Cubs TV Deal Stuff

[mul21]

With MLB losing ground annually to the NFL, in terms of fan popularity, TV ratings, and advertising dollars, do you think it may be on Manfred's mind to do away with the "superstation tax"? Allowing more national broadcasts of games, getting the more popular teams in front of more eyeballs on a regular basis? And if it's a possibility, could the Cubs be looking to get a short term arrangement, before launching the Cubs network (nationally) in 2020?

 

I would be pretty shocked to see that happen because those big market teams are the ones that are drawing the most fans to MLBTV. That would completely undercut their whole business model if they did away with the tax and more than a couple big market teams went for it, and I have to believe the Yankees for sure would do it since they've already got their own network.

[jersey cubs fan]

With MLB losing ground annually to the NFL, in terms of fan popularity, TV ratings, and advertising dollars, do you think it may be on Manfred's mind to do away with the "superstation tax"? Allowing more national broadcasts of games, getting the more popular teams in front of more eyeballs on a regular basis? And if it's a possibility, could the Cubs be looking to get a short term arrangement, before launching the Cubs network (nationally) in 2020?

 

I don't think MLB suffers from a lack of fan exposure to the Yankees and Red Sox.

[CubsInNC]

With MLB losing ground annually to the NFL, in terms of fan popularity, TV ratings, and advertising dollars, do you think it may be on Manfred's mind to do away with the "superstation tax"? Allowing more national broadcasts of games, getting the more popular teams in front of more eyeballs on a regular basis? And if it's a possibility, could the Cubs be looking to get a short term arrangement, before launching the Cubs network (nationally) in 2020?

 

I don't think MLB suffers from a lack of fan exposure to the Yankees and Red Sox.

 

 

No, they don't. But there's a large nationwide fan base for more than those two teams, which MLB could capitalize on with more nationwide televised games. Logistically it would be a nightmare, filling the left over time slots, etc. I just wondered if it's the next step, to actually improve ratings (without addressing the elephant in the room- making the game more suited to short attention span viewers who demand rapid recurring action).

[jersey cubs fan]

With MLB losing ground annually to the NFL, in terms of fan popularity, TV ratings, and advertising dollars, do you think it may be on Manfred's mind to do away with the "superstation tax"? Allowing more national broadcasts of games, getting the more popular teams in front of more eyeballs on a regular basis? And if it's a possibility, could the Cubs be looking to get a short term arrangement, before launching the Cubs network (nationally) in 2020?

 

I don't think MLB suffers from a lack of fan exposure to the Yankees and Red Sox.

 

 

No, they don't. But there's a large nationwide fan base for more than those two teams, which MLB could capitalize on with more nationwide televised games. Logistically it would be a nightmare, filling the left over time slots, etc. I just wondered if it's the next step, to actually improve ratings (without addressing the elephant in the room- making the game more suited to short attention span viewers who demand rapid recurring action).

 

I think the point with MLB is no, there isn't a large nationwide fan base for multiple teams. They have lots of nationally televised games and people don't watch them. And, unlike NFL, people do not watch games involving teams other than their own. A Steelers fan is more likely to watch Packers vs the Rams than a Pirates fan watching Brewers vs Cardinals. Nationally televised baseball is already widely available on a regular basis. Cubs fans watch Cubs games. Those that do not live in Chicago have plenty of options to see Cubs games.

[SouthSideRyan]

With MLB losing ground annually to the NFL, in terms of fan popularity, TV ratings, and advertising dollars, do you think it may be on Manfred's mind to do away with the "superstation tax"? Allowing more national broadcasts of games, getting the more popular teams in front of more eyeballs on a regular basis? And if it's a possibility, could the Cubs be looking to get a short term arrangement, before launching the Cubs network (nationally) in 2020?

 

I don't think MLB suffers from a lack of fan exposure to the Yankees and Red Sox.

