• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Indians hint at their TV plans for 2006

T

thebigfan

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1133861698107040.xml&coll=2

Personally, I'm really excited about this idea! I don't like what FSN Ohio has done over the last years. It's time for something different.

By the way, does anyone remember what FSN Ohio was before Fox bought them? I can't remember what the cable channel was called. I remember them carrying the Indians games, but I'm drawing a blank with the name.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by thebigfan on 12/06/05 04:52 PM.</FONT></P>
 
http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/pl> aindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1133861698107040.xml&coll=2
>
>
> Personally, I'm really excited about this idea! I don't
> like what FSN Ohio has done over the last years. It's time
> for something different.
>
> By the way, does anyone remember what FSN Ohio was before
> Fox bought them? I can't remember what the cable channel
> was called. I remember them carrying the Indians games, but
> I'm drawing a blank with the name.
>
This deals sucks. I have cox cable so I guess I'm screwed and only get to watch the 20 or so weekend games on WKYC. If none of the other local cable companies pick up this new network, it looks like WTAM will have a very good summer next year.

The name of the network was SportsChannel Ohio. Pretty much all of the current regional foxsports channels were SportsChannel (insert region here).<P ID="signature">______________
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."
Albert Einstein
</P>
 
The Sattelite Factor

> This deals sucks. I have cox cable so I guess I'm screwed
> and only get to watch the 20 or so weekend games on WKYC.
> If none of the other local cable companies pick up this new
> network, it looks like WTAM will have a very good summer
> next year.

As someone who got rid of cable TV many years ago and vowed to never go back (and I never will "ditch my Dish"), I certainly hope Time-Warner works out a good deal with DirecTV and DISH Network. On DISH, I assume they could put the Tribe on several of the "Sports Alternate" channels.

While it's great that there will be SOME Indians games on OTA TV, this deal actually isn't all that great for the die-hard Tribe viewers/fans. Cable companies continue to lose subscribers each and every month, while the sattelite providers continue to grow. And many like you, timbuc, don't have Time-Warner. Plus, alot of your bars/clubs have either DISH or DirecTV, so it would impact them as well. It'll be interesting to see what kind of deal Time-Warner hashes out with the sattelite providers.

If I were the Indians, I dunno if I'd be THAT excited about this deal.
 
Re: The Sattelite Factor

> As someone who got rid of cable TV many years ago and vowed
> to never go back (and I never will "ditch my Dish"), I
> certainly hope Time-Warner works out a good deal with
> DirecTV and DISH Network. On DISH, I assume they could put
> the Tribe on several of the "Sports Alternate" channels.
>
> While it's great that there will be SOME Indians games on
> OTA TV, this deal actually isn't all that great for the
> die-hard Tribe viewers/fans. Cable companies continue to
> lose subscribers each and every month, while the sattelite
> providers continue to grow. And many like you, timbuc,
> don't have Time-Warner. Plus, alot of your bars/clubs have
> either DISH or DirecTV, so it would impact them as well.
> It'll be interesting to see what kind of deal Time-Warner
> hashes out with the sattelite providers.
>
> If I were the Indians, I dunno if I'd be THAT excited about
> this deal.
>

Here in Columbus we have TW, but I'm with WOW! by choice. Now I doubt I'll see any games on cable, let alone any OTA. Got to see them all with FSN. Sucks IMHO.
<P ID="signature">______________
Chris
202.FM</P>
 
Re: The Sattelite Factor

What is the future of FSN Ohio if they lose the Indians to Time Warner...how many hours of ''Best Damn Sports Show Period'' can you run for a six month period?

Can they survive with a lineup featuring the Cavaliers and the BlueJackets in what are pretty much limited viewing areas? Would the Cavaliers be interested in making this an Ohio version of the Yankees/Nets situation in NYC?

Given the history of the YES Network, which this seems to be paterned after, watch for lots of lawsuits to start flying..
 
OMW Got At Least PART Of This Right

> Given the history of the YES Network, which this seems to be
> paterned after, watch for lots of lawsuits to start flying..

