Streaming The Olympics

Yesterday morning something amusing happened.

My friend and I were headed out to go skiing and we both got texts from our children asking for the logins to our cable accounts.

I thought to myself that there must be tens of thousands of those text messages being sent at that moment.

Many of our adult children don’t have cable television. They stream their media over their laptops and AppleTVs.

And so when something big like the Olympics comes along, they head over to the network’s streaming services and they need to log in with their cable television credentials. Which, of course they don’t have. But their parents do.

This has been going on in our family for some time, but I realized yesterday that this goes on in many families these days.

The parents are still on cable, the kids are not, and at times, the kids need their parent’s logins.

The entire system is kind of whacky and designed to preserve the cable company’s relationships with the networks. It works, but it is clunky, and easily worked around.

I wonder how long this charade will continue before a better model emerges.

#livestreaming

Comments (Archived):

  1. Matt Zagaja

    In Cambridge, MA Comcast offers a bundle that functionally gives basic cable away if you were already planning to get Internet and pay for an HBO subscription via their streaming service offering. But I do use my parents login for some of the “extended” channels they have a subscription to that I don’t. In exchange I let them use my HBO password. My brother funds our Netflix subscription. HBO does limit simultaneous streaming which is a challenge if/when too many roommates/family members are using it at once.

  2. awaldstein

    Interesting.I cut the chord a long while ago.Still tethered to Apple TV and so need sign ins for Internet provider and itunes though not much more.And noticed that the amount of cables under the flat screen are pretty well gone as well.

  3. pointsnfigures

    I have to rehab an apartment. It’s a 1920s style. No cable in the front room. Trying to decide if it’s better to run a line there or not. Yes, there are work arounds but it can be incredibly frustrating to work around. The gatekeepers, Google, Amazon, Apple don’t always play nice in the sandbox together with various media companies either.

    1. awaldstein

      I can’t think of any example where I need to have cable TV (paid service) and now that Amazon is an app on Apple TV why do I need anything but Wifi for anything I do?If I’m missing something would like to know.

      1. Pointsandfigures

        Me too. I am thinking of buying a new Apple TV. I have an old one and it doesn’t work as well. Got a new Chromcast but it doesn’t play nice in the sandbox with a lot of apps

        1. awaldstein

          Apple TV just works.Price of device is irrelevant.Apps works flawlessly and with Amazon on honestly I have what I need except for super geeky film stuff.I also have literally hundreds of iTunes movies so I guess I am happily trapped.

        2. Matt Zagaja

          I upgraded to AppleTV 4K from their 3rd gen box and it’s the best streaming thing I’ve ever used. Highly recommend.

      2. Matt Zagaja

        While modern wifi is fairly reliable, nothing beats a solid cat6 drop. That being said I have a Netgear R6400 which works amazingly well in my apartment. Makes all the other WiFi I connect to seem like a joke.

        1. awaldstein

          we don’t have access to fiber in most places in ny. very few options. none are great. you deal and move on.

    2. LE

      This entirely depends on the cost and your resources. If nominal what is the downside (assuming wires can be hidden)? You can’t be wrong in having it regardless of whether you rent or use yourself. It’s like buying the car with the bigger engine or the TV or Oven with more features (generally with a few exceptions as always). One of the advantages of having some money is not having to stress over small amounts (which is not the same as being wasteful).I just got some extra cctv cameras installed at the office. I had the installer draw extra lines so that if I want to add other cameras he won’t annoy me inside doing that work. I think it cost another $40 for the cable in addition to whatever else I was paying. I didn’t even ask the cost, I just said to put in two extra cables. That way I have the flexibility in the future with less trouble and annoyance.

      1. PhilipSugar

        I am getting in new granite counters. (I had formica because I had young kids) It is ALWAYS cheaper to do it better up front than cheap out and have to tear things up.The company said we have a special on crappy granite, but I want Blue Norway. They said we will give you a free bar sink for your island, I said, I’ll buy hand hammered copper, they said we can do this without lowering your farmhouse sink but it won’t really match.My difference in cost? Maybe 25% over getting a shitty job. Same for tipping the installer crew BEFORE they start. Yup, I can get screwed, but give up front first and expect to get, lay out what you want.

