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Post by mikecubs on Feb 27, 2015 1:06:21 GMT -6
Arizona Diamondbacks 'game-changing' TV deal worth more than $1.5 billionDiamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall called the team's new lucrative television deal a financial "game-changer," but he cautioned that it won't effect the way the club spends in the immediate short-term. "Our budget is our budget," Hall said Sunday. "We were already spending money assuming this deal would get done and it took a little longer than we thought it would. Our plans were already in place and that included this nice bump, this nice lift." Just how nice of a lift it is remains unclear, though more details emerged about the agreement with Fox Sports Arizona. There are indications the deal is for 20 years and guarantees the club north of $1.5 billion. Moreover, the deal is also believed to include an equity stake in the network
"This is game-changing for us," Hall said. "It puts us on par with a lot of our colleagues. Any increase in revenues, as we've said in the past, will go directly toward our (organization). It will help the franchise. It will help the product on the field." Asked if the team can suddenly become big spenders in a market that currently includes a handful of presumably high-priced Cuban free agents, Hall said, "No, we really can't." He said the deal includes a signing bonus but that the increased rights fees don't kick in until next year. In addition, he said, the team spent money this offseason on free agents such as Cuban slugger Yasmany Tomas ($68.5 million) and fellow Cuban pitcher Yoan Lopez ($16.27 million) in part because it knew the TV deal was coming. Hall said the club considered launching its own regional sports network but ultimately decided it preferred to remain with Fox Sports Arizona. "At the end of the day, it just made more sense to remain with Fox," he said. "They wanted to remain our partner. We wanted them. They're very good at what they do. They put on a great product. They're willing to invest in our future and in the quality of our broadcast. Let the experts do what they do best. Let's partner with them for a long time and in different ways." While other markets, including Los Angeles and Houston, have seen prolonged disputes between networks and cable/satellite providers after hefty deals resulted in increased carriage fees, Hall said he doesn't expect any such problems in Arizona. "Fox has really good relationships with all the distribution channels and the chains," Hall said. "We have no concerns. I think it's business as usual. Our deal is not going to shake it up. We don't see that changing the way they do business at all." www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/cactus-league/2015/02/22/arizona-diamondbacks-game-changing-tv-deal-worth-billion/23856871/
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Post by Bruinsfan on Feb 28, 2015 8:10:52 GMT -6
MLB has a clear cut advantage in Local programming, 162 games is essentially a half years worth of live programming.
CRAZY IDEA OF BRUINSFAN TIME...something that has been kicking in my head
I still think the mlb season is a little long and would like to see ti reduced to introduce a full international calendar run by the MLB.
I think the international structure of baseball is in its infancy but would love to ee it abandon the typical 4 year tournament and have a yearly "world championship" brought to you by the MLB. Essentially the MLB would host a tournament reducing the in season games but making up for it with a knockout style tournament of international teams that is played every month or so (kind of like champions league soccer, fa cup soccer, international soccer friendlies etc). The tournament is drawn out over the coure of the season with the semi finals and finals taking place just after the all star break.
It wouldnt happen. The geezers in baseball still dont see the plus to international play when really they can grasp it and find a way to make money on it. There are too many nations playing to ignore it IMO. Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China in the asian markets, Dominican, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Venezuela, Canada, USA, Netherlands, Mexico in the western markets.
12 team tournament played over several months instead of 2 weeks run by the MLB.
Yes i know its crazy idea would never happen. But id love to see international play get more looks from baseball.
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65c10
4th Line Grinder
Posts: 188 
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Post by 65c10 on Feb 28, 2015 10:21:52 GMT -6
That's actually not a bad idea, I would tune in to watch
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Post by mikecubs on Feb 28, 2015 11:12:42 GMT -6
There was talk a week ago by Rob Manfred of going back to 154 games but it wasn't deemed that realistic yet. It probably won't happen due to the local TV contracts and the loss of live programming.
Bruinfans idea will probably be considered but who will play in these tournaments? The MLB world series winner? Who will play for the other countries and how would that work? For example the entire Dominican republic already plays in MLB. For the world baseball classic you can use players from other countries who play in the majors. If you take the world series winner what happens if they have a bunch of foreigners already on their roster?
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Post by mikecubs on Feb 28, 2015 11:14:51 GMT -6
My comments on the D-backs TV deal. This is how it's done and should be done for all local Phoenix area teams and teams in general in all cities for all sports. Do well on your own and having enough actual fans. Don't survive off the local idiot fireman giving an illegal arena management fee.