Very interesting. And I won't say I called it 100%, but on the Mighty Blog of Fun(tm) - I mentioned the possibility of Time Warner Cable getting involved:

<a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com/2005/12/and-still-more-on-indians-tv-rights.html>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com/2005/12/and-still-more-on-indians-tv-rights.html</a>

I was wrong about the method, though...I kept going back to my earlier speculation about the future of the WKYC/TWC relationship, and thought it might populate TWC cable position 23. It appears the Indians have much larger eyes for what they want to do than just throwing a few games on an otherwise slimly populated channel.

Now, about the satellite thing...TWC is not Comcast. Therefore, I fully expect the Indians to provide this channel to both DirecTV and Dish. For that matter, I also expect them to make it available to Cox subscribers, and other systems that are not in the TWC footprint. (Whether that'd include a competing provider like WOW, I dunno.)

I believe a similar channel, Cox Cable's Padres channel in San Diego, makes that channel available to other cable companies.

-OA <P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
Re: The Sattelite Factor

> What is the future of FSN Ohio if they lose the Indians to
> Time Warner...how many hours of ''Best Damn Sports Show
> Period'' can you run for a six month period?
>
> Can they survive with a lineup featuring the Cavaliers and
> the BlueJackets in what are pretty much limited viewing
> areas? Would the Cavaliers be interested in making this an
> Ohio version of the Yankees/Nets situation in NYC?
>
> Given the history of the YES Network, which this seems to be
> paterned after, watch for lots of lawsuits to start flying.

This seems like it will render FSN Ohio useless during the summer for those viewers outside the Reds viewing territory, which is pretty much all of Ohio except the Cleveland and Youngstown markets. I'm writing from Columbus and wouldn't mind seeing the following happen ...
- The new Indians network becomes an Indians/Cavaliers/all-Cleveland channel. After all, this network will need extra programming in the offseason. The Cavaliers and Cleveland State would provide that. Maybe put some Ohio State basketball on there as well.
- FSN Ohio morphs into an RSN focused on Cincinnati and Columbus (Reds, Blue Jackets, etc.). Having one FSN try to cover both Cincinnati and Cleveland is pretty much useless, and let's be honest here - FSN Ohio is often irrelevant to Cincinnati because it focuses so much more effort on Cleveland.
I'd love to see both channels have nightly reports focused on their city, like Comcast SportsNet Chicago has with "SportsNite" or the old Ohio Sports Report, and shows like More Sports and Les Levine that aired on SportsChannel back in the mid 90s.
Perhaps the best side effect, especially for people in areas where most of FSN's teams are seen, is that all games of one team would be on the same channel all the time. No Cavs/Jackets conflicts or Indians/Reds.
Whether any company will put that kind of effort into such networks for Ohio remains to be seen. I think it'd be great to see happen for both ends of the state.
 
More Sports and Les Levine

Levine Part 1 (borrowed from Roger Brown)

This corner expects Levine's show to appear on the Indians network in some capacity. With Time Warner's purchase of Adephia, Levine has made in-roads with the cable conglomerate. Levine has been clamoring more a wider viewing area...the Tribe deal all but assures it.

Levine Part 2

Insiders suggest that the broadcasting veteran of 30 years should throw his name in the hopper for a play-by-play gig almost most certainly vacated by the vanilla John Sanders. One wonders how many spots will be available - the Yes network employs 5 different announcers (2 play-by-plpay and three color analysts). <P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Whkam1420 on 12/07/05 01:38 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: The Reds in NE Ohio

> This seems like it will render FSN Ohio useless during the
> summer for those viewers outside the Reds viewing territory,
> which is pretty much all of Ohio except the Cleveland and
> Youngstown markets.

Not knowing the specifics of MLB's rules on this, my guess is the Reds would be seen in all of Ohio. Maybe not Youngstown which is in Pittsburgh Pirate territory and seeing how the Reds and Pirates are both in the National League. That's if the league of the team(s) matters.

I say this because I can see the Chicago Cubs and White Sox on WGN and the Atlanta Braves on TBS. So, why not the Reds on FSN? <P ID="signature">______________
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."
Albert Einstein
</P>
 
Re: More Sports and Les Levine

> Levine Part 1 (borrowed from Roger Brown)
>
> This corner expects Levine's show to appear on the Indians
> network in some capacity. With Time Warner's purchase of
> Adephia, Levine has made in-roads with the cable
> conglomerate. Levine has been clamoring more a wider viewing
> area...the Tribe deal all but assures it.

