Charter & Pac 12 Networks the #6 Sports News Story of 2012 in Southern oregon

According to the Medford Mail Tribune newspaper the fight between Charter and the Pac 12 Networks was the # 6 sports news story for 2012!

6. Pac-12 Networks

Oregon and Oregon State football fans were infuriated through the fall as the inaugural Pac-12 Networks and major television providers failed to come to contract terms, leaving much of Southern Oregon blacked out as their favorite teams enjoyed wildly successful seasons.

The Pac-12 Networks, which debuted in mid-August, were not picked up by Charter cable or DirecTV, sparking angry missives from viewers and social media campaigns to get deals done. The Pac-12 Networks became available on DISH Network in early September and were also carried on Ashland Home Network.

Pac-12 officials pointed out that satellite company DirecTV — the only top-five provider in the nation without a deal with the conference — and Charter deemed contract terms unfair even though many others had signed on. The TV providers claimed the conference refused to consider distribution and pricing options that would allow an accord.

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130101/SPORTS/301010306

Basketball Games Charter Customers will not see!

See what you have already missed and what you will miss as a Charter customer!

2012 Pac-12 Networks Men’s Basketball Televised Schedule
Date   Time (PT)    Matchup
Nov. 9   4:00 PM    Northern Arizona at Oregon (subject to change)
Nov. 9   4:00 PM    Wofford at Colorado
Nov. 9   6:00 PM   TBD at Oregon State
Nov. 9   6:00 PM    Willamette at Utah
Nov. 9   8:00 PM    Coppin State at USC
Nov. 9    8:00 PM    San Francisco at Stanford
Nov. 10  4:30 PM    Central Arkansas at Arizona State
Nov. 10   4:30 PM   Eastern Washington at Washington State
Nov. 11   3:00 PM   Charleston Southern at Arizona
Nov. 11  5:00 PM   Loyola-MD at Washington
Nov. 11  7:00 PM    Cal-State Bakersfield at California
Nov. 12  6:30 PM   Portland State at Oregon
Nov. 12   8:30 PM    Cal State Fullerton at Stanford
Nov. 13  6:30 PM   Long Beach State at USC
Nov. 13  6:30 PM   Pepperdine at California
Nov. 13  8:30 PM   UC Irvine at UCLA (Legends Classic)
Nov. 13   8:30 PM    Albany at Washington
Nov. 14   7:00 PM    Utah Valley at Washington State
Nov. 15  6:00 PM    Alcorn State at Stanford
Nov. 15   8:00 PM    James Madison at UCLA (Legends Classic)
Nov. 16   6:00 PM    Sacramento State at Utah
Nov. 16   8:00 PM    Vanderbilt at Oregon ..... Ducks won against a ranked team!
Nov. 18   4:00 PM    Florida A&M at Arizona State
Nov. 18   6:00 PM   Belmont at Stanford
Nov. 19   6:00 PM    Long Beach State at Arizona
Nov. 19  8:00 PM    Jacksonville State at Oregon
Nov. 20   6:00 PM    Cornell at Arizona State
Nov. 21  6:00 PM    Idaho State at Utah
Nov. 23  4:00 PM    Central Michigan at Utah
Nov. 24   2:30 or 6:30 PM  Wright State at Utah
Nov. 24   12:30 or 6:30 PM  Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Washington State
Nov. 25  3:00 PM   Montana State at Oregon State
Nov. 25  5:00 PM   Air Force at Colorado
Nov. 25  7:00 PM    Cal Poly at UCLA
Nov. 27   6:30 PM    Texas Southern at Colorado
Nov. 28  5:00 PM   Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Arizona State
Nov. 28  7:00 PM   Idaho at Washington State
Nov. 28  7:00 PM   Northern Arizona at Arizona
Nov. 28  7:00 PM   Seattle at Stanford
Nov. 28  9:00 PM   Saint Louis at Washington
Nov. 28   9:00 PM    Cal State Northridge at UCLA
Nov. 29  7:00 PM   UT-San Antonio at Oregon
Dec. 1   3:00 PM   Sacramento State at Arizona State
Dec. 1   5:00 PM   Portland at Washington State
Dec. 1   7:00 PM    Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Oregon
Dec. 2   5:00 PM   Denver at Stanford
Dec. 2   7:00 PM   Cal State Fullerton at Washington
Dec. 4   6:30 PM   Southern Mississippi at Arizona
Dec. 5   5:30 PM    Boise State at Utah
Dec. 5   5:30 PM   Hartford at Arizona State