 

 

No, they don't. But there's a large nationwide fan base for more than those two teams, which MLB could capitalize on with more nationwide televised games. Logistically it would be a nightmare, filling the left over time slots, etc. I just wondered if it's the next step, to actually improve ratings (without addressing the elephant in the room- making the game more suited to short attention span viewers who demand rapid recurring action).

 

FOX airs 38 national games a year. TBS has 12. ESPN airs 2 a week, MLBN airs 4-5 a week.

 

How much more do you need? And what superstation is going to carry Pittsburgh Pirates baseball?

[Guest]

FOX airs 38 national games a year. TBS has 12. ESPN airs 2 a week, MLBN airs 4-5 a week.

To be fair, it seems like half those games are Yankees-Redsox every year. When I lived in California it was tough seeing the Cubs on national TV.

[SouthSideRyan]

FOX airs 38 national games a year. TBS has 12. ESPN airs 2 a week, MLBN airs 4-5 a week.

To be fair, it seems like half those games are Yankees-Redsox every year. When I lived in California it was tough seeing the Cubs on national TV.

 

Maybe the ESPN games. In the very least MLBN is equally distributed.

[Guest]

So, as of what was written and the options that were laid out in this most recent article, what do you guys think is the best outcome?

[jersey cubs fan]

http://awfulannouncing.com/2014/cubs-still-dont-tv-deal-2015.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=cubs-still-dont-tv-deal-2015

 

awful announcing's interpretation.

[SouthSideRyan]

I wonder when the last time a non-Expos team went this late without having a TV deal.

[Felix Leiter]

The Cubs screwed the pooch by taking the only team with 50+ home games starting @ 1:20PM to a mish mash of times. Here's what 2014 brought us for times at home: 12:05, 1:20, 3:05, 5:45, 6:05, 6:15, 7:05. Not sure any other team has such a collection of strange starting times. And like baseball players being creatures of habit, Cub fans took comfort knowing that gametime was @ 1:20.

 

Remove the geographic blackout restrictions and allow Comcast to show the 1:20 games(after all who the hell are they competing against at that time) for starters. MLB-tv can then show the same games on their main channel or alternative channel. And so on....

[jersey cubs fan]

The Cubs screwed the pooch by taking the only team with 50+ home games starting @ 1:20PM to a mish mash of times. Here's what 2014 brought us for times at home: 12:05, 1:20, 3:05, 5:45, 6:05, 6:15, 7:05. Not sure any other team has such a collection of strange starting times. And like baseball players being creatures of habit, Cub fans took comfort knowing that gametime was @ 1:20.

 

Remove the geographic blackout restrictions and allow Comcast to show the 1:20 games(after all who the hell are they competing against at that time) for starters. MLB-tv can then show the same games on their main channel or alternative channel. And so on....

 

that's not how stuff works

[UMFan83]

That's kind of a weird rant.

 

I don't remember the games that started at 5:45, 6:05 and 6:15. Were those related to doubleheaders or suspended games? Also there are a lot of instances where the Cubs don't control the times, like national TV games and day games on days where there are national games.

 

12:05 - Starting time for FOX Saturday games.

1:20 - Standard Weekday/Sunday day game start time, as it has been for a really long time

3:05 - Non-Fox Saturday afternoon games, I believe are required by MLB to start after 3 at the earliest due to FOX games blackout rules.

7:05 - Night game starting times

 

So basically:

 

-Day games any day besides Saturday: 1:20,

-Night games: 7:05

-Saturday day games: 12:05 or 3:05

 

That covers probably 75 of the 81 games.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm so confused, are they playing right now?

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't understand why they don't just put the games on NBC primetime. Nobody watches them anyway, and it'd be great exposure.

[WrigleyField 22]

Just air the games on whatever public access channels normally air HS plays and [expletive]. Or on the TV guide channel

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Felix Leiter]

The Cubs screwed the pooch by taking the only team with 50+ home games starting @ 1:20PM to a mish mash of times. Here's what 2014 brought us for times at home: 12:05, 1:20, 3:05, 5:45, 6:05, 6:15, 7:05. Not sure any other team has such a collection of strange starting times. And like baseball players being creatures of habit, Cub fans took comfort knowing that gametime was @ 1:20.

