NBA to charge $14.99 to watch Summer League games online

That's right, and it sucks.

There's going to be on-demand archives until the 26th. I might wait until the first two contests are over to read about how players did and if it sounds interesting enough then I'll buy.

https://summerleague.istreamplanet.c...tml?cid=nba119

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Watch your favorite NBA Summer League teams, players &
matchups LIVE or ON DEMAND from your computer.

Here’s your chance to catch EVERY GAME of Summer League action from Las Vegas July 10-19.

NBA SUMMER LEAGUE BROADBAND available for $14.99

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fucking pathetic.

They got tired of their product being given away.

I don't blame them one bit.

If I can count on good coverage, I'll pay it. Damned if I want to hear that the games I want to watch aren't available. And I don't want to watch something that looks like a high school journalism student is working the camera. But $14.99 to see those guys play? I'll go for that.

That's a weak money grab. The NBA is going to penalize it's hardest of hardcore fans? Sometimes I can't understand their marketing.

Obviously I'm going to purchase it but I feel sorry for the hardcore fans who don't have the money laying around to waste it on this BS :td

Yeah, their feeds were never too dependable.

If it's sharp, with replays then it might be worth it.

If they had Dante and Galante, it'd definately be worth it.

I'm sure there will be free live feeds on other websites....

That is ridiculous. These are summer league games, not real games. Besides that, their broadcasts are horrible as another poster mentioned. Why would anyone pay for that? I will be one looking for the free broadcast online... cause I ain't paying for that.

It's understandable, but they should've started with smaller charge (like $5) to get users used to paying.

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Originally Posted by montgod

That is ridiculous. These are summer league games, not real games. Besides that, their broadcasts are horrible as another poster mentioned. Why would anyone pay for that? I will be one looking for the free broadcast online... cause I ain't paying for that.

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seriously. i was watching the thunder game the other day and the announcers were praying for the game to end. fuck the powers that be

This is...

LOL no way in hell im playing for what amounts to less than preseason, no fcking way

Damn!

$15 for the entire summer league? that aint bad

i'd pay if pop was coaching, but he aint, so there you go

So I have NBAtv, but can't watch the summer league games because they don't televise them, and if I want to watch online, I have to pay even though I'm already paying for NBAtv?

BS

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Originally Posted by slick'81

LOL no way in hell im playing for what amounts to less than preseason, no fcking way

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:lol

Considering what I usually spend on summer league, I can't complain too much.

I agree about the commentary though -- don't bitch about the game you are calling. You knew it was summer league when you signed on.

I am the definition of a hardcore fan. I've paid attention to every SL game since tony parker's debut. But I just can't see paying that much unless they promise more than youtube quality video... ill probably pay anyway :sick

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Originally Posted by timvp

That's a weak money grab. The NBA is going to penalize it's hardest of hardcore fans? Sometimes I can't understand their marketing.

Obviously I'm going to purchase it but I feel sorry for the hardcore fans who don't have the money laying around to waste it on this BS :td

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But this is exactly why they're doing it. Hardcore NBA fans who regularly watch Summer League won't be able to help themselves, and won't turn away from the product any time soon.

That's really fucking lame. But I really want to see our young guns in action. Damn you, Stern! *shakes fist*

I watched Utah v 76's/Nets the other day and it was taken from a camera in the nosebleeds of some pathetic stadium with the commentary of two moron's who talked about the noodles they were eating for about 3 minutes of game time?

$14.99 for that? hmmm....

15 bucks to watch all the games....i bet most you of spend that on beer to piss out or food to crap out in one night...quit bitching Ill pay it to watch our young guns...

It sucks, but with Stern predicting that league revenues could drop upwards of 10% this year we should all have seen this coming.

Too much money for the product they're offering, IMHO. Five bucks would have been more like it. I'll be looking for alternatives...

Are they going to charge $3.00 to read each box score?

Guess they're more desperate for cash than ever. They can kiss my behind.

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Originally Posted by cd98

Are they going to charge $3.00 to read each box score?

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If they could figure out a way to collect, I'm sure they would give it some thought.

Well... it seems i wont be buying the new sweater I needed for this cold south american winter... i'll buy the SL package instead... :depressed

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Originally Posted by hsxvvd

I watched Utah v 76's/Nets the other day and it was taken from a camera in the nosebleeds of some pathetic stadium with the commentary of two moron's who talked about the noodles they were eating for about 3 minutes of game time?

