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MLB TV contract-2007 and beyond

V

Vince2003

Guest
It is April 15,2006 and MLB still doesnt have a new tv contract for next season and beyond.It seems to me that the networks arent really in a hurry or that much interested in MLB.

I have a feeling this is going to happen in the next contract.

It will resemble the NBA tv contract a MOSTLY CABLE DEAL.With ESPN getting the lions share of games with the crown jewels(all star game/world series)on ABC Sports.The game of the week on network tv will be a thing of the past after this season.

Fox has lost a ton on baseball and has invested heavily on the NFL/BCS and NASCAR and doesnt seem to be all that interested in baseball anymore.

NBC i heard is interested but isnt sure if it wants to spend several hundred million on baseball after winning the NFL sunday night games.NBC doesnt want to lose huge amounts of money on it the peacock net wants the deal to make money.On the other hand,NBC could get a ratings boost with post season games.

CBS isnt really interested it is number 1 in prime time and doesnt want to disrupt the prime time lineup.

So this would leave ABC Sports as the possible over the air carrier of baseball although only in the post season.Taking on baseball would also mean that ABC would prove to the sports broadcasting world that its still a major player in the sports tv rights game after losing the NFL prime time package to NBC,college football'S post season BCS(except the Rose Bowl) to FOX,deciding to drop golf and A REAL POSSIBLILITY that it will lose over the air Big Ten football rights to FOX or perhaps NBC after this season.

What do you guys think is baseball's future on broadcast tv?
 
> It is April 15,2006 and MLB still doesnt have a new tv
> contract for next season and beyond.It seems to me that the
> networks arent really in a hurry or that much interested in
> MLB.
>
> I have a feeling this is going to happen in the next
> contract.
>
> It will resemble the NBA tv contract a MOSTLY CABLE
> DEAL.With ESPN getting the lions share of games with the
> crown jewels(all star game/world series)on ABC Sports.The
> game of the week on network tv will be a thing of the past
> after this season.
>
> Fox has lost a ton on baseball and has invested heavily on
> the NFL/BCS and NASCAR and doesnt seem to be all that
> interested in baseball anymore.
>
> NBC i heard is interested but isnt sure if it wants to spend
> several hundred million on baseball after winning the NFL
> sunday night games.NBC doesnt want to lose huge amounts of
> money on it the peacock net wants the deal to make money.On
> the other hand,NBC could get a ratings boost with post
> season games.
>
> CBS isnt really interested it is number 1 in prime time and
> doesnt want to disrupt the prime time lineup.
>
> So this would leave ABC Sports as the possible over the air
> carrier of baseball although only in the post season.Taking
> on baseball would also mean that ABC would prove to the
> sports broadcasting world that its still a major player in
> the sports tv rights game after losing the NFL prime time
> package to NBC,college football'S post season BCS(except the
> Rose Bowl) to FOX,deciding to drop golf and A REAL
> POSSIBLILITY that it will lose over the air Big Ten football
> rights to FOX or perhaps NBC after this season.
>
> What do you guys think is baseball's future on broadcast tv?
>
If you don`t mind me asking Vince, are you in the TV sports industry by chance? I saw a Mediaweek story a while back speculating essentially the same thing in regards to MLB (postseason games mainly on ESPN, World Series on ABC). It was implied by industry types that MLB might be better off sticking with "over-the-air" TV for most of its' package if they don`t want to lose "casual" viewers like the NBA has. If Fox was really keen on MLB, you`d have to think a deal would`ve been done by now? Unless they`re holding out for a better price, believing that no one else`s that interested?<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by jellyeggs on 04/16/06 12:45 AM.</FONT></P>
 
> If you don`t mind me asking Vince, are you in the TV sports
> industry by chance? I saw a Mediaweek story a while back
> speculating essentially the same thing in regards to MLB
> (postseason games mainly on ESPN, World Series on ABC). It
> was implied by industry types that MLB might be better off
> sticking with "over-the-air" TV for most of its' package if
> they don`t want to lose "casual" viewers like the NBA has.
> If Fox was really keen on MLB, you`d have to think a deal
> would`ve been done by now? Unless they`re holding out for a
> better price, believing that no one else`s that interested?
>

I've heard over the past year that the highest levels of Fox had given Ed Goren a blank check to retain the currnet sports properties. Over the last year, with the extensions with NASCAR and the NFL, what people had told me seemed to be holding true.