        1. LE

          I tip the car park guy when I drop off the car at the lot (and also when I pickup). I would be curious how you phrase the upfront tip because I am wondering how to do that w/o implying there is no tip at the end. By my theories having something at the end is critical and makes it somewhat more interesting for them. I guess you have to say something like ‘and more for a good job’.On countertops we went with quartz because then there is no maintenance. I am not an expert on this but my understanding is Granite requires maintenance. But of course it depends on style as well but I was fine with quartz (cesarstone). Also iim easier to match in theory. The local wedding venue near us (a high class place) the granite wasn’t maintained well and it looks pretty bad. Ditto for even Trump Tower when I was there.Uba Tuba is the ‘crappy’ granite that everyone was pushing in our area. The blue norway looks nice.

          1. PhilipSugar

            Key is if it is a one time transaction I do for 50% more than expected and say thanks in advance. If it is an ongoing one, I still tip at 50% more and expect great service.Now you can get screwed, that is for sure, but don’t kid yourself. People that live on tips (waitress makes $2hr) share tips. The usual tell is a cock of the right side of the head while they look at you when talking to another. That is a polite way of pointing, and saying take care of him.

          2. JLM

            .Ubatuba has been around forever. It is a Brazilian stone and is very dark. Technically green, it looks black in anything other than intense light. The kitchen I just remodeled had Ubatuba.Almost everything I see these days is light trending toward white. Carrara is making a huge comeback because of the quality of the sealers. Carrara sealed with a pro quality sealer wears like granite.Nothing is as good as the manufactured quartz. It is indestructible.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…

          3. LE

            Part of the issue when remodeling is that anything thatyou do that isn’t classic will end up looking old in say 10 or 15 yearsin particular because you can then identify the time period because design has changed and moved on.For example we were looking at shore places and can immediately identify the stucco that was done in the 80’s and it doesn’t look good because it isn’t the current style. Kitchens are even easier I am sure you are familiar with the 80’s look.This is a great gig that the design industry has going on and shows what happens when there is nobody in charge deciding things (like in the diamond business).Our house is fairly nice outside because the style is more classic (woodsy) and has wooden shingles (which the woodpeckers love) however other houses in the neighborhood tried to do ‘modern’ (in the 80’s) and quite frankly they look like shit now (to me anyway).Personally I don’t like the Carrara white at all. In fact in the reality show “Bethenny and Frederick” (Bravo) they just did a kitchen in Carerra but used the Porcelin instead. To me it’s one of those ‘everyone is doing it’ so right off the top I don’t like that (because it then by my theory allows people to ‘date’ what you are doing).The only Carerra I like is the one that I own (911 my third).

          4. JLM

            .Right or wrong, the design life of kitchens and bathrooms is about 15 years. It is all a cycle.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…

          5. LE

            So when you say ‘had’ you mean you replaced it with something else or that is what you put in? If the latter I insulted you if the former it proves my point in the comment below (because it is nice actually just it seemed that we were told it was overdone).

          6. JLM

            .I put in Ubatuba about 22 years ago and took it out a couple of months ago. When I put it in, it was very exotic and expensive.Now, it is easily available and much less expensive.As you well know, I am unable to be insulted. Not that sensitive.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…

        2. JLM

          .Copper with Blue Pearl is an odd combination. One is an earth tone and one is a “cool” color.In the countertop business, buy your slabs directly from an importer and have a smallish fabricator do the work. This way, you have perfect control of the actual slabs and not just the name of the stone.I just re-did a kitchen and bought six perfectly matched slabs for just that purpose. It was substantially cheaper because I paid upon delivery to the fabricator. A lot of stone suppliers have to wait until the job pays to get paid.The key to a great installation is to use undermount sinks and cut the holes on site. You want an old guy who can use a diamond saw to do it perfect. Then, they can polish the edges on site.This way you have a perfect fit. All it takes for a re-fit is to be a 1/8 off anywhere for it to accumulate and show.Always have the backsplash put in after the countertops. Make sure to match the backsplash grout and the stone caulk.The most important skill is caulking. Use really, really good airplane quality caulk.Make sure to have the stone polished on site for cleanliness, not stone surface. Then, have it sealed with a pro grade sealer. This becomes the wearing surface, not the stone.Once a year, reapply the stone sealer.To get the very best price, let the fabricator/installer pick when to do the job within a 60 day window. They always have a hole in their schedule. I had a job done between Christmas and New Years and saved a bundle.These new manufactured surfaces are the wave of the future. They are hard as hell, impervious to all kinds of stains, and can be polished out if scratched. I just re-did a utility room and the job was perfect.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…

