Cubs TV Deal Stuff

[Guest]

I don't get why the blackout issue is coming up now. That was determined a very long time ago.

 

The only way that wouldn't have happened is if CSN picked up the rest of the schedule (which never seemed very likely).

[KVS]

There was a lot of talk a few months back the mlb.tv blackout restrictions were going to be eased. I haven't seen anything lately but here's an article on it from August:

 

http://www.techhive.com/article/2599202/mlb-tv-hints-at-easing-blackout-rules-though-not-for-cord-cutters.html

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't get why the blackout issue is coming up now. That was determined a very long time ago.

 

The only way that wouldn't have happened is if CSN picked up the rest of the schedule (which never seemed very likely).

Blackout issues come up for those who live in the Cubs territory but don't get the channel games are switching too. People in Indy probably don't get wls7 but did get wgn.

[WrigleyField 22]

I don't get why the blackout issue is coming up now. That was determined a very long time ago.

 

The only way that wouldn't have happened is if CSN picked up the rest of the schedule (which never seemed very likely).

Blackout issues come up for those who live in the Cubs territory but don't get the channel games are switching too. People in Indy probably don't get wls7 but did get wgn.

And here comes David again to rehash that people in Indy get WGN America and not the local one Chicagoans get, and that sports broadcasts were going out the door.

 

 

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[gscool89]

I don't get why the blackout issue is coming up now. That was determined a very long time ago.

 

The only way that wouldn't have happened is if CSN picked up the rest of the schedule (which never seemed very likely).

Even then you probably lose a ton of games when they put it on CSN+

[Banedon]

Matt Spiegel says they're going to talk to someone from MLB Advanced Media next week to see if there will be any change to the blackout region as a result of this.

[XZero771679666304]

Matt Spiegel says they're going to talk to someone from MLB Advanced Media next week to see if there will be any change to the blackout region as a result of this.

 

I should hope that they would. I have some friends back up in Eastern Iowa who are none too happy about this, to say the least.

[gscool89]

Get an affiliate deal done with Indiana, Central/Southern Illinois, Iowa etc. Show the select games on the local PBS station or something. I'm sure the ratings would be better than what they've been.

[TarzanJoeWallis]

Get an affiliate deal done with Indiana, Central/Southern Illinois, Iowa etc. Show the select games on the local PBS station or something. I'm sure the ratings would be better than what they've been.

Indy's CBS affiliate is losing the affiliation January 1 after 60 years of being a CBS station. They will now be an independent and are scrambling for programming (basically plan to show news about 14 hours a day). I think I will encourage them to add Cubs baseball.

[J.R.]

I want a monster deal, not getting a portion of games locked in with busted ass channel 7 until 20-[expletive]-19.

 

More money than the crappy WGN deal, sure, but not the [expletive] you money of the oh-so-brief insane TV deal bubble.

Channel 7 is an ABC (Disney) O/O. Bodes well for ESPN cooperation on a Cubs RSN, if such things exist when 2020 comes around.

 

If the mainstream cable/satellite model evaporates in the interim and we wind up in a broadband fueled al la carte world, a mix of OTA and streaming may be the new model for sports. News and political advertising will prop up local stations in the big markets long after the networks leave broadcasting behind, and they will welcome DVR-proof programming. Teams need an instrument to draw general audiences to the park and to the realm of diehards who will pay upfront to watch sports online.

 

Guessing about the future of the sports TV landscape is a fool's errand, but this much seems clear - non-fans are tiring of footing the bill for ESPN and RSNs.

[hawkeyecub]

I don't get why the blackout issue is coming up now. That was determined a very long time ago.

 

The only way that wouldn't have happened is if CSN picked up the rest of the schedule (which never seemed very likely).

Blackout issues come up for those who live in the Cubs territory but don't get the channel games are switching too. People in Indy probably don't get wls7 but did get wgn.

 

No [expletive]. This sucks for a large percentage of the fan base unless something changes.

[Banedon]

@MLBBruceLevine

 

Source -Chicago Cubs and WGN TV will announce new multi year deal .WGN will broadcast 45 games this season . Should be announced this week.

[Guest]

@MLBBruceLevine

 

Source -Chicago Cubs and WGN TV will announce new multi year deal .WGN will broadcast 45 games this season . Should be announced this week.

Will WGN America carry those games too?

