ESPNU Strikes Again
Okay, I’m now convinced. ESPN is definitely screwing over local cable providers and their customers in order to pressure the providers into carrying ESPNU. That latest victims are a group of innocent Kansas City residents.
For months ESPN had been promising to let Metro Sports (a local Kansas City station) air a tape delayed broadcast of last Saturday’s Kansas-Missouri game (which was airing on ESPNU). Then on Friday, without explanation, ESPN told the network it wouldn’t be able to show the game.
Hmmm…is it possible ESPN was hoping hordes of angry Comcast subscribers (who get Metro Sports but not ESPNU) would call Comcast and demand that it start carrying ESPNU? Sounds a lot like what ESPN did to Connecticut residents three months ago when it broadcast two important UConn football games exclusively on ESPNU.
Listen up ESPN. I know you’re confused as to why some people out there always seem to be finding fault in the way you do things. Well, just in case you were wondering, this is why sports fans hate you. This is why bloggers hate you. This is why media critics hate you. You don’t care about fans—and now there’s actually evidence of this apart from your countless hours of shitty original programming.
2 Comments »
Max on 01 Mar 2008 at 5:28 pm #
Well I never really thought of this issue in how ESPN was handling its power over its broadcasts, but I’d say I’m more mad at Comcast.
I’m not from Connecticut or Kansas, but I am from New Jersey, where Comcast also doesn’t carry ESPNU. We may not have any of the best college football or basketball teams in our area, but that doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy college sports.
My issue though, is in the area of college D1 lacrosse. The East Coast is THE largest hot spot for lacrosse and its top D1 programs, and ESPNU happens to be carrying well over 30 games involving some of THE best teams in the country, including all of the national championship play off games prior to the semi-finals, which along with the championship game get moved over to ESPN2 and ESPN. It is outrageous that those of use with Comcast (generally the southern part of the state, near Philly) who are fans are left to rely on CSTV (which seems to have almost no games this year) and CN8 for tv coverage. NJ is one of the biggest states for lacrosse, and only the Northern part of the state (covered by Time Warner) now, after a recent deal, can get ESPNU.
Sure, if ESPN is doing some questionable things to put pressure on Comcast, thats bad, but for some of us, we aren’t even given the mere promise of an opportunity to catch an ESPNU broadcasted game, we just want Comcast to give us the channel as soon as possible.
Deb Duch on 05 Mar 2008 at 9:33 am #
I am very upset that ComCast and ESPNU have to make this all about money and not the fans or customers. UCONN starts it’s Big East Tournament on Sunday and I, (a fan that has been to the NCAA final 4 thhree times) will not be able to watch the game. It will be very upsetting not to be able to watch the Big East Tournemant, especially after watching the tremendous game against Rutgers on Monday night. It seems to me that ESPN and ComCast put themselves first and the hell with the people who help keep them in business.