Of course not, Comcast is. However the Astros seeking their "best interest" is to blame. Most people don't understand the business perspective. The fact that they aren't in TV is the problem. Fans want to see their team. The Astros want to make money. Bad timing, stupid deals and bad business got in the way of the fans being able to see their team(s) on tv. The majority of fans don't give two ****s about what happens behind closed doors. Most wouldn't even understand it anyways. They aren't on TV so people are mad. If it were the Rockets (with the team as of now) in the Astros position, I would like to think they would be on TV right now. There is nothing about the Astros right now that will make Crane money. They suck. Plain and simple. Put players on the field and bring in names and there would be a demand. There isn't one. So obviously the Astros need revenue from TV deals. Crane inherited a disaster and he needs to put a team out there that draws fans. Well that doesn't happen over night. He may have got rich fast with his logistics companies but he is on a different playing field now.
The Rockets are to blame for their not being on TV. They are the ones that agreed to a deal that gave the Astros and Comcast veto power. They did it out of self-interest because they wanted the money they came along with it. It's no different than the Astros or Comcast. This is silly. The CSN-H deals have nothing to do with the Astros or Rockets being good or bad. These are 20 year deals - none of these parties (not the teams, not Comcast, not the providers) are making decisions based on how good or bad the teams are today.
To an extent it is silly, but this crappy deal McLane and Comcast put together may have had a little staying power if the Astros had some star power and a some recent playoff runs AND if the Rockets already had Howard and Hardin. I'm not saying it would've been the difference, but it may have been a little easier to negotiate with a couple of highly successful franchises. That being said, the Astros are thinking in the best interest of putting a great product on the field for years to come. They need the revenues in order to offer competitive deals to big time free agents in the near future. If they caved to comcast's deal with Directv, it would've hurt their long term plan. And the long term plan is what fans will appreciate the most. Sure, Rockets and Astros fans are hurting now, but if the Astros get the deal they want, then we're talking about a potential 10-15 year powerhouse of a baseball franchise. Am I pissed I can't watch the Rockets tomorrow night? Hell yes! But I know a little sacrifice now will serve our interests and needs as fans in the long run. I can deal with that.
I don't think you understand what I was saying. First of all, I never said the Rockets weren't to blame. The Rockets were stupid to be apart of this to begin with. They saw money signs without thinking of the consequences that could arise. Granted none of them saw this coming. Comcast is greedy. Astros are greedy. Rockets are greedy. Secondly, there is nothing silly about it. I don't know what background you have, but it obviously isn't a business background. Any business wants returns immediately, regardless of the circumstances. We all know these are 20 year deals. They still don't want to put themselves in a hole they can't dig themselves out of. Last I checked, none of these documents are imaged and are available to the general public. All of these opinions are based off of hearsay. You can't put 100% faith into the future. You have to have a plan in place. The Astros haven't shown they have a plan in place. They have been utterly horrible for 3 years straight and their pitch is the future. The future can be anything and there is no guarantee of revenue. A few bad signings and a few bad picks in the draft can ruin a team for years. It is a big risk to take. Like I said, Crane inherited a disaster from McLane. He had to have known this. The Rockets on the other hand have been upgrading and improving their team every single year. You honestly can't believe CSN actually thinks ratings don't matter can you? That would be idiotic to say the least. They care about viewers and ratings. That is the business they are in and that is where their revenue comes from. Nobody will watch a team lose constantly. You have to have a product people want to see. That is where the money is.
Seems to be a whole lot of bizarre fallacies in this thread: In reality... The only reason the Judge didn't throw out the petition is that he is pragmatic and attempting to "coax" the parties into a resolution. The order is an agreed order. The attorneys all agreed to the term, which are very pro Astros. Why would attorneys for Comcast agree to terms so beneficial to the Astros? The Judge made it very clear the Petition would be thrown out if the parties didn't come together. The Rockets are probably not thrilled with the outcome but knew coming into this the status quo wasn't a legitimate option.
The Rockets really need to comment on this. The silence for the past year has been pretty disgusting. A championship caliber team is going to get poor ratings because nobody can watch them. Pathetic
You missed my point. Of course CSN-H cares about ratings and what not - because that's what generates ad revenues which makes various parties various amounts of money. But providers aren't stupid, and they aren't basing their decision to sign a 20 year deal on how good the Rockets or the Astros are today or what their ratings are today. It would be ridiculously incompetent to do so. They are going to look at historical ratings of the teams through good and bad and make a determination of what the channel is worth to them.
They absolutely did. I definitely don't want them running and hiding from it like they have been. I think fans deserve to hear from them
The Rockets fans should demand to hear more from Crane at this point. The ball is in his hands now. Let him see how easy it is to get the providers to agree to the deal he thinks he can get now. He kept the Rockets and Astros off DirectTV last year. Was it a bad deal? It sounds like it, but the opportunity was still there and we'll never know what the domino effect would have been. Had the network collapsed after that they could have gone their separate ways, but at least fans could have watched their teams in the meantime.
