Cubs TV Deal Stuff

[treebird]

i'm pretty sure the late 3:05 friday starts were something they had to get permission from the neighborhood to do. the cubs wanted them for days when the team was on the road the night before to keep the turnaround from being so awful (since they couldn't just have a night game like they would any other day of the week that a homestand might start).

[Guest]

i'm pretty sure the late 3:05 friday starts were something they had to get permission from the neighborhood to do. the cubs wanted them for days when the team was on the road the night before to keep the turnaround from being so awful (since they couldn't just have a night game like they would any other day of the week that a homestand might start).

 

plus it's probably more attractive than a 1:20 start for people who work and are starting their weekend early

[jersey cubs fan]

i'm pretty sure the late 3:05 friday starts were something they had to get permission from the neighborhood to do. the cubs wanted them for days when the team was on the road the night before to keep the turnaround from being so awful (since they couldn't just have a night game like they would any other day of the week that a homestand might start).

 

Right, but they were a thing that used to happen before they went away.

 

I used to go to games that started after work when I spent summers in Chicago during college.

 

Friday, August 2, 1996, 3:05, Wrigley Field

Attendance: 34,186, Time of Game: 2:53

 

Harry and Steve used to spend half the broadcast talking about the inevitable shadow over home plate closer in the sun situation that would happen when the game started that late.

[weis21]

Harry and Steve used to spend half the broadcast talking about the inevitable shadow over home plate closer in the sun situation that would happen when the game started that late.

I have no idea if this is a terribly hard thing for a hitter, but I remember thinking as a kid it must be a monumental task based solely on Stone and Harry's commentary.

[Backtobanks]

Harry and Steve used to spend half the broadcast talking about the inevitable shadow over home plate closer in the sun situation that would happen when the game started that late.

I have no idea if this is a terribly hard thing for a hitter, but I remember thinking as a kid it must be a monumental task based solely on Stone and Harry's commentary.

 

I would imagine it must be tough hitting a ball coming at you 95 mph while passing from sunlight to shadow.

[J.R.]

Harry and Steve used to spend half the broadcast talking about the inevitable shadow over home plate closer in the sun situation that would happen when the game started that late.

I have no idea if this is a terribly hard thing for a hitter, but I remember thinking as a kid it must be a monumental task based solely on Stone and Harry's commentary.

 

I would imagine it must be tough hitting a ball coming at you 95 mph while passing from sunlight to shadow.

Not nearly as difficult post-lights IMO.

[Guest]

Danny Ecker @DannyEcker · 4h 4 hours ago

Crane says team still in "extra innings" in negotiating TV contract for WGN's gms. Said interested parties have been seeking long-term deals

 

Danny Ecker @DannyEcker · 3h 3 hours ago

Crane Kenney says he expects new TV deal to be done by end of the year.

 

TV DEAL UPDATE

 

At a town hall event for season-ticket holders today, Cubs President of Business Operations Crane Kenney reiterated that the team's negotiations with a potential new TV partner are in "extra innings" and that he expects an announcement before the end of the year.

 

The Cubs have spent most of the 2014 weighing options for a broadcast partner 70 games that to date have been carried on WGN-TV/Channel 9.

 

The team opted out of its contract with the network in hopes of boosting the rights fees WGN or a new partner would pay for those games. While other franchises have capitalized on highly lucrative broadcast rights deals, poor recent TV ratings for the Cubs offer them little negotiating leverage.

 

"All I can say is that we know what's at stake here and we're not going to short arm the negotiations," Mr. Kenney told fans, calling the Cubs' next full-season TV deal the team's "biggest economic event that will happen in our generation."

 

"We're very confident that we're going to have a very good outcome on the TV deal," he said.

 

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20141010/BLOGS04/141019985/cubs-add-4th-top-tier-sponsor-in-ati-physical-therapy

[Wilson A2000]

Everyone knows the TV ratings are going to skyrocket, most likely beginning next year. There's no way the TV deal has to be set in stone for the next 20 years based on the poor ratings the last few years?

[Guest]

Brett's interpretation on what was said about the TV deal at today's STH event

 

http://www.bleachernation.com/2014/10/10/cubs-tv-rights-update-coordinating-long-term-deal-with-short-term-deal-still-possible/

[Sammy Sofa]

I was there. It felt like a timeshare seminar. I have no idea why I went.

[Guest]

I was there. It felt like a timeshare seminar. I have no idea why I went.

 

lmao

[treebird]

I was there. It felt like a timeshare seminar. I have no idea why I went.

 

do a parody of losing my edge about your experience

[Sammy Sofa]

I was there. It felt like a timeshare seminar. I have no idea why I went.