Fox values the programming that baseball provides in the summer and fall more tahn any otehr broadcast network would. I think they sign for that reason.

As many of you know, ESPN has already extended their TV deal, so I don't think they're a player for anything else.
 
I also read that FOX fully plans to retain the World Series, ALCS and NLCS. It's the divisional championship games that Fox is probably going to let go to cable (I think ESPN and ESPN2). I believe that Fox is still interested in the game of the week if the price is right from MLB.
 
> I also read that FOX fully plans to retain the World Series,
> ALCS and NLCS. It's the divisional championship games that
> Fox is probably going to let go to cable (I think ESPN and
> ESPN2). I believe that Fox is still interested in the game
> of the week if the price is right from MLB.
>

I think they will too, if only for the fact that if they didn't there would be nothing to keep viewers around between the end of the NASCAR schedule and the start of the NFL season.<P ID="signature">______________
The only thing I gotta do is stay terrestrial and die!</P>
 
I would bet on Fox renewing the deal. They do very well with the All Star Game and playoffs. Even though it tends to break up Fox's debut of new programs in the fall, the World Series usually provides the network with their highest rated weeks of the season and is a tremendous promotional tool. Losing money on the deal itself is probably more than offset by the value of promoting Fox's entertainment programming (and 20th Century Fox's movies) to a large audience.

The game of the week is good filler programming for the weekends for many affiliates. They don't have to buy expensive movies or sell out to infomercials in the time between NASCAR and the NFL.
 
> I believe that Fox is still interested in the game
> of the week if the price is right from MLB.
>

I always believed that Fox's production gimmicks, which work well on the NFL and NASCAR, looked out of place on baseball, which is why I hardly watch the Grand Old Game on Rupert Murdoch's network (I don't get any of the Fox Sports Nets), even the ASG and WS.

That said, if Fox retains MLB, will it show a game *every* Saturday of the season, like NBC once did, rather than wait till after Memorial Day to begin airing games? Will MLB insist upon it? What risk is there in showing a game on an OTA network every Saturday, for Fox, ABC etcetera?

ixnay
 
> > I believe that Fox is still interested in the game
> > of the week if the price is right from MLB.
> >
>
> I always believed that Fox's production gimmicks, which work
> well on the NFL and NASCAR, looked out of place on baseball,
> which is why I hardly watch the Grand Old Game on Rupert
> Murdoch's network (I don't get any of the Fox Sports Nets),
> even the ASG and WS.

Don't even get me started on Fox's butchery of televised baseball. Idiotic sound effects and graphics, annoying promos for sponsors and Fox shows during the middle of the game, Tim McCarver, Thom Brennaman, Jeanne Zelasko, obsession with Derek Jeter..ugh.

> That said, if Fox retains MLB, will it show a game *every*
> Saturday of the season, like NBC once did, rather than wait
> till after Memorial Day to begin airing games? Will MLB
> insist upon it? What risk is there in showing a game on an
> OTA network every Saturday, for Fox, ABC etcetera?

I've always considered the real heir to NBC's Game Of The Week to be ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, not Fox's "Saturday Regional Mishmash of Whatever Between Memorial Day And College Football Season". But I'm not sure why they don't begin until Memorial Day, perhaps either MLB, Fox, or both feel that there's not enough enthusiasm for baseball in some cities until the NBA playoffs are about wrapped up.

In spite of all this, I won't mind that much if Fox retains MLB, provided that they stop imposing a blackout on Extra Innings and MLB.tv for telecasts of Saturday afternoon games.
 
> It is April 15,2006 and MLB still doesnt have a new tv
> contract for next season and beyond.It seems to me that the
> networks arent really in a hurry or that much interested in
> MLB.

This it would a great opportunity for the newer TV Networks to go for it, The CW or My Network TV.

-John L.
 
> ...annoying promos for sponsors and Fox shows
> during the middle of the game, Tim McCarver...

Annoying shots of celebrities (special attention
given to those with Fox shows, of course) and other
"important people" in the stands, however this one
goes way back to NBC long ago--"and there's NBC
president Julian Goodman sitting with (insert name
of politician) in the commissioner's box."
 
> I would bet on Fox renewing the deal. They do very well
> with the All Star Game and playoffs. Even though it tends
> to break up Fox's debut of new programs in the fall, the
> World Series usually provides the network with their highest
> rated weeks of the season and is a tremendous promotional
> tool. Losing money on the deal itself is probably more than
> offset by the value of promoting Fox's entertainment
> programming (and 20th Century Fox's movies) to a large
> audience.
>
> The game of the week is good filler programming for the
> weekends for many affiliates. They don't have to buy
> expensive movies or sell out to infomercials in the time
> between NASCAR and the NFL.
>
I think in the next deal that FOX may want to keep just The Game of the Week.

I would assume that ABC has the cash to spend and get the World Series,

Divisional and League Championship Series, if they find a way to move

Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy without hurting their ratings.

I'm surprised that NBC is even in consideration considering that they spend a lot of jack on NFL.

My best bet: CW or My Network TV.

They must learn from UPN and the WB's mistake:

No Sports, No Survival!
 
Hi everyone:

> It is April 15,2006 and MLB still doesnt have a new tv
> contract for next season and beyond.It seems to me that the
> networks arent really in a hurry or that much interested in
> MLB.
>
> I have a feeling this is going to happen in the next
> contract.
>
> It will resemble the NBA tv contract a MOSTLY CABLE
> DEAL.With ESPN getting the lions share of games with the
> crown jewels(all star game/world series)on ABC Sports.The
> game of the week on network tv will be a thing of the past
> after this season.
>
> Fox has lost a ton on baseball and has invested heavily on
> the NFL/BCS and NASCAR and doesnt seem to be all that
> interested in baseball anymore.

If this is the case, then why do they let the various FSN outlets to carry local teams on cable?

I have a feeling that what you said above would apply to FOX. Not ESPN.

> NBC i heard is interested but isnt sure if it wants to spend
> several hundred million on baseball after winning the NFL
> sunday night games.

Plus they have Arena Football and the NHL too.

> NBC doesnt want to lose huge amounts of
> money on it the peacock net wants the deal to make money.On
> the other hand,NBC could get a ratings boost with post
> season games.

True, but given baseball's image as of late, dare I say, but I believe the Stanley Cup Playoffs would be more appealing than the World Series would be (even if the Cubs or Rockies win the World Series like the Red & White Sox did).

> So this would leave ABC Sports as the possible over the air
> carrier of baseball although only in the post season.Taking
> on baseball would also mean that ABC would prove to the
> sports broadcasting world that its still a major player in
> the sports tv rights game after losing the NFL prime time
> package to NBC,college football'S post season BCS(except the
> Rose Bowl) to FOX,deciding to drop golf and A REAL
> POSSIBLILITY that it will lose over the air Big Ten football
> rights to FOX or perhaps NBC after this season.

ABC will NEVER get the rights as long as its associated with ESPN. How is it do you think they lost MNF? If ABC wasn't associated with ESPN, trust me, MNF would still be on ABC.

> What do you guys think is baseball's future on broadcast tv?

As I said before...Given MLB's image problem, it's a bleak one. But at least they won't end up on OLN (Although admittedly that's not exactly outside the realm of possibilityh either especially considering how they swept the Arena Football League off its feet by offering to televise games beginning THIS season as opposed to waiting until next season).

Just my opinion...

Cheers :)

Pat<P ID="signature">______________
patspodcast03a.jpg

http://patspodcast.blogspot.com/
Radio? Uhh.....What's THAT?? :)</P>
 
>
> True, but given baseball's image as of late, dare I say, but
> I believe the Stanley Cup Playoffs would be more appealing
> than the World Series would be (even if the Cubs or Rockies
> win the World Series like the Red & White Sox did).
>

Dude, did you just throw the ROCKIES in the same class with the Cubs and Sox(both pale and red)??? Seriously?!?
 
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