I have been a staunch defender of Comcast, as they were the ones that stepped up, created an entire network around the team and are paying the Blazers a hefty sum to do it. They have the right to the product and the right to profit from it. Whenever I'm back in Portland, I love channel 37, and word is now that it's in high def. The channel is fantastic for the Blazers, for the Ducks and for Oregon in general.
However, I'm getting to the point where enough is enough. I don't feel sorry for those people who could get Comcast, but choose another provider. Should they feel sorry for me that I don't have access to NFL Sunday Ticket? It's a choice, plain and simple. The situation of the folks who live far from Portland, who love this team, where Comcast isn't available and who are still in the NBA League Pass blackout zone are the ones that kill me. Those are the real victims.
It's time for the Blazers to at least request a seat at the table. They need to represent the fans. If they have to give up some of that $13MM annually to get a deal done, then they should. However, by putting a public spotlight on the negotiations, they'll force each side to give a little. In every other market where Comcast has set up a sports network, they've reached agreement with other providers. Why not Portland? What are they asking for that's different than other areas? And why won't the other major providers step up and pay for the product when they're willing to pay for it in other areas?
I never thought the negotiations would go on this long. Enough is enough.