The Crew Television Thread

You're touching on what, for me, is probably the biggest reason why I'm so angered by this move; the manner in which it is being presented is inherently political. MM is twisting stats to make it look better than it is. As I often find myself saying when I following politics, Politician X is either lying or stupid, take your pick. Though one must always consider that the conditions aren't mutually exclusive. I feel the same way about the roll-out of the Crew's TV deal.

Rolling this around in my mind, as someone else said earlier in this thread, the only way this makes any sense is if TW has realistic plans of getting this station on other cable and sat carriers. If they've convinced the Crew FO (I'll hold off on any PowerPoint jokes) that in Y months they'll have this channel on DTV, AT&T, WOW, then I can see the Crew rolling the dice, and hoping that, while for the time being a lot of people won't be able to see the games, over time, they'll have both expanded content (which they really seem jazzed about) and market penetration.

So best case scenario I see this as a gamble. More likely-to-worst case, it's a disaster. And I just can't stand the Iraqi Information Minister impersonation that McCullers is doing right now. We're not that ********ing dumb, Mark.

 

You know the irony of all of this? The only people that are upset are a slice of their main fan base.

The rest of the fan base doesn't care.

 

They have been doing this all along. And not just TWC. Or hadn't you noticed that Monday Night Football--the flagship broadcast of the NFL--is now only on cable? If 30% of the folks (we'll take that number for the sake of argument) don't have cable, then those are casual fans we're not getting a shot at. When was the last time tOSU's season was all on broadcast? Folks didn't like the BTN due to this--but they adjusted.

But i'm not sure the numbers demonstrate

If we actually had a large group of hardcore fans watching, the ratings would be good, and then we don't have this problem. There is one thing I'm sure of in this mess. *All* of the negotiationg parties knew all too well what the rating numbers are. I wish we did. But I expect they are terrible.

Blackouts are frustrating for the fans. But this is true for all of the major sports (though they run them differently). Has been for a loooong time. I'm not sure how Extra Innings works--but I know when I got the Sports Package from U-verse there are a lot of sports channels on it. I was hoping I could see more of my Phillies. But I could not watch hardly any out of market teams on those same sports channels. I had YES--but it was always dark. Even replays of old games were blacked out. About the only thing that wasn't was Cubs games on WGN. They are so old they have a loophole (WTBS used to for the Braves too--I think they had to give it up when Turner got rights to playoffs, etc.). Oddly enough WGN is on the "local" tier (which may be how they get around things). So FSO and STO are just as aggressive about their baseball markets. (and probably FS-Pittsburgh, as I understnad we're in that blackout area too--and it was removed from the Sports Package by Fox). Most radio stations that have MLB teams have their internet signal blacked out by MLB.

Why is clear--the broadcast company that is buying the rights wants exclusivity. That's very common among media--most (all?) local media people have exclusivity deals in their contracts so they can't jump. WTVN has been trying to break the WBNS hold on tOSU sports for decades. One year, they became a Michigan network station so they could play the The Game (and I think that one went to the courts and they lost). The broadcaster doesn't want to pay good money for something someone else is giving away or selling to someone else. Why do entertainment venues hate scalpers? It's not because their one concern is that the fan has a valid ticket. They're ticked because they aren't getting a cut of the deal. It's why MLB is now working with Stubhub. They get their "piece of the action".

 

Anyone else in Cleveland still getting blackout on MLS Live?

 

Mark,

Boy was I excited for this season. I cut cable, picked up MLS Live and was all set to get this season started in just a few days. And then you announced the TV that blackouts local fans and cuts market exposure to only TWC cable subscribers.

How are the Crew to become the ‘Green Bay’ of the MLS when you don’t get a deal done that allows current fans to even be able to view the match, whether it be on MLS Live or on live TV? The organization made such a big deal a few years ago when leaving ONN and moving to FSO because the team would be broadcast in HD. How is this a good deal when it will only be broadcast in SD in certain areas with no HD option?

You said the biggest points for this deal were to gain broadcast content and prioritization.

