Apparently, CSN Houston is only seen in 40% of Houston cable viewers, Leaving DirecTV, Dish, & AT&T still scrambling. CSNH is the exclusive Local TV carrier of The Rockets, and in 2013, The Astros. In other news from the Astros' side, looks like Jim DeShaies will become the next color analyst for The Chicago Cubs' baseball coverage on WGN, WGN-America, WCIU, & CSN-Chicago, replacing Bob Brenly who has taken over the same position with The Arizona Diamondbacks. I wish JD the best of luck with The Cubbies.
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Comcast Sports Houston is having trouble finding service providers
- Thread starter TroyG
- Start date
I don't think it's really that CSN Houston is having trouble finding service providers. I think it's more Comcast standing their ground in negotiations and hoping some people will jump ship from satellite to Comcast.
I have a feeling that if the Rockets were expected to contend for a championship going into this season, the satellite providers would have paid Comcast whatever they wanted for distribution rights for the network.
I have a feeling that if the Rockets were expected to contend for a championship going into this season, the satellite providers would have paid Comcast whatever they wanted for distribution rights for the network.
brian6969 said:
Yes; it's often a problem when the same company provides both content and distribution.
I understand there used to be a similar situation in the movie industry, where the movie studios owned most of the theaters in the country. Naturally, MGM-owned theaters tended to show only MGM movies, etc. Independent movies were shut out.
The antitrust division of the US Justice Dept. put a stop to that arrangement, but antitrust laws are no longer interpreted as they were back then. When Comcast bought 51% of NBC Universal, nobody except a few consumer-rights groups objected, and the Justice Dept., FCC, and everyone else with a say in the matter just rubber-stamped the merger.
We see similar problems with, say, radio stations owned by Clear Channel Corp. preferring their own content ("Fox" Sports and talk shows syndicated by Premiere), even if other content brings higher ratings.
What is the reason CSN Houston is having such are a hard time being carried? This reminds me when Cablevision didn't add YES right away when that network came out. I know part of the reason is money. You would figure some time of agreement would happen by now.
Ken said:
1. The Astros are horrible. Interest in the team is almost nonexistent.
2. Rockets have been mediocre. Perhaps the recent player moves might change that.
3. CSN's price is too high due to the above factors. They have no leverage.
4. People are tired of their cable/satellite bill constantly going up, with sports channel costs being a large factor.
5. The economy still stinks, despite all the talk of a "recovery." If the economy was good, the Federal Reserve wouldn't be printing $85 billion out of thin air every month, and interest rates would be near historical norms.
In a nutshell:
Crane, as the majority owner in the mess Uncle D created called Comcast Sports Net, is asking too high of a price.
He has his reasons. Namely, the network has a 20 year deal, so if he signs up providers paying what the teams are worth today, he's passing up an opportunity to make more money down the road. He wants cable providers to pay what the network would be worth if there was a lot of interest in the teams.
The Rockets may get more people interested in CSN, but that's still a big if. We don't know if the Rockets with Dwight Howard will be any good. If they are good, then ESPN will start picking up some of the better games on the schedule. The Rockets hold a lesser stake in the network, so they have less of a say. I would assume that the penalties for Les Alexander to back out of a 20 year rights deal would be steep.
As for the cable systems, they know that they're not losing customers because they don't carry CSN. So they can afford to play chicken with Jim Crane and turn him down until they get the price they want. The photo that the Chron ran the last time they wrote on the topic spoke volumes. You had a player at bat with a huge LED ribbon sign urging fans to "Demand your network! iwantcsnhouston.com." Below the sign: almost an entire lower level of Minute Maid park, empty.
It's going to end one of three ways:
1. Enough customers begin to churn to spur AT&T, Dish, & DirecTV to pay what Crane is asking.
2. The network hemorrhages enough money that Crane drops the price.
3. Interest in the network remains low and it remains on Comcast and a handful of small cable systems.
No matter what, it's not going to change anytime soon.
Crane, as the majority owner in the mess Uncle D created called Comcast Sports Net, is asking too high of a price.
He has his reasons. Namely, the network has a 20 year deal, so if he signs up providers paying what the teams are worth today, he's passing up an opportunity to make more money down the road. He wants cable providers to pay what the network would be worth if there was a lot of interest in the teams.
The Rockets may get more people interested in CSN, but that's still a big if. We don't know if the Rockets with Dwight Howard will be any good. If they are good, then ESPN will start picking up some of the better games on the schedule. The Rockets hold a lesser stake in the network, so they have less of a say. I would assume that the penalties for Les Alexander to back out of a 20 year rights deal would be steep.
