(UPDATE: Rockets change stance) Rockets block ClutchFans from training camp

I am a lurker here as well, and am extremley dissapointed.

 

Hell, its always been that way for me.

I'm still royally pissed.

 

Jeff, i agree.

send this to the Rockets and to the Chronicle. ClutchFans (especially y'all) deserve much better than this. take action, this is a travesty.

 

Boycott it is.

Somebody give us the email address to send to rockets.com, since we don't want to visit their site just to get their email address (kinda defeats the purpose).

 

FWIW - this happened to us in Toronto as well, though it was less blatant. The official line was that the decision comes from above, at the league level regarding websites. At least in Toronto it applies equally to all web based media.

In your case, it makes no sense to allow other sites, yet disallow arguably the best fansite in existence which has clearly done so much good for the franchise. Talk about a spit in the face.

 

Awesome!!
-------------------------
Contact these local channels. The more emails and phone calls they get the more likely they are to do a story this evening. We know the Rockets don't like bad press so this may help. If we keep emailing the Rockets and only the Rockets they can just sweep it under the rug and not worry about the bad press.

Channel 2 NBC

If you would like to phone in a news tip, call (713) 222-NEWS (222-6397).
The general newsroom phone number is (713) 778-4910.
The newsroom fax number is (713) 771-4930.
If you have a story idea for the Local 2 Troubleshooters, call (713) 223-TIPS (223-8477).

If you want to email them (bottom of the page)
http://www.click2houston.com/contact/index.html

Randy McIlvoy - rmcilvoy@click2houston.com

Channel 11 CBS

E-mail: assignments@khou.com
Phone: 713-521-4398
FAX: 713-520-7763

Channel 13 ABC

(713) 666-0713
News Tip Line is (713) 669-1313
Sports Fax # is (713) 663-4591

If you want to email them (bottom of the page)
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=stationinfo&id=3270641

Fox26 KRIV

Office - (713) 479-2600
Tips - (713) 225-5369

Jonathan Feigen at the Houston Chronicle

jonathan.feigen@chron.com

I just wanted to keep these numbers and emails on the page

 

I used fanear@rocketball.com

 

My email:

Dear Rockets,

I was a Rockets season ticket holder for 18 years, and a Comets season ticket holder for 4 years. I now buy tickets on a game by game basis, and am deciding on my purchases for this year.

I would like to express my disappointment that the Rockets have barred ClutchFans from training camp. ClutchFans represents your strongest constituency, and serves both the Rockets and their fans in a way that your website, by definition, cannot.

I urge you to reconsider your decision.

 

My e-mail

Dear Rockets,

I have been a loyal fan of your team for the past 13 years, I do not agree with the block on Clutch Fans from your media day. I have bought season tickets and mini-plans in the past, but I will not be buying any more tickets this year and will urge the owner of the company I work for to do the same. I hope this problem comes to a quick resolution.

Thanks,

P.S.
(Dont ever underestmate the heart of Clutch Fans!)

 

Good info!!

 

This does suck.


As a young Rockets fan who grew up in Houston, but has since relocated, this is horrible. This site is a community. it's not only my source for everything Rockets, it's my source for everything NBA, and everything Houston. I learn so many things from this site, in so many areas, that I may be benfitting from this site just as much or more than I do at school. It makes me feel in touch with my real community and with my home team. Why should we, as the most hardcore Houston Rockets fans, not be allowed to show our support for OUR team. It is OUR team afterall, isn't it? That's what I thought the NBA was about...

I have nothing against the Houston Rockets, and I could never hate them, but this is totally wrong.


Clutch, I love your site and I love everything you do with it. Keep up the good work, man. Don't back down. You've got at least a million people who have your back.

 

Try contacting Rocket executives directly.


..that should do it.

 

Hear, hear Doc!

 

Just fired off another email... thanks Doc.

and didn't you promise us some explanations in Sept.?

I missed it if you shared it Doc...

 

Who does that email go to?

 

Thanks Doc. Sent an email...

 

This really stinks.....but I can't say that it surprises me. The fact that you do this site for free IS the real problem. There are no typical economics involved, so the Rockets organization has no control over you.

Oh...some people might say, "the Rockets don't own channel 2, 11, or 13 either," but in a way, they do. The local news teams are fiercely competitive to "get the scoop" as quickly as the next guy, and they won't do anything to upset the balance. They won't do anything to offend the Rocket's organization so that they're left on the other side of the fence (like Clutch is right now). It's easy for the Rockets to exert some control over them, and they darn sure won't do anything to piss off the organization (unless they know for sure the other news outlets are going to go out on the same limb with them).

Some of what we (as fans) may view as completely innocuous will be something the Rockets want to keep wraps on until such time (and in such a manner) they deem it ready for release.

I say, "screw em!" Like most fans, I care about the team and it's success on the court. I don't give a rat's ass about the business people, and what they deem important. I'll miss the camp reports, but I'd rather have scoops before the regular news outfits.....and I bet Clutch will still root those out. If administrators of this site want to be "safe" from legal pressure, they could create some "fake" accounts and post some of their thoughts under these fake monikers to give them credibility. When a scoop becomes available, it can be released via these fake accounts under the guise of "I don't know if this is true, but I heard these people talking at the mall, and they said.....blah, blah, blah." It would get the news out there for discussion, and there wouldn't be a damn thing the Rockets organization could do about it. It would just be some Joe Shmoes posting rumors on a fan run web site.

Sure, Clutch wouldn't have kudos from the Rockets, but he'd be secure in the knowledge that this site continues to be the best damn fan run website for any sport, at any level, anywhere.

 

Question: Is Clutch banned from attending media day and training camp? Or is CF.net banned from posting news from media day and training camp? Or both?

Kinda funny how they feel we are a threat to them. Having dedicated fans want up to date news on their favorite team shouldn't be a threat, especially since they fail to provide us with adaquate coverage of the team.

 

I just emailed The link above. Tad is the one who pushed (replaced) Tim McDuggel out the door.

(copy of email)

Tad

I have been a Rocket fan since 1981 when I was 11 years old. I have been a Season Ticket holder for 4 years. I have been a member of Clutchfans.net since 1999. Why have you banned our access to media day and training camp. We do not compete with Rockets.com but actually compliment the site. One of the founders has a lot to do with the reason the Toyota Center exist. Jeff Balke created saveourRockets.com. We are your true hard core and loyal fans.

Please grant us access to the media pass.

 

I once read in a Hangout thread, on average, each clutch fan has about 4 email accounts. I serious doubt the idiots at rockets.com would read all the emails they receive. So just for the heck of it, if every clutch fan sent from different accounts the same email of his/her own to rockets.com, it would be quite something for them to handle.