[per 610] CSN Offers 45 day free trial to providers

Did we know about the deadline?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Doubtful. They have until Thur. to pick up network for free. MT <a href="https://twitter.com/brizzle012">@brizzle012</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen">@Jonathan_Feigen</a> will i be able to watch game if i have uverse?</p>&mdash; Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/statuses/396350344730390528">November 1, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Will catch up with <a href="https://twitter.com/CSNHouston">@CSNHouston</a> folk and carriers before the end of day on free view updates. Deadline to pick up free view is aptly. Nov. 8.</p>&mdash; David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/396350934608920577">November 1, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Let me correct that date: AT&amp;T, others have until Friday to pick up CSNH for free. Wouldn't bet on it. As always, wise to follow <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron">@dfbarron</a> .</p>&mdash; Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/statuses/396351685787779073">November 1, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Definitive word, via e-mail from a <a href="https://twitter.com/DIRECTV">@DirecTV</a> spokesman, on <a href="https://twitter.com/CSNHouston">@CSNHouston</a> free view offer: &quot;We are not participating.&quot;</p>&mdash; David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/396375172149563392">November 1, 2013</a></blockquote>
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It's a horrible analogy. All the customers want the free 45 days, but I understand why Uverse wouldn't do it.

 

I had hopes, they're dashed. I understand why they're not doing this though, still hurts. I cannot wait until this is figured out as it's way beyond ridiculous already. Greed all around while pushing the real fans away from the product they desperately want. Whateves.

 

Yeah, that's why the Rockets want to get a deal done so badly, they don't mind losing a bit of money if it means getting their product out to the masses. They know that even if one deal is bad, the next one would be good because they are producing a good product. The Astros on the other hand....they are garbage and their owner just wants to make a buck.

 

Terrible analogy. Cable/satellite providers have no incentive to pick up the free trial. All it will do is get their audience hooked and even more pissed when it is gone after 45 days. Plus, CSN will surely use the ratings as evidence of viewership.

 

http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2013/11/directv-refuses-csn-houstons-free-view-offer/

 

DirecTV's position has always been ridiculous

 

Yeah, that wasn't unexpected. The Astros thought they'd try to force the carriers into a deal they don't want luring them with a "free preview" that didn't work the first time. They look like such idiots right now.

 

The only carrier that has even made an offer to csnh and you think they are the unreasonable party?

 

If they're more pissed, which I doubt, they'd be pissed at the CSN partnership -- not the providers. This isn't some new concoction. The people that are missing the games and upset -- most have watched the Astros and Rockets for 10, 20 or 30+ years. They know exactly what they've been missing since the games went away in October 2012. Those who were inclined to blame the providers and potentially switch have already done so.

The vast majority of the people with UVerse, DTV, etc. who would be interested in CSN fall into one of two categories (and possibly both):

1.) They're mad at the CSN partnership and largely blame Comcast/Astros/Rockets for the carriage issues.

2.) They're at least somewhat upset with their provider but stayed because of concessions given to them by UVerse, DTV, etc.

If you're in group 1, why would you suddenly decide to blame the provider and not CSN once the 45-day period ends? I'm fairly certain you'd still have the same beliefs on the underlying dispute. If you're in group 2, and you were already pleased enough by whatever UVerse/DTV offered you to stick around the first time, why would you then be angry enough to leave after they made another concession for your benefit?

The only people who would conceivably change their positions after a "free trial" scenario are those who didn't know the benefits of the "trial service" in the first place. That's not applicable in this case, because 99.9% of impacted people have watched Astros/Rockets games for many years and already know exactly what they're missing out on. In other words, the value of the product the "free trial" is offering has already been factored into their decision-making.

 

The free trial is nothing but a PR ploy by the Astros. If carrier refuse, they take a PR hit for denying customers 45 days of free games. If they agree to the trial but have to take it down after 45 days, they make their customer mad and take a PR hit.

 

What in the world? Saw on FB a guy said he called U-Verse and told him it was on channels 1714, 1741, 1767 and 1770.

Then my brother in law called DirecTv and they told him 642.

 

I have directv and 642 is csn mid atlantic for me.

 

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=8356615&postcount=1862

 

The listings for U-Verse are 4 other CSN areas they carry, not Houston.

 

No, this is so wrong i don't know where to begin. You can blame Comcast and the Astros for this ****ing mess, and the rockets are probably partially to blame as well. The free trial is a joke, it was the last time they tried it.