Fox Sports Florida in HD first? Maybe here's why:

[Dvlos]

Here's a press release from Fox Sports Florida:

FSN Florida reaches over 5 million households in Florida. FSN Florida’s programming includes Major League Baseball’s Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers, the University of Miami, and the University of South Florida, The Best Damn Sports Show Period and NASCAR. Fox Sports Net Florida is managed by Rainbow Sports Networks.

Rainbow Sports Networks is a division of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC). Fox Sports Net reaches more than 80 million households nationwide and is a service of National Sports Partners, equally owned by Rainbow Media Holdings LLC and Fox Entertainment Group. Rainbow Sports Networks incorporates Rainbow's 50% ownership in Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports National Advertising and the ownership and management of Fox Sports Net regional networks in five of the nation's largest markets: Chicago, San Francisco, New England, Ohio and Florida.

I'm willing to bet anything Rainbow has influenced their even BEING a Fox Sports Florida in HD, and as the CSR told me (which this time may not be a fantasy) Ohio will be next, and I'm willing to bet anything that Chicago, San Fran and New England will get FSN in HD and that's it, until the other Fox networks that are O&O by someone else gets it together. However FSN Florida reaching 5 million homes is pretty big for a network and according to the Herald the Marlins on FSN are their highest rated broadcast.

If I were Voom, I'd concentrate on hitting Chicago and San Fran as soon as possible, both those places are passionate about their baseball, and Chicago parks are already impossible to get into, making HDTV games in those areas a major PLUS. Also here in Florida Voom should really be pumping this up "Marlins in HDTV ONLY ON VOOM!" ads should be spray painted on every bus in the Tri-County area.

 

[HeavyC]

The only problem being. Fox Sports Chicago will be absolutely worthless in about a month. No more Bulls, Sox, Cubs, or Hawks games will be broadcast on it.

 

[Dvlos]

What the heck? What will FOx Sports Chicago carry then? Also who got the rights to those games?

 

[HeavyC]

Who knows what they are going to carry in their place, but all the pro teams are going to Comcast Sports Chicago. It's a new station and all the teams in Chicago own a piece of it.

 

[riffjim4069]

What about the rest of us chumps who are located in a Comcast Sports Net area? It would seem only fair that VOOM provide all FSNs, free of charge, until they are able to provide the RSN.

Wouldn't you agree?

 

[Dvlos]

Hey maybe the Chicago area will get Marlins in HD and the Fish will get some converts? Riffjim isn't Voom trying to add on FSNs? It seems like they are.

 

[HeavyC]

Well I've brought that whole Comcast Sports Net Chicago thing up to Sean various times to make sure someone at Voom realizes that Fox Sports Chicago is no longer worth adding, and they should focus on getting the Comcast Station instead. He says they are aware of it, and it's a matter of negotiating the channel.

 

[Dvlos]

Somehow I doubt that Comcast Chicago would allow their cable sales to go to Voom without Voom paying a heavy premium. Then the question would be how many subs. are they to reap from adding Comcast Chicago (I would think plenty)....

 

[riffjim4069]

Hey maybe the Chicago area will get Marlins in HD and the Fish will get some converts? Riffjim isn't Voom trying to add on FSNs? It seems like they are.

Perhaps, but that won't help me since all the local teams (Orioles, Wizzards, Capitals, etc.) are being carried by Comcast Sports Net. This entire RSN, FSN, RSN matter is a little confusing.. Let me see if I understand the issues...

RSN = Rainbow Sports Networks, which consist of 5 Fox Sports Nets (Chicago, Florida, New England, Ohio, and San Francisco).

FSN = Fox Sports Net which consist of the 5 RSN co-owned FSNs in addition to many others...Arizona, Detroit, Minnesota, etc.

RSN = Regional Sports Networks like Comcast, etc. So does RSN stand for Rainbow or Regional?

Assuming VOOM makes its co-owned FSN (or all FSNs for that matters) available to its customers, how is that going to help me in my desire to receive my local sports broadcasts which are covered by Comcast Mid-Atlantic?