$14.99 for that? hmmm....

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yeah that was really crap. This is BS

are they this desperate?

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(1) Subscribers that purchase NBA SUMMER LEAGUE BROADBAND have access to all game archives on a video-on-demand basis from the time they purchase NBA SUMMER LEAGUE BROADBAND through July 26, 2009.

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Thats not too bad considering its on-demand and can be watch at any time during that period. You can go back and analyze in depth all you want.

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(2) Local and national market blackout rules apply based on your location.

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this is the part that scares me, I will be fucking pissed and demand my money back if any Spurs games are blacked out. I will go to my bank and have them reject the charge on my card if thats the case.

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That's right, and it sucks.

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Supply and demand sucks. So if you demand, suck it up.

$14.99 is a lot cheaper than a Holt Caterpillar.

Also, that's $14.99/30 more for the 2010-11 salary cap, which is a $1 more for the Spurs ($0.50 in cap, $0.50 off the tax.)

I'll shell out the $$$ if its decent quality...guess I'll have to wait on reports after the first broadcast.

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Originally Posted by timvp

That's a weak money grab. The NBA is going to penalize it's hardest of hardcore fans? Sometimes I can't understand their marketing.

Obviously I'm going to purchase it but I feel sorry for the hardcore fans who don't have the money laying around to waste it on this BS :td

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It makes total sense for the NBA to do this. The fans that are most likely to watch SL games tend to be the "die hards" who are precisely the ones most likely to pay.

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Originally Posted by CGD

It makes total sense for the NBA to do this. The fans that are most likely to watch SL games tend to be the "die hards" who are precisely the ones most likely to pay.

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I have to disagree. I major in marketing, and I think streaming SL games for free could attract a lot more awareness for these new players and thus increase in revenue.

Well, I know where to go for me to be able to watch it. :lol

BS!
Damn NBA

So you pay 15 bucks to get every game in shitty high school quality.



cool!

Son of a bitch! They decide to do this when I have absolutely no extra money to spend. Damn, and I watch the Summer League games every year. I'm extremely disappointed.

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Originally Posted by SpursFan0728

I have to disagree. I major in marketing, and I think streaming SL games for free could attract a lot more awareness for these new players and thus increase in revenue.

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Awareness from whom? I can't see there being a bunch of prospective NBA fans not currently following the sport who are going to choose the summer league as their introduction to the NBA product. The only people tuning in to summer league are people already interested in the NBA.

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Originally Posted by EricB

They got tired of their product being given away.

I don't blame them one bit.

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What product ? Charging for Summer games is a joke. You have a bunch of scrubs peppered with a few quality players that are trying to either improve or make someone's team.

Most of the guys that play won't even be a part of the NBA. The league should have been satisfied with generating interest in its product in the offseason OR found a happy medium by charging much less $$.

Nah, I blame them for not thinking straight.

I take it it's a test to gauge interest. That's exactly why I'm not going to be paying.

revenue - cost = profit. I'm guessing their costs are going up.

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Originally Posted by tmtcsc

What product ? Charging for Summer games is a joke. You have a bunch of scrubs peppered with a few quality players that are trying to either improve or make someone's team.

Most of the guys that play won't even be a part of the NBA. The league should have been satisfied with generating interest in its product in the offseason OR found a happy medium by charging much less $$.

Nah, I blame them for not thinking straight.

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NBA draft picks like Griffen and others playing?

NBA players playing period.


Its the NBA's product and as a fellow businessman I don't believe in giving away your product for free either.

Promotions from time to time sure, but just giving it away is insane.

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Originally Posted by phxspurfan

revenue - cost = profit. I'm guessing their costs are going up.

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NBA revenues are def. going DOWN in a major way.

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Originally Posted by EricB

NBA draft picks like Griffen and others playing?

NBA players playing period.


Its the NBA's product and as a fellow businessman I don't believe in giving away your product for free either.

Promotions from time to time sure, but just giving it away is insane.

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They charge for tickets, so you can't say they were giving it away entirely for free. They're just trying to be greedy and monetize it further.
It's their choice to do that. It's my choice not to pay for it and send them a message.

