget that Crane just spent a fortune to buy a bag of steaming dog crap? The revenues from the RSN are vital to justifying his purchase - and it would seem the pro-forma'd numbers are in line with other RSN's nationwide. I am not a Comcast supporter. Have Uverse and won't switch. But I'm starting to think this is collusion by the providers.
It appears that the two sides are not even negotiating. Looks like it'll be piece of **** streams from here on out for the Rockets, because **** Comcast to death. The Astros? Ha! Who cares.
Crane said last night that they have a price and they won't blink. He said when thousands switch to Comcast the others will fall in line. His words, not mine. He isn't even negotiating, this could take years.
Yeah. I'm betting there are a lot of people out there that doesn't care about these two teams...but if their cable bill goes up a few dollars then there will be outrage from more than ~90,000 people that Comcast has claimed that signed the petition.
Honestly, I'm a lot less nervous about the situation now that we have the VLC links. They are great quality, and the only downside is they are about 30 seconds behind. I can tell what's happening in the games now. So as long as I have those for the playoffs, I'm all good. I'd like to watch the Astros sometimes over the summer, but I'll find something else to do
As much as folks are calling for transparency from the CSN side, I hope y'all demand it from the providers, too. First off, studogg is exactly right -- the providers are idiots if they didn't put a clause in their FSN contract giving them an "out" in greater Houston should FSN lose the teams. Second, if it's a matter of not wanting to pay for two RSNs, then what exactly is the contract the providers have with FSSW? What are the terms? When does it end? I agree that assuming no deal Tuesday, CSN needs to be more specific and transparent with the public... but so do the providers. P.S. Whoever mentioned the playoffs, remember that every game is nationally televised so this won't be as much of an issue then (other than if we get one of the rare NBATV slots, and even then, seems like a lot of people have that).
This was relayed by the 610 morning guys. They played a few audio clips but they didn't have one for the part I mentioned, so I didn't hear it first hand.
I saw a quote from Crane in the chron story, but it didn't mention DirecTv specifically in regards to a counter offer
I've been watching all of this unfold for some time now and can understand both sides of the argument. The Astros owner is trying to compete with other large market baseball teams and wants a revenue stream(that would increase significantly if every cable/satellite customer in the area paid $3+ per month. Which is in line with other large market rsn's)similar to those markets. The satellite/cable providers see that rsn's are a growing trend among all professional franchises and want to stop charges for all customers before their monthly charges jump to prices that less and less(including those that can care less about any sports)can afford. I think the cable/satellite providers are doing the right thing, they are trying to get sports fans to pay extra(tier charges) for the rsn's so that not everyone is effected. I am a huge Rockets/Astros/Texans fan. I generally watch 75-80 Rockets games a year, around 120+ Astros games a year, and all Texans games each year. I hate the fact i cant watch the Rockets/Astros. I even broke down after the Rockets/Lakers game(the Greg Smith game) earlier this year and ordered Comcast(their customer service failed again so i cancelled the order). Anyone that knows me knows i despise Comcast so this was no small feat. I want my teams to be able to compete for championships and realize the revenues the rsn's will generate will allow for more money spent on the franchise/rosters(especially in the astros case where there is no hard cap). I am willing to pay extra for this. I think the solution has to be somewhere between what the providers/franchises want. The providers cant continue to increase the non sports fans monthly bills and the franchises need the increased revenues to compete with the larger markets that already have rsn contracts that charge all customers $3+ per month. I think the solution will end up being increased prices for tiers somewhere in the $10-$20 per month range. I would be willing to pay this amount to watch my teams. Hopefully it doesn't take years(or even as long as it took me to write this)for them to come to an agreement.