Dec. 5   7:30 PM   Colorado State at Colorado
Dec. 8   11:00 AM   Cal State Northridge at Arizona State
Dec. 8   1:00 PM    Grambling State at Oregon State
Dec. 8   3:00 PM   Idaho State at Oregon
Dec. 8    5:00 PM   Nevada at Washington
Dec. 8   7:30 PM    Minnesota at USC
Dec. 9    4:00 PM    Fresno State at Washington State
Dec. 12  6:30 PM   DePaul at Arizona State
Dec. 13  7:00 PM    Jackson State at Washington State
Dec. 15  12:00 PM   Dartmouth at Arizona State
Dec. 15  2:00 PM   UC Davis at Stanford
Dec. 15  4:00 PM   UC Riverside at USC
Dec. 15  4:00 PM   Jackson State at Washington
Dec. 15  6:00 PM   Prairie View A&M at UCLA
Dec. 15  8:00 PM   Creighton at California
Dec. 16  4:00 PM    Chicago State at Oregon State
Dec. 18   6:00 PM   Oral Roberts at Arizona
Dec. 18   6:00 PM   SMU at Utah
Dec. 18   8:00 PM   UC Santa Barbara at California
Dec. 18   8:00 PM    Long Beach State at UCLA
Dec. 19   7:00 PM    Howard at Oregon State
Dec. 20   6:00 PM    Cal Poly at Washington
Dec. 20   8:00 PM    UC Irvine at USC
Dec. 21   5:30 PM    Northern Arizona at Colorado
Dec. 21   7:30 PM    Cal State Northridge at Utah
Dec. 21  7:30 PM   Buffalo at Washington State
Dec. 22  12:00 PM   Houston Baptist at Oregon
Dec. 22   2:00 or 4:00PM  Northern Illinois at Washington
Dec. 22   2:00 or 4:00 PM  Prairie View A&M at California
Dec. 22   6:00 PM    San Diego at Oregon State
Dec. 22  8:00 PM    Fresno State at UCLA
Dec. 28  6:30 PM   College of Idaho at Utah
Dec. 29  11:00 AM   Coppin State at Arizona State
Dec. 29   11:00 AM    Hartford at Colorado
Dec. 29  1:00 PM    Towson at Oregon State
Dec. 29  3:00 PM    Idaho State at Washington State
Dec. 29  5:00 PM    Lafayette at Stanford
Dec. 29   7:30 PM    Harvard at California
Dec. 30   4:00 PM    Dayton at USC
Dec. 31   2:00 PM    Texas-Pan American at Oregon State
Dec.31   4:00 PM    Nevada at Oregon
Jan. 2   7:00 PM    Utah at Arizona State
Jan. 5    12:00 PM    Stanford at UCLA
Jan. 5    2:00 PM    Utah at Arizona
Jan. 6    5:00 PM    Colorado at Arizona State
Jan. 9    7:00 PM   Washington State at Stanford
Jan. 10   6:30 PM    UCLA at Utah
Jan. 10   8:30 PM    Arizona State at Oregon State
Jan. 12   11:00 AM    UCLA at Colorado
Jan. 12   1:00 PM    Washington State at California
Jan. 12   3:00 PM    USC at Utah
Jan. 13   6:00 PM    Arizona State at Oregon
Jan. 16  6:30 PM    Utah at Washington State
Jan. 16   8:30 PM    Colorado at Washington
Jan. 19  5:00 PM    Oregon State at USC
Jan. 19   7:00 PM   Colorado at Washington State
Jan. 23  6:30 PM    Washington State at Oregon
Jan. 23  8:30 PM   Washington at Oregon State
Jan. 24  5:30 PM   California at Utah
Jan. 24  7:30 PM   USC at Arizona State
Jan. 26   2:00 PM   Washington State at Oregon State
Jan. 26  4:00 PM    Washington at Oregon
Jan. 27   6:00 PM    Stanford at Utah
Jan. 30   7:00 PM    USC at UCLA
Jan. 31   8:00 PM    Arizona State at Washington State
Feb. 2    7:00 PM    Arizona at Washington State
Feb. 3    12:00 PM    Oregon State at Stanford
Feb. 6    7:00 PM    Utah at Oregon State
Feb. 7    6:30 PM    California at Arizona State
Feb. 7    8:30 PM    Washington State at USC
Feb. 9    5:00 PM    Utah at Oregon
Feb. 9    7:00 PM    Washington State at UCLA
Feb. 10   4:00 PM    California at Arizona
Feb. 10   6:00 PM    Colorado at Oregon State
Feb. 13  5:00 PM    Arizona State at Utah
Feb. 13   7:00 PM    Oregon State at Washington State
Feb. 14   7:00 PM    Arizona at Colorado
Feb. 16   4:00 PM    Oregon at Washington State
Feb. 17   12:00 PM    Arizona at Utah
Feb. 20   7:00 PM    Washington State at Arizona State
Feb. 21   7:00 PM    Utah at Colorado
Feb. 23  3:00 PM    California at Oregon State
Feb. 23   5:00 PM    Stanford at Oregon
Feb. 27  6:30 PM    Arizona to USC
Feb. 27  8:30 PM    Arizona State at UCLA
March 3  2:00 PM   Utah at Stanford
March 6  6:30 PM   UCLA at Washington State
March 6  8:30 PM   USC at Washington
March 9   11:30 AM   Oregon at Utah

