2008 Schedule Delayed

[Alfonso Soriano]

http://www.projo.com/redsox/content/sp_bb_rsoxjo26_08-26-07_FM6SVV5.31da474.html

The 2008 schedule may not be completed for another few weeks, and issues regarding the Red Sox are a big reason for the delay.

 

First, Major League Baseball is pushing for the Sox to open the season in Japan against the Oakland A’s, a move most of the Red Sox are resisting. CEO Larry Lucchino, who is part of baseball’s International Committee, is one voice in favor of a trip.

 

The Japanese promoter has told MLB that he will not schedule the series unless the Sox are part of the matchup.

 

Under that scenario, the Sox would open the season in Japan against the A’s, then stop on the West Coast for additional series on the way back home.

 

Another issue revolves around weekend dates. Major League Baseball wants the majority of Red Sox-Yankees games scheduled for weekend series, so that the game can highlight the teams on Fox (Saturday Game of the Week) and ESPN (Sunday Night Baseball). But small-market teams, who attract their biggest crowds of the season when the Red Sox and Yankees come to town, also want their share of weekend series with the team, so as to draw even better.

:roll: :roll: :roll:

[Electron Blue]

wouldn't the schedule be easier if they simplified it down to 50 games, all Sox-Yanks? With the champion decided by a FOX text-it-in vote? Just throwing some ideas out there...

[Andy]

Oh, brother. This is ridiculous.

 

On another note, I think we play the AL East next year, and we're due to play Tampa and Baltimore since we didn't play either the last time around (in 2005).

[mjohnson71]

Like I've said before. If ESPN and Fox had their way

-the AL would only be Boston and the Yankees

-the NL would be LA Dodgers and San Fran Giants

 

 

Peter Gammons would be very happy about this set up.

[seanimal]

I feel a long-winded rant coming on...

[Omar]

As long as Cubs don't open another season in Cincinnati, I could care less.

 

2007: @ Cincy

2006: @ Cincy

2005: @ Arizona

2004: @ Cincy

2003: @ New York

2002: @ Cincy

 

It also wouldn't hurt to have the Cubs season open at home... Which hasn't happened in over a decade... 1996.

[Outshined_One]

Like I've said before. If ESPN and Fox had their way

-the AL would only be Boston and the Yankees

-the NL would be Barry Bonds

 

 

Peter Gammons would be very happy about this set up.

 

Fixed.

[rickrolled]

As long as Cubs don't open another season in Cincinnati, I could care less.

 

2007: @ Cincy

2006: @ Cincy

2005: @ Arizona

2004: @ Cincy

2003: @ New York

2002: @ Cincy

 

It also wouldn't hurt to have the Cubs season open at home... Which hasn't happened in over a decade... 1996.

 

actually it happened in 2001

[Mizzou]

This is so stupid. I can't remember the last time I saw a Blue Jays game, or a Devil Rays game, or a Royals game. Maybe if Fox and ESPN didn't televise every possible Yankees-Red Sox game, fans would get to see more of the less popular teams. I'd love to watch a Blue Jays game, but unless I sign up for MLB.tv, I never will.

[hawkeyecub]

This is so stupid. I can't remember the last time I saw a Blue Jays game, or a Devil Rays game, or a Royals game. Maybe if Fox and ESPN didn't televise every possible Yankees-Red Sox game, fans would get to see more of the less popular teams. I'd love to watch a Blue Jays game, but unless I sign up for MLB.tv, I never will.

 

And why do you think that is?

 

They're in the business of driving up ratings and making money. Put a Blue Jays vs. Devil Rays/Royals game on Sunday night and you'll get awful ratings.

 

You can definitely argue that ESPN and FOX have driven this Red Sox/Yankees mania. But the Red Sox and Yankees deliver higher ratings than anyone else.

 

It annoys me too, but it's not going to change.

[SouthSideRyan]

This is so stupid. I can't remember the last time I saw a Blue Jays game, or a Devil Rays game, or a Royals game. Maybe if Fox and ESPN didn't televise every possible Yankees-Red Sox game, fans would get to see more of the less popular teams. I'd love to watch a Blue Jays game, but unless I sign up for MLB.tv, I never will.

 

And why do you think that is?

 

They're in the business of driving up ratings and making money. Put a Blue Jays vs. Devil Rays/Royals game on Sunday night and you'll get awful ratings.

 

You can definitely argue that ESPN and FOX have driven this Red Sox/Yankees mania. But the Red Sox and Yankees deliver higher ratings than anyone else.

 

It annoys me too, but it's not going to change.

 

Self fulfilling prophecy. Red Sox-Yankees draw the best ratings because they're all that's ever hyped. If you tell people the Red Sox and Yankees are the only teams that matter, then people will think they're the only teams that matter.

 

But you all have it wrong for the NL, cause we'd definitely be one of the teams they'd include. We could have it a lot worse.

[UMFan83]

Oh, brother. This is ridiculous.

 

On another note, I think we play the AL East next year, and we're due to play Tampa and Baltimore since we didn't play either the last time around (in 2005).

 

I would guess our interleague schedule would look like this:

 

@ White Sox

@ Red Sox (never been)

@ Tampa Bay (never been)

 

vs. Baltimore (never been to Wrigley)

vs. White Sox

[apete6]

Oh, brother. This is ridiculous.

