Some good news though (well, in a way… not related to Stu’s point). Shaw has decided to pick up the free preview of SportsnetOne (per Daren Millard). The first Oilers game is September 22nd, so we’ll be able to catch it for free for now (I believe) and again on the 29th.

Standard def: 159
HD: 225

Stu Pender: Rogers are greedy corporate shysters to be sure, but they are not totally to blame for this fiasco. Place some blame where it is deserved. The Canucks, and whomever allowed such a travesty to transpire, are just as guilty. Who signs a deal with someone not knowing the full details of the deal? The Canucks, or so it would appear. Rogers tells you to pressure your local cable company and say you want Sportsnet One. Of course they do. This would put them in an unfair bargaining position with respect to entering into an agreement with Shaw/Telus/Novus/etc. Rogers corporate greed is only exceeded by their unwillingness to suggest that they have done anything wrong with regards to using these underhanded tactics. Smacks of collusion, with both the Canucks and Rogers using deceptive and misleading practices to enhance their position. The Canucks finally get rid of those terrible PPV broadcast and instead sell the rights to a channel that has no cable providers west of Ontario. Smooth move there geniuses. The Canucks pledged all games would be on local tv this year. It appears not, or at least not without some “added” costs. Let’s say Rogers finally makes a deal with Shaw/Telus/Noves Et al., and they show the games on whatever provider you have. Who do you think will pay for this? Still thinking? You will of course. Rogers will either get a sweet deal from the cable providers because they pushed a package of channels they must buy from Rogers down their throats, so that the cable providers can end the stream of customer calling to complain that they can’t see the Canucks or the Blue Jays, or Rogers will bow to pressure from advertisers who don’t want to pay for commercials that nobody watches and will give the cable providers a sweet deal. In either case, sweet deal means a package of premium sports channels will need to be added to your cable package. It will likely be in the neighbourhood of $10.00 a month. Hmm, didn’t the Canucks issue a press release stating that ALL Canuck games will be available for all BC and Yukon fans on FREE tv? There will be nothing free about this when it is all said and done. Rogers has screwed over the people in Western Canada all year with regards to Blue Jays games and this same issue. My 92 year old Grandma loves her Blue Jays and hasn’t seen many games due to Rogers callous disregard for who actually pays their bills. I bet advertisers are getting some awesome ad rates on Sportsnet One right about now. We have season tickets so for the most part not having games on tv doesn’t affect us much, but as long-term Canuck season ticket holders, we take it as a slap in the face that the Canucks organization would allow this to happen. I guess the Canucks only want to talk about loyalty when it is time for negotiating salaries, and the fans reward for years of sold out crowds, is being SOLD OUT. Shame on you Vancouver Canucks and shame on your Rogers. I guess you are blinded by staring at your shining corporate balance sheets, or perhaps your greed overrules your common sense. Whatever the reason, your wanton disregard for the FANS is a black eye on you. 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct and 5 for fighting. See the trainer after for some smelling salts to clear your head and open your eyes. Hard to succeed if you lack vision.

Wow, very sad & thought provoking for sure. To expand on your point of the providers passing the cost on to us I would go one step further & suggest that the provider would not only want to recoup their actual cost but also to charge us a little extra for their troubles thereby increasing the cost to us even more than necassary. I don’t want start a litteny of conspiracy theories but would it be possible that Rogers may have promised the Canucks a little extra pocket lining for agreeing to this joke of a contract? Like you mentioned it must have been obvious at the time (even to the Canuckleheads) that we (the western viewers) would all be forced into the position of pressuring our providers to buy into this channel thereby almost guaranteeing a financial windfall for them. Just sayin.

Rogers is setting us up as consumers to do their dirty work and complain to the cable providers to carry the channel. They suddenly switched 25 Blue Jays games to SNET One midway through the season. I’m not totally versed in what happened, but if the report is true that Sportsnet advertised the entire season of Jays’ games would be available on their existing package and then they switched a bunch of games to their new channel, then there could be grounds for an investigation from the CRTC.

I don’t want the same thing to happen with the Canucks. I don’t think you can blame Shaw. What kind of company would create and release a product but not find a retailer to carry said product? That seems more like disorganization from the producer, not the failings of the supplier.

Rogers tells you to pressure your local cable company and say you want Sportsnet One. Of course they do. This would put them in an unfair bargaining position with respect to entering into an agreement with Shaw/Telus/Novus/etc. Rogers corporate greed is only exceeded by their unwillingness to suggest that they have done anything wrong with regards to using these underhanded tactics. Smacks of collusion, with both the Canucks and Rogers using deceptive and misleading practices to enhance their position.

The Canucks finally get rid of those terrible PPV broadcast and instead sell the rights to a channel that has no cable providers west of Ontario. Smooth move there geniuses. The Canucks pledged all games would be on local tv this year. It appears not, or at least not without some “added” costs. Let’s say Rogers finally makes a deal with Shaw/Telus/Noves Et al., and they show the games on whatever provider you have. Who do you think will pay for this? Still thinking? You will of course. Rogers will either get a sweet deal from the cable providers because they pushed a package of channels they must buy from Rogers down their throats, so that the cable providers can end the stream of customer calling to complain that they can’t see the Canucks or the Blue Jays, or Rogers will bow to pressure from advertisers who don’t want to pay for commercials that nobody watches and will give the cable providers a sweet deal. In either case, sweet deal means a package of premium sports channels will need to be added to your cable package. It will likely be in the neighbourhood of $10.00 a month. Hmm, didn’t the Canucks issue a press release stating that ALL Canuck games will be available for all BC and Yukon fans on FREE tv? There will be nothing free about this when it is all said and done.

Rogers has screwed over the people in Western Canada all year with regards to Blue Jays games and this same issue. My 92 year old Grandma loves her Blue Jays and hasn’t seen many games due to Rogers callous disregard for who actually pays their bills. I bet advertisers are getting some awesome ad rates on Sportsnet One right about now.

We have season tickets so for the most part not having games on tv doesn’t affect us much, but as long-term Canuck season ticket holders, we take it as a slap in the face that the Canucks organization would allow this to happen. I guess the Canucks only want to talk about loyalty when it is time for negotiating salaries, and the fans reward for years of sold out crowds, is being SOLD OUT.

Shame on you Vancouver Canucks and shame on your Rogers. I guess you are blinded by staring at your shining corporate balance sheets, or perhaps your greed overrules your common sense. Whatever the reason, your wanton disregard for the FANS is a black eye on you. 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct and 5 for fighting. See the trainer after for some smelling salts to clear your head and open your eyes. Hard to succeed if you lack vision.