1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

ATT Sportsnet channel (Astros)

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by the shark, May 24, 2021.

  1. Buck Turgidson

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2002
    Messages:
    84,998
    Likes Received:
    83,161
    Yep, I subscribe to mlb.tv every year and have a couple of stable non-junky streaming sites I like to get around the blackout (4 hours away from MMP, but blacked out, gotta preserve the gate revenue) when I'm at one of the tv's that doesn't have ATTsports. I've thought about the VPN route, just haven't taken that step yet.

    I'm paying MLB money to watch baseball, and I have no qualms about pirating the Astros games.
     
    cmlmel77 and sealclubber1016 like this.
  2. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 1999
    Messages:
    47,916
    Likes Received:
    14,156
    Still amazing that the blackout rule is still a thing... in a sport that is desperately in need of connecting with a newer fan base.

    I still remember when national home ESPN Astros games were blacked out because HSE wanted to have exclusive rights for home games. TNT used to do the same thing with home Rockets games.

    Eventually that all went away. Now in a day where everything is consumed via streaming... and games showing up on YouTube, Amazon, facbeook, yahoo... they’re still blacking out local games on platforms that people are already paying a premium for.
     
  3. ipaman

    ipaman Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2002
    Messages:
    13,020
    Likes Received:
    7,784
    I've seen a couple of mentions already but FUBOTV is what I used now for almost 2 years. They just recently added Disney/ESPN family which made the price jump and a regional sports fee but it has everything I use which is mostly Rox/Astros. I'll DM you a referral link.
     
    panamamyers and the shark like this.
  4. sealclubber1016

    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2010
    Messages:
    19,000
    Likes Received:
    27,536
    It's seriously unbelievable that they haven't figured out a better system.

    I'm literally trying to give MLB and the NBA my money every month, and yet they still force you to go through hoops and 3rd parties to get the games you really want. Why should anybody feel the slightest qualm to say f**k this and sail the seas.
     
    #24 sealclubber1016, May 25, 2021
    Last edited: May 25, 2021
    the shark likes this.
  5. HatsForBats

    HatsForBats Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2018
    Messages:
    319
    Likes Received:
    310

    Send me one too. Our Comcast contract is up in Nov. Frontier is installing Fiber in the neighborhood so may be able to ditch them completely.
     
  6. Marshall Bryant

    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2018
    Messages:
    8,765
    Likes Received:
    4,708
    I have no problem with pirated streaming to avoid extortion. I "pay for it" with annoying pop up adds that always seem to show up at key moments of the contest. I just back up and watch it to the end of the inning and then go back to live.
     
    TWS1986 likes this.
  7. J.R.

    J.R. Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2008
    Messages:
    106,788
    Likes Received:
    154,648
    AT&T SportsNet RSNs reportedly short three MLB teams on rights payments

    Per an article from Sportico, Warner Bros. Discovery shorted three MLB teams airing on the company’s AT&T SportsNet RSNs their rights payments. Those three teams are the Astros (AT&T SportsNet Southwest), Pirates (AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh), and Rockies (AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain).

    And while the exact amount the teams were shorted was not publicly revealed, it wasn’t an insignificant amount.

    An executive with direct knowledge of the RSNs’ financial dealings confirmed to Sportico that the AT&T outlets in Denver, Houston and Pittsburgh submitted their most recent rights payments to their MLB clubs in a timely fashion, although the disbursements were not commensurate with the contracted rates. The teams impacted by the shortfall are the Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates.

    The precise amount of the funds withheld is not known but is said to be significant enough to have catalyzed concerns about the long-term viability of the three networks. According to one insider, the partial payments may be interpreted as a signal that new-ish owners Warner Bros. Discovery are eager to get out of the RSN business.

    However, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette cited a source claiming no payments were missed or short because no payments are due until the season begins.

    Another source with direct knowledge of the situation has since reached out to the Post-Gazette to dispute Sportico’s reporting, saying that payments are not due until the start of the MLB season. For that reason, no payment or part of a payment to the teams in question has been missed.
    Sportico reported that WBD execs “were unaware of the issue.”

    https://www.sportico.com/business/media/2023/wbd-att-rsns-light-on-mlb-rights-payments-1234709889/


    Meanwhile, Bally Sports is expected to file for bankruptcy

     
    #27 J.R., Feb 15, 2023
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2023
    ryan_98 likes this.
  8. Yordan The Great

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2019
    Messages:
    4,266
    Likes Received:
    5,876
    Uverse is cheap if it's even still available.

    You can get it for a year for $100-120 with internet bundled and probably cheaper without.
     
  9. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 1999
    Messages:
    47,916
    Likes Received:
    14,156
    MLB taking over the networks would be interesting. Obviously they have the best platform to showcase streaming options and once they’re broadcasting the games, they can lift the archaic blackout rules that are set by the RSN’s, not MLB.