 

Remove the geographic blackout restrictions and allow Comcast to show the 1:20 games(after all who the hell are they competing against at that time) for starters. MLB-tv can then show the same games on their main channel or alternative channel. And so on....

 

that's not how stuff works

 

As usual you add nothing to the discussion. Consistent, though.

[Felix Leiter]

That's kind of a weird rant.

 

I don't remember the games that started at 5:45, 6:05 and 6:15. Were those related to doubleheaders or suspended games? Also there are a lot of instances where the Cubs don't control the times, like national TV games and day games on days where there are national games.

 

12:05 - Starting time for FOX Saturday games.

1:20 - Standard Weekday/Sunday day game start time, as it has been for a really long time

3:05 - Non-Fox Saturday afternoon games, I believe are required by MLB to start after 3 at the earliest due to FOX games blackout rules.

7:05 - Night game starting times

 

So basically:

 

-Day games any day besides Saturday: 1:20,

-Night games: 7:05

-Saturday day games: 12:05 or 3:05

 

That covers probably 75 of the 81 games.

 

Did you sleep during the season? For example- Friday, Aug. 8th against Tampa. Gametime 3:05 PM. What national game was being televised then?

[jersey cubs fan]

3:05 Friday games are not new

[Guest]

3:05 Friday games are not new

 

I thought they were? Either way, they're awesome and there needs to be more of them.

[Guest]

That's kind of a weird rant.

 

I don't remember the games that started at 5:45, 6:05 and 6:15. Were those related to doubleheaders or suspended games? Also there are a lot of instances where the Cubs don't control the times, like national TV games and day games on days where there are national games.

 

12:05 - Starting time for FOX Saturday games.

1:20 - Standard Weekday/Sunday day game start time, as it has been for a really long time

3:05 - Non-Fox Saturday afternoon games, I believe are required by MLB to start after 3 at the earliest due to FOX games blackout rules.

7:05 - Night game starting times

 

So basically:

 

-Day games any day besides Saturday: 1:20,

-Night games: 7:05

-Saturday day games: 12:05 or 3:05

 

That covers probably 75 of the 81 games.

 

Did you sleep during the season? For example- Friday, Aug. 8th against Tampa. Gametime 3:05 PM. What national game was being televised then?

You did read the last line of his post, right?

[jersey cubs fan]

3:05 Friday games are not new

 

I thought they were? Either way, they're awesome and there needs to be more of them.

I'm pretty sure they were a thing, then went away, then came back.

 

 

Either way, what this has to do with television broadcasts is beyond me. The Cubs screwed the pooch by having an unwatchable product for 5 years. They screwed over television partners (not to mention fans) by being so bad for so long, which drove down ratings and made their product a tough sell. Being on at 1:20 one day at 7:05 another day has nothing to do with anything.

[Andy]

3:05 Friday games are not new

 

I thought they were? Either way, they're awesome and there needs to be more of them.

I believe they got the rooftops to agree to 3:05 Friday starts late last season and had a couple of them, then they were standard this year from basically May-August.

[Guest]

3:05 Friday games are not new

 

I thought they were? Either way, they're awesome and there needs to be more of them.

I'm pretty sure they were a thing, then went away, then came back.

 

 

Either way, what this has to do with television broadcasts is beyond me. The Cubs screwed the pooch by having an unwatchable product for 5 years. They screwed over television partners (not to mention fans) by being so bad for so long, which drove down ratings and made their product a tough sell. Being on at 1:20 one day at 7:05 another day has nothing to do with anything.

 

Don't disagree at all.

[Guest]

What in the blue hell does start times have to do with a TV contract? The Ricketts or Crane don't appear as good business negotiators.