OFFICIAL - and only - COMCAST Discussion thread

RageMe11 · Oct 19, 2004

So what is going on with the Comcast channel?

I keep hearing different things about this new Comcast channel for the Sacramento area viewers. First i hear that we are going to be able to watch all the preseason games, then i hear that we cannot. Then yes, today is the first game that will be on the channel(kings/lakers), and then no, we have to wait until the beginning of the season?

Does anyone have some info for me that will be more useful than the things that i hear on the radio or television, and if someone does have any info, could they please tell me what channel this sports station or CSN (Comcast Sports Net) is supposed to be on, Thanks.

PLEASE NOTE: I have merged the two latest Comcast threads. We don't need to start a new one every time someone has a question. So, from now on, all Comcast stuff will go here.

Thanks!!!

Kingsgurl · Oct 19, 2004

You can watch the pre-season games on Channel 2. The real channel (34) will start for the regular season.

PejaFanatic · Oct 19, 2004

Luckily I am here and got my up to date infos, so I won't miss a thing.

It's good to have Comcast at this time.... ^_^

Twix · Oct 19, 2004

I just read this on news10.net:

http://news10.net/storyfull1.asp?id=8328

With just two weeks before the start of the regular season, none of the competing carriers contacted by News10 has reached a deal with Comcast to carry the new network.

DirecTV, Dish Network and Starstream all tell News 10 there's nothing to report in ongoing negotiations. There's a glimmer of hope, however. Roseville-based Surewest Communications will carry Tuesday night's Kings-Lakers pre-season game in Fresno on channel 99. The game will be available to most Surewest subscribers in Placer County, Sacramento and Elk Grove.

Is this the first sign of an impending breakthrough in the cable TV talks? A Surewest spokesman says "stay tuned."

Ryle · Oct 19, 2004

Here's a response I got from Starstream:

"Starstream has contacted Comcast concerning the carriage of the
regional
sports network and we expect to receive a copy of the agreement for
review
shortly. However, preliminary discussions with Comcast of terms,
conditions
and cost seem to make it cost prohibitive as compared to other sports
programming offered in the industry. Starstream will make the final
determination for carriage once the agreement has been received for
review."

Doesn't sound too good for me.

HndsmCelt · Oct 19, 2004

For those in the Freson area that are not going to the game or like are setting their VCR's tonights game is on 14 as will the other preseason gmaes. Nov 2 when the season starts the new chanel (34 I think will be on and listed)

GoSACtown · Oct 19, 2004

please oh please dish add the comcast sports network

i AM begging you guys....PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i dont think i can switch back to comcast because im on a contract/promotion type thing...but i am begging you..............anybody have any info ? i wake up every morning and head over to sacbee.com to see if anything new.......

VF21 · Oct 19, 2004

It doesn't look good. Comcast still hasn't struck a deal with DishNet and DirecTV for the Chicago station, and it's been in the works for longer...

My guess is that Comcast is going to milk this for all they can, watching as they garner all the Kings fans they possibly can. Then - and only then - will they make an offer to the satellite companies that has any possibility of succeeding.

LUckily, I'm outside the blackout area - so I quit waiting and got League Pass.

I've never had a problem with DishNetwork and I don't blame them for this. "Word on the street" is that Comcast didn't want to have to offer the channel to the satellite providers anyway, and they're certainly in no hurry to help their competitors. I'm sure the channel will get to satellite eventually - after all, next year Comcast doesn't have the exclusivity they have this year.

GO KINGS!!!

insyder · Oct 19, 2004

So satellite subscribers are locked out? Too bad, because this extortionist business strategy is NOT going to make me move to Comcast.

Question / Confirmation: For anyone that might know. I live in Fairfield(94533) and looked up my "Regional Sports Network Info" for DirecTV. They say the Golden State Warriors are my "home" team. Does this mean I will get all the Kings games on League Pass?

