Re: Stern on NBA TV

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle <snoopy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Great.  Except, of course, that Labor day is next September, and the 
playoffs start next week.  In addition, that statement of "several MSO's" 
means that not everyone is going along with the proposed "deal".

I think it's an attempt by the NBA to stem the rising tide of bitter 
complaints by fans who got shafted.  You'll notice Davey had nothing to say 
until after A) an article on ESPN that called a scam a scam; and B) Danny 
Ainge was making fun of what and where NBAtv.com was during a TNT broadcast.

I've already made it clear to my local company.  Whether they get NBAtv or 
not, I will not get the League Pass next year unless it's offered at a 
substantial discount.  By "substantial" I mean on the order of 30% off.

When the Pass was introduced, it was a great deal.  There was only one 
network broadcasting NBA games at all, and most of those after the All-Star 
break.  Now, they have ABC, ESPN, and TNT.  Enter NBA.com tv.  That makes 
no less than four different networks broadcasting NBA games nationally 
(though "nationally" is technical in the case of the NBA channel, since it 
has a subscription base of five people).  This has diluted the worth of the 
pass overall, and at the rates they seem intent on charging, it's not worth it.

The problem is, people like me are stuck.  Without the pass, the only times 
I get to see the Celtics are if they are on national TV, or they happen, in 
my case, to play Orlando or Miami.  But if the NBA wants to shoot itself in 
the financial foot, I guess they can.  Frankly, I can use the money elsewhere.

What is it with Stern that he has this inverted scheduling thing?  Heck, he 
gave a tighter deadline to the WNBA than to NBAtv.  Heaven forfend he 
should listen to the fans.

Every move they make, I get less and less inclined to pay the cost of the 
Celtics, much as I like them.  Can you imagine the fans of the  Cleveland 
Cavaliers?  They'll think the state of Ohio died in the offseason.

At 02:18 PM 4/11/03 -0700, Michael J.King Sr. wrote:
>National Basketball Association commissioner David Stern said Thursday that
>the league will have carriage deals for its 24-hour NBA TV network by Labor
>Day 2003.
>
>During a pre-NBA playoffs media conference call, Stern said hes close to
>reaching agreements with several MSOs, although he would not reveal
>specific names.
>
>He added that the advent of MSO sports tiers has made NBA TV -- which
>offers four live, weekly regular-season games and which will carry at least
>seven playoff games beginning next week -- a more attractive proposition to
>operators.
>
>Currently, only DirecTV Inc. and EchoStar Communications Corp. have
>carriage deals for the service, which also offers live high-definition-TV
>games, vintage NBA games and movies.
>
>The NBA initially trotted out a 25-cent-per-subscriber, per-month rate card
>to operators, but Stern said operators are 'reluctant' to pay fees.
>"Someplace in the middle, you will see a deal that satisfies both parties,"
>he added.

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
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