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Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

Awareness from whom? I can't see there being a bunch of prospective NBA fans not currently following the sport who are going to choose the summer league as their introduction to the NBA product. The only people tuning in to summer league are people already interested in the NBA.

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Is pretty simple. Free=more viewers=more awareness from those typical NBA fans that doesn't normally watch summer league.

Lets put it this way, my brother who isn't a dieheart nba fan but likes the sport might sit down to watch these rookies play for free in SL but no way in hell he'll pay $15 to watch them with low quality broadcasting. As a result, he bro won't give a shit about SL and rookies lost awareness.

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Originally Posted by SpursFan0728

Is pretty simple. Free=more viewers=more awareness from those typical NBA fans that doesn't normally watch summer league.

Lets put it this way, my brother who isn't a dieheart nba fan but likes the sport might sit down to watch these rookies play for free in SL but no way in hell he'll pay $15 to watch them with low quality broadcasting. As a result, he bro won't give a shit about SL and rookies lost awareness.

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So in either case the NBA isn't going to get any revenue out of him over the summer league. The question then becomes whether or not your brother and everyone else like him will say "I'm not going to watch real NBA games because the league tried to charge me for summer league games". If those people are truly interested in seeing those rookies, then the answer is no, they're not going to avoid the NBA entirely because they didn't feel like paying $15 for summer league.

I get it that as people who are interested in summer league we're pissed off that the NBA is doing this. I'm pissed about it and I'm not going to pay $15. But I don't see how you can argue that if it's revenue the league is interested in, this will help generate some.

Free = 100% of the potential audience contributing $0.
Not free = >0% of the potential audience contributing $15.

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Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

So in either case the NBA isn't going to get any revenue out of him over the summer league. The question then becomes whether or not your brother and everyone else like him will say "I'm not going to watch real NBA games because the league tried to charge me for summer league games". If those people are truly interested in seeing those rookies, then the answer is no, they're not going to avoid the NBA entirely because they didn't feel like paying $15 for summer league.

I get it that as people who are interested in summer league we're pissed off that the NBA is doing this. But I don't see how you can argue that if it's revenue the league is interested in, this will help generate some.

Free = 100% of the potential audience contributing $0.
Not free = >0% of the potential audience contributing $15.

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Hm..ok how about this.
Free=audience contributing 0 but more tickets/items/commercials sold due to higher awareness of these emerging players
Not free = audience contributing $15 but only from a few loyal dieheart fans.

Do u get my agruement now?

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Originally Posted by SpursFan0728

Hm..ok how about this.
Free=audience contributing 0 but more tickets/items/commercials sold due to higher awareness of these emerging players
Not free = audience contributing $15 but only from a few loyal dieheart fans.

Do u get my agruement now?

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I agree with this. If a casual fan happens to catch a Spurs SL game and likes, say, Blair, then he's more likely to eventually buy Blair gear, or even the NBA League Pass to follow him.
If he has to pay for the SL games, then that won't happen.

I want to add that I think this is pretty retarded also because this draft class was pretty lame overall. If they would have done it when players like Lebron were drafted, I could understand a bit better.

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Originally Posted by SpursFan0728

Hm..ok how about this.
Free=audience contributing 0 but more tickets/items/commercials sold due to higher awareness of these emerging players
Not free = audience contributing $15 but only from a few loyal dieheart fans.

Do u get my agruement now?

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I get your arguement just fine, I just don't agree with it. I don't think there are that many people out there who base their decisions on how much money they're going to spend on the NBA product on what happens in the summer league.

Who's willing to spend the money on this and let the rest of us know what the quality/announcers are like?

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Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

I get your arguement just fine, I just don't agree with it. I don't think there are that many people out there who base their decisions on how much money they're going to spend on the NBA product on what happens in the summer league.

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I think it does because there are millions of hits each hour on nba.com and tons of NBA fans would like to watch something during a long ass off season. So why not charge it for free and let as much viewers to watch as possible so that the increase in awareness could attract more revenue such as commercials/SL jerseys?/young player jerseys etc etc

So im going to be in Vegas this weekend, and I was wondering does it cost anything to be able to go and see the summer league games?

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Originally Posted by 5in10

So im going to be in Vegas this weekend, and I was wondering does it cost anything to be able to go and see the summer league games?