The new Indians network will need content. Les will provide it, particulary if MSALL were to land there. Maybe even make it a two-hour show, at that.

The problem: would Les be constrained to talk only ABOUT the Indians (hot stove league, anyone?), or would he still have a full-service sports show?

Either way, it would beat being on "Adelphia 15..."

> Levine Part 2
>
> Insiders suggest that the broadcasting veteran of 30 years
> should throw his name in the hopper for a play-by-play gig
> almost most certainly vacated by the vanilla John Sanders.
> One wonders how many spots will be available - the Yes
> network employs 5 different announcers (2 play-by-plpay and
> three color analysts).

If only Jack Corrigan was available now (the former WUAB announcer is now doing Rockies PBP on KOA-Denver...)

Here's one solution:

Make Matt Underwood on of the permanent PBP men on Indians TV. Then, team Mike Hegan full-time with Tom Hamilton on WTAM. He's earned that honor.

Rick Manning could be rotated with Bill Needle, Andy Baskin, and/or Les in some three-person configuration. Doubtful than FSN would keep anyone of them...

And then, who from this configuration will call the games on WKYC? The Indians will have control of production on both outlets.
 
Re: The Reds in NE Ohio

> > This seems like it will render FSN Ohio useless during the
>
> > summer for those viewers outside the Reds viewing
> territory,
> > which is pretty much all of Ohio except the Cleveland and
> > Youngstown markets.
>
> Not knowing the specifics of MLB's rules on this, my guess
> is the Reds would be seen in all of Ohio. Maybe not
> Youngstown which is in Pittsburgh Pirate territory and
> seeing how the Reds and Pirates are both in the National
> League. That's if the league of the team(s) matters.
>
> I say this because I can see the Chicago Cubs and White Sox
> on WGN and the Atlanta Braves on TBS. So, why not the Reds
> on FSN?

I can't get too specific because I don't know all the rules, but WGN and TBS are superstations and the rules are different for them. Territorial restrictions apply to the regional networks like FSN Ohio. I agree it would make some sense for the Reds to be seen in pretty much all of Ohio, but the Reds don't claim the Cleveland and Youngstown markets nor is there really any interest in them up there. Vice-versa for the Indians once you get south and west of Columbus. It seems like as much of a gentlemen's agreement as anything.
Now here's the funny thing - in Texas, both the Astros and Rangers claim the entire state (plus Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas and anywhere else FSN Southwest is seen) so each team is seen in the other team's home city. Texas is a lot less fragmented than Ohio in many, many respects, but that's the only example I can think of outside the two-team cities with teams claiming another team's city. The Marlins and Devil Rays don't infringe directly on one another, nor do the Padres, Angels and Dodgers, etc.
 
Re: More Sports and Les Levine

> The new Indians network will need content. Les will provide
> it, particulary if MSALL were to land there. Maybe even make
> it a two-hour show, at that.
>
> The problem: would Les be constrained to talk only ABOUT the
> Indians (hot stove league, anyone?), or would he still have
> a full-service sports show?

It would certainly make sense for TWC basically move Les to the new Indians venture, considering that his status is up in the air depending on what TWC does with what's on Adelphia 15 now. I know, because it makes sense, doesn't mean it's gonna happen...but I'd bet on it, if I were a betting man. Goodness knows they'll need programming, and since it's not FSN Ohio, they don't have "Best..." to repeat 20 times a day.

From what I recall on Les' website, he said TWC was interested in continuing the show after the merger. And the Indians network would be a much more high profile (and favorable) place for it than TWC's 23.

I'm guessing they'd let him continue in the same format, and not restrict him to the Indians. Does the YES network only carry shows about the Yankees?

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
tribe tv announcers

Once "TribeNet" gets started and WKYC starts broadcasting games, This is how I'd set up the announcers.

WTAM-Tom Hamilton, Mike Hegan

WKYC-Jim Donovan, Rick Manning

TribeNet-Matt Underwood, Rick Manning, Andy Baskin

I'm sure Mr. Donovan wouldn't mind doing 20 Tribe games a year.

Being TV 3 Sports Director/Radio voice of the Browns/TV voice of The Tribe would make him undisputed Big Kahuna in Cleveland Sports Media.

