Cubs TV Deal Stuff

[Sammy Sofa]

Yeah, but that was your blood.

[UMFan83]

Not TV so not nearly as important but....

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-sherman-media-spt-0312-20140312,0,3534242.column

 

WBBM-AM 780 has emerged as the leading candidate to become the new radio home of the Cubs.

 

The CBS-owned outlet is using all of its local stations in a synergistic bid to land the rights to the Cubs, beginning with the 2015 season, according to team and industry sources. If the team goes with WBBM, it would end its long relationship with WGN-AM 720, which dates back to 1925.

 

More importantly:

 

However, a possible deal with CBS would extend beyond just airing games. Locally, CBS also owns WBBM-FM 96.3, a top 40 station; WJMK-FM 104.3, classic rock; WXRT-FM 93.1, album alternative rock; and WUSN-FM 99.5, country.

 

The new pact could include CBS-station sponsored concerts and events at Wrigley Field and at new entertainment venues that will be part of the overall ballpark renovation project. There also would be promotional opportunities for the Cubs on CBS' multiple platforms and for the stations throughout Wrigley Field and its surroundings.

 

Cumulus Media, which owns WLS-AM, also has expressed interest in a similar setup with its three FM music stations, according to sources. However, Cumulus isn't expected to meet the Cubs' asking price.

[rocket]

there's going to be a big bang theory day at wrigley, isn't there

[Guest]

Brett with a sort of non-update update:

 

http://www.bleachernation.com/2014/04/09/still-waiting-on-tv-and-radio-broadcasting-rights-news-but-is-it-coming-soon/

 

Typically, where rights are up, contracts are signed at least a year in advance, and, thus, we would have expected to have heard something on these deals by now. Indeed, at the Cubs Convention, Cubs executives suggested word on the TV deal was very possible by Opening Day, and word on the radio deal was likely by Opening Day.

 

Obviously, Opening Day has come and gone, and, although it’s kind of an arbitrary cut-off, it is interesting that we’re still waiting to hear on these deals. There’s no reason to be concerned, mind you, because there are plenty of interested parties – the delay is just about getting the right deal. And, in the case of the TV rights, it’s long been my opinion/suspicion that the Cubs were going to do everything they could to try and link up the current WGN rights with the full slate of rights, which don’t become available until after 2019, when the Cubs’ deal with CSN expires. If that sounds complicated, it is, which would explain the current delay. Ideally, the Cubs will find a partner who will take on the WGN games starting in 2015, and the full slate starting in 2020. In exchange for locking in those games long-term, the Cubs will start seeing some of the big-ish money as soon as next year.

 

Well, a new report from Lewis Lazare has the Cubs close to decisions, which could come in a matter of two to three weeks. Lazare intimates that CBS’s WBBM is a strong suitor for the radio rights, which is something we’ve heard before. The radio rights are believed to be worth something in the $10 million annually range, and that’s probably where they’ll stay for the foreseeable future (there is no radio bubble).

 

On the TV side, however, there’s a whole lot of revenue to be grabbed (as in, franchise-altering revenue), and Lazare mentions Fox, a potential partner about whom we’ve heard before. The upside with Fox is that they’ve got a local channel – 32 – onto which they can place the WGN games until 2020, and then they’ve got the kind of sports presence onto which they could build a new network with the Cubs. And, during that five-year bridge period, if there are prime-time scheduling conflicts, maybe some of those games could still be shown on WGN (but, even there, keep in mind: WGN America is trying to become its own original-content producer, so they may not want the conflicts either).

 

 

The report Brett links - http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2014/04/08/are-the-chicago-cubs-about-to-pick-new-broadcast.html

 

Sources say decisions about which outlets will get the contracts for years to come could be made in the next two or three weeks.

Though Tribune Co. could still be an option the Cubs consider for both radio and television broadcasts, sources say there is a growing possibility the CBS Radio cluster in Chicago could be a serious bidder, as well, for the radio rights. Right now, the likely outlet for Cubs games in the CBS Radio stable locally would be all-news WBBM-AM (780), which is simulcast on the FM dial at 105.9.

