Comments for Televised Sports Battle: Who Is Astroturfing Whom?

Televised Sports Battle: Who Is Astroturfing Whom?

2009-10-24T22:00:25Z

Front groups for cable and satellite companies pretending to represent the interest of sports fans? Mysterious "sources" and leaks? This is nothing new to Consumerist readers, but our estranged siblings at Deadspin have some great information on a lobbying and PR war between thinly disguised groups working on behalf of DirectTV and the big cable companies, and their battle over fans and fees. Or is it?

Deadspin's tipster admits to working in PR on behalf of cable companies, alleges that the mysterious new Sports Fans Coalition is nothing more than a front group for DirectTV. Is it? Who is astroturfing whom?

Fans, Media Recruited (And Manipulated) In Fight Over Televised Sports (Updated) [Deadspin] (Thanks, Bob!)

Comment from sleze69 on 2009-10-26

2009-10-26T16:52:15Z

@Joeb5: Doesn't DirectTV have a change to buy NBC (and hence Hulu)?

Comment from tbax929 on 2009-10-25

2009-10-26T01:19:19Z

@mac-phisto:
I know why there's no sports advocacy group in the DC area. Have you seen there teams lately???

Comment from tbax929 on 2009-10-25

2009-10-26T01:17:58Z

@Joeb5:
They may have passed on it, but the NFL missed out on an opportunity to have this football package available to a lot more people. I wouldn't waste my money on it, anyway, but I know a lot of people who can't get satellite that would buy the football package if it were available via cable.

Comment from tbax929 on 2009-10-25

2009-10-26T01:16:31Z

@Joeb5:
OMG. Is that supposed to be English? How can I agree (or disagree) with you if I have no idea what you're trying to say?

Comment from mac-phisto on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T22:57:21Z

@Laura Northrup: lol. for sure. but would you be watching football today if it was $49.99 on PPV? i know i wouldn't.

Comment from Suulia on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T21:16:52Z

Unlike many other companies, Comcast does not hoard it's owned stations, rather, it leases them to whomever wants them.

A quick web search shows that Comcast Sports Net, for example, is shown on DirecTV, Dish, Time Warmer, and even their direct competitor, AT&T (among many, many others).

Comment from Joeb5 on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T20:15:35Z

@sleze69:
comcast had that chance to bid for it and they passed.

Comment from mad_oak on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T18:26:26Z

@Joeb5: What the heck are you trying to say here?

Comment from sleze69 on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T16:54:02Z

@Joeb5: Like DirectTV does with the NFL package?

Comment from sleze69 on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T16:53:30Z

@Radi0logy: /concur. I tried and tried but I am not sure of any of the ideas presented in this comment.

Comment from Laura Northrup on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T13:02:15Z

@mac-phisto: At least in my living room, the beer only costs in the single digits.

Comment from mac-phisto on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T11:36:05Z

decent article. hard to tell what the SFC is really going to be about, but this quote from goodfriend does makes some sense:

I did some digging around and realized that there really is no single advocacy/lobbying group in DC representing the interests of sports fans. Certainly nothing well funded and methodical.

he's got a point. now, i'm not sure SFC is the answer, but what i do now is that while all these groups struggle to squeeze as much cash as possible out of their fans, we get to ride the bench & take whatever comes our way. that doesn't seem right, especially considering the amount of public funding & support gets thrown at sports.

we keep down this path & it's only a matter of time before we're paying big bucks for a ticket, whether our seat is in the stadium or our living room.

Comment from Joeb5 on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T09:35:45Z

@Radi0logy:
I will try to work on it.

Comment from nstonep on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T09:34:07Z

Deadspin is worse than gawker...

Comment from PsiCop on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T09:12:36Z

Welcome to the wonderful world of propaganda. Where special interests (of whatever sort) convince the government to do stuff by convincing the people they're for it, even if it's not in the people's best interest.

It's a lot like when an interviewer asks someone something by prefacing the question with "People are saying." In most cases, "people" are not actually "saying" it ... rather, the reporter is him/herself, or else, his/her colleagues in the media are. This phrase is then parroted elsewhere in the media as though it's actually true that "the people" are saying X, and reporters all over the world relay it that way — when the truth is, the interviewer made it all up as the lead-in to a question.

That's how controversies get manufactured. It happens ALL THE TIME and it happens EVERYWHERE.

Yes indeed, it is as H3ion said ... the BS is flying in every direction, folks. Better duck before it splats you in the face ... if it hasn't already.

Comment from Radi0logy on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T08:39:21Z

@Joeb5: Just take a few seconds to read over your post for any grammatical/spelling issues. It makes your postings easier to read, but more importantly, it lends credence to your point of view.

Comment from H3ion on 2009-10-25

2009-10-25T05:52:03Z

Everyone is Astroturfing everyone else and it doesn't stop at sports. The amount of absolute BS that gets spread around regarding Internet connection speeds, actual costs of subscription, and who has what exclusive content would fertilize any of the Midwest states, with some left over. The fact is that all sports are open for bid and big time sports being a business, the same as any other business, will sell to the highest bidder regardless of the interests of the fans. There's nothing wrong with that. It's capitalism and the American way and all that stuff, but don't think for a minute that any sports franchise has any loyalty to its city or its fans if a more lucrative deal is available elsewhere. So now that someone has an exclusive, what does the competition do? Right. They weep and moan as to how the poor fan is being taken advantage of, something they would never do.

I really shudder to think of the result if Comcast actually did acquire NBC. I hope the Justice Department and FTC as well as the FCC are paying very careful attention.

Comment from Joeb5 on 2009-10-24

2009-10-25T04:54:00Z

I don't want cable to have full control and lock out sat over sports channels.

Comment from Joeb5 on 2009-10-24

2009-10-25T04:53:08Z

Cable should now be able to lock out sat over sports channels just look at CSN Philly.

I want CLTV on direct tv and that may happen soon as it was comcast only but is not any more and they DO NOT own it. WGN does and I got a email from the station GM saying they are working on it. any was comcast sucks near be I would have to pay $25-$30 more to go to comcast over direct tv and lot of that is in being foreced to rent comcast carp hardware. and haveing to get sports pack for speed and fox movie channel.

also other comcast areas have sci-fi and speed in starer / analog but not hear.