[sumo] Classic sumo

Fri Jun 27 03:28:12 EDT 2008

Hal, I've had many discussions with Comcast in the Concord,  CA area a well as with TV Japan. The SAP program is sent along with the primary audio. If I can be of assistance please email directly or through the list. Most of the Comcast CSR's have no idea how to receive the SAP.
I subscribe to TVJapan just for the 15 days of the basho. That keeps the extra cost to a mininum

David

> From: hal6671 at sbcglobal.net
> To: sumo at webtrek.com
> Subject: RE: [sumo] Classic sumo
> Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:04:04 -0700
> 
> I think you might be underestimating the ability of people who
> have never even been exposed to sumo before to get hooked on the spectacle
> and majesty of it.  
> 
> I was first exposed to sumo when I was stationed in Okinawa in 1972
> when we returned the Ryukyus to Japan's control.  All of a sudden 
> we had an alternative to AFRTS and in July 72 I got my first taste
> of sumo.  I was hooked instantly.
> 
> Upon transfer to the Philippines in 1973 and back stateside in 1976
> I lost contact with sumo but never the love.  I often described it
> to my wife, who had never been in Japan and she seemed genuinely
> interested.  With the advent of the Internet in the 80's I tried to
> find out more about what was going on but the pickings were very 
> slim if you didn't read Japanese.  Later in the 90's and later many
> good sites came along including Sumo Talk, Sumo Forum, Sumo Fan Magazine
> etc. which made keeping up with it easier.
> 
> Then a few years ago our local cable company (then AT&T now Comcast) added
> TVJ to it's lineup and I made up my mind that the 20-25 bucks a month was 
> worth it for sumo every other month.  My wife is hooked, my 30 year old
> daughter and even her NASCAR loving, red-necked husband is even hooked, heck
> even my 11 year old grandson has been hooked.  His favorite rikishi is
> Takekaze!
> 
> So yeah there are only so many of us die hards from the services or civilian
> job experience in Japan but like a stone in a pond we create ripples.  Each
> one of us shares our love and knowledge of sumo with others who in turn pass
> it on and so on and so on until the sumo watching demographic of TVJ
> comprised of English speaking peoples can be quite large indeed.
> 
> My only gripe about TVJ (and it's actually about Comcast) is that they only
> provide the English sap program to "Satellite and select cable systems" and
> I guess that Fairfield's Comcast is not one of the "select" systems.
> 
> Anyway I apparently digress.  I have personally added about 8 individuals to
> the fan base and if each of us did the same or better I think you can see
> how it could make them take notice if we all started asking for something at
> once.
> 
> 
> Hal "Chisaiyama" Shaver
> 極小山
> -----Original Message-----
> From: sumo-bounces at webtrek.com [mailto:sumo-bounces at webtrek.com] On Behalf
> Of Lon Howard
> Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 1:34 PM
> To: Sumo Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [sumo] Classic sumo
> 
> 
> On Jun 24, 2008, at 5:58 PM, Barbara wrote:
> 
> >
> >
> > Lon Howard wrote:
> >> I agree with you regarding TV Japan's service regarding sumo -  
> >> it's been exemplary.  I simply meant - but not clearly expressed -  
> >> that they COULD easily drop sumo coverage IF they thought it  
> >> wasn't relevant anymore OR profitable.  Under these conditions it  
> >> would be an easy decision because they wouldn't lose that many  
> >> subscribers.  Most subscribe to TV Japan for reasons other than sumo.
> >
> > TV Japan has no trouble relating the sumo coverage to the number of  
> > subscribers they have because a significant fraction of subscribers  
> > cancel their TVJ during the 6 non-sumo months, incurring a $5  
> > charge instead of $25 for the month, to save money.  TVJ can see  
> > their subscriber base going up and down each month.
> 
> 
> Thanks for your thoughts, Barbara.  I guess there's no way to know  
> what this fraction is, but based on my many experiences 'on the  
> ground' with the demographic I belong to, it wouldn't be very high.   
> My opinions are based on the fact that this demographic of English  
> speaking fans outside Japan (retired/ex-military who were stationed  
> in Japan for some years) SHOULD be the one with the most interest in  
> sumo, having had direct exposure in Japan.  I just haven't found this  
> interest so it's hard for me to believe that there are that many of  
> us English-speaking sumophiles out there.   It's possible I've been  
> running in the wrong circles, or running in circles generally, but  
> I'm just going by what I've experienced.  Anyway, I'm very happy with  
> TVJ right now, so I've probably generated an irrelevant sub-thread.
> 
> - Shomishuu 
>   
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