    I presume revenue would have to be shared, much like NFL teams share all the TV revenue relatively equally. They’d have to end the “tv contract” loophole that allows some teams who are network owners to not have to include that revenue in the current sharing program.

    TV revenue disparity has always been the biggest economic differentiator in MLB. It’s why the players union will never give into a salary cap because they know there’s teams with undisclosed revenues that can be paying even more than they are…even though they’re already amongst the biggest spenders.
     
  10. sealclubber1016

    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2010
    Messages:
    19,000
    Likes Received:
    27,536
    If ATT defaults on their payments and the Astros can get out of that deal...on paper that would be a huge win for our media rights income.

    We're stuck with a pretty awful deal as of right now.
     
    jelanit and Marshall Bryant like this.
  11. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 1999
    Messages:
    23,839
    Likes Received:
    13,895
    I don't trust MLB. I suspect MLB is looking for an excuse to start gobbling up local deals. It will be better for fans as fans could just buy the Astros games and stream from MLB without blackout issues, but I suspect the early teams that have their deals acquired by MLB will get screwed on revenue while MLB forces other teams to give up local deals over the next decade or 2.
     
    Marshall Bryant likes this.
  12. RunninRaven

    RunninRaven Contributing Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2000
    Messages:
    14,976
    Likes Received:
    2,564
    Which MLB teams does this apply to? Yankees, Braves, ? Maybe Dodgers? Seems like a change that those particular owners would fight hard against (and maybe all owners in the hopes that they get to own some piece of a network in the future). But I would love it if this changed because the blackout rules are really irritating and I would totally be willing to pay MLB for their streaming service if it meant I knew I could watch all the Astros games on it.
     
    jelanit and Marshall Bryant like this.
  13. Marshall Bryant

    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2018
    Messages:
    8,765
    Likes Received:
    4,708
    The MLB is wasting an opportunity to do that just because they are hung up on revenue from cable and network exclusivity deals. That's chasing old revenue streams at the cost of new revenue streams.

    Imagine paying for a game, getting there, and then being told you have to buy a $200/mo package of tiddly winks to use your ticket. I see no difference.
     
  14. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 1999
    Messages:
    47,916
    Likes Received:
    14,156
    MLB is actually well ahead of other leagues not named NFL in terms of streaming deals (apple TV, Yahoo, Amazon, Peacock).

    They were the first ever league to offer their entire slate of games via streaming... but the cable networks fought to maintain blackout rules, thus its not truly sought out by everyone. Hopefully that will change.
     
  15. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 1999
    Messages:
    47,916
    Likes Received:
    14,156
    Yankees, Dodgers, Mets mainly. Braves are part of the Bally sports group that is declaring bankrupt. So are the Cardinals. So are the Rangers (haha!) These were transferred from the old Fox Sports regional networks. While those teams don't truly own/produce the entire network, they have an ownership stake... while the former teams mentioned do own or jointly own their entire network.
     
  16. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 1999
    Messages:
    47,916
    Likes Received:
    14,156
    Seems like teams are already either getting screwed on revenue... or the networks are going bankrupt which will also lead to no revenue.

    MLB isn't forcing those networks to go under. Sure, they likely stand to profit/benefit from those networks going under and them stepping in to produce/distribute the games, but I don't see them driving the economic downturn of those networks.
     
  17. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 1999
    Messages:
    23,839
    Likes Received:
    13,895
    I don't see MLB forcing networks under, but once MLB gets their hands on the rights, I don't think it will be a good thing for those teams until MLB has rights to every teams local broadcasts.
     
  18. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 1999
    Messages:
    47,916
    Likes Received:
    14,156
    Possibly... unless MLB starts to preferentially pay them a comparable rights fee or cuts them in on increased revenue sharing from the MLB.TV profits they stand to gain by having more local subscribers who won't be impacted by blackout rules.

    I just don't know what those other teams are supposed to do. There aren't tons of regional sports networks at the ready to start broadcasting games... and the other ones who aren't in the market (Comcast, AT&T) will go through the usual hoops/ladders to get included on all the cable/satellite plans that Houstonians know all too well.
     
  19. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 1999
    Messages:
    47,916
    Likes Received:
    14,156
    Also, to add... you'd think sports networks would continue to be a slam dunk for making money. Its literally the only things people still try and watch live. For some people, they chose their cable subscriber based on whether or not they carry the sports network (not the case for any other channel).

    It could just be a sign of the times that 'finally' the cord cutting and streaming options have finally become mainstream enough to make a dent.
     
    panamamyers likes this.
  20. Pistol Pete

    Pistol Pete Contributing Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2002
    Messages:
    3,917
    Likes Received:
    2,102
    Rather not go through the ordeal we went through last time.......
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now