 

do a parody of losing my edge about your experience

 

Ahahahahahaah! I'd need Theo to be the one doing the slapping.

[Guest]

i really want the combined deals in part because i'm really worried this bubble is gonna burst and also because i'm impatient and would rather have pretty damn big money now than wait 5 more years with meh money and with the hopes of contending cubs teams getting us obscene money 2019 and beyond.

[Guest]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-theo-epstein-cubs-spending-spt-1011-20141010-story.html

 

And the Cubs' spending might continue at a robust pace in the ensuing seasons, as Epstein and Kenney expressed strong confidence they will land a lucrative television deal by the end of the year.

 

"Knowing the money will be there changes the lens in which you view every transaction," Epstein said. "If you know there's an elite payroll coming, even if it doesn't come today, it puts you in an aggressive posture. You can take high salaried players in trades from other organizations."

 

Kenney said multiple potential TV partners have surfaced and are interested in long-term deals covering 15 to 30 years. Currently 70 games are available after the Cubs and WGN ended their deal, and the Cubs' contract with CSN to telecast the virtual balance of games runs through 2019.

 

Kenney admitted he misgauged the market when he negotiated a deal with Fox SportsNet in Chicago in 1999 and stressed patience with the regular season less than five months away and no TV deal.

 

"All I can say is we know what's at stake here, and we're not going to short-arm the negotiations," Kenney told season ticket holders. "I also want to say we're very confident that we're going to have a very good outcome on the television deal."

 

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-hope-tv-deal-becomes-%E2%80%98magic-bullet%E2%80%99-payroll

 

“The sports-media marketplace is extremely robust,” Kenney said. “We’re fortunate that a number of potential partners have emerged. All are interested in long-term relationships spanning 15 to 30 years. And some of those long-term discussions would also include our games next year, even before our Comcast agreement ends in 2019.

 

“Now I know some of you are tired of waiting for an answer. I also heard that loud and clear during our Mesa and Naples negotiations for spring training. I also heard it loud and clear during our negotiation with the Red Sox to bring Theo to Chicago. And during the CBS/WGN radio negotiation. And certainly patience was worn thin in our city/rooftop negotiations for Wrigley Field.

 

“All I can say is we know what’s at stake here and we’re not going to short-arm the negotiations.”

 

Chairman Tom Ricketts has put faith in Kenney, extending his contract through 2019. The former Tribune Co. lawyer has spent more than two decades in the organization, helping launch two regional sports networks in this city.

 

“This will be the third one I’ve done with the Cubs,” Kenney said. “We did Fox SportsNet Chicago back in ’99 and immediately realized that we misgauged the market.

 

“We were fortunate enough to be able to unwind that deal in 2004 and do the deal we’re in today with Comcast — and we realized we had mistimed the market almost on the closing. We want to make sure that we capture all the upside in these rights.”

 

Kenney, who hopes to have a new TV contract announced by the end of the year, pointed to the NBA’s $24 billion national deal with ESPN and Turner Broadcasting.

 

“We want to make sure we’re always on the front edge of that,” Kenney said. “2019 is an important date for us. It does kind of play back into what’s going to happen in 2015, (but) we’re not going to rush it. Just to make sure if there is something there that we want to do today for the long-term, we can.

 

“Now if we don’t do the long-term deal today, we still have four more years before all the rights come back to us from Comcast. There is time, but the marketplace is really, really exciting right now and we want to make sure we don’t miss it.”

 

I like that last comment that seems to imply that just getting it done now is their primary objective.

 

 

If he gets this done now, I might have to agree with SSR that Kenney is the most valuable non-player member of this organization

 

that's not even meant as a dig at the FO like he did

[treebird]

valuable =/= important

[Guest]

also, mark gonzalez, the regular season is unfortunately not less than 5 months away

 

i have a countdown widget on my phone because i'm a dork

[Guest]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-cubs-tv-1114-biz-20141113-story.html

 

Launching a regional sports network in 2020 could mean big bucks for the Cubs, who earned about $60 million last season splitting their schedule between Comcast SportsNet Chicago and WGN-TV. The team received about $500,000 per game from CSN and about $250,000 per game from WGN, according to sources.

 

The Los Angeles Dodgers, who launched their own cable network last season with Time Warner Cable, are earning a reported $8.35 billion over 25 years, or some $2 million per game.

 

While the Cubs are looking for a long-term payoff, they had hoped to bump up the TV portion of the contract during the interim as they look to make a splash with established, high-priced Major League players. But years of dismal play have produced low ratings and poor ad sales for WGN-TV, which sources say lost about $200,000 per game last season. In recent negotiations this fall, Tribune Media balked at paying its previous rate, much less an increase, according to sources.

