In a move widely expected for some time, the Cubs excercised a contractual option to end their TV deal with WGN following next season, according to the Chicago Tribune. TV deals are where the big money is these days and while it's not the whole Cubs package (70 games or so) the Cubs will likely be able to get much more money than they did when the Trib negotiated a sweetheart deal with itself to put the games on WGN. Honestly, I'm surprised that they even included this option to renegotiate in the deal.
It will be interesting to see what happens. My best guess is still that CSN will end up grabbing the balance of the games, given the team's ownership stake in it. At least this probably means we won't have any more of those weird WCIU games anymore. I just hope Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies go to whoever picks up the rights. Also, that the Cubs get more money to spend, and spend it.
Comments
Has there been any word on the radio rights that I’ve missed? Do we have to be worried about losing Pat?
sitrickQuote Reply
@ sitrick:
IIRC the radio rights are up in a few more years. I think that Pat Hughes has the job as long as he wants it, no matter who is airing the Cubs.
BerseliusQuote Reply
From the article:
This is a no-brainer. They can still renegotiate with WGN if they want to pony up. Otherwise they’d be stuck with the Trib’s sweetheart deal for another decade.
GBTSQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
Hm, actually it looks like it’s WGN who wants out of the radio deal, since their baseball ratings are just as shitty as their other ratings. That station must be bleeding money.
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
It’s been that way since Spike retired and they started shuffling everybody around, right? I can’t believe John Williams is still there given the way they’ve yanked his slot around over the years.
Also relieving to know that the Cubs’ll get at least some portion of the TV money floating around before the advertising bubble bursts and things go the way of newspapers.
sitrickQuote Reply
As B pointed out, this isn’t for the whole 162 game sched, so I think delusions of a Cubs Network akin to YES are a little premature.
I would fully expect CSN to pick up these games through 2019, setting the stage for a Cubs super-network in the future: Cubs United National Television.
GBTSQuote Reply
NL MVP Finalists
McCutchen
Yadi
Goldschmidt
Would be okay with Yadi getting it but sure hope it goes to Cutch. He was unreal this year.
BerseliusQuote Reply
sitrick wrote:
I would think most of these guys have devolved emotionally (at least the dumber ones). Probably just athletes in general. They’re basically grown children surrounded by enablers and the means to do pretty much whatever they want without consequence.
Omar LittleQuote Reply
That’s by far the most ambitious arrival estimate I’ve heard for the big four yet, and seems kinda ludicrous.
sitrickQuote Reply
@ sitrick:
From what I’ve read, Bryant is the only one with a chance of a second half call-up.
GBTSQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
Personally I think Baez is gonna pop up and down a few times, but the idea that Soler and Almora could catch up to them by the end of season sounds insane to me.
sitrickQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
So the new cubs channel call letters would be CUNT.
kilo14Quote Reply
@ kilo14:
Heh. Never noticed that.
/cunt
Suburban kidQuote Reply
sitrick wrote:
Eh, I suppose overall TV ad money might decline, but live sports is still, and for the foreseeable, one of the only truly valuable forms of content. Someone’s going to make money on it, either through ads or subscription/PPV.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
New Shit
http://obstructedview.net/commentary-and-analysis/the-cubs-blog-managerial-search-a-one-act-play.html
MylesQuote Reply
@ sitrick:
sitrick wrote:
I’m fairly certain that Williams moved on to a station in Minneapolis/St. Paul. That tells you how bad WGN Radio is at this point. One of your best hosts and a local guy decides it’s better to go small market than to continue at GN.
FrankSQuote Reply