Many KY Sports Fans Hoping a Certain High-Powered Showdown Ends

I hate it when two dueling entities that generate more money than I'll ever see in 20 lifetimes have a detrimental effect on a key reason I enjoy the fall.

Fans Caught in the Middle of Disney/Charter Standoff

First of all, ATTENDING a football game is the very best way to soak in the sport AND the fall weather. But if you can't attend a game, watching it on TV--naturally--is the next best thing. But "the next best thing" will prove to be elusive to many a fan if two ginormous companies--at loggerheads over a distribution agreement--don't come to a meeting of the minds. Come on...we're already facing a potential vast entertainment wasteland in the next 36 (or more) months because of the Hollywood strikes; don't make it hard to enjoy this wonderful autumn pastime, and, perhaps, even college hoops, too.

Yes, it's Charter Communications vs. the Mouse House, and tens of millions of fans of Disney owned networks are caught in the middle. Well, I said "networks." What it really boils down to is sports; based on comments I've seen, I don't think folks are lamenting the absence of, say, The Bachelor or Celebrity Family Feud in quite the way they're missing football.

If you follow the comment thread on that post, you'll see a response from Spectrum.

Both Disney and Charter Have Their Detractors

I am not here to blame either side, but it does kind of stick in my craw that these corporate money trees are having a partial effect on my entertainment. I have no intention of taking sides, and I don't think I'm alone...but not in the way one might expect; it seems both parties aren't being added to anyone's Christmas card list anytime soon.

The Disney/Charter Showdown's Effect on Kentucky Sports

When this all began last week, I was really only thinking about the ESPN networks and ABC. But Disney owns a whopping 19 networks that are currently blacked out due to the standoff. And that includes the SEC Network. Charter customers who wanted to watch the Kentucky Wildcats blow out Ball State Saturday either had to go to a friend's house, a bar, or abandon the service for a streaming platform like YouTube TV or Fubo.

Considering the fact that I enjoy a lot of streaming content NOT available on cable or cable alternatives, I'm hesitant to sign up for any of them. I don't really want a cable bill or a DE FACTO cable bill in addition to the streamers I enjoy.

And so, like everyone else, I'll bide my time until this thing gets worked out. But here's my opinion on the situation...NEITHER side has any motivation, it seems, to yield to the other at the present time. Disney has subscriptions to sell, and Charter doesn't want to run off customers by inflating their prices.

I guess we'll just have to grab the popcorn and watch how this plays out...as long as we don't have to watch it play out on ESPN or ABC.