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Yes. Between $15 - $100, depending your age and where do you want to sit.

You can buy tickets here

^Thanks Man, do you know if you can buy them up front?

Think of how movie trailers work. They show you that shit for free to pique your interest for later.

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Originally Posted by Behrooz24

Think of how movie trailers work. They show you that shit for free to pique your interest for later.

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College and the international leagues serve that purpose for the NBA.

We'll see what the league does next year. Whether they're charging or not next year will be all the proof we need over whether or not the NBA thinks this was a good idea.

Even if you're gonna charge for Summer League coverage, 15 bucks seems pretty steep. Most fans are only going to care about 5 games of coverage; their own team's. Sure, I guess it allows you to watch all of the other teams scrubs if you really want. But the way I'm looking at it, that's $3 a game to watch the Spurs summer unit.

I guess they gotta cover costs however they can in these times, but I agree that this is a pretty lame move to pull. Unless the quality of the taping and broadcast goes up substantially, this is nothing but a money grab by the NBA.

I'll pay for it but it had better be Awesome coverage (high bandwith).

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Originally Posted by 5in10

^Thanks Man, do you know if you can buy them up front?

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Yes, you can buy them at http://www.unlvtickets.com/ and they'll have them at will call.

Well $15 for all the games isn't bad. But I agree if it's the same coverage and bandwidth it's not worth even that.

Holt & Co about to shell out $10+ million in luxury tax and people bitching they have to shell out $14.99 to go to leauge revenue. :lol

2009 NBA SUMMER LEAGUE PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS ANNOUNCES NBA SUMMER LEAGUE BROADBAND SERVICE
55 GAMES OVER 10 DAYS TO BE STREAMED LIVE on NBA.COM

July 8, 2009

NBA Summer League presented by EA SPORTS today announced the launch of NBA SUMMER LEAGUE BROADBAND, a new subscription service offering fans a full slate of live NBA Summer League game webcasts on NBA.com/summerleague.

NBA SUMMER LEAGUE BROADBAND will allow fans to see some of the newest NBA stars while following their favorite NBA teams as they compete in the hottest summer basketball action in Las Vegas. For a price of $14.99 and beginning on July 10, fans will have access to all 55 games on a live basis as well as on a video-on-demand basis for up to one week following the conclusion of the league’s final game.

To subscribe, fans may log onto NBA.com/summerleague beginning today and follow the links for NBA SUMMER LEAGUE BROADBAND.

NBA.com’s on-line coverage of NBA Summer League will be complemented by live studio programming on NBA TV. NBA GameTime will feature expert analysis from NBA TV host Andre Aldridge and analysts Steve Smith and Eric Snow who will showcase the players, stories and news that develop this summer. NBA Insider David Aldridge will also contribute to the network’s coverage. Shows will air beginning on Wednesday, July 8 and will air daily beginning on Friday, July 10. On-demand video clips of the studio programming will be available on NBA.com.

This year’s NBA Summer League presented by EA Sports will feature 21 NBA teams, including the 2009 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers, competing in a 55-game schedule. A team of NBA Development League Select players will also participate in the action taking place at the Thomas & Mack Center and the COX Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

LINK

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Originally Posted by picnroll

Holt & Co about to shell out $10+ million in luxury tax and people bitching they have to shell out $14.99 to go to leauge revenue. :lol

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If the $14.99 went straight to Holt, I'd do it in a second to show my appreciation for what he's done for us this offseason. But since it goes straight to Stern and his cronies, I'm a bit more hesitant.

The team that the spurs have in the summer league, might be worth it, guys.
Could they go undefeated??

I'm not mad that the league is doing this, I'm just mad that they're doing this right now, when I have no job to pay for this. That being said, I'm sure there will be someone sort of illegal streams somewhere on the internet.

some of you guys are so fucking frugle. its only 15 bucks. if you cant afford that i suggest you listen to bruce bowen and call hallmark.

I'm buying it, totally worth it. better be no lag or broadcast issues if we're paying for it.

If it's the same quality as the LP Broadband, I think it will be worth it.

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Originally Posted by Dex

I guess they gotta cover costs however they can in these times, but I agree that this is a pretty lame move to pull. Unless the quality of the taping and broadcast goes up substantially, this is nothing but a money grab by the NBA.

