Cubs starting their own network?

[gobigred]

http://awfulannouncing.com/local-networks/cubs-eyeing-own-network-after-2019-season.html

The Cubs’ TV contracts with NBC Sports Chicago, ABC-7 and WGN-9 expire after the 2019 season, which presents an opportunity to create their own regional sports network. As Gonzales writes, Cubs owner Tom Ricketts has been eyeing such a venture since he bought the team in 2009, eager to break away from sharing TV revenues with the White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks in Chicago. All four of the city’s teams currently own a 20 percent share in NBC Sports Chicago. But the Cubs prefer an arrangement under which they wouldn’t have to share anything.

[PackLandVA]

[Irrelevant Dude]

Do it, and give us a standalone subscription option so I can finally ditch cable/satellite once and for all.

[Old Style]

[CubColtPacer]

I'm a bit nervous about this as standalone networks sometimes have trouble with getting distribution. And being here in Indy, where today we get the vast majority of games, it wouldn't be a great deal if the Cubs got more revenue to play with, but I suddenly fell into the blackout zone (in market without any access to games). The changing TV landscape may make those rules obsolete after awhile, but we will see.

[Cubfanintheknow]

I'm a bit nervous about this as standalone networks sometimes have trouble with getting distribution. And being here in Indy, where today we get the vast majority of games, it wouldn't be a great deal if the Cubs got more revenue to play with, but I suddenly fell into the blackout zone (in market without any access to games). The changing TV landscape may make those rules obsolete after awhile, but we will see.

 

I'll pay the fee, however much it is. I already told my wife she's probably going to have to get a second job to pay for the network. But if that's what has to be done...

[UMFan83]

I'm a bit nervous about this as standalone networks sometimes have trouble with getting distribution.

 

Isn't the Dodgers network still, after like 5 years, only available on 1 carrier that is only available to like 50% of the market?

 

That would be awful if it happened with the Cubs.

[David]

I'm a bit nervous about this as standalone networks sometimes have trouble with getting distribution.

 

Isn't the Dodgers network still, after like 5 years, only available on 1 carrier that is only available to like 50% of the market?

 

That would be awful if it happened with the Cubs.

If the Cubs got as much money as the dodgers did (which resulted in them having this problem) I'd be good with watching them on MLB.tv and paying the $5 a month for a proxy

[UMFan83]

I'm a bit nervous about this as standalone networks sometimes have trouble with getting distribution.

 

Isn't the Dodgers network still, after like 5 years, only available on 1 carrier that is only available to like 50% of the market?

 

That would be awful if it happened with the Cubs.

If the Cubs got as much money as the dodgers did (which resulted in them having this problem) I'd be good with watching them on MLB.tv and paying the $5 a month for a proxy

 

Good point. I guess all that money would be worth trying to figure all that out.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

what? no, horsefeathers that. if they're getting a new and lucrative deal that horsefeathers better be readily available to me under my current media means

[David]

it's really not even a little hard to circumvent the blackout rules on mlb.tv. i did it for a year when i cut the cord.

[UK]

it's really not even a little hard to circumvent the blackout rules on mlb.tv. i did it for a year when i cut the cord.

 

VPNs are great.

[Omar]

*Dedicated VPNs

 

 

Is there enough content to keep the channel going outside of the game times?

 

or will we have to skip past through 'Paid Programming' re-runs during the offseason?

[Aaron_Kennelly]

*Dedicated VPNs

 

 

Is there enough content to keep the channel going outside of the game times?

 

or will we have to skip past through 'Paid Programming' re-runs during the offseason?

 

A reality show. Cubs Bachelor. Kris Bryant has to decide to give a rose to Anthony or Bryce.

[Cubswin11]

Anyone in the YES market know what they show in the offseason? Do they contract with like a lower level college conference to show games for football/basketball? I’m sure there would be some added Cubs original programming stuff but can only have so much of that.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Anyone in the YES market know what they show in the offseason? Do they contract with like a lower level college conference to show games for football/basketball? I’m sure there would be some added Cubs original programming stuff but can only have so much of that.