[gscool89]

@MLBBruceLevine

 

Source -Chicago Cubs and WGN TV will announce new multi year deal .WGN will broadcast 45 games this season . Should be announced this week.

Will WGN America carry those games too?

WGN-TV=Local

[Banedon]

@MLBBruceLevine

 

Source -Chicago Cubs and WGN TV will announce new multi year deal .WGN will broadcast 45 games this season . Should be announced this week.

Will WGN America carry those games too?

 

I replied to Levine to ask, but I'd guess not, or it'd have been mentioned. I'm hoping for some kind of local simulcast, like they're doing with some of the WGN Bulls games right now.

[SouthSideRyan]

@MLBBruceLevine

 

Source -Chicago Cubs and WGN TV will announce new multi year deal .WGN will broadcast 45 games this season . Should be announced this week.

 

I imagine this carries through 2019.

[Guest]

@CSNMooney Source confirms #Cubs will announce new TV deal with WGN, as @MLBBruceLevine reported, with games airing locally (not part of superstation).

[UMFan83]

@MLBBruceLevine

 

Source -Chicago Cubs and WGN TV will announce new multi year deal .WGN will broadcast 45 games this season . Should be announced this week.

 

So that accounts for all the games?

 

80 on CSN

45 on WGN

25 on ABC

 

That leaves 12. Is that the standard allotment held for FOX/ESPN, or will WCIU account for some of those 12 (or are they included in WGN numbers)?

[gscool89]

Maybe CSN/CSN+ are picking up the remaining 12

[Guest]

I think 12 is for national.

[Banedon]

I'm sure it's national broadcasts. They've not announced any more than the opener, but that accounts for one!

[Guest]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/ct-cubs-wgn-tv-0107-biz-20150106-story.html

 

The new agreement keeps the partnership intact for five more seasons, although the Cubs may have early termination options if they can establish their regional network sooner, sources said.

 

Last season, WGN-Ch. 9 paid about $250,000 per game and lost $200,000 per game because of weak advertising revenue, sources said. The new rights agreement is likely more favorable for WGN and could play out better than last year’s deal, sources said, despite a later start on ad sales.

 

Hopefully, that just means in terms of WGN being able to make money on the product going forward.

 

With channel 7 getting their pick of the better games, though, I kinda expected little out of this WGN portion. Still no terms publicly on that one (WLS), either, as far as I know.

[Guest]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/ct-cubs-wgn-tv-0107-biz-20150106-story.html

 

The new agreement keeps the partnership intact for five more seasons, although the Cubs may have early termination options if they can establish their regional network sooner, sources said.

 

Last season, WGN-Ch. 9 paid about $250,000 per game and lost $200,000 per game because of weak advertising revenue, sources said. The new rights agreement is likely more favorable for WGN and could play out better than last year’s deal, sources said, despite a later start on ad sales.

 

Hopefully, that just means in terms of WGN being able to make money on the product going forward.

 

With channel 7 getting their pick of the better games, though, I kinda expected little out of this WGN portion. Still no terms publicly on that one (WLS), either, as far as I know.

 

A share of advertising wouldn't surprise me.

[Guest]

Going to be lazy and just link to Brett's summaries instead of the actual articles

 

http://www.bleachernation.com/2015/01/09/a-couple-confirmations-on-the-cubs-new-tv-deal-and-other-bullets/

 

Main takeaway - deals have opt outs so we can work out a longer term deal before 2019 if possible

 

Hopefully the ratings are crazy good next year

[jersey cubs fan]

Going to be lazy and just link to Brett's summaries instead of the actual articles

 

http://www.bleachernation.com/2015/01/09/a-couple-confirmations-on-the-cubs-new-tv-deal-and-other-bullets/

 

Main takeaway - deals have opt outs so we can work out a longer term deal before 2019 if possible

 

Hopefully the ratings are crazy good next year

 

Even though this is not entirely comparable, I am going to assume it will similar to the situation from 1998 and 2003. In both cases it was relatively easy to get tickets early in the year, and it wasn't until the second half, when people really realized something good was happening, that you started to see 40,000 seats sold for games. And it was the following season that really saw the biggest demand for tickets in February. I am going to guess ratings will have a little boost early in the season, but unless things really click immediately, they will take a while to pick-up. And it may not be until 2016 when you see a real boost, assuming 2015 ends up being good.