Angry "Former Griz Fan" letter to the Ravalli Republic

[Iowagriz]

Add me to those with more free time on Saturday's. I live out of state and my cable provider does not have Root Sports. I should get satellite but it is not high on my priority list. Tried to at least listen to Mick and Gurns, but wasn't going to pay for something that advertisers already pay for (this is the biggest boneheaded move by the Griz administration).

The administration doesn't realize how hard people try to maintain a connection with the Griz once you move out of the Northwest. I understand the tv deal, but the radio one baffles me. Throwing up roadblocks to an alumni base isn't going to help.

Lastly, I just received a call from a nice student at UM the other day. Great on the phone, inspired me to donate once again. After the call I researched and found the money to this foundation is used at the Presidents discretion (UM Foundation?). Ten minutes after hanging up the phone I remembered the radio issue, they won't be getting my donation.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

This is an acceptable argument to the issue. I buy this one and it is disappointing that you can't find a "free" or at least cheap way to watch or listen to the game.

Not really - there is a free or cheap way to watch the game - go down to the local sports bar - at least now it doesn't take a NASA tech to get the game on TV. It has only been a few years that streaming has been available, and at the beginning you had to pay for streaming access, but the quality was so bad they dropped the fee. Having the game on ROOT sports reaches many, many, times more alumni than it ever would for people who streamed through their computer, or tuned in a satellite. I guarantee for more alumni were watching last weeks game on ROOT sports than will watch this week through a computer. Yes it might change the way you get your access, but it is much more available now than it ever was. For those OTA people, remember than more and more of the games were being switched to CW which also wasn't available in all parts of Montana without a cable assist.

For the guy whose Dad with Dish that got the MSU game on ROOT Sports but not the Montana game I have no idea how that can work, you have the channel or you don't. Was it a weekend when MSU was on the local network?

Try going to a decent bar out of state to watch a game sometime. The local teams will be on with sound. I might get the video on one small TV, but definately not getting the sound.

As for the $8 for radio is a cheap alternative. I agree, but am against it in principle. In the past I was more than happy to put up with sitting on my couch, listening or watching on a small laptop and dealing with lost feeds, etc. Now I'm just pissed (or jealous) that if I lived in Montana that if I couldn't see the game that I could be out hunting, fishing, with family or whatever and still get free radio. Again, isn't that what the advertisers are for?

I visit Missoula or the Flathead Valley, two to three times a year. I actually used to make sure that I ate, drank and bought gas from those that supported the Griz. The advertisements worked and I appreciated their support. Now I just don't care.

Yes, I'll still follow the Griz, but it is usually via a sports ticker on a smartphone.

 

[grizindabox]

When all else fails, I will tune in the other teams internet radio feed...have not found anyone else that charges.

 

[grizpack]

So paying a fee that is less than the cost of 2 tickets to watch a game, you can get an annual subscription, which helps support the program that you are supposedly a fan of, to get the radio or video broadcast that you used to get for free (no support to the program) is out of line?

It is entertainment folks. Entertainment costs money. If it is more important to you than other forms of entertainment, you will choose to spend your money there. If it isn't that important to you, you won't.

They aren't charging $50.00 per game to listen or watch it. If you figure it out, it is costing you about $7.00 per game to watch or listen to it with an annual subscription. If you watch basketball games, the per-game fee is reduced quite a bit.

 

[grizindabox]

I think most everyone is missing the point on this issue.

 

[GrizSpartan]

So what we've gathered about Bob:
He has kids, grandkids, etc
He's a homeless veteran
He doesn't like that the Griz play on Root
He's on a fixed income
He pays $1200/yr in property taxes
Root is available on regular cable
Just like KPAX (unless you're solely reliant on OTA)
I'm still not sure what he's upset about.. as none of this makes sense. I'm also confused.

I agree. I think the gentleman may be best served if he went to a therapist of help him out. I think he may be perpetually sad.

