CSN could go belly up

inquisitive · Post #1 » by **inquisitive** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 3:06 pm

We know the frustrations of not being able to see Rockets games due to this issue...here is the latest according to DAvid Barron:

http://blog.chron.com/sportsmedia/2013/ ... rane-says/

Without coverage, the network is not making money and so without the other (carriers) signing up and paying, there are things that can happen as the entity draws down on its credit,” Crane said. “As that goes on, we run out of money, and we are going to have to make some tough decisions.”

spolgar · Post #2 » by **spolgar** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 3:33 pm

I'm not in H-Town so I haven't really followed the sage.

Is CSN wanting too much money to go on uverse or other direct tv ? Or are they just no licensing for other carriers period?

Ribalding · Post #3 » by **Ribalding** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 4:23 pm

The former. They want more $ per subscriber than the Yankees/Knicks network.

zapatasblood · Post #4 » by **zapatasblood** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 4:25 pm

Hopefully the Dwightmare signing speeds things along. CSN is good and hell of a lot better than FSN

spolgar · Post #5 » by **spolgar** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 4:36 pm

So CSN makes a good product. However, since there is a sports entertainment product bubble right now so the price per subscriber is massively inflated.

As a result, no carrier is buying. And now CSN is complaining they have no subscribers... Geewiz, how much was the agreement with the sports teams worth?

HTown_TMac · Post #6 » by **HTown_TMac** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 6:47 pm

Yeahhh, lets go back to FSNSW

MaxRider · Post #7 » by **MaxRider** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 7:01 pm

spolgar wrote:So CSN makes a good product. However, since there is a sports entertainment product bubble right now so the price per subscriber is massively inflated.

As a result, no carrier is buying. And now CSN is complaining they have no subscribers... Geewiz, how much was the agreement with the sports teams worth?

that's what you get when you asking for too much

texasholdem · Post #8 » by **texasholdem** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 11:15 pm

HTown_TMac wrote:Yeahhh, lets go back to FSNSW

let's go back to when all their games were on free TV on Channel 20 or 39

HTown_TMac · Post #9 » by **HTown_TMac** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 12:10 am

texasholdem wrote:
HTown_TMac wrote:Yeahhh, lets go back to FSNSW

let's go back to when all their games were on free TV on Channel 20 or 39

I don't live in houston right now, so i dont get those channels.. i get fsn tho

kam_soluusar · Post #10 » by **kam_soluusar** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 3:14 am

Get it for free off the internet.

Post #11 » by **Mr. E** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 3:43 am

kam_soluusar wrote:Get it for free off the internet.

It's a matter of principle, man...

I live only a few miles away from Toyota Center. I should be able to watch the Rockets on TV. I should not have to use my laptop, iPad or iPhone to watch the Rockets. I should be able to watch them on TV.

That way my laptop is free to chat on our RealGM Rockets Game Threads, my iPad is free to surf for porn and my iPhone is free to buy whatever flowers, jewelry or day spa gift certificates necessary to placate the future Mrs. E since she will likely be totally pissed about what I'm using the other devices for at the time.

It's called "covering your bases."

kinein · Post #12 » by **kinein** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 6:38 am

Mr. E wrote:
kam_soluusar wrote:Get it for free off the internet.

It's a matter of principle, man...

I live only a few miles away from Toyota Center. I should be able to watch the Rockets on TV. I should not have to use my laptop, iPad or iPhone to watch the Rockets. I should be able to watch them on TV.

That way my laptop is free to chat on our RealGM Rockets Game Threads, my iPad is free to surf for porn and my iPhone is free to buy whatever flowers, jewelry or day spa gift certificates necessary to placate the future Mrs. E since she will likely be totally pissed about what I'm using the other devices for at the time.

It's called "covering your bases."

I think its sad that so many locals can't watch their team. Then again here in Socal, Timewarner likes to boost the monthly cable fees ~ with the Lakers having their own channel now etc. I now pray each day for alacarte programming.

I'd only want sports, the military channel, and the other half-dozen channels of interest. Food Network. HGTV. Nat Geo etc.

Don't watch the other 600+ channels.

spolgar · Post #13 » by **spolgar** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 1:23 pm

Mr. E wrote:
kam_soluusar wrote:Get it for free off the internet.

It's a matter of principle, man...

I live only a few miles away from Toyota Center. I should be able to watch the Rockets on TV. I should not have to use my laptop, iPad or iPhone to watch the Rockets. I should be able to watch them on TV.

That way my laptop is free to chat on our RealGM Rockets Game Threads, my iPad is free to surf for porn and my iPhone is free to buy whatever flowers, jewelry or day spa gift certificates necessary to placate the future Mrs. E since she will likely be totally pissed about what I'm using the other devices for at the time.

It's called "covering your bases."

You know, I would make the argument that if it reduces exposure of the team to the fans, then it's bad for the team and the surrounding area economy too. The league might have to step in and be the middle man to help both sides renegiotiate.