Once again, Crane is the only one talking. http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/...ros-negotiating-power-in-csn-houston-dispute/ Judge allows Astros to seek new TV partner Tuesday, October 29, 2013 A federal bankruptcy judge Tuesday authorized the Astros to negotiate with third parties on a new business plan for Houston Regional Sports Network, the troubled Astros-Rockets-Comcast partnership that owns Comcast SportsNet Houston. Judge Marvin Isgur signed what he described as “a pretty extraordinary” three-page order that was accepted in a rare show of unanimity among the fractious network partners. It names the Astros as lead negotiator with authority to “investigate and negotiate the terms of carriage agreements, broadcast agreements, management agreements, lease agreements, equipment agreements, purchase and sale agreements and debt and equity investments and other matters pertaining to the formulation of a business plan.” Judge Isgur’s order, signed 24 hours before the Rockets’ regular-season opener on CSN Houston, has no apparent immediate effect on efforts to line up carriage agreements with DirecTV, Suddenlink or AT&T U-verse. In search of a ‘fair deal’ However, it frees Astros owner Jim Crane, who has been critical of the network’s financial performance, to negotiate with parties such as Fox and DirecTV across a wide range of services and scenarios that could impact the future of the Astros and Rockets on TV. “We’re very excited about trying to get something done here for the Astros, the Rockets, the fans and the city,” Crane said. “We think there is demand. … We’re not looking for the best deal in the universe, just a fair deal that is good for the teams.” Crane said he will consult “with all the players — Fox, DirecTV, AT&T, Time Warner. I will work to try to get something favorable so that we can move on with or without Comcast in the deal.” Any agreements into which the Astros enter on the network’s behalf, such as carriage deals or the sale of a portion of the partnership to a third party, are subject to the court’s approval. Judge Isgur’s order places on hold the Astros’ motion to dismiss the involuntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed Sept. 27 by four Comcast affiliates and Comcast’s motion to name an interim trustee. He ordered the Astros to hold weekly conference calls with Comcast and the Rockets and set a Nov. 13 status hearing. The order remains in place until another hearing on Dec. 12. The agreement was hammered together during several closed-door court sessions and conferences in federal courthouse meeting rooms involving the two dozen or so attorneys taking part in the two-day hearing. “I don’t know that I could do this without the consent (of the feuding parties),” Judge Isgur said. Attorneys for all three partners agreed, and Rockets attorney Alan Gover thanked Isgur for “the court’s activism.” One key element of the order absolves from liability any third party “that undertakes negotiations or investigations at the Astros’ request.” The Astros are absolved of liability in similar fashion. Current carriage stays It also leaves in place the network’s carriage agreement with Comcast, the largest cable carrier in Houston, which will be a critical asset to bidders. Isgur’s order was prompted by Crane’s complaints that Comcast/NBC Sports Group has not given the Astros a business plan that allows the network to be profitable. Comcast witnesses countered that Crane blocked a proposed carriage agreement with DirecTV this spring that they said would have a “cascading” effect in lining up other carriers. Internal reports, however, said that even with DirecTV on board, CSN Houston would require several years to become profitable. The Astros own 46 percent of Houston Regional Sports Network, compared to 32 percent for the Rockets and 22 percent for Comcast, which provided a $100 million loan to launch the network Oct. 1, 2012. Comcast, in documents filed with the court, said it was interested in buying the entire network if it becomes available and is committed to staying in business in Houston.
So reading into the article, does it mean the Astros could potentially (among other things) negotiate with a 3rd party such as FOX or DTV (Root) to buyout Comcast and have them take over the Comcast role in the network? This could potentially keep the Astros and Rockets together, eliminate Comcast from ownership and turn it into Root Houston or the like. That would be an interesting twist.
Wait - how are we supposed to interpret these two things? Could they basically turn CSN-H into a DirecTV or FOX run network, and be able to keep the Comcast carriage agreement? This just all seems ... bizarre.
Another odd thing was that Comcast would like to buy the network if it becomes available. I mean without the Astros AND the Rockets, it'd be pretty much dead in the water no? Lots of odd little leaks we're getting, I suspect we won't really get the full scoop until long after this is over.
Ah on the other hand I suppose that could be interpreted as just buying out the Astros and/or Rockets share in the network and keeping their game broadcasts. Who knows.
Yes. They can negotiate all sorts of things. A buyout of the network, simple carriage agreements, etc. But keep in mind that they aren't going to be able to negotiate any deal that hurts the business interests of Comcast as the judge isn't going to approve it.
The Astros were terrible. Historically terrible. Abysmal. Downright awful. Has nothing to do with this.
That was in their very first original pleadings. It was part and parcel of a trustee being appointed and conducting an auction of CSN's assets. That's extremely unlikely to happen, particularly now.
They presumably could bring in a group to potentially buy out Comcast's interest in the Network, I suppose. Note that Crane makes the comment that he's excited about getting something worked out for the Rockets and the Astros. To get a "fair deal for the teams." He doesn't say that of Comcast.
Let's cut to the chase here, folks. Can someone just post a list of Rocket games on national TV please? TIA