Charter Refuges

On Saturday I joined thousands of Charter Refuges who were forced from their homes  in Southern Oregon and the Oregon Coast to Sports Bars and Bowling Alleys that have the Dish to watch the most important game of the year in the state of Oregon. That being the annual "Civil War" game between the University of Oregon Ducks and and the Oregon State Beavers. I was able to watch the game on a non high definition TV but felt sorry for the many families that couldn't take their children to the game because the only place available was a bar that wouldn't admit children or a very crowded bowling alley.  
When my children were young they were brought up to be Ducks and every year the family would gather around the TV to watch the "Civil War" game.  I must have brought them up right, because  though neither went to the University of Oregon, they both gathered together on Saturday in a Sports Bar in Arlington, Virgina near where they live to watch the Duck and the Beavers go at it.

Charter may think that the worst is over now since the college football season is winding down to the Bowl games that will be on networks other than the Pac 12 Networks....... but they will be wrong!

Can you say.......PAC 12 BASKETBALL !!!!!!!!  Pac 12 Baseball and Track! More on that later.

Ken Goe: "No good guys in the Civil War television flap"

Ken Goe of the Oregonian newspaper:

The situation is as bad or worse in other parts of Oregon, where Charter Communications is the cable option. Charter hasn't come to terms with the Pac-12 Networks either. This story from the Medford Mail Tribune explains.
Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News calls it "unfathomably unfortunate" and "sobering" for the conference.

It's too bad, because the 2012 Civil War could be special. Both teams are nationally ranked. Oregon still has national championship possibilities if things break right. Oregon State conceivably could appear in a BCS bowl game given a victory and the right sequence of events.
I'm struck by the way none of the parties to this dispute seem particularly interested in fans who won't have an opportunity to watch the game at home.
-- Let's start with DirecTV and Charter, who are insisting on a better deal than one other cable companies and satellite providers already have accepted. That puts Pac-12 Enterprises in an impossible position with say, Comcast and Dish Network. DirecTV and Charter have willingly used fans and their passion for their teams as a bargaining chip.
-- The Pac-12 Networks could have allowed the game to be televised by, say, one or more of the local television stations as a one-shot, goodwill gesture. The Pac-12 Nets position -- that a one-time exemption would compromise the integrity of long-term agreements already struck -- is so unyieldingly draconian it almost makes me sympathize with DirecTV and Charter.
-- This was a golden opportunity lost for Oregon and/or Oregon State to facilitate viewing parties for fans without good options.
The two athletic departments stand to make fortunes from Pac-12 television rights. Some estimates say it eventually will be as much as $30 million per year. But nobody to whom I talked at either school seemed concerned about the dispossessed fans.
Taking the money while terms of the deal prevent many loyal fans from viewing the game, then ignoring the plight of those fans seems like bad business to me. Some fans will find something else to do on Saturday afternoon -- this year, and possibly in seasons to come.

http://www.oregonlive.com/collegefootball/index.ssf/2012/11/issues_and_answers_no_good_guy.html#incart_flyout_sports

John Wilner: "Unbelievably, Unfathomably Unfortunate"

Jon Wilner the "Dean" of Pac 12 Sportswriters in the San Jose Mercury News today:

Lastly, a word about the Civil War, which is on the Pac-12 Networks and thus not available in Oregon (or anywhere) on Charter or DirecTV.
And that word is unfortunate … incredibly, unbelievably, unfathomably unfortunate.
The fact that a football rivalry game — a rivalry game with conference and national championship implications, no less — won’t be available to tens of thousands of fans in its home state is most definitely not what the conference had in mind when it announced the formation of the Pac12Nets, with the intent to increase viewing access for fans.
It’s also unfortunate that fans didn’t know the game would be on the Pac12Nets until last weekend, thus leaving little time, especially on a holiday week, to switch providers (if that’s even an option).
As I’ve written numerous times, the conference cannot cave: It must hold its ground with DirecTV and Charter, which have been offered essentially the same deal as Comcast and DISH and all the other providers that have reached a carriage deal.
But this is an unfortunate situation for fans and a sobering situation for the conference.