 

But the team's fortunes look to be improving, embodied by the hiring of Maddon, a baseball lifer who led the Tampa Bay Rays to four playoff appearances, two American League East titles and a berth in the 2008 World Series during nine seasons. At his introductory news conference, Maddon started the World Series talk, saying "it's in our future."

 

Just the hope of winning could boost ratings for the Cubs, and likely helped bring Tribune Media back to the table.

 

A number of plans are being discussed, including the possibility of moving some portion of the TV schedule over to CSN, in which the Cubs have an equity stake. Such a move would require approval from the other teams partnered in the regional sports network, including White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, but discussions are taking place, according to sources.

 

A Comcast spokesman declined to comment Thursday.

 

For TV games on WGN, a revenue-sharing deal may be in the works, according to sources, giving the team revenue upside while limiting Tribune Media's risk. Any deal would extend only so far as 2019. Such a deal also would likely include an out clause should the Cubs be able to strike a long-term deal sooner.

 

 

Meh.

 

At least it's not the crazy simulcast thing and if they're as good as we hope that revenue sharing deal could work out in the short term.

[jersey cubs fan]

Houston and Directv created a new network.

 

Thank you for being a loyal customer and we have some exciting news to share with you pertaining to your Sports Pack subscription.

 

We are pleased to announce that ROOT SPORTS Southwest will begin broadcasting on DIRECTV Monday, November 17th on channel 674 and is included in your Sports Pack subscription. With ROOT SPORTS you will find pre and post-game shows to the Houston Rockets and Houston Astros. ROOT SPORTS is also your home for great college football and basketball from Conference USA, the Mountain West, Big Sky, and Southland conferences.

 

All of this great sports action is included with your Sports Pack subscription on DIRECTV.

 

Thank you for being a loyal customer and for the continued opportunity to bring you with the best overall television entertainment experience.

 

Sincerely,

 

DIRECTV

 

http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2014/11/root-sports-southwest-on-the-air-airs-rockets-game-tonight/#28475101=0

 

The launch of Root Sports Southwest brings to an end this portion of the CSN Houston bankruptcy court saga, which began in September 2013 when Comcast plunged the channel into an involuntary Chapter 11 case when it was unable to pay the Astros’ broadcast rights fees and the Astros were on the verge of retaking those rights, which would have doomed the network.

 

ATY&T and DirecTV will invest $50 million in the network, which is expected to continue losing money for at least the next two years, and the teams will lose their equity in the venture, which at one point was valued at $700 million.

 

In a letter to Rockets fans on the team website, Rockets CEO Tad Brown apologized to local fans for CSN Houston’s woes and said the Root Sports Southwest reboot was consistent with the team’s efforts to service its fans.

[Banedon]

Bruce Levine just said that he was straight out told that it's no guarantee that all Cubs games will be televised this season. That even if WGN airs the games, it's gonna be tough to sell advertising this close to the season.

[Wilson A2000]

Bruce Levine just said that he was straight out told that it's no guarantee that all Cubs games will be televised this season. That even if WGN airs the games, it's gonna be tough to sell advertising this close to the season.

 

Even after the Lester, Maddon, and Montero signings? Seems like this is the time to buy ads.

[UMFan83]

Bruce Levine just said that he was straight out told that it's no guarantee that all Cubs games will be televised this season. That even if WGN airs the games, it's gonna be tough to sell advertising this close to the season.

 

No one tell #PTR, he might reneg on the Lester contract

 

 

Wait, we're retiring #PTR?

[imb]

Bruce Levine just said that he was straight out told that it's no guarantee that all Cubs games will be televised this season. That even if WGN airs the games, it's gonna be tough to sell advertising this close to the season.

 

No one tell #PTR, he might reneg on the Lester contract

 

 

Wait, we're retiring #PTR?

 

no he has $155 million less than he had yesterday he's even more poor duh

[Sammy Sofa]

Bruce Levine just said that he was straight out told that it's no guarantee that all Cubs games will be televised this season. That even if WGN airs the games, it's gonna be tough to sell advertising this close to the season.

 

Even after the Lester, Maddon, and Montero signings? Seems like this is the time to buy ads.

 

For the Comcast games, sure, but right now there's no deal for a huge chunk of their games. Who are you thinking they should buy the time from?

[Banedon]

Bruce Levine just said that he was straight out told that it's no guarantee that all Cubs games will be televised this season. That even if WGN airs the games, it's gonna be tough to sell advertising this close to the season.

 

No one tell #PTR, he might reneg on the Lester contract

 

 

Wait, we're retiring #PTR?

 

no he has $155 million less than he had yesterday he's even more poor duh

 

Eh, he'll just go full Huizenga after the Cubs win the WS.