Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
July 11, 2006
New TV Contract

Major League Baseball Extends FOX's contract through 2013, although the money wasn't disclosed. TBS takes the LDS over from ESPN, but one of the LCS series is still up for bids. The World Series will start on Tuesday, instead of Saturday from now on. I guess that's more likely to have the clinching game on a weekend. I just wish they'd do a weekend afternoon game.

Update: Some commentors wonder if baseball is going to disappear from ESPN. I believe that's a contract separate from the post season. My guess is ESPN will continue to broadcast it's weekly schedule, and will keep Baseball Tonight going if they do.


Posted by David Pinto at 09:49 PM | Broadcasts | TrackBack (0)
Comments

Hm. So does this mean that ESPN will cancel Baseball Tonight and begin pretending that baseball doesn't exist, the way they did when they lost the NHL rights? Seems only logical. After all, with all that pesky baseball out of the way, there'd be more time for Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless to drool live on the set.

On the other hand, no more Jon Miller/Joe Morgan in the playoffs? I can live with that...

Posted by: Sam at July 11, 2006 10:04 PM

I certainly hope that baseball doesn't simply disappear from ESPN's radar. Perhaps hockey's downfall is deeper, but it certainly didn't help that ESPN dropped them like a bad habit. That's the problem with such a major player in sports programming in the mix for a specific property - they know they're the big dog and they will undercut what they'll offer a league to televise their events, plus they know that if the league doesn't accept their offer, they're running the risk of losing significant viewership and sponsorship dollars by running off to the OLN. I think this deal will cause baseball to lose a lot of popularity, and it has already been falling. Watch out for the slippery slope. Baseball may go the way of hockey before Bud Selig notices.

I mean, come on, TBS?!? I freakin' hate Fox as it is. Jeanie Zelasko and Kevin Kennedy - BARF! They're like nails on a chalkboard. I hate their graphics, I hate their little noises... I'm sorry, but I'm a big ESPN supporter, simply because I think they do it right. TBS is a big mistake. What else does TBS have on its schedule besides Braves baseball? Rerun comedies? Awful.

Posted by: Chad at July 12, 2006 02:11 AM

Ugh. So this means 7 more years of McCarver/Buck and Zelasko/Kennedy? I guess that's 7 more years of playoff baseball with the sound off for me.

Posted by: Chad at July 12, 2006 07:55 AM

I believe ESPN still holds its agreement (it was extended last year) for mid-week and Sunday evening games. TBS will show its Sunday games in the afternoon.

Posted by: Rich at July 12, 2006 08:35 AM

Baseball provides so much content in the summer, I have trouble believing that ESPN will walk away. They have hours and hours to fill and you can't talk about football 12 months of the year.

Posted by: Joe in Philly at July 12, 2006 10:22 AM

Is there anything worse then FOX doing MLB. Besides the over laid back style of hairplug and bleach boy Joe Buck we have the BS of McCarver along with the utter awful graphics and sponsorhips of every replay or notion.

I believe that ESPN will continue its effort on regular season games and I hope they step it up for the LCS. They do a great job other the Kruk, who just doesn't have a clue.

Will TBS bring in Chas Barkley?...

Posted by: Joe Turtle at July 12, 2006 01:04 PM

Correction about my earlier comment - ESPN will continue its present state of regular season programming, and the only thing changing will be the playoffs. Word on the street (and from an ESPN programming staffer) is that one of the LCS contracts is up for grabs, but MLB is asking for an inordinate amount of moola for it.

The only thing worse than watching Kruk on TV is reading his articles on ESPN Page 2. I'm sure he knows a lot about baseball but he certainly doesn't communicate it very well.

Joe in Philly - ESPN may not talk about football for 12 months of the year, but they probably do a good job filling up 11.5 months. I like football... but gimme a break!

Posted by: Chad at July 12, 2006 05:06 PM

Ugh... does this mean no HD for LDS?

Posted by: Jeff at July 12, 2006 05:56 PM
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