Scott's View and YOURS on the MLB Deal

[Scott Greczkowski]

Instead of having 100 topics about the same thing, lets try having one.

Here is my opinion on this MLB deal, I would love to hear your opinion as well, I dont care its the same as mine or completely opposite, everyone is entitled to have their own opinion. (And because everyone will have their opinion please do not flame others if their opinion does not match yours)

Anyways here is my thoughts on this MLB / DirecTV deal (I originally posted these thoughts in another thread). I look forward to hearing yours!

Lets see if I got this correct... (The below is my OPINION)

Last year Dish paid $28 million for the MLB package (these numbers are from memory) and now DirecTV has this new deal reported to be at $700 million, which is for 7 years, so that $100 million a year.

Now MLB has said Dish and Cable can have the Extra Innings package if the match DirecTV's deal.

So if my number of $28 million is correct that means it will cost Dish $71 million more to carry the package. Who pays this price increase? YOU GOT IT, the customers do.

MLB is trying to make it sound like they are being good guys in this by making the offer open to all, when in reality they are making the package more expensive for all.

MLB says that if Dish and the cable companies dont pony up then its their own fault.

MLB says that if Dish and the Cable companies don't pony up then they are not being fan firendly.

Look in the mirror Major League Baseball, the only one is not being fan friendly in this is YOU. You would love it if Dish and the cable companies paid, as its more money in your fat wallets.

From where I sit this is EXTORTION by Major League Baseball.

I say its time to end the anti trust exemption for Major League Baseball.

I say call Major League Baseball and Commisioner Bud Selig at 212-931-7878 and tell then your not supporting Major League Baseball because the only ball they know how to play is FOUL.

 

[rayburn45]

I agree scott, our last hope (which scares me) is Congress, maybe they can scare MLB like they did when they wanted Spiderman on the bases.

They want to talk free markets, fine, lets ger rid of their antitrust exemption.

 

[mike123abc]

Dish paying 28 million, DIRECTV paying probably 32 mil (more subs) and cable probably picking up 20-30 million last year probably comes pretty close to the $100 million. Baseball probably opting for the sure thing.

 

[teachsac]

I agree Scott. I'm surprised they even managed to come back after the last strike. Now with the steroids debacle, who knows what will happen. I say let D* eat the loss with baseball as they do with the NFL. Take that $28 mill, put up another sat, give us more HD and our RSNs. I'd rather watch my regional teams in HD rather than my actual favorite team in SD. There's enough baseball on ESPN and RSN for me.

Scott

 

[cosmo_kramer]

I agree Scott. I'm surprised they even managed to come back after the last strike. Now with the steroids debacle, who knows what will happen. I say let D* eat the loss with baseball as they do with the NFL. Take that $28 mill, put up another sat, give us more HD and our RSNs. I'd rather watch my regional teams in HD rather than my actual favorite team in SD. There's enough baseball on ESPN and RSN for me.

Scott

Bingo. Screw MLB, save millions and pay the money to the local RSNs instead. Most of us will enjoy seeing our favorite teams.....

 

[dishbd]

I agree with your assessment that MLB is screwing us over and trying to make it look like they're the good guys. Bud Selig is a horrible commissioner and he cannot leave the game soon enough. I will be very surprised if Dish picks up MLB EI, especially given that they would be paying an extra 70 mil and there were only 50,000 EI subscribers on Dish last year. Doesn't make good business sense.

All that said, it will only be a matter of time before I switch over to D*. As much as I hate Selig, I still love the game, and my team is out of town, so I will have not choice. I think I will stick it out this season with MLB.TV. I hooked up my laptop to the LCD and it looks pretty decent. However, assuming D* actually gets their birds in the air this year, I will make the switch during this next off season, because my team in HD (almost) every night will be too hard to pass up.

It's a sucky situation for E*, but in the end, it is what it is, and I'm more committed to the Astros than I am E*.

 

[NpaulTodd]

So what does MLB want ?? 700 millon from each?? why can't Cable,Dish,DTV split the 700 millon & call this BS a DAY !