• Do you even understand that the interest points for the team’s fans is being able to watch 90 minutes of our team live on TV? Sure, pre and post match shows would be nice, but that should never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, EVER be a selling point. I don’t care about the 60 minutes surrounding the match, I care about the 90 minutes of the match.
• And prioritization? Really? I and many of my fellow friends had an FSO alternate channel. I caught EVERY match live last season on my television. This year, I will not catch a single minute live on my television. Prioritization is a worthless point to argue when alternate channels exist. At that point, if becomes up to the front office to communicate better on which channel the match will be on.
• You know what should have been your BIGGEST point of negotiation? Blackouts and the absolute necessity to abolish them outside of the national broadcasts. And do not tell me that it is an MLS directive of a 75 mile radius for black outs, because that is not true - http://m.mlssoccer.com/blackout. NINE teams, Mark. NINE have no local black out restrictions. YOU, sir, have taken the screw to the fan base of the club you work for. If you think that sounds insulting, then you know, then, how we as fans feel – insulted.

I am disgusted beyond belief at this deal. I cannot watch my team play live. I purchased MLS Live because I just dumped cable to save a ton of money and I will not go back. WILL NOT! How is this a good deal when I can watch an Arsenal match live on the internet with no problem, but I cannot watch my own local club? I know I am not the only one here. How is this a good deal, when you, Mark, YOU have blackout the local fan base, but the few fans that live in Dallas, Detroit or elsewhere can see this team live? Again, nine teams have policies that only black out matches for nationally televised matches. There is absolutely no way you can sugar coat this in an excusable way that would tell me that it is okay that we are not that tenth team.

I was looking forward to watching this team so much this season. I was excited for the first time in 3 years about the potential of this club. I was excited, Mark, to purchase a ticket and go to a match here or there. Now, I will not purchase a ticket. You have made it clear to me that you are not interested in my money, so I will , in turn, not give it. How is it that the 19th season is a season in the dark ages, when many of us fans viewed prior years as dark times with horrible management and absentee ownership?

Fix this.

Sincerely,
Nathan

 

I know it would take more effort because he'd have to talk to more people but I wonder if McCullers reached out to any over the air stations. For example getting on the WB over the entire region would require getting deals done with WWHO, WBNX-TV, WBDT, WTTV, WKBD, and WPCE. That would get the Crew on in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Detroit, and Pittsburg. These are stations that air The MAC during college football season; they should be within our reach. Our first game runs into 8:00 most stations prime time, what is WWHO putting on from 7:00-10:00? Reruns of The Closer and Castle. Now I know MLS doesn't get great ratings but would they really not have taken it if you're giving it away for free while also doing the heavy lifting to produce the broadcasts? I'm willing to bet the call wasn't even made.

 

You are talking around the issue. The MNF games went to ESPN and EVERYONE WITH CABLE HAS ESPN. EVERYONE.

Only a percentage of the people with cable have TW.

I am beginning to think the people calling you a shill for the FO are right.

 

For gits and shiggles I had a chat session with a Time Warner Cable representative this morning. I'm in the middle of a 2 year contract with DTV so switching is out of the question for me. But, I thought, if I cut out Direct Kick, I save a few bucks and if there is a cheap TWC package that will get me Crew games, I could sign up for a year and just put a box in my basement for that purpose only:

$58.98!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can watch away crew matches for a 40% premium over what I pay for my season ticket!

So, that option is out. Thanks Mark.

 

http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2014...evolt-against-team-s-new-television-deal.html

 

We did do this in the past (wasn't it both 28 and 53 at different times--heck didn't 6 have a couple of games?) and the fans outside the broadcast radius of Columbus complained loudly on these boards. I think there might be a chance it would work for games on the Columbus channel. For the others? Reruns would draw better ratings. I'm sure the MAC draws better--there are MAC schools in the broadcast radius of all of those markets, excepting, perhaps, Pittsburgh. The only way they might take it is if it were done as an infomercial and the team paid for it. Heck, personally, I'd *love* for games to be on 53. I kicked cable for reasons similar to @cam5fc. But most of the other cities mentioned have little interest in Columbus. At least four of them have minor league teams of one sort or another that probably would get a shot at tv locally first.

 

Havent logged on in a few...So what did i miss?

 

Arrieta is now wearing #19 and @ZipSix called me a brobag.

 

^ Zip is such a hipster. He knows all the new jargon.

 

Pravda at it's finest

http://www.thecrew.com/news/2014/03/qa-mccullers-switch-time-warner-cable-sportschannel

 

This made me lol

So when do we find out who the official TWC Capos from Seattle are?

 

I have an idea.

Let's have a team good enough that more than 1 of their games is shown on NBC Sports.

 

So, do we want to organize some sort of protest for the home opener on the 22nd?

Signs? Shirts? Etc?

 

It is obvious from their own Website that the away games don't count.

Apparently the opening match is in 15 days.......

 

Well there is that.

 

so in other words quit your bitching and switch to TWC....