<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Greetings. We're back in bankruptcy court for the second day of the CSN Houston hearing. Testimony is scheduled to resume at 2 p.m. CDT.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395263183759224833">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Exactly what? He should accept a guaranteed terrible idea because it's been terrible so far? Despite the fact that he might have a better option out there that he was planning to exercise before the bankruptcy held it up? There needs to be more specifics here. CSN-H has taken losses. There's no evidence or reason to believe the Astros have taken losses. CSN-H has paid the Astros about $25MM, which is different han "not a dime". He's shown no indication of trying to hold out for his original deal - in fact, it's just the opposite. It appears he already has a plan to walk away and put his team on FSSW and let the Rockets do what they want. The Rockets and Comcast are the ones holding that up. Basically, everything you wrote in your paragraph is incorrect. This is mostly true, except the whining about losing money. It also nothing to do with CSN-H or anything that anyone is discussing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Judge Isgur has cleared the courtroom so attorneys can discuss on the record his proposed motion from last night.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395265816406392832">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>That proposal, you may recall, would give the Astros and Rockets permission to seek options that could lead to a successful business plan.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395266329483046912">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Astros counsel suggested the discussion be off the record, but Judge Isgur said it will be on the record.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395266452933980161">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>However, he's cleared the courtroom except for one lawyer per entity (which, believe me, is still a lot of lawyers) to discuss the issue.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395266639450488832">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Meanwhile, HP Fannin Properties, CSN Houston's landlord at Green Street, has entered the case as a petitioning creditor.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395266968258756608">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Short of the Rockets season starting tomorrow, he's writing on the only interesting thing going on in Houston sports right now. Not bad considering he usually writes about Nielsen ratings or what commentators had to say during another crappy Thursday night football game.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Just to show you how lawyered-up this case list, the master document service list includes 26 lawyers from 11 firms in seven cities.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395267916154679296">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Since yesterday's hearing went from 9a to 9:45p with a lunch break, you can imagine the billable hours racked up yesterday.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395268203967819776">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>One issue that came up yesterday that we did not discuss in detail is Comcast's "most favored nation" clause.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395269514306134017">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>The MFN clause states that if CSN signs up a carrier at a rate less than what Comcast is paying, the Comcast rate drops to that number.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395269716756795392">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Judge Isgur expressed concern about the impact the MFN could have on CSNH's chances of financial success. No resolution on that point yet.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395270170916048896">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets">@HoustonRockets</a> CEO Tad Brown has joined the courtroom audience for today's hearing.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395270938683383808">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Another brilliantly designed setup by everyone involved. Basically, one owner - Comcast - has an incentive to actually want lower carriage rates. While they lose some money on the 25% of CSN-H they own, they save money on the 40% of Houston households they control.
as silly as it sounds with this partnership now, that was probably just a goodwill deal. our partner will have the lowest price
MFN is not uncommon at all. Honestly I would have been stunned if Comcast didn't have that type of deal in place.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Jim Crane and Reid Ryan with the <a href="https://twitter.com/astros">@astros</a> are here again today, too.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395274919233085440">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Meanwhile, HP Fannin Properties, CSN Houston's landlord at Green Street, has entered the case as a petitioning creditor.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/395266968258756608">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Everyone is starting to smell the blood in the water, and trying to get their foot in the door before it all falls to pieces, looks like.. probably be fifty more 'Us too!' entities lined up in the next few days lol
Absolutely - it makes logical sense. But it perverts everyone's incentives in the partnership. Now, when Comcast is asking that the Astros agree to a lower fee and accept losses on the network, not only is it a position that hurts the Astros, but it's one that could actual benefit Comcast. There's simply no reason for anyone to trust anyone else in this partnership.
Over the last year, he seems to be the only mainstream media member in town who actually gives a crap about this issue.
i'm not being a jerk, he's the sports media reporter. there hasn't really been much to cover till now
I'm not being a jerk either, but how much time did you want the mainstream media to dedicate to a story about lack of television coverage for sports teams that very few people in the city care about? It's hard enough to get people to talk on sports radio about the Rockets, now you want them to give major air time to the Rockets tv deal?
