Alex,

Thanks for the information here. Real disappointment in this development. While I can't say I was glued to, say, pairs figure skating or beach volleyball, my appetite for Alpine skiing and track field - to cite two examples near to my heart - was endless. As such, I was endlessly grateful (if a little confused by the lack of HD broadcasts) for the availability of Universal Sports here in Philadelphia (over the air, on the NBC channel, which is owned by Comcast). In terms of Before and After, the limitations of a pure Over the Air lifestyle are becoming louder and louder, so much so that I at least inquired about the costs of either Comcast or Direct TV.

One point of clarification, though, or perhaps correction. Inasmuch as Comcast is the majority stakeholder of NBC, and Universal was a subsidiary of NBC, I have to believe this was a Comcast decision. The Universal execs are employees, ultimately, of Comcast.

Though I wish it wasn't so, you have to believe that in Comcast's view of the world, the ONLY available programming is paid programming, that is, that the television experience doesn't exist unless you pay for it.

Thank you for the information.