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Post by Bruinsfan on Feb 28, 2015 11:29:16 GMT -6
There was talk a week ago by Rob Manfred of going back to 154 games but it wasn't deemed that realistic yet. It probably won't happen due to the local TV contracts and the loss of live programming. Bruinfans idea will probably be considered but who will play in these tournaments? The MLB world series winner? Who will play for the other countries and how would that work? For example the entire Dominican republic already plays in MLB. For the world baseball classic you can use players from other countries who play in the majors. If you take the world series winner what happens if they have a bunch of foreigners already on their roster? No actually im suggesting no major league teams but rather have the national teams (US national team included) play at major league parks like the world baseball classic but jsut space it out and have a few (not many breaks) throughout the year, breaks say 3 or 4 days where an international game would be played. Similar to say the six nations tournament in rugby or an international friendly break in FIFA. the MLb would share own the revenue of the tournament but it would just be a series of international either tournament or friendly type test matches to promote the game internationally. The reason I suggest this is because you will get a great brand of baseball played while players are fresh but not so many games in a row (spaced out) that you get some quality play wihtout damaging the players...bring the season down to say 154 games only include the top nations in the tournament and have it be essentially doule elimination or not even a tournament...just friendly international matches. The world baseball classic has been a flop in the united states, but in asia and the other nations its actually very popular and dd very well on television. Im suggesting incorporate international friendly matches which would include the USA ,sponsored by major league baseball as a way to promote baseball...without freaking out gms and owners who are so terrified of international play causing injuries. |
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Post by Bruinsfan on Feb 28, 2015 11:29:55 GMT -6
I know the NBA is already considering these type of tournaments or friendlies and promoting them during their all star break. The NHL is about to create the world cup, NFL has no way of doing this.
IMO baseball is the only international sport that is severely behind in promoting international play. International play grows the game or at least gets it into non hardcore fans minds.
Japan is already very into it, Korea as well.
Whats good is these new developments in the NBA (look up their vegas tournament) NHL (world cup), shows that there are ways to make international play profitable for the league
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Post by Bruinsfan on Feb 28, 2015 11:40:08 GMT -6
Imagine the US national team on an international test match against Japan or the DR in a weekend MLB break playing at Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, Wrigley?
Thats a much better brand of international (as opposed to the WBC being played in bad baseball markets Miami etc) play in big baseball markets with fans who would go nuts to see it imo
Lots of possibilities, and you can promote it on only a few weekend breaks. Just small promotions but cool ways to grow the game.
Start with one weekend break during the regular season then grow it every year (similar to the NHL stadium series)
Example being
USA vs Japan @ Yankee Stadium (1-2 games)
DR vs Cuba in Miami (that would actually sell better than the marlins)
Canada vs Korea in Toronto
Do that once and see if it makes money.
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Post by mikecubs on Feb 28, 2015 12:29:14 GMT -6
I don't think the games would be any more popular in the US. Baseball has so many games that it's a regional sport. People in the US would view it the same way as the world classic, all star game or postseason games that don't involve their teams. They won't give a crap. GM's would still freak out even if it's a small number of games. Other problem is summer months are MLBs best drawing months and they won't want to shut down for exhibition games and lose the ticket/tv revenue. If you were going to do this and go to 154 games early season games would be sacrificed.
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Post by Bruinsfan on Feb 28, 2015 13:02:39 GMT -6
I don't think the games would be any more popular in the US. Baseball has so many games that it's a regional sport. People in the US would view it the same way as the world classic, all star game or postseason games that don't involve their teams. They won't give a crap. GM's would still freak out even if it's a small number of games. Other problem is summer months are MLBs best drawing months and they won't want to shut down for exhibition games and lose the ticket/tv revenue. If you were going to do this and go to 154 games early season games would be sacrificed. I think international play changes Crap i really do. Baseball is a regional game but right now baseball is missing a marquee event IMO international play is the way to doit. The all star game should also be reformed (no more making it count). If there appears to be a tie after 9 just go to some shoot out type hype system. Load the bases and each team has 2 outs and just trade back and forth Im just suggesting a new marquee event, even if its early season im fine with it because the players are through spring training, i dont like an international tournament in spring training. And What im suggesting is something you could make TV and ticket revenue on, I think big networks would pay stupid money for it, I really do. Live programming promote it right make it something the owners can split up and make cash. |
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Post by mikecubs on Feb 28, 2015 13:34:22 GMT -6
If US fans don't give a crap about the world series if their team isn't in it they aren't going to care about an international tournament. I'm a big baseball fan and couldn't care less about anything other than the CUBS. It's 162 games and I can get them all if I want. I don't need more baseball and most fans feel that way. Baseball with the advent of technology will always be a regional sport. US networks won't pay enough to make up for the loss of regular season games/programing for regional sports networks. If MLB wants to grow the game open baseball academies in Brazil and promote the sport there. And most important implement the pitch clock to draw younger viewers.
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