WBBM-AM also is the radio home for the Chicago Bears. The addition of the Cubs would cement the station's image as a major sports broadcast outlet in the market. The station already has established its reputation as the top radio outlet for news and weather in the Chicago market.

 

But for the deal to be really valuable for CBS Radio and WBBM-AM, the Cubs would have to morph into a much better team than they are at this moment. The thinking in local sports circles, however, is that the Cubs could be a contender in two years or so as talented players in the team's farm system move up and on to the Cubs roster. But the Cubs have disappointed before. And they could disappoint again.

 

As for the television deal, Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32 may be the frontrunner, though Channel 9 isn't entirely ruled out either. The Fox network has always coveted sports content. And money is certainly no object to Fox and the Rupert Murdoch clan. That fact alone could certainly make the Fox network an attractive partner for the Cubs and the Ricketts family that owns the team.

 

 

Hard to say if that guy has his own info or is just piggybacking the reports from a couple of months ago.

[UMFan83]

Missed the part where 780 was pretty much a done deal:

 

Cubs radio: As reported here previously, the Cubs soon will announce their new radio deal with WBBM-AM 780, beginning with the 2015 season. The two sides reportedly are ironing out final details, and WGN is not expected to match WBBM's offer.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/hockey/blackhawks/ct-ratings-blackhawks-sherman-nhl-playoffs-spt-053-20140530,0,3215873.column

[SouthSideRyan]

The next time Brett sees "reason to be concerned" will be the first

 

ETA I see I'm responding to something from a month and a half ago

Edited May 30, 2014 by SouthSideRyan

[jersey cubs fan]

The next time Brett sees "reason to be concerned" will be the first

heehee

 

shamone

[Guest]

I don't know why but it saddens me a little that the Cubs are leaving WGN radio.

[Sammy Sofa]

780? Nice, joining the Bears. Will the games also be available on 105.9 FM?

[Andy]

This probably won't matter to the Cubs since by most accounts WGN-TV wasn't going to re-up anyway, but WGN confirmed that they won't air any Chicago sports nationally after this year.

 

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140530/NEWS01/140539978/wgn-america-to-drop-chicago-sports

 

“We will be way, way, way far ahead as a basic cable network without sports, than staying in our current state,” (Tribune CEO Peter Liguori) said.

[Sammy Sofa]

Good luck with all that, you cheap fartknockers.

[Guest]

Seems like the tea leaves might be getting closer to saying we won't work anything out with WGN.

 

 

That seemingly leaves the bridge deal scenario with a local network (and Fox and maybe NBC would be local networks that make the most sense) or somehow having all the games go on CSN, which would seem to be tough given all of CSN's other commitments.

Edited May 30, 2014 by David

[Andy]

Seems like the tea leaves might be getting closer to saying we won't work anything out with WGN.

 

 

That seemingly leaves the bridge deal scenario with a local network (and Fox would be local network that makes the most sense) or somehow having all the games go on CSN, which would seem to be tough given all of CSN's other commitments.

It would be absurd whenever the Bulls and Blackhawks were both in the playoffs at the same time, but I imagine pretty doable otherwise. MASN has both the Nats and Orioles and seems to manage.

[Fro]

They'd just need a 2nd overflow channel for scenarios like that.

 

The Big Ten Network sometimes has 5-6 different feeds running at once during FB season.

[jersey cubs fan]

They'd just need a 2nd overflow channel for scenarios like that.

 

On directv at least I've already seen two overflow channels.

[Guest]

Yeah, not saying they can't do it...just not sure if they would.

[UMFan83]

They'd just need a 2nd overflow channel for scenarios like that.

 

On directv at least I've already seen two overflow channels.

 

Yeah CSN has 2 overflow channels that I know of. The Cubs were on one earlier this year. Not sure about 3, but I'm sure they could find an emergency backup option on the chance that the Cubs, White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks are all playing on the same day at the same time, on the same channel (don't forget the Hawks, Bulls and White Sox are still on WGN and the Bulls, Cubs and White Sox all occasionally play on the U).

 

It would probably happen 1-2 times a year tops.

