Fox Sports Houston

[Yragha]

I have a question...

Of course this is all pending the return of the regional sports networks but after 2012 the Astros and Rockets are off to the new Houston based Comcast Sports Houston that currently is only available on 'surprise surprise' Comcast here in Houston. Some of the stuff I've read suggest FSN Houston may or may not stay afloat. I mean, just how popular the Arlington Rangers may be in Houston shall be seen, even if we will be able to see "every single game' in '12 on FSN Houston.

No Directv, no AT&T UVerse and of course not Dish. Dish does however offer other Comcast regional sports networks such as:

Comcast California
Comcast Bay Area
Comcast Maryland
Comcast Chicago
Comcast New England

Why does Comcast have five other regionals here but yet I'm hearing here in Houston Comcast is playing hard ball to limit their channel to only cable systems. Comcast also has deals in place to show the Houston Cougars and Rice Owls along with local high school football here from the local area.

Do you think the addition of these big two (MLB & NBA) bring Comcast Houston to Dish and Directv in general?

I will now hang up and listen.

 

[gasman882001]

I sure hope that Dish will carry this cannel or I will be really bumming come 2012!

 

[Joe The Dragon]

I have a question...

Of course this is all pending the return of the regional sports networks but after 2012 the Astros and Rockets are off to the new Houston based Comcast Sports Houston that currently is only available on 'surprise surprise' Comcast here in Houston. Some of the stuff I've read suggest FSN Houston may or may not stay afloat. I mean, just how popular the Arlington Rangers may be in Houston shall be seen, even if we will be able to see "every single game' in '12 on FSN Houston.

No Directv, no AT&T UVerse and of course not Dish. Dish does however offer other Comcast regional sports networks such as:

Comcast California
Comcast Bay Area
Comcast Maryland
Comcast Chicago
Comcast New England

Why does Comcast have five other regionals here but yet I'm hearing here in Houston Comcast is playing hard ball to limit their channel to only cable systems. Comcast also has deals in place to show the Houston Cougars and Rice Owls along with local high school football here from the local area.

Do you think the addition of these big two (MLB & NBA) bring Comcast Houston to Dish and Directv in general?

I will now hang up and listen.

fox owns part of CSN Bay Area
The teams own 80% of CSN Chicago
alot of the other ones where not cocmast at the start and the teams have parts of the network.

The new FCC opens up the rest of comcast systems but I think comcast is still playing hard ball.

also the Astros and Rockets may force Comcast Sports Houston to go HD and be on all NON comcast / cable systems.

 

[illusionescape]

The channel is actually called Comcast Sports Southwest, not Comcast Sports Houston.

But anyways, it isn't the only Comcast sports network that isn't on satellite. Comcast SportsNet Northwest, which is the home of the Portland Trail Blazers, can only be found on cable. Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, which is home to the Phillies, Flyers and 76ers, can only be found on cable. Also, Comcast Sports Southeast, which is probably the closest cousin of the Houston-based network in that it only shows local high school and college sports, is also only available on cable.

 

[The Fat Man]

The channel is actually called Comcast Sports Southwest, not Comcast Sports Houston.

But anyways, it isn't the only Comcast sports network that isn't on satellite. Comcast SportsNet Northwest, which is the home of the Portland Trail Blazers, can only be found on cable. Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, which is home to the Phillies, Flyers and 76ers, can only be found on cable. Also, Comcast Sports Southeast, which is probably the closest cousin of the Houston-based network in that it only shows local high school and college sports, is also only available on cable.

You are right, and I can explain the reason for CSN Philadelphia. CSN Philly doesn't use Satellite to broadcast its signal. If I'm right (and correct me if I'm wrong) CSN Philly broadcasts by a microwave signal. There's a little known bend in the FCC rules that state if a channel isn't broadcast through satellites they don't have to offered to Satellite TV providers. I'm not sure if this is the case in Huston or the other CSN channels that are carried by only Comcast.

On the other hand, is the CSN channel up and running yet? Because, in the case of CSN New England, Comcast bought out FSN New England and converted it into a CSN back in 2007.

If the channel is up and running, could it be that E* and D* just don't care to carry it yet, due to the lack of professional team coverage as of yet. They might be waiting for FSN Huston to go belly-up.

 

[Yragha]

Comcast Sports SOUTHWEST carries mainly filler programming along with high school sports and Houston Cougar/ Rice games. But, it will be a player soon.

 

[Mr Tony]

You are right, and I can explain the reason for CSN Philadelphia. CSN Philly doesn't use Satellite to broadcast its signal. If I'm right (and correct me if I'm wrong) CSN Philly broadcasts by a microwave signal. There's a little known bend in the FCC rules that state if a channel isn't broadcast through satellites they don't have to offered to Satellite TV providers.

correct. They're using the old fibre/microwave setup from PRISM & Sportschannel Philly but that loophole has been closed...D* and E* can ask for carriage but CSN Philly can charge $100 if they want.

 

[Joe The Dragon]

correct. They're using the old fibre/microwave setup from PRISM & Sportschannel Philly but that loophole has been closed...D* and E* can ask for carriage but CSN Philly can charge $100 if they want.

not only that comcast play hardball over the over flow games on comcast network Philly I hear RCN does not have them at all. They say anyone can have comcast network Philly but the rate is real high.

But comcast did offer to trade NFL ST for CSN Philly

 

[thoustonguy]

IT WILL BE CARRIED

I have a question...

Of course this is all pending the return of the regional sports networks but after 2012 the Astros and Rockets are off to the new Houston based Comcast Sports Houston that currently is only available on 'surprise surprise' Comcast here in Houston. Some of the stuff I've read suggest FSN Houston may or may not stay afloat. I mean, just how popular the Arlington Rangers may be in Houston shall be seen, even if we will be able to see "every single game' in '12 on FSN Houston.

No Directv, no AT&T UVerse and of course not Dish. Dish does however offer other Comcast regional sports networks such as:

Comcast California
Comcast Bay Area
Comcast Maryland
Comcast Chicago
Comcast New England

Why does Comcast have five other regionals here but yet I'm hearing here in Houston Comcast is playing hard ball to limit their channel to only cable systems. Comcast also has deals in place to show the Houston Cougars and Rice Owls along with local high school football here from the local area.

Do you think the addition of these big two (MLB & NBA) bring Comcast Houston to Dish and Directv in general?

I will now hang up and listen.

As someone who works at FSN Houston. Plans are in the works to make FS Houston go by-bye and FS Southwest will return to the market. As to CSS and CSN Houston. CSS is the network currently carried and it supplies games and programming out of Atlanta when nothing local is carried. CSN Houston will replace this network and I'm 99% sure other television suppliers will be able to carry this network due to the Astros Ownership. Astros market is the entire state of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, parts of Arkansas. Drayton will not want to give up his territory. The reason the market is so large is because the Astros are National Leauge and Rangers American leage and MLB doesn't count them as competition to one another. Hopefully this will clear up some of the confusion out there.