Boom. There it is. The Astros and Rockets are starting their own Regional Sports Network (RSN) in 2012, in association with Comcast.
Sports Business Journal's John Ourand:
Comcast SportsNet Houston would be an regional sports network that will be up to 80-percent owned by the Astros and Rockets.
Since both teams will be on Fox Sports Houston next year, they do not want to participate in a big announcement that could potentially embarrass the network. And Comcast, with its NBC acquisition still in front of regulators, it is not looking to make a big splash, either.
Update: David Barron says that the RSN will take effect for Astros games in 2013. Presumably to celebrate the end of Carlos Lee's contract. Barron points out that the old deal (with FSH) was worth $50 million per year for the Rockets and Astros, each.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
