Improving Current Sports Coverage By Network

[TMC1982]

If you had the chance to play fantasy TV executive, what certain changes would you implement in hopes of improving a specific TV network's sports coverage at the moment. I'm not going to spend a whole lot of time listing what each network currently pays rights fees over, so I'm just going to list the networks and you give me your input. I'm not going to focus on speciality channels like MLB Network, NFL Network, NBA TV, NHL Network, Speed, Golf Channel, Tennis Channel, etc. right now. I'm also not going to try to focus on regional sports outlets like YES, MSG, NESN, SNY, MASN, etc.

Broadcast network:
ABC (even though technically, it and ESPN are at the moment, one of the same)

CBS

FOX

NBC

Cable:
ESPN

HBO

Turner (i.e. TBS and TNT)

Showtime

Versus

 

[TMC1982]

I hate to bump old threads, but I'll be the first to say that for Versus, they obviously need to somehow straighten things out with DirecTV. Also, Versus (if they want to be seen as ESPN's equal or a serious competitor to the four letter network up in Bristol), they have to get another major sports package to compliment the NHL.

 

[TMC1982]

I hate to bump old threads, but I'll be the first to say that for Versus, they obviously need to somehow straighten things out with DirecTV. Also, Versus (if they want to be seen as ESPN's equal or a serious competitor to the four letter network up in Bristol), they have to get another major sports package to compliment the NHL.

And speaking of Versus, here's what I just found on the Fang's Bites blog relating them potentially partnering up with NBC:

Pete Toms in the Biz of Hockey looks at a potential NBC-Versus alliance being a possible alternative to ESPN.

 

[BlackLantern]

sounds like a good idea...but NBC needs to grow some balls and put hockey on primetime at least a couple times a month during the season...this saturday afternoon **** isn't cutting it

 

[TMC1982]

How would you change the networks' sports departments?

 

[Daniel Thompson]

I would bring the NBA on NBC back with its glorious theme music and promo before the game package.

 

[runawayboulder]

They have to make a bid on that though and it's not up until at least 2014. If NBC was to get that sports network rolling they need to get their hands in a little bit of everything. That means weeknight NHL, MLB and NFL.

 

[Doc Samson]

I'd actually take sports off some of these networks. I think in this day and age, these athletes don't get respected like the guys in previous eras, partially because back then we didn't have 24-hr sports channels that needed fresh storylines. People weren't at the ready with camera phones trying to catch someone in a compromising position.

Now let me be clear, they don't need pity parties, they're millionaires a few times over, but the way these guys are picked to pieces nowadays is sort of disheartening, and the lack of integrity some of them have pales in comparison to the lack of it these channels exhibit.

Trust and believe, those athletes from the 60s-90's weren't saints, in fact, often much worse than anything people complain about today. The difference being, back then, all the networks cared about was giving you the score, some meaningful analysis, and then moving on. Even if he wanted to, I don't know if Michael Jordan could've pulled off "The Decision."

 

[runawayboulder]

I remember MJ got killed for retiring, trying baseball and un-retiring. Looking back at that now, it's not even a big deal compared to The Decision and some of the other trade demands that go on.

 

[Doc Samson]

Agreed. Even more to the point though, I'm not sure the ESPN of back then would've went for something like that regardless.

 

[runawayboulder]

They were still coming into their own in the early 90's. They weren't yet in every home like they are today.

 

[Doc Samson]

He came back in '95, by then, ESPN was pretty massive. They already had two offshoot channels.

 

[runawayboulder]

That was par for the course back then at least in the big markets. I live in NY and back then there were 2 MSG channels and 2 SportsChannels.

 

[Daniel Thompson]

They have to make a bid on that though and it's not up until at least 2014. If NBC was to get that sports network rolling they need to get their hands in a little bit of everything. That means weeknight NHL, MLB and NFL.

That new NBC Sports Network? Does everybody get it, because if not it would effect most people watching the network like the NFL Network does.

 

[runawayboulder]

Time Warner, Cablevision and Direct TV all carry it.

 

[Daniel Thompson]

Ah okay, well they should make a bid at getting NBA back. Hearing that theme music again and having those hype up promos before the game is nothing like it.

 

[runawayboulder]

I made a mistake before, the NBA/ABC/ESPN deal doesn't expire until after the 2015-2016 season. NBC had an opportunity in 2005 to bid for the MLB package ESPN has (Wed and Sun nights) but passed it up.

 

[Daniel Thompson]

Why? That was very stupid of NBC. With SNF on NBC, they could of had Friday Night Baseball on NBC.

 

[runawayboulder]

After reading more about it, it seems there was only speculation about NBC when FOX announced they were willing to split the TV rights. TBS were the one's that ended up with it. I do know that the contract is up for bid again after the 2013 MLB season, so maybe NBC will make a play.

The one thing to remember is when they did have baseball, there wasn't a great relationship between NBC and MLB at the tail end of the contract. Baseball hadn't fully recovered from the strike yet and some NBC execs took shots at baseball not being a good ratings draw. NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer publicly stated he hoped the World Series ended in a sweep one year because there was no appeal to the audience anymore. That ruffled some feathers, plus the Jim Gray/Pete Rose interview which turned heads.

 

[TMC1982]

Why? That was very stupid of NBC. With SNF on NBC, they could of had Friday Night Baseball on NBC.

From my basic understanding, NBC was a bit reluctant to bid on baseball rights because they were putting all of their hopes in Sunday Night Football to turn their ratings around (thank you Jeff Zucker). They were particularly, worried that postseason games like the World Series would land on Sunday evenings.

NBC's last go around with baseball came at a really bad time. It wasn't just the '94 strike, it was off the heels of CBS losing half a billion dollars off of their 1990-93 deal (hence the creation of The Baseball Network), and Fox starting to gain a foothold in sports when they got the NFL over CBS in late '93.

