http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12508142...ing-think-again

It's amazing the money in the TV contracts. Are TV networks the only businesses that are thriving during the lean economic years/current recession? All you hear about are the huge network contracts.

 

It's amazing the money in the TV contracts. Are TV networks the only businesses that are thriving during the lean economic years/current recession? All you hear about are the huge network contracts.

 

 

Live action content is a lot cheaper to produce than House of Cards, for example.

 

But, as pointed out, theres a point where the numbers are so out of whack that subscribers resist and you end up with situations like the Dodgers where the majority of fans cant watch their team play. Unless they declare bankruptcy, like in Houston, youre going to end up alienating 50% of your fanbase.

 

Remember the SportsVision diasaster, while the Cubs were using WGN and Braves TBS/TNT/sports south to build up their brands?

 

Just put it this way....if the White Sox werent avail on tv at all but were getting $225 million per year for tv rights, and consistently were in the playoffs and highly profitable, would u still be happy?

 

Or would u migrate to mlb.tv...gameday audio, etc.? Mlb extra innings?

Edited March 22, 201511 yr by caulfield12

Live action content is a lot cheaper to produce than House of Cards, for example.

 

But, as pointed out, theres a point where the numbers are so out of whack that subscribers resist and you end up with situations like the Dodgers where the majority of fans cant watch their team play. Unless they declare bankruptcy, like in Houston, youre going to end up alienating 50% of your fanbase.

 

Remember the SportsVision diasaster, while the Cubs were using WGN and Braves TBS/TNT/sports south to build up their brands?

 

Just put it this way....if the White Sox werent avail on tv at all but were getting $225 million per year for tv rights, and consistently were in the playoffs and highly profitable, would u still be happy?

 

Or would u migrate to mlb.tv...gameday audio, etc.? Mlb extra innings?

Those are blacked out.

Those are blacked out.

 

 

Unless you're living in another country, using a VPN/proxy or living nowhere close to Chicagoland...which is presumably where 75-85% of the fanbase is located (other than Cuba, haha).

 

 

What's interesting is while statistically baseball is 1/2 as popular as the NFL (for #1 sport), they're 82% of where the NFL is in terms of generating revenue...so there's room for additional growth and for some backlash against the NFL (steroids/concussions issue, for example).

Edited March 22, 201511 yr by caulfield12

Unless you're living in another country, using a VPN/proxy or living nowhere close to Chicagoland...which is presumably where 75-85% of the fanbase is located (other than Cuba, haha).

 

 

What's interesting is while statistically baseball is 1/2 as popular as the NFL (for #1 sport), they're 82% of where the NFL is in terms of generating revenue...so there's room for additional growth and for some backlash against the NFL (steroids/concussions issue, for example).

Baseball has vastly more "total hours of content". As the value of "hour of live content" goes up, that' will continue to be a strong advantage. They may not have a "Single gladiatorial style 3 hour event' like the super bowl, but I'm watching a bunch of DVR'd shows right now. That's a loss for them. I'd be watching baseball if the White Sox were on.

Baseball has vastly more "total hours of content". As the value of "hour of live content" goes up, that' will continue to be a strong advantage. They may not have a "Single gladiatorial style 3 hour event' like the super bowl, but I'm watching a bunch of DVR'd shows right now. That's a loss for them. I'd be watching baseball if the White Sox were on.

 

 

It really has come down to "dominating cities/regions" versus national ratings vis a vis the NFL.

 

 

MLB as a whole is at its best ever financially. When the Padres sell for more than the Cubs, you know there's more money involved than ever before. NFL dominates the national discussion, but people still go to, and watch on tv, to baseball games.

 

The sport has become a 9 billon industry, versus less than a billon before the strike.

It's amazing the money in the TV contracts. Are TV networks the only businesses that are thriving during the lean economic years/current recession? All you hear about are the huge network contracts.

Sports scores are the ultimate spoilers. People just don't watch games that are on the dvr. Advertisers want people to watch their commercials. And live sports means there is a better chance to get viewer that can't or won't "touch that dial"

Sports scores are the ultimate spoilers. People just don't watch games that are on the dvr. Advertisers want people to watch their commercials. And live sports means there is a better chance to get viewer that can't or won't "touch that dial"

That is a great point. People don't in general DVR games, at least to watch them the first time.