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/collegesports/2012/11/23/pac-12-football-picks-of-the-week-plus-the-civil-war-broadcast-and-kiffin-as-mr-popularity/

"Civil War" Lunch

Medford Mail Tribune picture but the Duck behind the speaker is mine!

More than 300 movers and shakers in Southern Oregon crowded into the ballroom at the Rogue Valley Country Club yesterday for the annual joint "Civil War" lunch of Ducks and Beavers. Needless to say Charter Communications did not have a lot of friends there.  One comment I overheard, " John is unable to make it because he is at home having the Dish installed at his house.

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121121/SPORTS/211210335

Mail Tribune":Civil War game blackout is outrageous"

The following is an Editorial from today's Medford Mail Tribune newspaper.  This is NOT from the sports page but from the Editorial page!

Civil War game blackout is outrageous

Pac-12 Network, Charter both depend on public but aren't serving its interest

November 21, 2012

A pox on both their houses.

Thanks to a dispute between a government-franchised cable television provider and an organization representing taxpayer-funded state universities, the vast majority of Rogue Valley residents will be unable to watch the annual Civil War football game between Oregon and Oregon State.

This has been an ongoing issue throughout the fall, following the launch of the Pac-12 Network, which covers games not broadcast by the major networks. It was bad enough that coverage was not available for the Oregon-Tennessee Tech game or that the maybe-to-be-played Oregon State-Nicholls State game likely won't be on air locally, but now the composite greed of Charter and the Pac-12 Network is depriving Southern Oregonians of a contest that is arguably a cultural touchstone.

The Pac-12 Network is one of the many dubious outgrowths of the explosion in popularity of college sports, and especially college football. As with collegiate athletic leagues across the country, the Pac-12 Network was formed with one idea in mind: to make money for its member institutions.

The network controls the broadcasting rights to any Pac-12 games that are not aired on major networks. If cable companies like Charter or satellite companies like DirecTV want to air those games, they've got to pay the Pac-12 piper. Currently they have no deal; each of the parties says the other is being unreasonable in its financial demands or offerings.

The Pac-12 Network notes it does have a deal with Dish TV as well as with other cable companies across the country and asks, if those companies are willing to sign up, why isn't Charter? Charter says the Pac-12 Network is squeezing cable operations with unreasonable pricing for programming that not all of its viewers are interested in.

Caught in the middle are OSU and UO fans, some of whom have been watching this game on their TV sets for a half-century or more. Oregon has top-tier professional basketball and soccer teams, but for many their sports passion is reserved for the two major college teams, especially their football teams. And there is no bigger game on those die-hard fans' schedules than the Civil War.

A Pac-12 Network official says the network doesn't "feel any shame or regret" over the network's failure to reach an agreement, but acknowledges "frustration" over the standoff. Charter seems to have an equally cavalier attitude.

That's particularly galling when you consider that the Pac-12 Network's meal ticket comes from the sports teams of publicly funded universities. There are some private schools in the PAC-12, but in Oregon the good old taxpayer is footing a big chunk of the bill for both conference schools, while at the same time being denied access to programs involving those schools.

Meanwhile, Charter operates in Jackson County through franchise agreements signed off on by local governments. It is currently negotiating with the city of Medford — perhaps our city leaders should ask Charter about its commitment to providing coverage from this state before they agree to anything. We're sure Comcast (which does have a Pac-12 agreement) or almost any other cable TV provider would be happy to fill the void if Charter got the boot.

The Pac-12 Network and Charter should feel "shame and regret" for their failure. Sports fans from Oregon and Oregon State could help them get back in touch with their feelings by registering their concerns both with their respective universities and with their program provider, whether it's Charter or DirecTV.

Truly motivated fans can deliver the strongest message by withholding financial support from the universities and the companies until the situation is resolved. That's the only message we're sure they'll understand.