MLB Extends Turner Rights

[korsjs]

Major League Baseball has renewed its TV rights agreement with Turner Sports that will allow Turner to continue to air approximately 125 Atlanta Braves games annually on TBS and Turner South, through the 2012 season.

The new deal guarantees a minimum of 45 games nationally on TBS for the duration of the contract. Turner Broadcasting System began televising Braves games in 1973 on WTCG in Atlanta, which is now WTBS/TBS.

"Turner Sports has been an outstanding partner and we are excited to extend our relationship for an additional seven seasons," said Bob DuPuy, president and COO of MLB. "Major League Baseball and the Atlanta Braves have been an integral part of the foundation and growth of TBS and will continue to be for years to come," said David Levy, Turner Sports president.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/cabletv/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001524151

 

[Mr Tony]

remember when TBS carried almost all the games on TBS? Boy times have changed

Same with WGN and the Cubs

 

[korsjs]

i remember. if a cubs came was on, i turned to channel 24 (wgn at the time) and the game was on.

 

[Mr Tony]

same here...channel 12 was WGN and 7 was TBS

(our cable company has TBS, WGN and CNN in basic...lifeline cable)

 

[Juan]

im confused!! what has MLB got to do with Atlanta brave rights?? Shouldnt that be a private agreement between The Braves and Turner Broadcasting?? Who owns the Braves Now???

 

[Sean Mota]

I believe all Network TV deals have to go through MLB. MLB own some rights in the logo or production of games.

 

[goaliebob99]

how else would the mlb make money

 

[cablewithaview]

TBS, MLB Strike Long-Term Braves Deal

TBS will remain the home base for national Atlanta Braves telecasts through 2012 as part of a deal reached Thursday between Major League Baseball and Turner Sports.

Beginning in 2008, the comedy-tinged network will air 45 games per year through 2012, but it will have the option to air as many as 125 games on other regional and local networks within the Turner family, including regional sports service Turner South, according to Turner Sports president David Levy. TBS will continue to air more than 70 Braves games over the next two years.

“The Braves have been a foundation for TBS and part of the heritage of our programming, and this deal allows us to keep the team on TBS,” Levy said.

While TBS will air fewer national telecasts, the deal could be a boondoggle for regional sports and entertainment network Turner South. Braves games have been a ratings juggernaut for the 7.6 million-subscriber network: During this past summer, the network’s 53 Braves telecasts consistently ranked among the top-rated shows for all national, ad-supported basic-cable networks, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Levy added that the deal does not preclude Turner from acquiring another national baseball package.

He said the network would be interested in FSN’s suite of weekday games and postseason telecasts that currently air on ESPN and ESPN2. Those rights -- originally held by Fox Family Channel through 2006 but moved to ESPN following parent The Walt Disney Co.’s 2002 acquisition of Fox Family -- could be part of an overall Fox renewal of its broadcast deal with baseball, which ends after the 2006 season.

“We’re always talking to MLB about other opportunities if they become available,” Levy said.

The Turner deal also leaves the league with more than 100 national baseball telecasts to sell to other cable providers through 2013. Baseball executives would not comment on plans for those games.


http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6284962.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP&nid=2226