Bend Blazer fans - No Comcast forthcoming

by TallTimber on Oct 24, 2007 8:48 AM PDT

It looks we in Central Oregon are out of luck for the majority of Blazer games. Here is an email I received from BendBroadband:

"Thanks for checking back. Unfortunately, being honest, I don't have any good news for you at this time.

We have had discussions with Comcast, but have opted not to add the channel at this time based on their distribution requirements. The
combination of a significant programming fee and requirement for 40% of subscribers to receive the channel would inject another large price
increase on over half of our subscribers. We have indicated to Comcast that we will consider putting the channel on our Sports tier and we'll
see if they rethink their requirements and allow this.

In the meantime I have started discussions on the NBA League Pass. Unfortunately, this service is offered by In Demand, who we don't currently do business with and comes with a maze of legal/contractual requirements. Due to other significant Q4 priorities it will be early
2008 before resources are available to work through the In Demand contracts and determine if we can add this service. I wish this one was
more straight forward - we wouldn't hesitate to offer it."

BendBroadband does have a contract with KGW so we will get those games. Unfortunately, a dish is not going to happen for me anytime soon so I will have to try to get to one of the local establishments for some games.

If there are any other BE'ers here in CO, I would ask you to call BendBroadband and indicate you would like to have the Comcast channel and League Pass.

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I don't know

how much you guys pay for cable, but I'd also look into the possibility of a dish. Installation is free nowadays, you can get local channels too in most places, and LP is available for a subscription (providing the dish doesn't just add ComCast outright). We have had a dish for years SPECIFICALLY to watch the Blazers and it hasn't been too bad.

--Dave

by Dave on Oct 24, 2007 9:24 AM PDT reply actions

Good points but....

DISH is very unreliable here in Central Oregon. Every recording I have made over the past 2 years has 4-10 second gaps in the audio and frequent video streaking. The system needs rebooting at least 4 times a month (requiring it to be unplugged). I spent over $700 for the top of the line HD receiver and it cannot get the majority of HD channels because DISH changed formats within a year of bringing out their HD receiver. Their offer: $10 trade in. So I desperately want to dump DISH. It costs $100 per month so adding LP is not feasible economically. And no Comcast yet.

I watched the Sacramento game in Portland on the free League Pass preview and it lacks the local flavor and pre and post game shows for the Blazers. If League Pass were to offer both teams' feeds every game perhaps that would be more attractive.

Sorry to be a downer. Just wanted everyone here to know that DISH is not trustworthy and not the best option.

by lee3022 on Oct 24, 2007 2:40 PM PDT up reply actions

Wow

DirecTV is much less expensive and apparently more reliable than that. I've had them for years.

--Dave

by Dave on Oct 24, 2007 9:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Thanks for the comments.

I have been getting progressively ticked off at Comcast. My problem is that a number of channels I like and am suppossed to be getting don't come through. I get the "One moment please. This channel will be available momentarily." message. They keep telling me it's a problem with the box or my cable inside and not the truth, which is it is a bandwidth problem.

by timg56 on Oct 25, 2007 8:02 AM PDT up reply actions

Unfortunately

My wife is dead set against a dish. She thinks I watch too much sports as it is. When I start going to the local establishments to watch games maybe she will rethink her position.

by TallTimber on Oct 24, 2007 11:27 AM PDT reply actions

That is how I got cable when I lived in Portland

I convinced my wife to go to a sports bar a couple times to watch a game and at the end of the month I showed her the math. We ended up blowing more money at the sports bar than we would have paying for cable.

Fatty, Big Daddy on the BE, Man o' international renown, Postin' from his own thrown, Tellin' us what we couldn't see

by tominhawaii on Oct 24, 2007 11:38 AM PDT up reply actions

what a crock

I lived in Bend for a year and they carried fsn and kgw. I am going to call and pretend to be from CO to give you some support. The blazers should be shown state-wide.

RUDY > MJ

by myemic23 on Oct 24, 2007 11:42 AM PDT reply actions

good luck

It seems like you might be stuck listening to the overly obvious Antonio Harvey. Here is to hoping he contracts laryngitis.

by jonestr on Oct 24, 2007 1:45 PM PDT reply actions

The problem is not Comcast or Bendbroadband

the problem is the Blazers who signed a contract with Comcast without the requirement that they are carried by both DISH and DirecTV and offered by cable to a majority of cable customers in Oregon outside of Comcast.

So it is the Blazers who are not being held accountable here. They say this is Comcast but it is the Blazers. Calls to the Blazers to complain are needed.

by lee3022 on Oct 24, 2007 2:44 PM PDT reply actions