 

On another note, I think we play the AL East next year, and we're due to play Tampa and Baltimore since we didn't play either the last time around (in 2005).

 

I would guess our interleague schedule would look like this:

 

@ White Sox

@ Red Sox (never been)

@ Tampa Bay (never been)

 

vs. Baltimore (never been to Wrigley)

vs. White Sox

 

Fenway tickets, please :D :D :D

[Flames24Rulz]

Hahaha, got to love that Red Sox and Yankees love. Let's just make it easier for Bud and co and contract the other 28 teams.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Self fulfilling prophecy. Red Sox-Yankees draw the best ratings because they're all that's ever hyped. If you tell people the Red Sox and Yankees are the only teams that matter, then people will think they're the only teams that matter.

I agree with this. I miss the days of being able to catch a game on ESPN or ESPN2 that didn't involve one of the top 4 or 5 big-market teams. Yeah I know, we can subscribe to MLB.TV if we want to see the other games, but it's not the same. It would be nice to see every team guaranteed some small number of nationally televised games.

[erik316wttn]

Oh, brother. This is ridiculous.

 

On another note, I think we play the AL East next year, and we're due to play Tampa and Baltimore since we didn't play either the last time around (in 2005).

 

I'd be looking forward to a series in Fenway. It was awesome when the Sox came to Wrigley, and should be just as cool in Fenway.

[CubinNY]

This is so stupid. I can't remember the last time I saw a Blue Jays game, or a Devil Rays game, or a Royals game. Maybe if Fox and ESPN didn't televise every possible Yankees-Red Sox game, fans would get to see more of the less popular teams. I'd love to watch a Blue Jays game, but unless I sign up for MLB.tv, I never will.

 

And why do you think that is?

 

They're in the business of driving up ratings and making money. Put a Blue Jays vs. Devil Rays/Royals game on Sunday night and you'll get awful ratings.

 

You can definitely argue that ESPN and FOX have driven this Red Sox/Yankees mania. But the Red Sox and Yankees deliver higher ratings than anyone else.

 

It annoys me too, but it's not going to change.

 

Self fulfilling prophecy. Red Sox-Yankees draw the best ratings because they're all that's ever hyped. If you tell people the Red Sox and Yankees are the only teams that matter, then people will think they're the only teams that matter.

 

But you all have it wrong for the NL, cause we'd definitely be one of the teams they'd include. We could have it a lot worse.

Red Sox/Yankees draw the most audience b/c about 1/6 of the US lives between Mid New Jersey and Maine. They don't need the hype.

[Roast]

This just may be the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard.

[SouthSideRyan]

This is so stupid. I can't remember the last time I saw a Blue Jays game, or a Devil Rays game, or a Royals game. Maybe if Fox and ESPN didn't televise every possible Yankees-Red Sox game, fans would get to see more of the less popular teams. I'd love to watch a Blue Jays game, but unless I sign up for MLB.tv, I never will.

 

And why do you think that is?

 

They're in the business of driving up ratings and making money. Put a Blue Jays vs. Devil Rays/Royals game on Sunday night and you'll get awful ratings.

 

You can definitely argue that ESPN and FOX have driven this Red Sox/Yankees mania. But the Red Sox and Yankees deliver higher ratings than anyone else.

 

It annoys me too, but it's not going to change.

 

Self fulfilling prophecy. Red Sox-Yankees draw the best ratings because they're all that's ever hyped. If you tell people the Red Sox and Yankees are the only teams that matter, then people will think they're the only teams that matter.

 

But you all have it wrong for the NL, cause we'd definitely be one of the teams they'd include. We could have it a lot worse.

Red Sox/Yankees draw the most audience b/c about 1/6 of the US lives between Mid New Jersey and Maine. They don't need the hype.

 

And the other 5/6 of the country? It's less to do with diehard baseball fans than it does for the casual fan. Nobody's going to tune in to watch Anaheim/Cleveland on Sunday Night baseball because they've been told that they aren't as important as the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Mets, and Barry Bonds. If it was only a population thing then how come the Jets and Giants aren't considered marquee teams in the NFL?

 

IMO, it's much more the Duke basketball/Notre Dame football effect than it is the size of a fanbase.

[soccer10k]

This really isn't all that surprising. Like SSR said, it's about playing to the casual fan.

 

There was a letter to the editor in the Sacramento Bee sports section a couple Sundays ago where the person complained about the Kings only being on national TV three times this year - with two of those being NBATV - and said that it wasn't fair. Both my editor and I got a good laugh out of it and the first thing that came out of our mouths was something to the effect of "who, outside of the Sacramento area, even cares about the Kings right now?" In the NBA's case, who is a bigger draw, Mike Bibby or Greg Oden? It's not very hard to figure out. And like has been said, Yankees-Red Sox is the biggest draw in the US as a whole so it makes sense that MLB/FOX/ESPN would want the series between those two teams to be played on the weekends.

[Schwarber Fan]

Haha, how predictable is this?

 

Isn't TBS gonna show Saturday night games of the week next season as well? Hopefully that takes some attention off this conspiracy.