          1. PhilipSugar

            Thanks for the pro-tip. Yup that is why I am doing it now. Yes, they are not busy. Yes, they have about 10,000 slabs. It is a big place.As for quartz…..nice but I want stone at this point.Copper bar sink versus my solid porcelain main sink….yup, but I have an eclectic 1839 house, to get to it you go into a porch (now enclosed) step down and then step up into the main house.

  4. Eric Friedman

    A favorite interview question when getting to know a candidate: who’s Netflix password do you use? (Insert cable, HBO, Hulu etc as needed)

    1. Steve

      What do you hope to learn in so asking?

      1. Eric Friedman

        I’m half joking because I haven’t really ever asked it – it results in everyone participating telling stories like mentioned in post, family sharing, ex’s and more. Just a sociologically interesting question of our time. Lots have their own account and flaunt it while others have had a college roommates friends friend account for years.

    2. creative group

      Eric Friedman:You couldn’t figure out a more forward thinking question than what Netflix password word do you use? Hopefully you don’t interview people regularly.This blog does wonders for our knowing how down to earth and human we are. Robots in on the blog be damned.Captain Obvious!#UnequivocallyUnapologeticallyIndeIndepent

  5. Brandon Kessler

    I’m 44 and do the same thing. 🙂

  6. Charles Plant

    In Canada it is broadcast by CBC, (government owned) and they offer a huge variety of real-time feeds online. No need for cable and tremendous online coverage with no requirement to sign in.

  7. Woody Lewis

    I pay $40/month for YouTube TV. For that, I get live streams of CBS, NBC and ABC, along with a couple dozen others (Fox, which I don’t watch; ESPN, MSNBC, etc.) I have unlimited DVR on these streams and I can start watching a live stream from the beginning. I knocked my Spectrum (Time Warner) account down to Internet only to get the WiFi needed for YTTV. Not sure about the number of simultaneous devices allowed, but it’s definitely worth checking out. Even with my Sling subscription on Roku ($25/month, mainly for CNN, but also PBS archives, etc.), I’m still saving at least $100 compared to my previous Spectrum deal.

    1. Ryan

      I just did the same thing Friday evening. It’s an absolute no Braine for us, and I bet millions others as well.

  8. mikenolan99

    Cut the cord years ago… then my condo association added wi-fi to the basic cable package with the association dues. So now I do have a Comcast password.Sadly, the new Roku Hulu app is about the worst step backwards I have ever seen. No thumbnail scrub on fast forward/rewind, text heavy menu rather than icons, ANNOYING color changing background when browsing, etc.So bad that I added DVR capabilities to my basic cable package, and am an inch away from cancelling Hulu…

  9. chrisbook

    Even though we have slightly different TV over here with Sky and BT TV and olympics on the BBC exactly the same thing happens with paid TV logons for watching soccer.

  10. Steve

    I just asked my mum to make me an admin on their accounts, so I can do whatever I need to do. This helps me so I can watch Premier League on NBC and helps her because she doesn’t know how to deal with the cable company anyway. Agree it is a bit silly. If it weren’t for live sports I would have no need for a cable company at all.

  11. jason wright

    What?I don’t get the relationship between Olympic broadcasting rights (who has them?), networks (like NBC?), and cable companies (what precisely is ‘cable’?), and how this unholy trinity carves up the market. Sounds like a peculiarly American issue.The Olympic Games is nation state marketing nonsense.

    1. cavepainting

      This is not a US issue. It is how people who own content (like the sports leagues or the olympic associations) license to broadcasters and the broadcasters distribute through last mile providers. it is how content licensing and distribution works around the world. IPL for cricket in India or the premier league for soccer work similarly.