 

[TMC1982]

After reading more about it, it seems there was only speculation about NBC when FOX announced they were willing to split the TV rights. TBS were the one's that ended up with it. I do know that the contract is up for bid again after the 2013 MLB season, so maybe NBC will make a play.

The one thing to remember is when they did have baseball, there wasn't a great relationship between NBC and MLB at the tail end of the contract. Baseball hadn't fully recovered from the strike yet and some NBC execs took shots at baseball not being a good ratings draw. NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer publicly stated he hoped the World Series ended in a sweep one year because there was no appeal to the audience anymore. That ruffled some feathers, plus the Jim Gray/Pete Rose interview which turned heads.

If you ever get a chance to read the new book from Warren Littlefield (the head of NBC's entertainment division for much of the '90s) about the so called "rise and fall" of Must See TV, he goes in to how Don Ohlmeyer was an alcoholic bully.

Hopefully with people like Dick Ebersol (who I first and foremost want to blame for NBC Sports' early 2000s decline) finally out of the way and the Comcast group willing to spend some money (unlike the "by low and sell high mentality" of the GE administration), NBC will soon get back in the MLB fold. Fans have grown sick of having to deal w/ Joe Buck and Tim McCarver as the main national TV, baseball commentating team. Plus, Fox Sports using their NFL theme as the "all-purpose" theme as of late, makes them look even more bush-league.

 

[TMC1982]

Ah okay, well they should make a bid at getting NBA back. Hearing that theme music again and having those hype up promos before the game is nothing like it.

If not NBC, then CBS, who last covered the NBA back in 1989-90. They already have a close working relationship w/ TNT based on their NCAA basketball tournament coverage. I especially hate how ABC's NBA coverage are basically ESPN's coverage (literally ever since ABC Sports started calling itself on-screen "ESPN on ABC") on broadcast network TV.

 

[TheOnlyOmega]

I miss my Braves baseball on TBS. Definitely need that back.

 

[Shifty]

THR.com

Major League Baseball’s $12.4 Billion Bonanza Is Official

As expected, Fox retains the World Series in a deal ensuring it remains the dominant baseball provider through 2021, taking more rights with more money, while Turner expands digital rights.

Major League Baseball, the Fox Sports Media Group and Turner Broadcasting are entering into a new eight-year national media rights agreement that represents a 100 percent increase in the annual rights fees compared with the previous contract, according to an official announcement made Tuesday.
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The deals with Fox, Turner and an earlier agreement with Turner are worth $12.4 billion over eight years to baseball, according to MLB commissioner Bud Selig, who added that the national revenue will be shared equally by all 30 teams.

“I have often said in recent years that we are living in the golden age of baseball and that the game has never been more popular,” said Selig. “But to see the unprecedented and historic commitment these networks have made to televising Major League Baseball for years to come is truly amazing.”

News about the deal leaked two weeks ago, but MLB and its broadcast partners revealed new details. Among other things, Fox has agreed to sell two of its division series games to the MLB Network, so baseball’s own service will have signature calling cards to help push cable operators to pay for the service.

PHOTOS: The Faces Of The Dodgers: The New Blood And The Stalwarts

Fox and Turner are renewing deals, but to do so they had to beat out bids from NBC Sports, which has a new sports channel, and a bid that involved CBS Sports along with Turner.

Fox stepped up and took more rights for more money and continues to be the dominant baseball provider. Selig noted that by the time the new contracts end, Fox will have carried baseball for 25 years and Turner for 48 years.

The deals take effect in 2014 and run through 2021. As anticipated, Fox gets the most important package of rights: the World Series, the All-Star Game and one league championship series in addition to two division series games.

The league championship series and division series will be shared by Fox and TBS (as well as the two games for MLB Network). Fox and Turner also get digital “TV Everywhere” rights to stream games and other MLB programming to mobile devices.

STORY: Inside the Dodgers' Glitzy Reboot

Fox also doubles the number of regular-season national games it will air on Saturdays to 52, with 12 of those exclusive to Fox. They also get as many as 40 nonexclusive games that can be nationally distributed on another Fox channel, which is a reference to plans not yet announced for Fox to launch a national sports channel to compete with ESPN. It has been reported Speed Channel will become the new Fox Sports One.

David Levy, Turner’s president of sales, touted the expanded digital rights TBS acquired, even as it reduced the number of games it will carry. He said they will now have baseball on TV and the web, for mobile and on tablets. “This has added value to our portfolio,” he said.

On its Sunday games, Turner will no longer be subject to local blackouts but will air games side by side with local broadcasters who make deals with each team separately.

One team whose local rights will soon be in play is the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have been with Fox for a number of years. Fox is in an exclusive negotiating period, but if it can’t make a deal, Time Warner Cable and others are expected to enter negotiations.

Big recent rights deals for baseball nationally and locally means the Dodgers should expect a hefty fee increase for its new owners.

(New York- and Chicago-based Guggenheim Baseball Management, owner of the Dodgers, also is co-owner with Pluribus Capital Management of Prometheus Global Media, the parent company of THR.)

During a conference call Tuesday, Fox co-president Randy Freer declined to give details about plans for a national sports cable channel. He said it is still under consideration and if they don’t launch, the baseball games will appear on the company's other channels.

Other details revealed Tuesday include:

· National games on Fox that were previously blacked out to MLB Extra Innings subscribers and MLB.TV viewers will be available beginning in 2014.

· The MLB Network also has acquired rights the MLB All-Star Game Selection Show and SirusXM All-Star Futures Game.

· Turner gets additional interactive rights including one to create companion and ancillary products related to TBS broadcast of regular-season and postseason games.