 

[uhlesses]

The way that I understand the agreement is that if Dish and cable do agree to carry the MLB network coming in 2009 in their basic package, that the dollar amount among the 3 will be divided 3 ways. That means that the cost each year would be a little over 33 million each. If Dish and cable do not agree than Direc TV will have a 7 year deal at 100 million a year. Dish has till the end of March to step up to the plate or they will lose MLB extra innings for 7 years. I will keep Dish till my contract expires than I will swap to Direc TV. I am a huge baseball fan and can live with my XM radio this year. Hope I don't have to swap.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

In the event the other providers do not match, DirecTV will have an exclusive deal for seven years to broadcast by subscription the Extra Innings package and the Baseball Channel as part of its basic package. The contract has been reported to pay MLB $700 million. Chase Carey, president and chief executive of DirecTV, declined to confirm that figure.

Carey did say that the total value of the payment to MLB would decrease if other providers matched and the deal became non-exclusive.

"It works for us on either front," he said. "You're asking what would I prefer between the two? Exclusivity would probably have been the preferred path. But we've reached an accommodation that would work either way for us."

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070308&content_id=1834449&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

[uhlesses]

If Dish does agree to carry the Extra Innings package they should go ahead and get the YES Network at the same time. Yes games are in HD

 

[Sean Mota]

I am a big baseball fan but If I was dish I will not pay the dollars to MLB. They are just greedy bastards who do not care for the game or the fans. Let DirecTv sunk the 700million all by itself maybe it will go on the red tape by the end of the 7 years and that will be the end of it.

I will say to Dish.... get the local RSN YES HD and SNY HD in NY area and all the others and invest your 28 million there and in delivering more satellites to get more HD at a better PQ. Don't buy into the hype of MLB EI... that's just what it is. Those that have no recourse will have to go to the "Evil Empire" now..


So who is the "Evil Empire" now --- DirecTv

 

[uhlesses]

Thank goodness Direc TV took George off the list.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I do agree Dish should have YES.

And while I am not Yankees Fan, I do believe "Americas Team" should be on Dish Network.

Its kind of funny to hear the earnings calls and hear Charlie and the boys say they do poor in the Northeast, gee I wonder why because they cant see the Yankees or the other sports teams YES carries (Rangers and the Knicks?)

 

[rad]

Bottom line is it's a business. MLB has a product they wanted to sell and put out the terms of the sale to the three content providers. D* said OK, we'll meet your demands, MLB accepted. They're just like every other corporation out there, they want to make as much money as they can, period. You can say it stinks, and I agree, but it's life in corporate America, to use the line from the movie Wall Street "Greed is good" and that's what drives business. It's not D*'s fault that this happened, the other two could have matched or outbid D* but they decided not to, so now they're crying foul.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

So if they want to act like a business then they should lose their anti trust exemption.

After all business is business.

 

[rad]

So if they want to act like a business then they should lose their anti trust exemption.

After all business is business.

Why, what's wrong with that they're saying they'll do, match what D* has offered and you can also get the package?

 

[ClevelandRob]

The only winner in this is MLB as everyone before me has already stated.

Maybe they can use that dough to put everyone on 'roids...

 

[Sean Mota]

Why, what's wrong with that they're saying they'll do, match what D* has offered and you can also get the package?

You know that this is just publicity nonsense... right? I remember a similar situation with INHD. Where INHD was asking the moon and the heavens for the channel to every provider? I'd bet is a similar situation. On the outside it looks like it is possible but when you get to the details, it will be impossible for the asking price.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Why, what's wrong with that they're saying they'll do, match what D* has offered and you can also get the package?

Um ok, they honestly dont expect them to match it, its a 4x price increase so who pays that price?

The consumers.

How is that Fan Friendly?

No matter how you slice it or dice it the consumer gets screwed in the end.

Sure DirecTV may only raise the price of the package by $10 this year, but what about next year or the 5 years in front of that.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

If Dish does agree to carry the Extra Innings package they should go ahead and get the YES Network at the same time. Yes games are in HD

And, don't forget NESN HD too...