      1. jason wright

        I believe you. I never watch. It’s not ‘sport’. It’s just another form of mass media content. Sport is when *my* body is in motion and *my* heart beats faster. anything else is just proxy.

        1. cavepainting

          Watching Sports, News, Porn, and Shows are all the same thing and can easily morph into addictions. Better to be the creator than the consumer.

  12. Madeline Walsh

    Youtube’s new tv streaming service is a potential fix for this problem. It operates as a monthly subscription that you can cancel at any time. I sign up for months where there are lots of live events I want to watch ie. Super Bowl, Olympics and then I pause it the rest of the time.

    1. cavepainting

      That is exactly what I do with Sling TV as well. I can watch Olympics on NBC app using a Sling ID.Cable vs. streaming is not the real choice. Yes, streaming means the physical edge infrastructure is no longer required and that is tremendous convenience for the customer to subscribe on demand.In a world where everything is streamed, the real choice is about bundling (aggregators) vs. unbundling (content owners). Youtube TV, Comcast, Sling, etc. are aggregators while CBS, NBC, etc. are content owners.Maybe in the future, NBC can offer Olympics as a PPV for $29.99, but it will have to contend with upsetting aggregators like Sling and Youtube TV.There will always be conflict between bundling and unbundling. Bundling provides economies of scale and scope offering more bang for the buck to some customers. On the other hand, unbundling is the ultimate a la carte value prop. Ideally, you will have both, but the cannibalization of users causes complications.

      1. PhilipSugar

        See what happened to Boxing in the U.S. with that model. You get a very, very few big paydays, but the problem is without the foundation, you are just milking the past days. (And I know and live near Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins who is top five in the last century)

    2. LE

      Will note that one thing that is good for business with monthly or less subscriptions vs. yearly or other commitments is that they give companies the flexibility to slowly jack up rates vs. shock 1 time per year ‘sign on for 1 more year’. This happens I have noticed in the storage industry [1] or even with those Regus style rental offices (or I assume wework even). When someone is month to month and can leave anytime [2] (but there is a barrier to doing so) you can slowly get more money out of them because the increase is compared to what they were paying and seem less. Plus the person will continue to pay thinking they can switch later (but never do). So my point is while ‘cancel at anytime’ seems to be good it actually gives the provider advantages that they don’t have with longer term commitments.So you can raise your ‘rack rate’ but give free months or discounts to anyone new that way you don’t loose business.[1] About 8 years ago I rented some storage space and it was $70 or so a month. Now 7 years later it is close to $190 per month. I can leave at anytime I want. I can even more all that stuff to another unit in the same building but never do. I just keep paying the higher rate thinking I will leave when I get a chance. (Zero chance and they know it which is why they do it this way).[2] Checkout any time but can never leave.

  13. Nicholas Osgood

    Even worse, when I have to keep re-logging into my parent’s cable provider on our AppleTV apps for no apparent reason like ESPN, HBO, NBC, etc. Cut the chord 2+ years ago, but if my parents didn’t have cable still via Cox, I would have been out of luck especially for sports.

  14. LE

    I honestly don’t get what the ‘crime’ is here actually. And this is all driven by the Olympic industrial machine. (See my other comment re: trademarks which the USOC is particularly restrictive with)NBC (owned by Comcast) invests a tremendous amount of money and effort (at great risk) to broadcast the games. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wi…In 2011, NBC agreed to a $4.38 billion contract with the International Olympic Committee to broadcast the Olympics through the 2020 games, the most expensive television rights deal in Olympic history.[1] NBC then agreed to a $7.75 billion contract extension on May 7, 2014, to air the Olympics through the 2032 gamesAs such it is solely up to NBC/Comcast on how to monetize this and further their business interests. The Olympics isn’t some kind of public trust and quite frankly it’s not even a necessity it (like the Super Bowl) is just another form of entertainment. .Anyone who wants to bid on the games and make them more freely available can do so when the contract expires. Business is about risk. And this is a risk that NBC and Comcast take in order to make money. Regardless of whether someone else owned NBC and Comcast is using it to their advantage that was the rules of the game and they played fairly in getting this particular business advantage.http://www.nbcolympics.com/…[1] Last night I was commenting how many resources they must have had in order to cover the Olympics right after the Superbowl. How would you like to be the people making sure everything technically works as it should? (they did have a short blackout during the Superbowl).

    1. PhilipSugar

      I don’t think it really is as much of how much it costs to broadcast. Certainly it is millions of dollars. But that is absolutely trivial to the amount compared to the rights fees.My question has been (and I have been saying this for a long time so early is wrong) Eventually those rights fees will get clipped.When you charge so much to go to a game that no regular person can afford, and then you start charging huge rights fees so people like Fred’s kids want to cut the cord, your base will decline. Add in other entertainment options, an un-relenting pressure by technology people to get around those fees, and I think they have to go down.ESPN is rueing the day they signed the NBA deal. I haven’t watched a minute of the Olympics yet. I will but all of those sports organizations must be scared silly about if people can pick and choose their watching experience.We work in Horse Racing. They are the canary in the coal mine. See what happened. Golf was next.

      1. LE

        I am just highlighting the ‘risk of doing business’ given the entire expenditure and sales operation (for advertising) that follows and ‘all of that jazz’.Look back in the day my father attended 4 gift shows per year. Those 4 shows drove most of his business. He couldn’t afford to miss the shows and he couldn’t afford to not be at the shows to meet ‘the big customers’. The actual cost of the shows wasn’t the big issue (even with the lard ass union guys who extorted him at the convention center <—- gets a jab in there oddly I am now more pro-union.) He had his heart attack a week after one of those shows. He said he knew something was wrong but he couldn’t afford to miss the show. Welcome to small business. My point is that putting on a production like the Superbowl or Olympics (Brian Roberts called it like ’18 Superbowls’) is a tremendous undertaking. Plenty of things can happen that can entirely screw up that profit center which without checking I can assume drives a great deal of NBC/Comcast profits. But that is why you are in business rather than punching a time clock or delivering for the postal service.

      2. Salt Shaker

        I too thought we had reached a tipping point, but the recent FOX rights deal for NFL Thursday night suggests otherwise ($60M per game, +$15M/game over previous deal). Even with declining ratings, the broadcast networks have always viewed the NFL as a strong vehicle for driving tune-in for their prime time lineup, even justifying the investment as a loss leader. (Certainly was the case as far back as 1986 when Diller created FOX and the network did its first NFL deal.) Over the years ESPN unquestionably drove sports rights fees up significantly w/ their dual rev stream providing the requisite financial offset. ‘Live’ sports is still the Holy Grail, even with its ratings under duress. Fewer people are def watching but it still delivers unparalleled numbers.

        1. PhilipSugar

          Think about that $3 a head for every man woman and child in the U.S.

        2. Pointsandfigures

          Maybe they made a mistake?

      3. cavepainting

        more people watching sports -> more advertising inventory -> more advertising dollars -> higher rights fees -> more money to players and owners in NBA.Live sports is the biggest driver for TV and streaming subscriptions and the advertising is what subsidizes the cost. I really do not see this changing, at least for for NBA, NFL, and MLB.Can you share more about what happened in horse racing and Golf?

        1. PhilipSugar

          Virtuous Circle, Death Spiral. You are in one or the other.When your parents no longer have interest…..and there are other uses of time? Next generation doesn’t care.I agree the one use case of certain entertainment is you cannot “content snack”. Harry Friedman winner of 37 Emmys and I had this discussion. Miss out on the Eagles strip sack that won the Super Bowl live??? Not the same. Same for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.Sit there with the Food Channel on??? Who cares?

          1. cavepainting

            I think the next generation in the US still cares a lot about baseball, basketball, and football. Next generation in South Asia is as or even more crazy about cricket as the previous one. So is the case for soccer in Latin America.Live mainstream sports is a goldmine. I really do not see this going away anytime soon.I am also thankful that sports is still relevant. I would much rather have my kids watch basketball and be inspired to play outside than be addicted to their phones and video games.

          2. PhilipSugar

            I am not sure about the US. Look at Nascar….down 40% in three years. NFL down 10% this year (now people will point out the national anthem issue and the rule changes)But I do see less people at the games (except for the big ones or for teams that are doing really well) That is an early warning indicator.

  15. LE

    The USOC and trademarks:https://www.cnbc.com/2016/0…Just before the last Summer Games in London, a Greek restaurant in Philadelphia was forced to change its name and logo after 30 years in business, according to Philly.com. Olympic Gyro rebranded as Olympia Gyro after receiving cease and desist letters from the USOC. Yes, things like this really do happen:This year, a Minnesota carpet-cleaning company filed suit against the USOC in August requesting a declaratory judgement to clarify the law when it comes to public discourse and social media conversations. Specifically, the Zerorez company received a cease and desist letter after sending a series of tweets with wishes to 11 Minnesotans representing the U.S. in Rio.And that Olympic money even buys politicians and laws to protect the right of the organization to be able to bust anyone’s balls that they want:The USOC actually has special permission from the government concerning use of its name as well as the words “Olympic” and “Olympiad.”https://www.congress.gov/10…It even goes this far:https://lizerbramlaw.com/20…“Commercial entities may not post about the Trials or Games on their corporate social media accounts,” reads the letter written by USOC chief marketing officer Lisa Baird. “This restriction includes the use of USOC’s trademarks in hashtags such as #Rio2016 or #TeamUSA.”The USOC owns the trademarks to “Olympic,” “Olympian” and “Go For The Gold,” among many other words and phrases.The letter further stipulates that a company whose primary mission is not media-related cannot reference any Olympic results, cannot share or repost anything from the official Olympic account and cannot use any pictures taken at the Olympics.

  16. Steve Zengel

    Dude, this is so unfair to post for people like me, having extreme focus on a company I am building yet with a propensity for squirrel-like attention deficit. Immediately, I want to go research and subsequently build a team and deck on that. I won’t. However, this is a great example, in my very humble opinion, of how opportunities arise from market pressure points and consumer pain. Uber. Dollar Shave. Countless others. Now, what? Wilson’s Wireless? Clamp? Let’s get to it entrepreneurs!

  17. Rob Underwood

    This post made me remember that my first interaction with our host was an email exchange regarding some question prep I was doing on OTT services for a 2011 Digital Hollywood panel I was moderating while still at Deloitte – http://prime.digitalhollywo… … That was 7 years ago. It’s actually amazing quicker progress has not been made to move to a new model.

  18. creative group

    CONTRIBUTORS:An issue we have with cutting the chord is WiFi connections are known not to be secured so most WiFi disconnect when using a VPN app.The month to month offerings some stated already are amazing.Captain Obvious!#UnequivocallyUnapologeticallyIndeIndepent

  19. Salt Shaker

    Cord cutting hasn’t reached the point where the legacy cable model needs to be abandoned. It’s under duress, for sure, but MSO sub numbers are still large. With continued erosion the model could eventually evolve into “pay for play” w/ terms tied to metered usage (I.e., you pay only for what you watch). 2nd and 3rd tier cable networks, mostly currently reaching a niche audience anyway, would likely be most challenged under that scenario and could spin out to exclusive OTT distribution w/ flat rate pricing of a few bucks a month. Many 2nd and 3rd tier networks won’t survive, though.

  20. Vendita Auto

    These simple things serve to remind me of the technological and generational gulf that exists in advanced techno cultures and the incredible made in advances in China.

  21. george

    I’m watching this Winter Olympics via streamed experience and I have to say, Hulu has really impressed me, with their approach around organizing content and creating a beautiful and simple viewer experience. The writing has been on the wall for the cable operators for a long time but now, they are officially just a power cord.

  22. Fraser

    Unable to access online credentials for US cable we ended up getting a VPN so we could stream the freely available Canadian broadcasts online (no credentials needed). Frustrating at times during this transition.

  23. Grace Schroeder

    Is it a violation of terms of service to hand out your logins?

    1. LE

      See this (for one opinion):https://www.bloomberg.com/n…Business wise though it would make sense if the cable companies said that a password could be shared with any family members in the same house but not if the family member lived elsewhere.

      1. Grace Schroeder

        I once read that if all cable customers were not subsidizing — the ESPN subscription would cost $50/month. I am starting to look at a metered collection of services vs. paying for channels that sit stagnant when certain shows are on hiatus. i wish there was a good news collection – Al Jazeera, BBC etc (along with the usual US suspects) – available on demand.

