Fox to ink new deal with MLB; TBS also involved

[jerry19]

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/baseball/mlb/07/11/fox.deal/index.html

Fox to ink new deal with MLB
Posted: Tuesday July 11, 2006 9:09AM; Updated: Tuesday July 11, 2006 10:58AM
By Jon Heyman, SI.com

PITTSBURGH -- Major League Baseball has reached a new seven-year TV deal with Fox, baseball executives told SI.com on Tuesday morning.

The new agreement, which will be announced at 5:30 p.m. today by commissioner Bud Selig, will guarantee baseball more than the $400 million it received from the network's previous contract, which expires after this season.

According to the new deal, Fox will air the World Series, the All-Star Game, a schedule of Saturday games and one League Championship Series each year, alternating between the leagues from year to year. The other League Championship Series is still up for bids.

Also, TBS is expected to get rights to the Division Series starting in 2007 and weekly regular-season games in '08.

 

[jerry19]

TV Week article

Source: http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=10332

July 11, 2006
Networks Reach New Baseball Agreements
World Series, Game of the Week Deals on Tap
By Jon Lafayette
Fox and Turner Sports reached new agreement with Major League Baseball that keeps the World Series on Fox and creates a game of the week package on Turner, which will also televise on the divisional playoff series.

Story continues below...

Fox is paying about $250 million a year over seven years for its baseball package, according to sources familiar with the transactions. The Fox deals include the All-Star Game, a Saturday exclusive game-of-the-week package (expanded to 26 weeks from 18 weeks) and one League Championship Series per season, airing the National League series in even numbered years and the American League in odd numbered years.

Fox had wanted to maintain its relationship with baseball while limiting its payments for expensive sports rights. Under the new arrangement, Fox will no longer televise the divisional playoffs and will broadcast fewer League Championship Series games, giving its entertainment division additional time slots in the fall.

Turner Sports, which already televises Braves games, jumps in with a non-exclusive package of Sunday afternoon games that will be blacked out in local markets. Turner will as air the divisional championship series, the sources said.

Negotiations continue between Major League Baseball, Fox and Turner to determine which network will air the second League Championship Series.

The latest deals appear to leave ESPN, which carries baseball games in the regular season, out of the playoff mix.

MLB is expected to announce the deals this afternoon at a press conference from the All Star Game in Pittsburgh.

 

[toby]

This sucks, since Fox has some of the worst baseball coverage *cough*Tim McCarver*cough* anywhere.

 

[KeithE4]

This sucks, since Fox has some of the worst baseball coverage *cough*Tim McCarver*cough* anywhere.

Unfortunately, any other network that might have taken over would probably hired McCarver anyway (think NBC hiring Al Michaels and John Madden).

Besides, it's either Fox or 100% cable. I don't think ABC, CBS, and NBC were interested for that amount of money. The other networks also have other Saturday afternoon committments at various times during baseball season: Golf (CBS, NBC, ABC), the NBA (ABC), the Stanley Cup playoffs (NBC), NASCAR (NBC & ABC), horse racing (NBC & ABC), & college football (ABC & CBS).

 

[Morgan Wick]

This sucks, since Fox has some of the worst baseball coverage *cough*Tim McCarver*cough* anywhere.

Unfortunately, any other network that might have taken over would probably hired McCarver anyway (think NBC hiring Al Michaels and John Madden).

Besides, it's either Fox or 100% cable. I don't think ABC, CBS, and NBC were interested for that amount of money. The other networks also have other Saturday afternoon committments at various times during baseball season: Golf (CBS, NBC, ABC), the NBA (ABC), the Stanley Cup playoffs (NBC), NASCAR (NBC & ABC), horse racing (NBC & ABC), & college football (ABC & CBS).

I think ABC will stop showing most golf soon. NASCAR will leave NBC when ABC starts it. And I think Fox wants to get into the regular-season college football game at some point, since they have the BCS.

 

[TroyG]

As we speak, I don't think the other 3 broadcast networks won't be interested in carrying the MLB. The reason: Spending too much money on deals that won't go anywhere + It's ALL about the ratings. Look for ESPN to take over the other half of the LCS package as it alternates with FOX, which will get the A-LCS package in 2007. Then it's Vice-Versa in 2008. It WILL be a hit with fans.

 

[radiolives]

Something to ask? How come FOX wants baseball but CBS, NBC, or ABC (ESPN's sister) doesn't want baseball. I could see why CBS doesn't as they lost money years ago. NBC had MLB but not sure why they don't want baseball. Would be nice if they took it away from FOX would go nice with what NBC got last year which was the NFL. And ABC, ESPN could of paid money for it and use their great broadcasters from ESPN on ABC also. But I don't know they work a lot during the week with the week games ESPN picks to show.

 

[jal41]

Re: Braves on TBS

After the 2007 season, the Braves will no longer be on TBS nationally, just locally on WTBS Atlanta. Atlanta board has discussion on this.

And they do this after Ted Turner left the building. I wonder what he would say about this?

 

[ixnay]

I could see why CBS doesn't as they lost money years ago.

If the Eye could've resurrected Dizzy Dean, it'd have been another story.

BTW the last MLB pitch thrown on CBS: 1993-Mitch Williams (the real-life "Wild Thing" (think Charlie Sheen in Major League)) to Joe Carter, who turned it into one of the great WS moments - and the last WS moment of any quality until 1995.

