Truthfully, I’m surprised I haven’t addressed this issue in a previous column. The Rogers conglomerate, in a fantastic example of short-sightedness, have decided to move the majority of the remaining Blue Jay games for the 2010 season to the their fledgling second channel, Sportsnet One (I’m not a math genius, but I’m fairly certain that ‘1’ comes before ‘2’ in the numeric ladder. I digress).
There are a myriad of problems with this move, none of which have to do with Rogers creating a new sports channel. There’s obviously a market for more sports coverage in this country and we can’t fault Rogers for trying to beat as much money as they can out of the sports cash cow.
TSN did the same thing with TSN 2. However, the difference is that TSN moved niche type sports that no one really cares about to their new channel (e.g. soccer, Nascar, regional NHL games, etc.). They didn’t move their number one sports property to a channel most of the country doesn’t have and don’t want to pay for. Plus, the folks at TSN obviously know how to count sequentially.
The decision to move Jays games to Sportsnet One is nothing more than a money grab, pure and simple. Rogers also completely alienated their fan base by making this move with little to no regard for their customers’ enjoyment.
Yes, I understand that the games are available under a free preview until the end of the season. But not everyone has digital television or can afford the extra cost in a lean economy to purchase the package that will include Sportsnet One. Also, did you know that Rogers is the only cable carrier that is even offering the free preview in the first place?
If you’re not a Rogers customer, you can’t watch Blue Jays baseball even if you have the desire or money to do so. What a giant clusterfuck this entire situation has become.
I understand that they are running a business, but sometimes there are things that are more important than money. Like fostering goodwill among Jays fans who have stuck with this team through shitty season after shitty season. Now, the club is playing some really good baseball, at the precipice of big individual accomplishments, and the majority of the country can’t even watch them live.
It’s a shame.
But you know what’s interesting? I don’t find myself missing the action all that much. And that’s coming from a huge baseball fan, so I can imagine casual fans are thinking the same thing. I can still read about the team, catch the highlights, and watch the odd game on the main net. I don’t need to watch every single game for a 162 game season. And I’m sure I’m not the only one.
That should be a terrifying proposition for Rogers. When the fans leave, so does the money.
Nice move, guys.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment