Scott's Shots: Red Sox gone from 38

[raccoonradio]

http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/shots/

As we mentioned earlier...no over-the-air TV for Sox this yr (excepting for
Fox25 games via Fox)

"The Red Sox will be taking the package away from its “over-the-air” partner of three season (UPN38), preferring to keep its full roster of games on NESN."<P ID="signature">______________

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[raccoonradio]

> "The Red Sox will be taking the package away from its
> “over-the-air” partner of three season (UPN38), preferring
> to keep its full roster of games on NESN."
>

I remember hearing that the Indians were going to all-Cable...and the Celtics and Bruins are both all-cable, aren't they? I do have cable and NESN is on Expanded Basic and certainly if it were still "$10 extra" I'd probably pay to have it, but they really should be on free TV in some way--even just once a week. Other than when they happen to be on Fox's Saturday game of the week, this isn't going to happen. For those without cable (especially those who can't afford it) it's "go to a bar, or listen on the radio".

One reason the current ownership group coveted the team was the money-making potential of NESN and they're helping their own cause right now by keeping it NESN only but they
deprive the fans.

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[wxctintern]

Even tho I'm not a Sox fan I think that sucks. I think you should be able to watch at least some of your favorite team's games even if you don't have cable or satellite.

I know in NYC The YES Network Broadcasts the majority of the Yankees games, but they also produce games that air on UPN 9 in NYC, primarily on Friday nights. These games are then picked up by stations including WCTX in the Hartford/New Haven Market. That being said why can't NESN do the same thing for the Sox?

NESN can run the majority of the games and then produce games on Friday nights for WB-56 for example.

This could be an example:

"Friday night Sox on WB-56 in Boston, CBS "3" in Spingfield, UPN 28 in Providence, WB-51 in Portland, WB20/FOX 61 in Hartford, and WCAX/3 in Vermont."

 

[Almo]

> Even tho I'm not a Sox fan I think that sucks. I think you
> should be able to watch at least some of your favorite
> team's games even if you don't have cable or satellite.
>
> I know in NYC The YES Network Broadcasts the majority of the
> Yankees games, but they also produce games that air on UPN 9
> in NYC, primarily on Friday nights. These games are then
> picked up by stations including WCTX in the Hartford/New
> Haven Market. That being said why can't NESN do the same
> thing for the Sox?
>
> NESN can run the majority of the games and then produce
> games on Friday nights for WB-56 for example.
>
> This could be an example:
>
> "Friday night Sox on WB-56 in Boston, CBS "3" in Spingfield,
> UPN 28 in Providence, WB-51 in Portland, WB20/FOX 61 in
> Hartford, and WCAX/3 in Vermont."
<font color=green>Too bad,esp.for the elderly shut-ins (and others) that can't handle a monthly cable bill. At least there will be some FM so.of Boston-103.7 . </font>

 

[fatbastard]

> Even tho I'm not a Sox fan I think that sucks. I think you
> should be able to watch at least some of your favorite
> team's games even if you don't have cable or satellite.

You should be able to afford a game ticket,too, but no
one is complaining about $90 average ticket price this season.

>
> I know in NYC The YES Network Broadcasts the majority of the
> Yankees games, but they also produce games that air on UPN 9
> in NYC, primarily on Friday nights. These games are then
> picked up by stations including WCTX in the Hartford/New
> Haven Market. That being said why can't NESN do the same
> thing for the Sox?
>

Greed. NESN and all the advertising revenue it pulls is worth more than
the team and Fenway Park.

By the way, WCBS was losing money with the YES deal.
When WWOR took over last year it paid two million more than WCBS'
last contract and WWOR is not making any money either.

> NESN can run the majority of the games and then produce
> games on Friday nights for WB-56 for example.
>
> This could be an example:
>
> "Friday night Sox on WB-56 in Boston, CBS "3" in Spingfield,
> UPN 28 in Providence, WB-51 in Portland, WB20/FOX 61 in
> Hartford, and WCAX/3 in Vermont."
>

 

[fatbastard]

> Too bad,esp.for the elderly shut-ins (and others) that
> can't handle a monthly cable bill. At least there will be
> some FM so.of Boston-103.7 .
>
Yes, they can afford to spend fifty bucks on cigarettes,
lottery tickets and keno every month. By the way, Comcast gives
seniors on fixed income a 50% discount on basic cable and NESN has been
on the basic tier for a few years.

 

[chitchatjf]

> > Too bad,esp.for the elderly shut-ins (and others) that
> > can't handle a monthly cable bill. At least there will be
> > some FM so.of Boston-103.7 .
> >
> Yes, they can afford to spend fifty bucks on cigarettes,
> lottery tickets and keno every month. By the way, Comcast
> gives
> seniors on fixed income a 50% discount on basic cable and
> NESN has been
> on the basic tier for a few years.
>
You mean Standard. The discount is much less then that and it only apples to Basic

 

[raccoonradio]

Well that's good...I was just visiting my Dad (almost 85) on the Cape
and he has Basic and Expanded Basic from Comcast and is also thinking of
getting those tiers with movies, etc.; he can afford that but if he
were restricted to only getting basic, it's good to know he could still
get NESN.

By the way, Comcast
> gives
> seniors on fixed income a 50% discount on basic cable and
> NESN has been
> on the basic tier for a few years.
>
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[News4Boston]

I like 38's graphics and music better than NESN's. Dan Roche is soooo much better than Eric Frede. The post-game with Lobel and Red Sox this Week is also really good, with an emmy winning set. Taking the Sox off of 38 is a mistake.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

The reason NESN has decided to claim the 30 or so Red Sox games each year that had been on WSBK-38 is simple: Money.

At present, the Red Sox are exteremely popular. I have heard that about 140 of the team's 162 regular-season games last year were the top-rated television programs in their time periods, and that for most of last Spring and Summer, NESN was the top-rated TV channel in Boston during prime-time hours.

If indeed that is true, advertising rates on Red Sox games are quite expensive. And given that the Sox own 80% of NESN, once the expenses of producing the telecast were paid, the rest of the money would flow to the team's coffers. And for the 30 or so games a year that were on WSBK-38 until now, that amount probably would be more than what the team would have gotten for selling the rights for those games to a broadcast TV station.

Simply put, by having every Red Sox game (except national telecasts) on NESN, the team will make more money. Maybe a lot more money.

FYI: This is a link to NESN's official press release announcing that they will be broadcasting every Red Sox game not on national television starting in 2006.

 

[MCarney]

> Too bad,esp.for the elderly shut-ins (and others) that
> can't handle a monthly cable bill. At least there will be
> some FM so.of Boston-103.7 .
>
They're also on FM on the North Shore, on WBOQ 104.9.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

This Wasn't News To Readers Of Radio-Info.com

Although it was yesterday (January 5th) that NESN officially announced that it would broadcast all Red Sox games not on network television beginning with the 2006 season, it was not news to those who read this messageboard.

They knew back on December 22nd, when our own Randy Simon posted a message answering a question as to whether the Sox would have games on local over-the-air TV in 2006. He wrote: "NESN only. They are not selling any games to non-cable TV stations this year".

Click below to see his original message:

http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=614982&Board=tv-newengland.

I know I sound like I've been hired to promote Radio-Info.com, but the truth is that those who read Radio-Info.com's various messageboards often read breaking news concerning radio and television broadcasting before that news appears anywhere else.