Why not Bucks/Brewers in HD?

[Mags]

Folks:

Hopefully one of you can help me on this.

All the Packer games (via the NFL contract) are in HD.

No (or very few on FSN North) Bucks' games are in HD.

No (or very few on FSN North) Brewers' games are in HD.

Yet, I see many other NBA markets have their games on in HD.  I also see many MLB markets have their teams broadcast locally in HD.

I know Channel 24 (who does a number of Bucks games) has the HD capability.  Why in earth do they not broadcast them in HD?

Sports are the best application of HD - where one notices the biggest difference.

I realize that some people still point to the statistics and say the HD market in not that large, so it need not be served yet.  However, if they opened their eyes, they'd reallize this is the BEST market to advertise to.  How many people buy $5,000 TV's and have that type of disposable income to spend?

Or is it just a matter of Milwaukee always going to be a 2nd rate town, and we'll never have what Boston, New York, Chicago, et al have?

Any thoughts?

[Jimboy]

Folks:

Hopefully one of you can help me on this.

All the Packer games (via the NFL contract) are in HD.

No (or very few on FSN North) Bucks' games are in HD.

No (or very few on FSN North) Brewers' games are in HD.

Yet, I see many other NBA markets have their games on in HD.  I also see many MLB markets have their teams broadcast locally in HD.

I know Channel 24 (who does a number of Bucks games) has the HD capability.  Why in earth do they not broadcast them in HD?

Sports are the best application of HD - where one notices the biggest difference.

I realize that some people still point to the statistics and say the HD market in not that large, so it need not be served yet.  However, if they opened their eyes, they'd reallize this is the BEST market to advertise to.  How many people buy $5,000 TV's and have that type of disposable income to spend?

Or is it just a matter of Milwaukee always going to be a 2nd rate town, and we'll never have what Boston, New York, Chicago, et al have?

Any thoughts?

The games that air on Channel 24 are produced by the Bucks and are sent to us in SD. This is the last year you will see Bucks Basketball on free tv. All games next year will be produced by FSN.

[Mags]

Thanks for the quick response.

So, it is up to the Bucks to decide if they want to give us the games in HD?

I don't mind that they are going to FSN, other than with being a D* subscriber, I don't think I get all the games that are broadcast in HD, as D* doesn't carry the channel in HD (although they may put some HD games on channel 95).

Does it work with the same way with the Brewers?  Do they control if the games are in HD or not?

[klwillis45]

Milwaukee is part of the secondary FSNN market so we get the shaft . There are actually 2 FSNNs, FSNN-Minnesota (primary) & FSNN-Wisconsin (secondary). This goes back to the days when FSNN was MSC. About the only time you'll get a HD game here is when the the Twolves/Twins/Wild are off or its Twolves/Bucks or Twins/Brewers and even then there are no guarantees.

[Mags]

Milwaukee is part of the secondary FSNN market so we get the shaft . There are actually 2 FSNNs, FSNN-Minnesota (primary) & FSNN-Wisconsin (secondary). This goes back to the days when FSNN was MSC. About the only time you'll get a HD game here is when the the Twolves/Twins/Wild are off or its Twolves/Bucks or Twins/Brewers and even then there are no guarantees.

Thanks - this is great info that I didn't know.

So, does this affect D* and cable equally?  I have a hunch that it affects us more on D* due to the number of sports networks they offer and limited bandwidth....

[LoadStar]

FSN across the board is increasing the number of hours of HD they carry, according to this story:
http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=6546

As a result, I'm sure that there will be an increase in the number of Brewers/Bucks games in HD. As for how BIG an increase, that's anyone's guess, of course, and since we're not the primary FSN affiliate, it probably won't be a huge increase.

Honestly, at this point I'd be happy with a widescreen 480p simulcast of the standard FSN feed... for the life of me, I cannot understand why the channel remains dark when not carrying HD programming.

[jjallou]

Considering the Bucks are owned by Senator Herb Kohl you'd think he would want to keep his team on Free TV.  I'm sure many people in the central city can't afford cable or satellite, how else can they see their home team.
Of course having it in HD would be an extra bonus.

[klwillis45]

Double edged sword there. Having games on free tv really hurts their interest/draw from the rest of the state since few markets pick up the 24 feed. My buddy in LAX constantly bitches about the number of games he can't get. Since a majority a people have either cable or sat its probably best to go that route, IMO.

[jjallou]

Double edged sword there. Having games on free tv really hurts their interest/draw from the rest of the state since few markets pick up the 24 feed. My buddy in LAX constantly bitches about the number of games he can't get. Since a majority a people have either cable or sat its probably best to go that route, IMO.

Bucks are to blame again for not selling/offering their product to other stations. Remember the Bucks Television Network where stations across Wisconsin aired the games on Free TV. Apparently there's not much interest when the team has been playing so poorly and the ratings suffer. At least a Madison station has picked up a few of the games for that market.
Not being on OTA in the home market could hurt them in the long run. I personally no longer support the Brewers ever since they dropped Free TV. I refuse to pay additional money to the rich snobs who play the sport. They are too good to be seen for free. At least I can still watch the Cubs play on FOX, for now.

[tencom]

It's to bad that advertiser controlled television is so ratings dominated, after all why would advetisers want to pay premium prices for a product that draws less then a 5% rating. Your beef should not be targeted towards the players, or  the station but at the advetisers who control television through ad buys and now the Cable/satellite subscribers  will have to bear the costs for the BUCKS games, and they will have no choice in the matter except to disconnect.


Advetiser controlled television is not "FREE TV"

[jjallou]

I understand the whole concept of advertiser supported tv and that it’s not really “free” because of the costs associated with advertising and the products we buy.  The “free feeling” I refer to is the fact I can stick an antenna up and not have to pay anything additional to watch my local team. Granted it’s not in HD because the Bucks are too cheap to provide it that way but at least I can watch the games that they provide.  Next year if I want to continue to watch “my” team I will need to cough up some money and pay for cable or satellite. Then I get to watch the Bucks & Brewers on FSN and a whole boatload of other channels that are also advertiser supported but now I get to pay additional cash to see them.

I truly feel bad for those people who can’t afford to pay for basic items month to month in our ever increasing monthly service fee society.  It would seem that the whole advertising system is to blame for any changes that occur. After all it all boils down to money, either saving it (Bucks quit producing their own games) or making it (another contract for FSN).  In the end it’s Mr. Average Joe who looses.  

Thanks for the use of the soapbox, I’m done now.