 

[MrTitleist]

Yes, I'll still follow the Griz, but it is usually via a sports ticker on a smartphone.

Unless you're a fan of a team in the Big 6 (or 5) conference this is your plight. I follow my Wyoming Cowboys as best I can, but even then I rely on a pirated video stream or score updates on my PC/phone because they're not on TV/radio where I live.. that's life, I deal with it.

 

[kurtismichael]

Yes, I'll still follow the Griz, but it is usually via a sports ticker on a smartphone.

Unless you're a fan of a team in the Big 6 (or 5) conference this is your plight. I follow my Wyoming Cowboys as best I can, but even then I rely on a pirated video stream or score updates on my PC/phone because they're not on TV/radio where I live.. that's life, I deal with it.

Do Wyoming games ever get televised on Altitude or VS.

 

[MrTitleist]

I think the MW has a contract with Root and Altitude.. I think 9 of UWs 12 games were/are televised this year.

 

[Umista]

Poor Bob. You can watch Griz games free in many bars and eating joints. Whine bitch and complain? Why? Get off your butt and watch the game. yes some of your tax money pays for the U of M etc. How much? Less than one cent!

Take the effort to write an article to the local rag? Yet to lazy to walk to a local bar? Get a horse Bob!

 

[indian-outlaw]

I'm with Bob, I think the roots deal sucks because now I cannot get the games streamed. I refuse to expose my family to cable TV just to get the griz games. You'd think people wouldn't be so stupid to pay to be advertised to. I guess it's just as well waterfowl season starts tomorrow so I wont have to be torn whether to watch the game or go hunting, they've made the decision for me.

 

[George Ferguson]

Hahhaaaaa..Yah, because the internet is soooo much more family friendly then cable tv!! :clap:

 

[kurtismichael]

Hahhaaaaa..Yah, because the internet is soooo much more family friendly then cable tv!! :clap:

+1

plus you can set parental controls on TV, at least with Dish and Direct.

Good luck hunting though Indian-Outlaw

 

[kurtismichael]

I'm with Bob, I think the roots deal sucks because now I cannot get the games streamed. I refuse to expose my family to cable TV just to get the griz games. You'd think people wouldn't be so stupid to pay to be advertised to. I guess it's just as well waterfowl season starts tomorrow so I wont have to be torn whether to watch the game or go hunting, they've made the decision for me.

Just another thought for this specific game. I believe MaxMedia has the tv rights to this game and it will not be aired on Root, so you should be able to stream as usual. Good luck either way.

 

[kurtismichael]

from an earlier thread:

MISSOULA, MONTANA -- The University of Montana football game against new Big Sky Conference member Southern Utah University, Saturday, Oct. 13, will be televised by Max Media of Montana, and it will also be available via video streaming.
The game will also be aired on KWYB-ABC 18 & 28 Butte/Bozeman, KTMF-ABC 23 & 42 Missoula/Kalispell, KFBB-ABC 5 Great Falls, KHBB-ABC 5 Helena, KULR-NBC 8 Billings, and KXGN-NBC Glendive. The announcers are Chris Byers (play-by-play) of KULR-TV in Billings, former (1988-90) Grizzly quarterback Grady Bennett (color), and Shaun Rainey (sidelines) of ABC-TV in Missoula.

The game will be also be video streamed and available on gogriz.com and on bigsky tv.org. Montana's final four Big Sky games will be televised by ROOT Sports, and there will be NO video streaming of any of those games.

 

[GrizMusician]

I can understand being upset if your carrier does not carry Root Sports - much like many Montanans were last year during the playoffs, but if your TV provider does carry it I think it is absolute chicken sh*t to not cough up the $8 a month for the expanded sports package. I get like an additional 30 channels for $8 a month through DirecTV which is more than worth it. Oh by the way, I live off of a college student income while paying for tuition in addition to my bills.

$8 sport package too expensive? Buy one less 6 pack of beer a month... buy one less Starbucks coffee a week... carpool to work one day a week... occasionally ride your bike to work if possible... eat out less. Sometimes you have to make cuts in your discretionary spending to afford some things that you want. Quit making up excuses & being miserable.

