Does this help us hapless Blazers fans? (No offense to Hap intended.) http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/10/21/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NBA-streaming.aspx
I think this does help, in a way. I heard it means that CSNNW will be available for streaming to those who subscribe to the channel. Which opens up some possibilities.
I wish they'd either solve the comcast issue, or offer fans with dish/direct a way to view games online for a reasonable price. The whole "blackout" idea is so 80's. It's so stupid how the NFL does it, and how NBA tv does it so home games (available) aren't broadcast. If I'm paying 1.50 bucks a game (just throwing the # out), that's potentially what....120 bucks that the NBA normally wouldn't get. I bet more fans would do that (who don't have comcast or whatever channel broadcasts their teams games).
I don't see that it changes much, legally at least. I know some will find "creative" ways to use this to their advantage, but it just gives another option to those who currently have cable providers that carry Comcast. The Comcast Blazers deal was signed in 2007 and was for 10 years, so I'd say we have another 4 years to go before something more sane can be worked out. Best case scenario would be if Comcast starts to loosen up its policies and pricing towards the end of the deal to try to sucker the Blazers into re-signing with them in 2017.
I just want to watch my fucking team easily in my state, why is that so hard? There's something wrong when someone in Alabama has an easier time of watching the Blazers than someone on the coast or Eastern/Southern Oregon. we get more Utah fucking Jazz games down here.
I have no moral issues with watching pirate streams of Blazer games whatsoever. The quality is usually pretty good to.