Really like Ford as well. Very smooth and there isn't a fake sense of excitement which is my biggest pet peeve for radio broadcasts. Sparks adds insight that I didn't like at first because he seemed like he was dumbing it down for people. Now, I've really started to enjoy not only his baseball additions but also his qwerks. The deal he does acting like he knows who caught the ball was lame at first, but I like how he keeps with it the whole game and makes small jokes about it. It makes me appreciate those who listen the whole game. Overall, they're better than good and make not having CSN an easier pill to swallow.
Perhaps the happiest over Dwight to Houston? Jim Crane and Jeff Luhnow! leverage baby! <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Welcome to Houston, Dwight! Great job <a href="https://twitter.com/dmorey">@dmorey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23RedNation&src=hash">#RedNation</a></p>— Jeff Luhnow (@jluhnow) <a href="https://twitter.com/jluhnow/statuses/353272301803929601">July 5, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I don't think it is as easy as "Rockets are contenders now so the providers will cave"....if anything csn might now think they can certainly hold their ground on price since the Rockets are more marketable
They won't cave because of this. As has been noted many times over, these are 10 to 20 year contracts. Decisions like these are not influenced by the acquisition of one player.
Correct, but there is more leverage on CNH's side now no(i.e. more fans are going to fuss about seeing the Rockets on TV than before)? How much leverage is certainly debatable.
They are influeced, not decided. Rockets become likely contenders for next 4 years and going to be a bigger draw locally and nationally.
Absolutely, but the question is this. Does this make the providers want the channel more, or does it make csn value their product more? I do agree that the product is more valuable, yes these are long term deals, but we live in a "right now" society to a great deal I also wonder how many more of these deals get done moving forward in general, the way people acquire media is changing quickly
I think a lot of it depends on if the two sides are close. If they are, maybe the providers are willing to pay a bit more since viewership will be up. But if they are far apart, it might just make CSN more resolute in their valuation, while getting them no closer to an actual deal.
Everything that has been posted here from the beginning seems to indicate that eh are quite far apart. I do not hold out hope that any deals will be reached in the foreseeable future. In fact, if you put a gun to my head and made me guess, I would guess that this ends up like the Portland situation.
From some reports a month or so ago, I would guess csn Houston goes bankrupt and goes away before it becomes a years long issue. Just a total guess from the reports a while back of how bad they are struggling
Then you must not have seen the quote this week that said Comcast is a bigger company than all these sports leagues put together... and CSN-Houston is a minimal cost to them to go through these negotiations without a bunch of providers thus far. My guess is that Comcast (and the other compaines) see enough people in Houston switching coverage to get the channel. I've already seen several bars that were just waiting to get out of their satellite deals... this pushes them more towards comcast. Hell, NFL sunday ticket is no longer the "thing" to have anymore (red zone is). Once people start switching, that will be where the providers have to decide how much longer to carry this out.
WSJ article on the topic of RSN's: (link) Long article - but some interesting points were raised, IMO. I'm guessing Crane would take the $60MM/year if it was offered again, but Les might want a little more than $25MM now that he's got Harden and Howard.
Nfl ticket is huge, huge, for most real sports bars. People go to watch certain teams. I haven't seen sports bars drop direct for Comcast but I know of several that now have both
Just got an email from the Astros thanking me for filling out an online form requesting CSN (not sure how long ago I did that, honestly..a long while back)...and offered two free tickets to the Astros/A's game next Tuesday.
Got it, too...and also don't remember filling out that form. Oh well...not driving in from Austin on a Tuesday to see a game anyway.