        1. PhilipSugar

          I don’t think it would be that high, but it would make their revenue decline significantly which means they would pay much, much less rights fees to the leagues.Like so many things in business and life you see good things reach their apex and excess well past what is sustainable. Then you watch the decline. The decline is always hard and it accelerates down faster than it goes up.

  24. Jeff Judge

    We do the same with my father-in-laws credentials. I can’t see this model lasting beyond the next 5-10, it runs so counter to consumer expectations.

  25. Richard

    Cmon people resist. Take a stance! If it can not be purchased unbundled DO NOT SUPPORT IT.Those with the $$ can force change

  26. panterosa,

    As an adult, I ask my wasband. He grudgingly gives it to me.

    1. Chimpwithcans

      What is this Wasband?…. a new kind of wearable tech? 🙂

      1. panterosa,

        former husband

        1. Chimpwithcans

          I know…‘twas a joke

  27. Kevin

    NBC needs to charge $20 for access to capture those “one and done” folks. They probably can’t because of some stupid legal/licensing issue but man that seems like a decent source of revenue if your “tens of thousands of texts” is anywhere near accurate.I’m just thankful my Sling app works as a login to access the streaming content.

  28. JamesHRH

    Follow Rich Greenfield of BTIG analysts on Twitter.The answe is not long.

  29. Lynn Huffman

    Agreed. We have three adult children for whom we provide our Uverse login info for all kinds of access to “cable” programming. When I think about dropping the TV portion of Uverse, I remember that our “kids” won’t be able to access all of their favorite programs if we do that. Classic Baby Boomer mentality, but I don’t mind.

  30. Dave Chase (@chasedave)

    This 50+ year old “kid” is doing the same thing as yours…sucking off my parent’s cable subscription that I canceled long ago. Olympics are one of the few times I feel the need.

  31. Chimpwithcans

    The numbers are so big in live sports. It’s the only thing Cable companies have left. In Africa the draw is the Premier League. Olympics pale in comparison. Usain Bolt held some sway, and the Kenyans can out run the Americans which is nice….but ice and snow is hard to relate to over here. Everyone knows who Mourinho and Pogba are, though.

  32. BillMcNeely

    I rarely watch TV in the traditional sense. I live with 7 people and its never quiet in the living room. So most of the time its Netflix, Youtube on demand stuff on my phone and some shows on NATGEO and History are nice to get on DirectTV via their app.My stepdaughter and nephew (both 15 born 2 weeks apart) don’t watch TV at all. Its all videos online and gaming. My niece who is 9 told me yesterday I hate TV and went back to an online based movie.TV is not going to last long. I can envision something Lunar Wireless in the future. https://lunarwireless.com/

  33. christianbusch

    Login sharing is very prevalent – also among cord cutters like myself. However, I’d love to just buy an ad-free experience pass to something like the Olympics so I don’t have to suffer through the same five commercials (Walmart, Toyota, United Health, Black Panther….) looping over and over again on the NBC Roku app!

  34. Daniel Vogel

    > The entire system is kind of whacky and designed to preserve the cable company’s relationships with the networks. It works, but it is clunky, and easily worked around.This is more true for the international audiences. Most of us would be happy to pay, but there’s literally no way to stream the olympics except for finding a workaround, which is crazy!

  35. Laurent Courtines

    As a huge sports fan, I collect peoples logins to watch whatever games are necessary. I keep a spreadsheet and whenever I go to someones house and I have a laptop I casually ask if I can stream something… invariably, they are willing to hand over their passwords… At this point I have five that I use whenever necessary. It’s folks like my sister, my brother, my mother, the in-laws, couple guys at work 3-jobs ago and so on.

  36. Grace Schroeder

    UPDATE: Inspired to cut the cord I 1. Signed up for YouTube TV 2. Ordered 4G Apple TV 3. Downloaded YouTube TV App from the App Store 4. Reduced Verizon to Internet only. TV is playing happily away, cable box headed toward the door. Three streams for $35.00/month.

  37. jason wright

    why me?