 

Looks like the Nets are the big thing that carries the offseason, maybe Jersey has more specifics. http://web.yesnetwork.com/schedule/index.jsp

[jersey cubs fan]

The nets, Michael Kay interviews, Mike Francesca simulcasts and lower level college sports. It's god awful programming that makes it truly pointless to exist. A Cubs channel alone, without at least one partner like the blackhawks, would be a terrible product for consumers.

[weis21]

I’d be fine if they just played totally random old Cubs games which i didn’t know who wins or loses. Half the time I’m barely paying attention to the TV anyway and I’m working (lol jk im dicking around usually) on the computer.

[WrigleyField 22]

The nets, Michael Kay interviews, Mike Francesca simulcasts and lower level college sports. It's god awful programming that makes it truly pointless to exist. A Cubs channel alone, without at least one partner like the blackhawks, would be a terrible product for consumers.

Even that might be pushing it. With the current market, and the ability for all teams to air some games on WGN and WCIU, 4 teams with equal partnership in one network is a pretty good setup. Now granted, WGN is not as attractive as it used to be, but those teams basically never need to worry about airing their games, and with 4 teams to the network there's plenty of supplemental programming available.

 

Hockey/baseball and basketball/baseball are at least decent matches with not a lot of overlap in seasons, but you'd need some type of WGN/WCIU still for overflow when those seasons overlap, and those networks would have the task of still doubling Comcast Sports non-game programming.

[SouthSideRyan]

I have a feeling it would turn into 5 months of nonstop Bears coverage, and we'll all be craving the Juice Loosener infomercial.

[WrigleyField 22]

I assume that there are still a lot of roadblocks with the streaming services airing sports events, with blackout rules in place? Is there any roadmap for a local simulcast + streaming service add-on for national distribution for a single team sports network?

[Cubswin11]

The nets, Michael Kay interviews, Mike Francesca simulcasts and lower level college sports. It's god awful programming that makes it truly pointless to exist. A Cubs channel alone, without at least one partner like the blackhawks, would be a terrible product for consumers.

Got it, thanks. So offseason would likely be game replays, some sort of Cubs news show maybe once a week, some original programming/documentaries, The Score Simulcasts and like Loyola/UIC/NIU basketball games

[CubinNY]

I have a feeling it would turn into 5 months of nonstop Bears coverage, and we'll all be craving the Juice Loosener infomercial.

Just like The Score. As soon as horsefeathering optional summer camp starts it’s Bears all day and random baseball segments.

[Regular Show]

The nets, Michael Kay interviews, Mike Francesca simulcasts and lower level college sports. It's god awful programming that makes it truly pointless to exist. A Cubs channel alone, without at least one partner like the blackhawks, would be a terrible product for consumers.

Got it, thanks. So offseason would likely be game replays, some sort of Cubs news show maybe once a week, some original programming/documentaries, The Score Simulcasts and like Loyola/UIC/NIU basketball games

 

I was thinking about original programming/documentaries for a Cubs network as well. I don't know if you guys watch "The Starters" on NBATV, but it's an excellent show and really funny too. It used to be called "The Basketball Jones" and aired on some Canadian sports channel. They made a lot of funny videos/original content back in the day:

 

[bbvideo=853,480]https://vimeo.com/16923891[/bbvideo]

 

I would love if the Cubs created a show like this around some young Cubs fans who are really funny, but also really knowledgeable about the game at the same time. I love "The Starters" and one of the guys on the show (Trey Kirby) is a huge Bulls fan. Highly recommend it for anyone that has NBATV.

 

I think a show similar to this, but obviously more Cubs-centric would do really well on this new network.

[shnsajax]

Don't forget about reruns of My Boys and might as well include The League too.