VF21 · Oct 19, 2004

insyder said:

I'm thinking the answer is a resounding YES! However, you will most likely have to deal with the heartbreak of having the Warrior games blacked out...

insyder · Oct 20, 2004

VF21 said:

OH NO!!!!

Kingsgurl · Oct 20, 2004

insyder said:

Your regional sports network info has nothing to do with League Pass. On LP you will see games from all teams, on different channels. If you are within 75 miles of ARCO you will not see the Kings games on LP. If you are outside the blackout zone, you should see them all.
Your regional sports channel is a separate deal, it's one channel where they show your 'home team' games. It sounds like you are stuck with the Warriors on that channel.

VF21 · Oct 20, 2004

If he's physically closer to the Warriors than the Kings, I think the blackout rule applies to Warrior games - even for LP.

Kingsgurl · Oct 20, 2004

OK, you made me go look it up. Fairfield is 43.8 miles from ARCO. 41 from Oakland. He might just be in luck

I would call to confirm before ordering. Where is the post bout the deal with Comcast? I think there was something in it about this, where the boundaries cross thing. (I'm only wondering because he is pretty close to the edge)

rhuber · Oct 20, 2004

This is just sad. I'm 10 miles from Arco, and if I want to watch the kings play on TV, I have to visit my mom in Arizona. It's just wrong in so many ways.

bleedpurple · Oct 20, 2004

For me up in El Dorado county, it's channel 20 for preseason, but starting November 2 it will be channel 2.

R1LOVER · Oct 20, 2004

fooooooooooook comcast for holding out and wanting too much money............

I hated them before and I hate them now..............

Kingsgurl · Oct 20, 2004

VF21 said:

Actually, Comcast stands to benefit FAR more financially from selling the Broadcast rights to the Sat providers then they possibly could by picking up even a few thousand subscribers. DishNet doesn't want the channel because it SAYS ComCast on it, and they don't want to 'advertise' for the competition, especially if they have to pay to do so. The Sat providers do not want to pay for the channel because the Kings are really the only draw currently housed on it, so they don't think the price is worth it.

jon e · Oct 20, 2004

wait so if i live in sac and have league pass, its gonna get blacked out? i got the laker game. if thats so, someone is gonna hear from me!!

Diabeticwonder · Oct 20, 2004

Yes...Kings games on LP will be blacked out in the Sac area. I'm in the same boat with Dish, but I might just get Comcast for another tv in my home so I can still have my PVR with Dish.

VF21 · Oct 20, 2004

Kingsgurl said:

Actually, Comcast will benefit both ways. First, they will be able to charge more for advertising if they're able to show they've increased their viewership at the expense of the satellite providers. They'll most likely play really hard ball with the dish people until they've pretty much exhausted the conversion factor. Then, they'll offer the channel to the satellite companies, knowing the revenue they get will be primarily from die-hard viewers who either couldn't or wouldn't change to Comcast.

The idea of not getting a channel because it says "Comcast" on it makes absolutely no sense. DishNet doesn't care what the name of the channel is. If people are viewing it, they've paid DishNet for the privilege of doing so... I believe the Comcast station carried by the satellite companies back east has the word Comcast in it, and that's a much bigger market than what we're talking about here.

As far as the price matter goes, that I understand. The price being mentioned to other cable companies and the satellites, from what I"ve heard, is grossly inflated...and will likely remain that way until Comcast has milked as much as possible from new subscribers.

At least that's the way it was explained to me...

VF21 · Oct 21, 2004

jon e said:

League Pass was never created to provide home towns fans with coverage of their own team's games. It was created to allow viewers to look at all the other games.