 

[indian-outlaw]

I can understand being upset if your carrier does not carry Root Sports - much like many Montanans were last year during the playoffs, but if your TV provider does carry it I think it is absolute chicken sh*t to not cough up the $8 a month for the expanded sports package. I get like an additional 30 channels for $8 a month through DirecTV which is more than worth it. Oh by the way, I live off of a college student income while paying for tuition in addition to my bills.

$8 sport package too expensive? Buy one less 6 pack of beer a month... buy one less Starbucks coffee a week... carpool to work one day a week... occasionally ride your bike to work if possible... eat out less. Sometimes you have to make cuts in your discretionary spending to afford some things that you want. Quit making up excuses & being miserable.

I'm not miserable, for me it's not the money, I just don't like the idea of having cable tv. I will listen to the games and watch the ones that are not on roots streamed on bigskytv but my time will be better spent taking my kids duck hunting anyway.

 

[GrizMusician]

I can understand being upset if your carrier does not carry Root Sports - much like many Montanans were last year during the playoffs, but if your TV provider does carry it I think it is absolute chicken sh*t to not cough up the $8 a month for the expanded sports package. I get like an additional 30 channels for $8 a month through DirecTV which is more than worth it. Oh by the way, I live off of a college student income while paying for tuition in addition to my bills.

$8 sport package too expensive? Buy one less 6 pack of beer a month... buy one less Starbucks coffee a week... carpool to work one day a week... occasionally ride your bike to work if possible... eat out less. Sometimes you have to make cuts in your discretionary spending to afford some things that you want. Quit making up excuses & being miserable.

I'm not miserable, for me it's not the money, I just don't like the idea of having cable tv. I will listen to the games and watch the ones that are not on roots streamed on bigskytv but my time will be better spent taking my kids duck hunting anyway.

That is totally fine. I am just tired of hearing people complain that they have to spend an additional $8 to get Root Sports on their current cable/satellite package.

 

[ordigger]

I can understand being upset if your carrier does not carry Root Sports - much like many Montanans were last year during the playoffs, but if your TV provider does carry it I think it is absolute chicken sh*t to not cough up the $8 a month for the expanded sports package. I get like an additional 30 channels for $8 a month through DirecTV which is more than worth it. Oh by the way, I live off of a college student income while paying for tuition in addition to my bills.

$8 sport package too expensive? Buy one less 6 pack of beer a month... buy one less Starbucks coffee a week... carpool to work one day a week... occasionally ride your bike to work if possible... eat out less. Sometimes you have to make cuts in your discretionary spending to afford some things that you want. Quit making up excuses & being miserable.

So what you're saying is that although you have a fixed income, you don't have a family to feed each week? You don't have bills to pay like doctor bills for everyone? You're not trying to run everyone around going through tank after tank after gas? $8 can be a lot for some familys. I don't drink Starbucks or beer. I can't carpool to work. Don't own a bike. Already don't eat out. Its called life....some do what they can. I can easily afford $8 but not available where I am, sitting on a drilling pad in Northern PA.

 

[tnt]

I think the point is. only 7 games are available on Root (if you can get it) the rest were/are hit or miss as to TV coverage OR streaming, and gogriz.com has proven sooooooooo good. They all used to be available to every fan everywhere. Radio is fine, but certainly not like watching.

 

[EverettGriz]

I think that what most of you are missing is that if you can't see the Griz on TV (or the internet) every week without cable (or without going to a bar with cable), you likely wouldn't see whomever your favorite college team is, even if they're Nebraska or Oklahoma or Washington or Oregon or Whatever.

Face it: College football is covered on cable. If you don't have it (or are on an oil rig in the middle of nowhere), don't bitch about not seeing the Griz, because you're probably also not seeing USC vs. Alabama. Those teams don't stream their games either.


Just sayin.