4 Braves Spring Training games on CSS

[stod]

Anybody know the details on this came about?

 

[fussbudget]

Two years ago, CSS inked a contract with the Atlanta Braves to simulcast 45 regular season and a handful of exhibition games produced by WPCH-TV.

 

[stod]

These games aren't WPCH games, these are exclusive to CSS.

 

[Phronen]

Correct, but as fussbudget said, the exhibition games are part of the deal that they reached to simulcast 45 regular season WPCH-TV games.

 

[Bengalsfan]

Good grief. I wish Comcast would offer this channel to the satcasters like their other regional channels.

 

[stod]

DirecTV, Dish Network, and other cable ops provide the Peachtree games. I wish they could show these games too...

 

[MarkL]

MLB Network will also air 3 of the 4 CSS games.

 

[stod]

I am betting I am going to be blacked out on the MLB Network. I have the DVR set for tomorrow anyway.

 

[Bengalsfan]

I have mine set too. Since I'm not in CSS coverage, maybe it won't be blacked out here.

 

[stod]

Not blacked out here in TN.

 

[Bengalsfan]

Yea, they showed it up here in Louisville, too. Spring is close at hand!!! ;D

 

[stod]

I have given this more thought. In the past Turner South/TBS had 2 or 4 ST games. So these CSS games came with the Peachtree Package? Fox Sports South/SportSouth is supposed to have a LONG term deal for their 105 regular season games. I think the Peachtree deal runs through 2012 or 2013. Will CSS bid for that package of games? Will Peachtree try to keep them, or would FSN pay more to have all the games?

 

[MarkL]

I have given this more thought. In the past Turner South/TBS had 2 or 4 ST games. So these CSS games came with the Peachtree Package? Fox Sports South/SportSouth is supposed to have a LONG term deal for their 105 regular season games. I think the Peachtree deal runs through 2012 or 2013. Will CSS bid for that package of games? Will Peachtree try to keep them, or would FSN pay more to have all the games?

I believe the CSS Spring Training games are separate from the Peachtree Package. Turner South/TBS always had the last 2 games of the Spring from Turner Field -- and they've aired either on Peachtree or Fox/SportsSouth in recent years.

As for the 45 regular season games on Peachtree -- those games are pretty much the reason Turner still owns Channel 17 in Atlanta. It expires in 2013, same time as the TBS national deal -- seems likely if TBS loses those games, they won't re-up for Braves games either.

CSS is limited to Charter and Comcast cable subscribers, so they would have to open up to Satellite and the other cable companies to have a chance to get regular season games on their own. The Peachtree games they carry now are available to all cable/satellite companies in the Braves territory.

 

[stod]

I would like to have CSS for the college sports too. Has it been determined who is going to be calling the WPCH games with Joe?

 

[BRice16]

Has it been determined who is going to be calling the WPCH games with Joe?

Announced yesterday that the Peachtree games will be Ernie Johnson Jr., John Smoltz, and Joe Simpson. Simpson will do Play-by-pla when Johnson is absent due to the NBA Playoffs.

 

[Hotseat]

Why is Don Sutton being shut out of TV? He's fine for radio play by play, but a much better analyst for TV.

 

[BRice16]

Why is Don Sutton being shut out of TV? He's fine for radio play by play, but a much better analyst for TV.

Because the team wanted the radio guys to be radio-only. Turner's original propsal after firing Chip and letting him go to FSN/SS was to use Don and Jim Powell on the Peachtree games and the team letting Chip and Joe do radio. Obviously, that didn't go over well.