As for the cable systems, they know that they're not losing customers because they don't carry CSN. So they can afford to play chicken with Jim Crane and turn him down until they get the price they want. The photo that the Chron ran the last time they wrote on the topic spoke volumes. You had a player at bat with a huge LED ribbon sign urging fans to "Demand your network! iwantcsnhouston.com." Below the sign: almost an entire lower level of Minute Maid park, empty.
It's going to end one of three ways:
1. Enough customers begin to churn to spur AT&T, Dish, & DirecTV to pay what Crane is asking.
2. The network hemorrhages enough money that Crane drops the price.
3. Interest in the network remains low and it remains on Comcast and a handful of small cable systems.
No matter what, it's not going to change anytime soon.
I think some of these teams and cable companies are finding that team co-owned networks are not always a good idea. This is very true in the CSN Houston case.
I would not be surprised to see this channel go away after a few years.
I would not be surprised to see this channel go away after a few years.
How much does CSN Houston want? Im sure its over $2.00 which isn't that crazy. I know YES wanted $2 when that channel started.
Didn't think that high. Wonder what the prices are for other CSN such as Chicago, Bay Area/CA, etc.
Back in the 90's the price was about $1.10 per sub. $3.40 today still seems way out of line. Top 10 markets are going for $2.75 to somewhere in the low 3's from what I read. DirectTV, ATT and Dish are never going to pay that price and are very reluctant to offer a new tier on their systems that would include CSN as an add-on tier with a price. On the sales front, CSN is losing money hand over fist with lost sales because of their low net distribution. Eventually pride will be shoved aside for financial sanity. I don't believe Crane is a total idiot. He certainly needs either a savvy marketing director or needs to take some marketing lessons. When the Lastros finally make it back to playing competitive baseball sometime into the future, the fan base will be Milo (if he's still alive) and maybe a few old season ticket holders. Hard to build a core fan base with baseball.
Comcast should just lower the price. Don't get why they won't budge, 2.00 price would be good price for the new channel.
CSN/Houston Bankruptcy filing
Pretty clear sign they're in trouble:http://www.khou.com/sports/Bankrupt...f-of-Comcast-SportsNet-Houston-225601152.html
Pretty clear sign they're in trouble:http://www.khou.com/sports/Bankrupt...f-of-Comcast-SportsNet-Houston-225601152.html
What a mess. CSN Houston's refusal to negotiate reasonable carriage agreements is biting them in the butt. Astros management is probably praying to every God in every religion that the Rockets have a breakout season.
The Astros have absolutely no leverage. The team is beyond horrible, at 109 losses with two games left to go. In a way they're saying "Give us our high fees or else the team will continue to stink." Really? Are they that arrogant?
Cable/satellite subscribers are also realizing that high sports channel fees are causing their bills to skyrocket. And you have the cord-cutting trend. Despite all the blather about a "recovery" people are still under economic stress, and are cutting spending. The fatcats that run the sports networks have got to realize that, and come to a reasonable settlement.
The Astros have absolutely no leverage. The team is beyond horrible, at 109 losses with two games left to go. In a way they're saying "Give us our high fees or else the team will continue to stink." Really? Are they that arrogant?
Cable/satellite subscribers are also realizing that high sports channel fees are causing their bills to skyrocket. And you have the cord-cutting trend. Despite all the blather about a "recovery" people are still under economic stress, and are cutting spending. The fatcats that run the sports networks have got to realize that, and come to a reasonable settlement.
The Astros would have a lot more money right now if they had stayed with Fox Sports Southwest. As it is no one is watching. Few can see it even if they want to. And I'm sure all of that has made ad sales nearly impossible.
J
Jul
Guest
We are lucky in Philly that CSN Philadelphia is widely available to everyone, that has cable .
The Houston Chronicle has an update:
http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/...ustee-to-oversee-troubled-network/?cmpid=hpbn
Sounds like the Astros, Rockets, and Comcast/NBCU are all at each other's throats. And it appears Astros owner Jim Crane is the main culprit.
Astros now at 110 losses. Even less leverage than yesterday.
It amazes me that corporate executives that are paid huge salaries can so completely screw things up and keep their jobs.
http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/...ustee-to-oversee-troubled-network/?cmpid=hpbn
Sounds like the Astros, Rockets, and Comcast/NBCU are all at each other's throats. And it appears Astros owner Jim Crane is the main culprit.
Astros now at 110 losses. Even less leverage than yesterday.
It amazes me that corporate executives that are paid huge salaries can so completely screw things up and keep their jobs.
P
purpledevil
Guest
This reminds me of a story regarding the devil I know, and the one I don't.
Anyone else beginning to miss Uncle Drayton? This guy is quickly rising up the dubious list of bad ownership.
Anyone else beginning to miss Uncle Drayton? This guy is quickly rising up the dubious list of bad ownership.
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