[Guest]

My gut reaction is unless CSN has a big contractural obligation that would make it unworkable(e.g. X White Sox games have to be on the primary channel each year), they'd be more than willing to make it work if they see the threat of the Cubs starting their own network(be it on their own or some sort of hybrid like that NBC Sports/ND rumor) as at all serious.

[Guest]

My gut reaction is unless CSN has a big contractural obligation that would make it unworkable(e.g. X White Sox games have to be on the primary channel each year), they'd be more than willing to make it work if they see the threat of the Cubs starting their own network(be it on their own or some sort of hybrid like that NBC Sports/ND rumor) as at all serious.

 

So you mean like a big CSN deal that carries them past 2019? Can't imagine them ponying up for that.

[jersey cubs fan]

My gut reaction is unless CSN has a big contractural obligation that would make it unworkable(e.g. X White Sox games have to be on the primary channel each year), they'd be more than willing to make it work if they see the threat of the Cubs starting their own network(be it on their own or some sort of hybrid like that NBC Sports/ND rumor) as at all serious.

 

So you mean like a big CSN deal that carries them past 2019? Can't imagine them ponying up for that.

 

You can't imagine Comcast having interest in partnering with the Cubs past 2019?

[Guest]

My gut reaction is unless CSN has a big contractural obligation that would make it unworkable(e.g. X White Sox games have to be on the primary channel each year), they'd be more than willing to make it work if they see the threat of the Cubs starting their own network(be it on their own or some sort of hybrid like that NBC Sports/ND rumor) as at all serious.

 

So you mean like a big CSN deal that carries them past 2019? Can't imagine them ponying up for that.

 

You can't imagine Comcast having interest in partnering with the Cubs past 2019?

 

I just don't see the motivation to overpay that FOX or NBC would seem to have.

 

Doesn't Reinsdorf own almost 50%?

[Guest]

I'd love to see it. The more interested parties willing to pay up big while taking on this 5 year patch, the better.

[Guest]

My gut reaction is unless CSN has a big contractural obligation that would make it unworkable(e.g. X White Sox games have to be on the primary channel each year), they'd be more than willing to make it work if they see the threat of the Cubs starting their own network(be it on their own or some sort of hybrid like that NBC Sports/ND rumor) as at all serious.

 

So you mean like a big CSN deal that carries them past 2019? Can't imagine them ponying up for that.

 

I mean CSN will think "getting the Cubs from now until 2019 is better than what we have now, and we may not want to encourage them to come up with more creative arrangements since we might REALLY want them after 2019"

[Guest]

My gut reaction is unless CSN has a big contractural obligation that would make it unworkable(e.g. X White Sox games have to be on the primary channel each year), they'd be more than willing to make it work if they see the threat of the Cubs starting their own network(be it on their own or some sort of hybrid like that NBC Sports/ND rumor) as at all serious.

 

So you mean like a big CSN deal that carries them past 2019? Can't imagine them ponying up for that.

 

I mean CSN will think "getting the Cubs from now until 2019 is better than what we have now, and we may not want to encourage them to come up with more creative arrangements since we might REALLY want them after 2019"

 

Personally, I think that if they only sell the rights to the 2015-19 games, there is almost no way they don't go Cubs Network after that.

[jersey cubs fan]

My gut reaction is unless CSN has a big contractural obligation that would make it unworkable(e.g. X White Sox games have to be on the primary channel each year), they'd be more than willing to make it work if they see the threat of the Cubs starting their own network(be it on their own or some sort of hybrid like that NBC Sports/ND rumor) as at all serious.

 

So you mean like a big CSN deal that carries them past 2019? Can't imagine them ponying up for that.

 

You can't imagine Comcast having interest in partnering with the Cubs past 2019?

 

I just don't see the motivation to overpay that FOX or NBC would seem to have.

 

Doesn't Reinsdorf own almost 50%?

 

CSN in just an entity in which Reinsdorf owns 40%. Comcast is the media company behind it that will be very interested in maintaining a relationship with the Cubs. Comcast will have as much motivation as Fox (and NBC is part of Comcast).