The Astros are not good. The Rockets are hopefully great this year, but with the announcement of impending financial ruin, CSN isn't bartering from a position of strength. They are a new network and should have accorded themselves as such with a loss leading strategy, show off their great product for a year before trying to recoup their expenses.

This just seems like cocaine fueled hubris.

zapatasblood · Post #14 » by **zapatasblood** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 4:27 pm

I just can't believe that the network is in such need of financing after one year but for Crane to come out say it is just crazy. It took what little advantage they had and now they are week.

Bruteque · Post #15 » by **Bruteque** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 6:23 pm

spolgar wrote:I'm not in H-Town so I haven't really followed the sage.

Is CSN wanting too much money to go on uverse or other direct tv ? Or are they just no licensing for other carriers period?

It's pretty simple really. The same thing happened in Portland.

The entity in control of the negotiation is Comcast. Basically what Comcast does is it approaches the sports organizations who wants to "cut out the middle man" and own their own networks. Comcast offers their "expertise" on running a network in a partnership. This "expertise" naturally includes negotiating with other carriers. New networks like CSN-H are formed with Comcast as a minority owner. Comcast then proceed to be in charge of negotiating with other carriers as that's the "expertise" they bring to the partnership. The sports organization falls for this: Comcast is actually not at all interested in the newly formed networks. They actually do not want to get deals done with the other carriers. They just want the sports programming missing from the other carriers to boost Comcast's premium programming market share.

This shat was already under investigation in Portland for conspiracy and stuff, with the Trailblazers' owner calling for the FCC to make Comcast make POR games available on other carriers. Tad Brown and Les Alexander just wasn't paying attention and looking past the $ and signed their names on the dotted line for the same Comcast scam.

You may actually be able to watch Rockets games on TV once CSN-H goes belly up and Tad/Les learn their hard lessons.

inquisitive · Post #16 » by **inquisitive** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 6:51 pm

I miss the days when it was free on channel 39 and 20...even sometimes on channel 51

moofs · Post #17 » by **moofs** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 9:47 pm

Bruteque wrote:
spolgar wrote:I'm not in H-Town so I haven't really followed the sage.

Is CSN wanting too much money to go on uverse or other direct tv ? Or are they just no licensing for other carriers period?

It's pretty simple really. The same thing happened in Portland.

The entity in control of the negotiation is Comcast. Basically what Comcast does is it approaches the sports organizations who wants to "cut out the middle man" and own their own networks. Comcast offers their "expertise" on running a network in a partnership. This "expertise" naturally includes negotiating with other carriers. New networks like CSN-H are formed with Comcast as a minority owner. Comcast then proceed to be in charge of negotiating with other carriers as that's the "expertise" they bring to the partnership. The sports organization falls for this: Comcast is actually not at all interested in the newly formed networks. They actually do not want to get deals done with the other carriers. They just want the sports programming missing from the other carriers to boost Comcast's premium programming market share.

This shat was already under investigation in Portland for conspiracy and stuff, with the Trailblazers' owner calling for the FCC to make Comcast make POR games available on other carriers. Tad Brown and Les Alexander just wasn't paying attention and looking past the $ and signed their names on the dotted line for the same Comcast scam.

You may actually be able to watch Rockets games on TV once CSN-H goes belly up and Tad/Les learn their hard lessons.

Are you accusing Comcast of behaving unethically?

I think we all know they wouldn't do that.

Oh wait, no, what I mean is that they're such dickbeetles that I just switched to AT&T even though I *HATE* AT&T.

spolgar · Post #18 » by **spolgar** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 9:59 pm

Well... You know, I'm starting to really really like the idea of gigabit to the curb, municipal isps.

I can really, really get behind that.

postcall · Post #19 » by **postcall** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 11:17 pm

Mr. E wrote:
kam_soluusar wrote:Get it for free off the internet.

It's a matter of principle, man...

I live only a few miles away from Toyota Center. I should be able to watch the Rockets on TV. I should not have to use my laptop, iPad or iPhone to watch the Rockets. I should be able to watch them on TV.

That way my laptop is free to chat on our RealGM Rockets Game Threads, my iPad is free to surf for porn and my iPhone is free to buy whatever flowers, jewelry or day spa gift certificates necessary to placate the future Mrs. E since she will likely be totally pissed about what I'm using the other devices for at the time.

It's called "covering your bases."

I have a friend in India who is always complaining about riots and poverty and such he just doesnt comprehend how difficult we have it. #Firstworldproblems Murica fk yeah!

But seriously that sucks I remember when half of NYC didnt get MSG and Linsanity started. It was all people would talk about.

Nebula1 · Post #20 » by **Nebula1** » Tue Aug 6, 2013 7:59 pm

I really enjoy the CSN presentation, but not getting Rockets games is .. frustrating to say the least. Like everybody else, I hope Dwight has forced the conversation closer to a conclusion.