Since the Rockets will be moving to Comcast soon, does that mean that Bill Worrell won't call games anymore and someone else will?
I will follow up with another question. Will Directv still broadcast the Rockets games? If not I am cancelling Directv.
No, the entire crew is moving with him. Bill, Clyde, Bull, Bart, etc. I believe the production crew is coming with them too. Im not sure exactly how it works but Im pretty sure their employement was contractual. I dont think they were ever listed as full time employees with Fox.
Comcast is part of the NBA Pay Per View (League Pass). If your cable provider has pay per view, they should have league pass.
I believe Bill is technically employed by the Rockets and since they own part of the new station I'm sure they will have a lot of say in it. Hopefully they explore other options for the analyst, though. And I'm sure most providers will pick up the new station, I just hope it won't be a premium channel.
Damnit! So that means I will have to buy league pass? Directv has FSN Houston and NBA/MLB/ESPN/etc so I never had a problem. That will suck if i have to go out and get League Pass when I live in Houston!!
Every other regional FSN uses Directv and Dish as their satellite providers, except for one FSN Northwest. Since Les and the Astros will own the majority of this network ~80%, it is probably certain they will insist on a satellite provider, and Comcast will have little influence to prevent it. see this, and click on the Network names in the table to see their satellite channels. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comcast_SportsNet Correction: the Philadelphia network is a unique case, and Comcast own the majority and is legally exempt from having to support satellite.
No, you can't use League Pass if you live in Houston. Most likely, Comcast will make a deal with DirecTV, Dish, etc to carry Comcast Sportsnet. In Philly, ComcastSportnet made a deal with Verizon FiOS and that's it. No one else. They also had to get lawyers involved with Dish Network to finally get it on that network. Hopefully it doesn't have to turn ugly here in Houston
Can't edit. You can use League Pass in Houston to watch Rockets games (unless you're doing it online with some sort of IP spoofer)
This isnt entirely true. The league pass is a pay per view event. The cable company buys that event from the provider the NBA. Thats why its always a set price on each network and they dont compete with pricing. So any NBA game, regardless of local provider, will be broadcast on League Pass or NBA Pay Per View (which is what it basically is.) Unless it is blacked out of course which does happen unfortunately. If you live in Houston, you should be getting a new channel soon with basic cable which will be Comcast Sports Net. Not sure the channel yet. I believe FoxSpotsSW will be leaving the Houston area completely. Not sure if they are still broadcasting FSSW in the DFW, Austin, and SA areas but Id assume so. You can still get league pass if you wanted to and watch all NBA games if you are a junkie, but Comcast Sports Net will be activated on basic cable in Houston soon.
Did you read my posts after that? I corrected myself. What I was trying to say is that League Pass isn't the solution to being able to watch Rockets games if you live in Houston due to black-out restrictions. Also, it's entirely up to Comcast to decide if it's going to be on basic cable or as part of a digital subscriber package. Hopefully it is on basic cable.
Oh, and also. I was talking about Comcast Sportsnet having to make agreements with other cable/satellite providers in the Houston area to broadcast Rockets games. Not NBA LeaguePass.
I have U-verse and live in Houston. If I understand this correctly, I will NOT be able to watch non nationally televised games next year UNLESS U-verse picks up the new Comcast sports station. Is that correct?
That's correct. The Rockets own a majority of the channel along with the Astros, but Comcast/NBC have the remaining stake. They will have to come to an agreement to carry the new network. I'm sure they will come to an agreement with most providers in Houston. However, I'm skeptical about the smaller providers that service some parts of the Houston area that carry FSN. Especially those little apartment cable providers.
I have DISH Network, and I have the same question. Unless DISH picks up the Comcast Sports Station, I won't watch Rockets games(unless its on NBA TV/ESPN/TNT)?