Underwood would be pbp on "TribeNet" and Manning and Baskin would alternate as analyst
 
Re: tribe tv announcers

Keep Donovan with the Browns. I listen to Tom on 'TAM regardless, but I wouldn't want Donovan with the Tribe.
 
Re: More Sports and Les Levine

Good question....and here's the answer.

The Yes network also airs each and every New Jersey Net game, IVY League sports, the very popular WFAN radio show of Mike and the Mad Dog out of New York (they get unbelievable guests - Les Levine would certainly be a natural fit in that role), and a veritably potpourri of other programming.
 
Re: The Sattelite Factor

> > What is the future of FSN Ohio if they lose the Indians to
>
> > Time Warner...how many hours of ''Best Damn Sports Show
> > Period'' can you run for a six month period?
> >
> > Can they survive with a lineup featuring the Cavaliers and
>
> > the BlueJackets in what are pretty much limited viewing
> > areas? Would the Cavaliers be interested in making this
> an
> > Ohio version of the Yankees/Nets situation in NYC?
> >
> > Given the history of the YES Network, which this seems to
> be
> > paterned after, watch for lots of lawsuits to start
> flying.
>
> This seems like it will render FSN Ohio useless during the
> summer for those viewers outside the Reds viewing territory,
> which is pretty much all of Ohio except the Cleveland and
> Youngstown markets. I'm writing from Columbus and wouldn't
> mind seeing the following happen ...
> - The new Indians network becomes an
> Indians/Cavaliers/all-Cleveland channel. After all, this
> network will need extra programming in the offseason. The
> Cavaliers and Cleveland State would provide that. Maybe put
> some Ohio State basketball on there as well.
> - FSN Ohio morphs into an RSN focused on Cincinnati and
> Columbus (Reds, Blue Jackets, etc.). Having one FSN try to
> cover both Cincinnati and Cleveland is pretty much useless,
> and let's be honest here - FSN Ohio is often irrelevant to
> Cincinnati because it focuses so much more effort on
> Cleveland.
> I'd love to see both channels have nightly reports focused
> on their city, like Comcast SportsNet Chicago has with
> "SportsNite" or the old Ohio Sports Report, and shows like
> More Sports and Les Levine that aired on SportsChannel back
> in the mid 90s.
> Perhaps the best side effect, especially for people in areas
> where most of FSN's teams are seen, is that all games of one
> team would be on the same channel all the time. No
> Cavs/Jackets conflicts or Indians/Reds.
> Whether any company will put that kind of effort into such
> networks for Ohio remains to be seen. I think it'd be great
> to see happen for both ends of the state.
>
What I would like to see is the Pacers leave FSN Midwest and join up with the Reds and Blue Jackets in a Reworked FSN Ohio now that it's rendered useless except for the Cavs in Cleveland into a FSN Cincy-Indy-Cbus. And round out with coverage of Bengals/Colts/IU/Ball State/Purdue/UC/XU/OSU/Dayton/Wright State/UK/Louisville along with the Other Colleges and Universitys in the Columbus/Indianapolis/Cincinnati/Louisville/Lexington area. I think it be a good idea since the Indiana teams are the redheaded stepchild in FSN Midwest.
 
Re: tribe tv announcers

> Gotta believe Michael Reghi will throw his name in the
> hopper.
>

He has the experience... Mike did PBP for the Orioles from 2000-2003. (?)
 
Re: tribe tv announcers

> Keep Donovan with the Browns. I listen to Tom on 'TAM
> regardless, but I wouldn't want Donovan with the Tribe.
>

I don't see a problem with Jim Donovan doing Tribe games, especially since channel 3 would only be doing 20 of them. Ken Coleman was equally involved with the Browns and Indians during his long tenure in Cleveland from 1953-66. Plus, I would think Jim would want to do them and would be good at it.
 
Re: tribe tv announcers or Reghi Bashing

PLEASE NO - While Mr Reghi can be a decent announcer on occasion, his overuse of the cliche just makes him unlistenable. I would rather listen to Triv than Reghi any day of the week!

> > Gotta believe Michael Reghi will throw his name in the
> > hopper.
> >
>
> He has the experience... Mike did PBP for the Orioles from
> 2000-2003. (?)
>
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom