Peterson and this guy can still see the Dodgers on TV
By Tim Peterson
I’m one of the lucky ones I guess. I had Time Warner Cable before the Dodger fiasco started. I’m in the “Time Warner” area and had never opted to change to DirecTV. So I never have been able to relate to the people who say that they missed the Dodger game last night.
In fact sometimes I forget that 70 percent of the population can’t see the games and I’ll inevitably say “Hey did you see what Gonzalez did last night? He’s on fire!” Only to be met with a barrage of four letter words. Whoops! Sorry!
Yes I think it’s terrible. Yes I think it’s horribly unfair to the hundreds of thousands of Dodger fans in the Southern California area. Who’s at fault? Everybody. Time Warner for demanding too much of other cable networks to carry the Dodgers. Other cable networks, specifically DirecTV, for not negotiating a deal to get the Dodgers on the air and the Dodgers themselves. Why the Dodgers? Well, for agreeing to a deal without having all the details worked out in advance. I’m sure it wasn’t their intention to shut out 70 percent of Dodger fans when they shook hands with Time Warner but that’s exactly what has happened.
Get everybody in a room and hammer out a decision. All three parties are making billions of dollars anyway. What’s a few more million here or there? For only 30 percent of Dodger fans to be able to hear Vin Scully in what could be his last season would be a tragedy.
However with that being said I don’t think Dodger fans have been alienated…as least not yet. It hasn’t affected the box office. They’re still packing out Chavez Ravine, $20.00 parking prices and all. Dodger fans aren’t going anywhere, $14.00 beers and all. The fans have been loyal. Now it’s time for the powers that be to return that loyalty.
Just one more thing though on the $14.00 beers. Isn’t it easier to just wait a couple of hours or so and buy a six pack for $7.99 on the way home?
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I can’t get into the NBA playoffs. The other day Dallas Maverick owner Mark Cuban said that the “horrible” state of college basketball is hurting the NBA. He said that in college everybody stands around until there are 10 seconds left on the shot clock and then somebody (usually one player) drives and tries to make a play. Has he seen the NBA lately? There’s one on one basketball going on the entire game. I actually like college basketball better. I don’t agree with the one and done rule but March Madness beats anything the NBA has. That’s the one and done I like. Who wants to watch the first game of seven game series between Atlanta and Brooklyn. Yeah Brooklyn made the playoffs. Talk about a “horrible” state of the game.
At least I can turn the channel to the Dodger game. Sorry!
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com or on Twitter @tspeterson40.
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