This was at the tail end of the article... The offer that Les got could be an offer from an investor to buy out the Astros.
Yeah that would be funny. Drayton actually gave Crane the option to just buy the team and not the Network. I
Astros reported "significant progress" in negotiations as well, before handing the negotiating reigns over to the Rockets upon filing the lawsuit against McLane et al. We'll see.... Important to note that the Rockets are saying neither the Astros nor Comcast support their motion for more time. Before you file a motion like this, you typically are required to confer with the other parties in the case to get a sense if they're agreed to your motion or not. This has ultimately played out brilliantly for Isgur. Give the parties time to fix it on their own...if they do, great...if they don't, blow it up. If I'm Isgur I'd want something substantial to keep the **** ticking...show me something that gives me an idea about the offer the Rockets say they need an extension of time for. I'm assuming Barron will be live-tweeting the status conference.
No where close to 95% of households, but does seem low for the area. I know I misread it as 40% of the households being 2.2 million somewhere.
I may be wrong here..but I think some of the reluctance for any third party getting involved here revolves around corporate governance issues. If decisions have to be unanimous, then you're never in any sense of control of anything. You're always subject to the other parties ENTIRELY. It's true that you don't typically end up with full control of anything in a partnership...but you don't typically end up being completely out of control, either...which is where this arrangement leads you. I still can't believe such sophisticated parties entered into such a ridiculously poor design.
Astros need to hold out for the best deal possible to compete in MLB. Let the Rockets go and sign their own deal elsewhere. Crane won't spend competitive dollars any time soon without a good TV deal in place. TV deals have become the "I need a new stadium" in baseball. Teams may in fact start moving simply to go to a better "TV market" (not that the Astros could possibly do that with their lease). Deals keep getting better with each re-negotiation or extension for every other baseball team (which only further resolves Crane's cause to hold out for more $$$). Houston has become the indifferent city as the fans are in the midst of apathy due to a horrible team, and the cable/satellite companies know that (hell, even the "good" team in the market - Rockets - hasn't caused the sort of revolt that would make the cable/satellite companies think twice about budging.)
I think I remember awhile back that something like 60% of the Houston area actually uses cable or satellite. It's been a long time since I heard that though.
Crane didn't have an offer or anything of substance to report back to the court so I wouldn't say it was significant progress. How do you think the stalking horse bid plays in to all this? Could Comcast not want to someone else (Fox perhaps) coming in to buy part of the Network? Could that be why they aren't in alignment with the Rockets to continue negotiating? Lastly, check the bolded part. Either a typo or an overshare on your part. .
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>We are back at the federal courthouse for today's CSN Houston status conference before Judge Marvin Isgur.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420674388967424000">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Tad Brown says the parties have met with Fox Sports, DirecTV, AT&T and private equity companies.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420678970309218304">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>It appears that the parties will argue Feb. 4 on Astros' motion to dismiss Ch 11 and Comcast motion for interim trustee.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420679191219027968">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>In the meantime, the Astros say they are fine with Rockets continuing to negotiate on CSNH's behalf.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420679613153411072">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Lawyers are now discussing depositions and discovery procedures and deadlines in advance of the February hearing.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420680535145316352">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>And, yes, this is a good indication that, barring an unexpected breakthrough, there won't be any carriage announcements for several weeks.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420681416431529984">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The judge just made a funny re CSNH governance: “The brilliant idea of giving everybody veto power, probably not working out too well.”</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420684678144593920">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Clarifying an earlier point, Tad Brown said Rockets also met with AEG on network matters.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420687388063432704">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Hearing is now adjourned.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420687468791222272">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