Back to topic: In this new deal, will Fox be showing MLB every Saturday or must we continue to wait until after Memorial Day?

ixnay

 

[TroyG]

As a big baseball fan...

I have also followed The Braves on Cable. As well as The Sox and the Cubbies. Viewers across the country watched these teams, and they passed them through the next generation. All of them were cash cows to Time Warner (TBS), Mr. Blank (The Braves' New Owner), and to Tribune. After next season, looks like those die-hard fans will be watching WGN for the best Baseball coverage outside of FOX and ESPN; Especially for the Sox and for Hawk & DJ.-And They are much more popular than Len and Bob. "You CAN put it on the Boooooaaaard.....YES!!!!"-Ken "The Hawk" Harrelson

 

[BDBopper]

Has baseball killed the golden goose here? 15 years plus ago you had the Braves on TBS, the Cubs and White Sox on WGN, the Mets on WOR, and many teams broadcasting their games on 50,000 clear channel (not the company) AM stations. Slowly but surely all that is going by the wayside. Does Baseball want fans of a team to be centered around that team's market? Doesn't make sense merchandising and attendence wise.

I am very unhappy to say that it is the end of an era and in the longrun I think MLB will suffer.

 

[Nertz!]

Bud Selig is just a greedy idiot.

 

[Jul]

Press Release:

Major League Baseball has reached agreements with FOX Broadcasting Company and Turner Broadcasting System on comprehensive new over-the-air and cable television rights packages through the 2013 season

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/...ent_id=1552548&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

[Irishfl]

Has baseball killed the golden goose here? 15 years plus ago you had the Braves on TBS, the Cubs and White Sox on WGN, the Mets on WOR, and many teams broadcasting their games on 50,000 clear channel (not the company) AM stations. Slowly but surely all that is going by the wayside. Does Baseball want fans of a team to be centered around that team's market? Doesn't make sense merchandising and attendence wise.

I am very unhappy to say that it is the end of an era and in the longrun I think MLB will suffer.

Its all about greed. MLB now has extra innings, and MLB TV for out of market games. They started by limiting the number of games TBS could air, and eventually you won't be able to see anything outside network games, and local. BTW, wpix ch 11 in New York was a superstation, and use to have the yankees on all the time.

 

[toby]

WPIX is now the broadcast home of the Mets, but they have only a handful of games as SNY airs the majority.

 

[oldvnewschool]

I guess the superstaions are really a dying breed. :-[

What I'm confused about the deal is what does it say about the

two telecasts that ESPN shows, Daygame and Thursday Night Baseball,

that are not part of the deal they signed last year. Are they going to continue on

or are they on the taking.

And also did ESPN or ABC televise some LDS games in 1995?

 

[EnbyCee]

Has baseball killed the golden goose here? 15 years plus ago you had the Braves on TBS, the Cubs and White Sox on WGN, the Mets on WOR, and many teams broadcasting their games on 50,000 clear channel (not the company) AM stations. Slowly but surely all that is going by the wayside. Does Baseball want fans of a team to be centered around that team's market? Doesn't make sense merchandising and attendence wise.

I am very unhappy to say that it is the end of an era and in the longrun I think MLB will suffer.

Its all about greed. MLB now has extra innings, and MLB TV for out of market games.

They have those services available for out of market games, provided you are not within the often ridiculously large blackout area of your favorite team. In Iowa and Nevada, up to SIX teams are blacked out in given areas, regardless of whether or not local broadcasters actually carry those teams.

 

[EnbyCee]

I guess the superstaions are really a dying breed. :-[

What I'm confused about the deal is what does it say about the

two telecasts that ESPN shows, Daygame and Thursday Night Baseball,

that are not part of the deal they signed last year. Are they going to continue on

or are they on the taking.

And also did ESPN or ABC televise some LDS games in 1995?

I believe ABC televised LDS games in '95, but simulcast two games a night regionally. This was ridiculed by fans, as it was the first time baseball did not nationally televise all playoff games.

 

[TroyG]

ABC was a part of TBN (Not The Bible Network), along with NBC back in 1994. The relationship was over only after 2 seasons witch was mired by the MLB strike that costed the 1994 World Series, and a big strike. NBC remained the broadcast home for baseball-BUT only in a limited role-showing mostly post-season games from 1996-2000. In 1990, CBS was the network home for baseball-It spent $1B-And it showed like 6 games out of the season. The Net fired Musberger right before calling the NCAA final four championship game, Musberger wanted to baseball, but it was Neal Pilson's call (President of CBS Sports at that time), and Musberger was shown out the door. 16 years later, I applaud FOX for doing something RIGHT-giving what the viewers WANT- a good ball game every saturday afternoon-which was an NBC tradition now passed over.

 

[ShawnHill1]

What Fox should do right is to include their regional telecasts as part of the Extra Innings pay-per-view package. They do it in other leagues, why can't Fox or MLB do it is beyond me, and we're talking about Bud Selig here. Why pay an outrageous price for a package where not every single televised game is available? No over-the-air games, no Fox Saturday regional games, nor Phillies, Padres, and Blue Jays-produced broadcasts. Just constant short-sighteness by MLB regarding their broadcasting policies.