We've already been through this in October. The Astros/Rockets programming was on FSSW, then it wasn't. If that would bother them, it already has. The bigger factor, though, is exactly what you said at the end "They just randomly pop TV on and watch what's on." So people that are that lazy and disengaged -- never mind the fact that they'd have to find that one channel out of close to 100 -- going to be angry enough to cancel their subscriptions en masse? Please. It's a major hassle to cancel, return equipment, set up a new installation, learn new equipment, etc. These people that are so disengaged that they don't keep up with what's going on and haven't followed the Astros/Rockets in months are suddenly going to raise bloody hell and leave the providers in great numbers? That's totally irrational. These people would have to be complete ****ing idiots. It is possible? In theory, anything is. But it seems like the consensus reaction here is that CSNH is awful for treating customers like idiots, and if that's the case, the providers shouldn't have their actions excused for using similar logic.
OK, let's say all that happens. Let's say, hypothetically, that UVerse gets you the games and you get back into your routine. And then, come June 1, it goes away again. Even if you're somehow angrier than you were before, would your anger suddenly go toward UVerse? I don't think so. We may have different views, but I'm sure you're a smart and level-headed guy. If on June 1, the games go away and we go back to this dispute... my suspicion is that you'd primarily blame CSN, the same way you do now. The free trial changes nothing about the dynamics of the negotiations. Those opinions have already been formed, and if this thread is any indication, the vast majority hold CSN/Astros/Rockets responsible. Why would you suddenly turn on the providers? Even if somehow you'd be more upset than before, which I doubt, there's very little to redirect your anger away from CSN and toward the providers. As long as that doesn't happen, there's not much downside.
A.) I never said anything about CSNH treating customers like idiots so you can take that elsewhere (you've said that twice in reply to my posts) B.) I never said these people would cancel their subscriptions or leave providers I am pointing out the holes in your logic that by accepting the deal the providers won't take any more negative feedback than they are already. Anyway I said my part, as much as I would enjoy a one month trial of the channel (because I've heard it has great content) I understand the business decision of the providers not accepting the free trial. And I just may be one person but I called and b****ed out my provider when the Rockets season started. Then didn't worry about it because I just streamed games. If I get a free trial and I really enjoy the channel and it's local coverage then I promise I will be calling again to b**** when the free trial is over. Just because it will be a channel I haven't had before (something with only Houston ties). I don't know what i'm missing out on right now so I'm happy not watching. So I guess I'll be one of those dumbasses/idiots you keep referring to.
Me personally, yes I would still hold the rockets, Astros and csn responsible. I actually hold the rockets and Astros responsible much more than csn. Some though, might turn in their providers and feel some goodwill towards csn for giving them the games for a while. There is no real downside for this for csn, smart ploy by them
I'd disagree here. If you took away my team mid-season, I'd be a hell of a lot more annoyed because I've now invested in the team. For example, if LHN came into existence in the middle of a basketball season that I was following and took away my UT Basketball, I'd be annoyed. But this season? I never started watching and just didn't care - I just didn't get into the team in the first place. It's a little more true in college because there's more roster turnover, so you have a whole new team you're investing in, but that's sort of the case with the Astros this year given that they basically blew up the whole team to start over. If you never get a chance to follow these new players, that's different than if you get invested in this year's team and then lose the ability to watch it. It's the same reason people don't care about strikes/lockouts that happen at the beginning of an NBA/NFL/MLB season and come right back, but the 1994 strike was so destructive - it happened after people had gotten invested in their teams for 3 or 4 months and then had it taken away.
If they don't leave, it shouldn't matter. The upside of giving customers like MadMax who value their teams a month to see games (at no cost!) should far outweigh the downside, if the downside is mild annoyance here and there. If you made one disgruntled phone call and then dropped the issue, I have serious doubts that you're going to take it an extra step this time. Again, upside far trumps the downside.
As you said, there's no downside to it for CSN. If anything changes, I'd think some people would feel some goodwill toward the providers, because it would be a sign of good faith and extending an olive branch to their customers. I don't know why anyone would suddenly think that the CSN folks are the nice guys -- like you said, it's a no-brainer for them. Just good business sense.
Even if that's the case -- and as you said, I think it's far more applicable on the college level -- I think it brings back old feelings, which are heavily in favor of the providers. It's the CSN side that's receiving the lion's share of the blame. Even if you somehow are "more annoyed" come June 1, I think most folks would revert back to their earlier positions after following the negotiations for months. Unless the general sense of anger transitions away from CSN and to the providers, then it shouldn't be a major issue regardless. There might be some mild annoyance, but nothing that's going to cause a major revolt and people to cancel subscriptions. If that's the case, the upside of offering the games for a month-plus to folks like MadMax (who I think is a fairly representative sample) outweighs that minimal downside.
Don't think it's been posted since there is so much bickering going on. Suddelink has agreed to air the free-view. So far that's the biggest provider to agree http://blog.chron.com/sportsmedia/2013/04/suddenlink-agrees-to-air-csn-houston-free-view/
“We’ve informed CSN Houston that free is the right price for putting their network on our expanded basic level of service, and we will accept that price for our Houston-area customers as long as CSN wants to make it available,” Suddenlink statement
He states unequivocally that he is not being paid, so how do we classify his dogged advocacy? The 'trial period' is just more bush league negotiating. Providers shouldn't and won't enable the people they are negotiating with. I said some pages back, my crack dealer always gives you the first hit free. My guess is there advertisers are giving them grief about low viewership. This trial may even coincide with a ratings period that determines the ad rate, I don't know.
How do you explain his 183 posts in this thread advocating for CSN you mean? It's logic and he's vastly overflowing with it. You shoud be thankful.
When you have nothing of substance to say, just attack the messenger to hide from the real issue. Your playbook is pretty transparent by now.
How about you classify it as having an opinion -- you know, the entire point of posting on a BBS. Believe it or not, it's possible that some of them will be different than your own, without there being some massive conspiracy. There's nothing that's been said or done on either side of this since October 1 that isn't negotiating. As for "won't", I guess Suddenlink (a fairly large provider) disagrees with you, since they're taking the deal. It must mean that CSN has infiltrated Suddenlink -- after all, that's the only way anyone could possibly dispute the findings of the great Dubious!
SuddenLink and CSN Houston might not come to an agreement on the free preview. SuddenLink wants to air the free preview for Houston and not across the 5 state region.