League Pass is restricted from broadcasting games in areas where a local company has the broadcast rights.

jon e · Oct 21, 2004

what about the laker game yesterday, last season, when a game was on news 10, nbatv blacked that out, but this one wasnt. now i got tivo n league pass all for nothin

VF21 · Oct 21, 2004

Here's what nba.com has to say in their FAQ section about League Pass:

If I want to see my home team, should I purchase NBA LEAGUE PASS?
No, NBA LEAGUE PASS is intended for people who want to see games other than their home team. Local games are usually available on your regional sports network or over-the-air station.

What are blackouts?
Blackouts take place when a televised game is televised locally in your area. If a game is blacked out on NBA LEAGUE PASS in your local area, you should tune to your local station to see the game.
Why are there blackouts?
Blackout restrictions are intended to protect the local television telecasters of each NBA game in the respective team's local market. NBA blackouts are not based on arena sell outs.

http://www.nba.com/nba_tv/league_pass.html#

Remember, you'll still be able to get the away games...

Ryle · Oct 22, 2004

I just read in the Business Journal that Surewest Cable in Roseville will be carrying the station.

Britina · Oct 22, 2004

rhuber said:

I hear ya

I could walk to Arco and I don't get the games...it's awful

Deez · Oct 22, 2004

I switched to Comcast and they came and installed my service on Wednesday.

I now have more channels than I had with DirecTV (including the HBO and Cimemax packages) for the same price.

Plus, I get all 82 Kings games with no issues. Beautiful thing right there.

I'm happy.

Bricklayer · Oct 22, 2004

Deez said:

I suspect that testimonial is kind of what this is all about. For Comcast this is a way to get more customers (indeed probably part of the reason they signed the deal with the Kings in the first place). For the rest of the services this is probably a real Catch-22. Buy it from Comcast, and pay what are likely exorbinant prices while funding your competitor. Or don't buy it and watch your customer base erode.

GoSACtown · Oct 22, 2004

SureWest, Comcast SportsNet West agree on Kings TV deal

[font=verdana,geneva,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]SureWest, Comcast SportsNet West agree on Kings TV deal

Published 12:10 pm PDT Friday, October 22, 2004

Get the latest news in sacbee.com's Kings Alert newsletter. Sign up here.
SureWest Communications on Friday announced that its cable arm has reached agreement with a new regional sports programming channel, Comcast SportsNet West, that will give SureWest digital television customers immediate access to most Sacramento Kings basketball games on SureWest channel 99.

Through the agreement SureWest subscribers can expect to view a majority of the Kings’ 2004-05 regular season games on the Comcast SportsNet West. The remainder of the Kings games, including any playoff games, are scheduled to be available on SureWest through existing agreements with KXTV Channel 10, TNT and ESPN. SureWest is already broadcasting select Sacramento Kings preseason games on either channel 99 or channel 970 depending on where subscribers reside.

SureWest customers will have access to Comcast SportsNet, which will initially carry more than 50 regular-season Sacramento Kings games, complete with warm-up and wrap-up shows; Sacramento Monarchs basketball games; Sacramento State University football games; University of California, Davis, football and basketball games; and Stanford and Cal basketball games. Additional programming on Comcast SportsNet will include selected college games from the Western Athletic Conference, Big Sky Conference and the Mountain West Conference.

For more details, see Saturday's Bee.

-- Associated Press

Tell us what you think

SureWest has reached a deal to carry Comcast's new regional sports network, meaning its 15,000 customers will be able to see more than 50 additional Kings games on TV this season. Satellite carriers DirecTV and Dish Network say they are negotiating with have not yet announced a deal.

Staff writer Clint Swett would like to hear from SureWest customers about their reaction to the deal, as well as from satellite customers on if it is important for their carriers to purchase rights to the broadcasts.

Please e-mail him Friday at cswett@sacbee.com with a daytime phone number..

is DISH NEXT ??? PLEASE OH PLEASE

[/font]

jeffjcalweb · Oct 23, 2004

any one know what channel (Comcast) that is in use for el dorado hills??? i tried 2, 20, 34 and nothing is listed on the guide. the bee says "2" .... please,anyone know?

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