Excuse me if I missed a few things in this long thread but the reality is that HBO paid for the rights and asked the Cable companies to show it for "free"---in otherwords open the HBO channel to non-subscribers.   Some did (I assume)and some did not(another assumption). I have HBO so was able to see it.

My point is let us not blame HBO---they paid for it and they offered it for free. If the cable companies refused then it was their greed and self interest that should be faulted.

Bill Hahn