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I bet the games will still continue to cut off in the middle of the broadcasts. :bang

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Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

I get your arguement just fine, I just don't agree with it. I don't think there are that many people out there who base their decisions on how much money they're going to spend on the NBA product on what happens in the summer league.

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I agree. I think the assumptions linking "awareness" about new players and revenue are tenuous at best.

I think the online fee stems more from the fact that NBA.com doesn't want to undercut their TV programing. NBA TV is a premium channel which has to be bought as part of a cable package. Providing the same service online for free provides little incentive for fans to buy the channel.

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Originally Posted by Ryvin1

I'm buying it, totally worth it. better be no lag or broadcast issues if we're paying for it.

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That's a big IF. But we'll see after the fact.

not a bad business move. ofcourse i dont really see that many people paying for it..

Wait, i'm a bit confused, are they also playing some games on NBA TV too? I have that channel so it that case it's all good.

LOL, ridiculous.

Summer league comes and goes. It's meaningless even though we would all love to see Blair's first games.

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Originally Posted by anjlbitz

If it's the same quality as the LP Broadband, I think it will be worth it.

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I like LP broadband now and after having paid $19.99 (much less than $20) to see the last few games of the season last year I deem it well worth the price. Especially since the alternative was reruns of the Eric Byrnes Show or Suns games here in Phoenix.

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Originally Posted by EricB

They got tired of their product being given away.

I don't blame them one bit.

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so what, six people are going to be stupid enough to buy not a product not even good enough to be called a preason game

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Originally Posted by AnthonyM

So I have NBAtv, but can't watch the summer league games because they don't televise them, and if I want to watch online, I have to pay even though I'm already paying for NBAtv?

BS

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They need to go ahead and broadcast them on nbatv?...If I see another fucking Laker game on there this summer I am gonna fucking puke!!..That is such a waste of space?...I swear I have not tuned in to nbatv one time without seeing the fucking Fakers?....WTF??...:bang
:bang:bang:bang

they should broadcast it on nba
if you buy the nba package now they should broadcast the summer games to

So much for the one thing I was actually informed about. Now I can go back to relying completely on ST for my information. I wonder if they're going to start charging for Audio League Pass again, too.

Fuck them.

Not that it's going to do any good, but I sent the NBA an email, complaining about this.

contact info if you want it:

http://www.nba.com/email_us/contact_us.html

Can anyone tell me in which site can I watch the games on the internet without paying?

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Originally Posted by spursbird

Can anyone tell me in which site can I watch the games on the internet without paying?

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you can get banned for questions like this on the forum... IIWY I'd be careful...

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Originally Posted by urunobili

you can get banned for questions like this on the forum... IIWY I'd be careful...

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Fuck the NBA for pulling this shit on their most dedicated fans. They spend the whole fucking year pandering to the casual idiot Laker fan, and behind the scenes they're busy nickel-and-diming the hardcore fans to death. It would serve them right if all of us started paying attention to baseball at this time of year.

And the NBA is charging for this precisely because they have near-complete control over the dissemination of the video.

Screw it, I just signed up and paid my $15. I haven't been this excited about 2nd round draft picks in a long time.

this blows

I'm paying. It's less than what UNLV used to charge for internets access for one day during summer league.

The NBA is a business and the video is their product...why is this such a shocker?

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Originally Posted by ChumpDumper

I'm paying. It's less than what UNLV used to charge for internets access for one day during summer league.

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$15 is nothing. It's a cheap price.

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Originally Posted by beachwood

Screw it, I just signed up and paid my $15. I haven't been this excited about 2nd round draft picks in a long time.

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what is the link to sign up? I'm ready to pay too...

The first game starts in about 30 minutes (Rockets vs. Warriors). It'll be interesting to see the quality.

It must cost some coin to rent both T&M and the Cox Pavilion for 10 full days, given that only a few hundred tickets are bought for each day.

Can people that paid give us feedback on today's game?..if it's nice, I'll probably pay..

I don't have video up on mine yet but Rick Kamla is announcing. Wonder if they are going to have announcing for all the games.


EDIT: Now I have video.

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Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

Can people that paid give us feedback on today's game?..if it's nice, I'll probably pay..

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I am going to say the same thing.