MLB forms economic group as regional TV in peril

[Bruce]

Friend of mine sent me this article. Paywalled, but I will summarize.

The Twins are in their last year of their RSN contract. It is among the worst in the sport. It pays the team $40M/year (Pittsburgh, a much smaller market, gets $60M just for an example). MSP is not a small market, it is DMA 11, although the rest of its territory is pretty much farmland. The ratings for the channel, while it is generally the single most watched thing on all baseball season each night, are still about 100K. So to yield the same revenue they need to charge $66/month for the six months. And this is just for the Twins, not the Wild or the Timberwolves, nor any other content. Yes, they can sell a few ads which might cover the production costs, but that is where the deal is.

So baseball cannot be in competition with itself, selling mlb.tv with 1000s of games, but not the local team. So add it together. mlb.tv, with no so-called blackouts, is about $525/year.

Congratulations.

So basically you are confirming what I have been writing for months now, RSN‘s ratings are so low they do not justify the high per sub fee they have been getting.

Also, in a top TV Market, New York City, the Yankees’ TV average was a tad more then 200,000 viewers per game, rating was a 2.9, on the same time was Jeopardy, it had a 5.1 rating.

 

[SamCdbs]

So basically you are confirming what I have been writing for months now, RSN‘s ratings are so low they do not justify the high per sub fee they have been getting.

Well, I don't know what "justify" means. The old RSN model certainly "justified" its cost in the bundle system. The new a la carte system, NOTHING justifies its cost. Not local sports (and all sports is local to somebody, so goodby mlb.tv, which is just repackaged locally produced games), not filmed entertainment, nothing. Everything costs more to produce than there are people that are fans of that one thing.

In five or ten years, TV is going to look a lot more like Pluto than Paramount. People will argue about which wad of reruns is better. And that is a sad thing.

 

[Juan]

Still no YES dtc

Yankees fans still waiting on YES Network streaming service, 48 hours before Opening Day

New York Yankees fans without cable will definitely maybe be able to watch the Bombers on Opening Day on YES Network.

elitesportsny.com

 

[Don in CT]

Still no YES dtc

Yankees fans still waiting on YES Network streaming service, 48 hours before Opening Day

New York Yankees fans without cable will definitely maybe be able to watch the Bombers on Opening Day on YES Network.

elitesportsny.com

YES DTC will only be available in the local rights area, the same as MSG’s service.

And there’s the problem.

 

[Juan]

YES DTC will only be available in the local rights area, the same as MSG’s service.

And there’s the problem.

No. Its not availble anywhere yet

 

[Don in CT]

No. Its not availble anywhere yet

Why roll out an over the top product and still be stuck with the same limitations.

 

[Juan]

Why roll out an over the top product and still be stuck with the same limitations.

To get fans without cable

 

[Don in CT]

To get fans without cable

Yankee fans live all over the country.

 

[Juan]

Yankee fans live all over the country.

And thats a crying shame they have to buy mlbtv like the rest of us mere mortals...probably cheaper to buy mlbtv anyways

 

[Bruce]

Yankee fans live all over the country.

That is what the MLB app is for then.

Also less expensive then what the YES app will sell for.

YES for 6 months, $180, MLB for $149 with a lot more content.

 

[Don in CT]

That is what the MLB app is for then.

Also less expensive then what the YES app will sell for.

YES for 6 months, $180, MLB for $149 with a lot more content.

The fact is blackout rules are outdated. They should not exist anymore.

 

[Bruce]

The fact is blackout rules are outdated. They should not exist anymore.

I agree with you on that.

But I was just responding to the fans live all over the country in your post.

 

[Don in CT]

I agree with you on that.

But I was just responding to the fans live all over the country in your post.

Honestly I could, couldn’t? care less about watching every out of market game when all I want is one team.

 

[Bruce]

Honestly I could care less about watching every out of market game when all I want is one team.

It is still less expensive if you live out of the area, I subscribe to it for the Tigers since I care nothing for the teams here in Florida.

Another reason why I am happy with YTTV, no RSN fee which I would hate to pay for something I would never watch.

It just will be a weird year in regards to MLB on TV, for example, Diamond/Bally’s has to make a rights payment in the full amount to the Padres by the end of today, if they fail, rights go back to the team.

 

[AZ.]

Honestly I could, couldn’t? care less about watching every out of market game when all I want is one team.

I wonder if the Yankees will look at pricing in relation to MLBTV price? At $30 a month, darn close to the same? But the restrictions must be removed if they want it to seceded for any team.

 

[Don in CT]

I wonder if the Yankees will look at pricing in relation to MLBTV price? At $30 a month, darn close to the same? But the restrictions must be removed if they want it to seceded for any team.

I think that’s what NESN charges for Red Sox games as well.

 

[Don in CT]

Looks like MLB is hoping YouTube will take over the RSN rights.

YouTube Could Be The New Home of MLB Baseball if Bally Sports & AT&T SportsNets Shutdown | Cord Cutters News

Over the last few weeks, a lot has changed in the world of Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) as AT&T SPortsNets announced plans to shut down and Bally Sports has declared bankruptcy. Now MLB has been in talks with multiple cable networks and YouTube to find ways to air MLB games in the market both...

cordcuttersnews.com

 

[Juan]

I wonder if the Yankees will look at pricing in relation to MLBTV price? At $30 a month, darn close to the same? But the restrictions must be removed if they want it to seceded for any team.

No price for YES dtc but it will be in the $20 to $25 range...MSG is $30

 

[Mr Tony]

$25 a month or $240 for the year
sign up before 4/30 for $20 month or $200 year

 

[Bruce]

It just will be a weird year in regards to MLB on TV, for example, Diamond/Bally’s has to make a rights payment in the full amount to the Padres by the end of today, if they fail, rights go back to the team.

Diamond made the payment, the teams on the next to be paid list are the Diamondbacks ( already missed), Reds and the Guardians.

Diamond Sports makes rights payment to Padres

Diamond Sports made its rights fee payment to the Padres this afternoon, according to multiple sources, which means that Diamond’s Bally Sports San Diego will produce and distribute Padres games all season.

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com