Dater’s Daily Links: Altitude/Comcast fiasco continues

Published

4 years ago

February 14, 2020

My timeline was pretty full of angry comments tonight from Avalanche fans who thought they would be able to watch the Avs-Capitals game on NBCSN starting at 7:30 last night, only to see the programming suddenly switch to some auction show.

If you were a Comcast or DISH subscriber and thought you’d get to see the game, you were out of luck. Altitude also broadcast the game, and because of that, there was a blackout on NBCSN locally. And because there is no carriage agreement still between Altitude and Comcast/DISH, subscribers to both providers couldn’t see the game.

I wasn’t aware that would happen like that. I’m not sure which legalese clause, with whatever entity involved, prevented the game from being seen on NBCSN locally, but the bottom line is a lot of Avs fans were mad as hell about it. The whole thing has been a fiasco, since Aug. 29, and there still is no agreement in sight seemingly.

I really think this whole thing has hurt the Avs a lot at the box office too. Casual fans aren’t consuming the product. Did you see how many Caps jerseys there were in the stands last night? If you couldn’t see the game – and that’s a lot of you – the answer is: a lot.

My prediction on this: Altitude will sell to ATT Sportsnet before start of next season.

Ten cost-effective moves contending teams should make at the Feb. 24 trade deadline (The Hockey News)
Why the Rangers are hamstrung by the cap at this deadline (The Hockey News)
Alexander Radulov, Dallas’ second-leading scorer, was put on IR yesterday. Theoretically, that should hurt the Stars and help the Avs in the fight for the second spot in the Central. Except, the Stars won last night and the Avs lost. (ESPN)
Nice to see Foppa at the game last night, wasn’t it?

Jonathan Quick will face the Avs in the Stadium Series game. (LA Kings Insider)
Bo Byram reacts to some of the trade rumors he’s seen his name in (Vancouver Province)

I can personally guarantee you Bo Byram is not getting traded at the deadline. That still won’t stop people who don’t know anything about hockey or the Avs or anything combined among the two from putting out fake rumors.