Does this now becomes an issue of maintaining a "basic" cable subscription at $45 just to watch the Orioles.

 

[HeavyC]

FSN = Fox Sports Network
RSN = Regional Sports Network

Every region has an RSN, but not every RSN is a FSN. There are areas of the country like Philadelphia and (soon to be) Chicago where Fox Sports Network does not serve as the Regional Sports Network.

From what I've heard, most of the cable companies in downstate Illinois, along with DirecTV, are going to carry the Comcast Sports Chicago station. I see no reason why VOOM can't do the same. They'll have to pay for it, but what else is new. I don't know what the premiums are like, but I do know it's the teams themselves that own a major part of these channels and it's comcast which facilitates it. I don't know how much of say they really have as to who ultimately can get the channel. I do know, however, that the pro-sports teams are going to want their product being seen by as many people as possible. It doesn't help the Bulls, Sox, Cubs, and Hawks to only be seen by a select special few being serviced by Comcast.

It's imperative if they hope to gain any subscribers at all in the Chicago area in the future. One would think, losing out on the 3rd largest metropolitan area in the country might be disadvantagous. Comcast Sports Chicago is going to provide a lot of HD content, and it would be very wise of VOOM to get in on the ground floor with them.

If not, I'll most likely be coverting over to DirecTV at some point. Not so much because I really like DirecTv, but solely for that channel.

 

[Dvlos]

1) Comcast is a cable channel if they negotiate with DBS great.

2) Would D* be giving you Comcast Sports Chicago in HD anyway?

3) How can a channel that's trying to be a RSN in a market maintain viewership without offering any regional teams in that area? For Fox Sports to lose the Bulls/Sox/Cubs is a major blow. Voom needs a good VP of programming team to find out which area has what needs and aggressively sign them? I'm sure they need more $$$ to offer these companies to carry their channel.

 

[HeavyC]

The thing is, it may only be Comcast Sports in name. As in Comcast is helping to facilitate it. However, they may not have the controlling interest in the channel; i.e. they don't have the final say on who will and won't get to carry the channel. I'm not totally sure how that will work.

It's something they (VOOM, E*, D*) should be prepared for around the country. Pro Sports teams want a bigger cut of the revenue generated from local TV. What better way to get it then to actually own a piece of the station the shows the game? Then you also have control over programming related to the team as well, along with a larger portion of ad revenues.

Look at the YES Network, look at Comcast Sports Philadelphia, look at the Chicago market. This is where sports on TV is headed. It's imperative that the Sat company's carry these channels for the people in each region.

 

[HeavyC]

For anyone that cares. Here's a link to the site.

http://chicago.comcastsportsnet.com/page.htm

It would be a good channel for VOOM to add. ALL PRO SPORTS GAMES BROADCAST IN HD!!!

 

[Randy Sherrill]

What about Fox Sports South? Anyone heard anything about that?

 

[Dvlos]

Damn I hope then that Fox Florida cuts the Marlins in because they are doing GOOD with the HD coverage. In either case, hopefully Voom can add in whichever RSN is doing games in HD to their lineup.

 

[CapeFish]

As a Marlins fan in Florida, it has been confirmed to me that Comcast and Fox Sports Net Florida have struck a deal to carry HD Marlins and Panthers games. More cable and hopefully sat companies should follow. Comcast and FSN are currently wiring Pro Player Stadium and the Office Depot Center for HD and hope to have this all done "soon." Guesses put the Marlins in HD by the start of next season in March or April and the Panthers around then as well if the NHL ever starts playing again.

The Devil Rays are also part of this, but they will be last because FSN is in a war of sorts with Bright House of Central Florida.

Sunshine Network (owned by Fox) has been airing around 20 Lightning and 20 Magic games up in their territories on Bright House. The Heat are also on Sunshine, but no HD except whatever ABC, TNT, and ESPN plan to provide.