INDEMAND will carry MLB EI? No so fast says MLB... How about E*?

[Trouthead]

The only thing that make baseball great is the games. Not Bud Selig, not big contracts, not how much money is made. Just the utter simplicity of men playing a boys game to as close to perfection as possible.

From the reserve clause to the strike, to only night world series games, baseball continues. The only bad part is will it get to continue in my house. Was this last minute negotiating necessary, and for what, THE BASEBALL CHANNEL, which will not be on the air for another year or two. Bud Seig blew it again, and baseball will continue to blow it as long as he is in charge.

I put this fiasco solely on the shoulders of Bud. Dumb idea and getting bumber by the minute.

Billions of dollars of technolgy and HD and I will need to have another satallite provider is DISH sits out. I am not happy.

 

[FlyingJ]

Update: April3, 1:00 pm est
More details have surfaced on where the negotiations are at on Extra Innings, MLB television package for out-of-market games.

The Sports Business Daily reports that, “One of the holdups for EchoStar is the lack of a firm proposal on equity ownership of the MLB Channel, one Dish Network source said. It’s not clear how much ownership of the channel MLB and DirecTV is willing to give, or whether DirecTV's 20% stake would be diluted.”

Added MLB president and COO Bob DuPuy, “No deal is possible without the agreement of DirecTV. We have a contract with them and they have been fully engaged in the process, including any extensions.”

 

[Lucky]

Update: April3, 1:00 pm est
More details have surfaced on where the negotiations are at on Extra Innings, MLB television package for out-of-market games.

The Sports Business Daily reports that, “One of the holdups for EchoStar is the lack of a firm proposal on equity ownership of the MLB Channel, one Dish Network source said. It’s not clear how much ownership of the channel MLB and DirecTV is willing to give, or whether DirecTV's 20% stake would be diluted.”

Added MLB president and COO Bob DuPuy, “No deal is possible without the agreement of DirecTV. We have a contract with them and they have been fully engaged in the process, including any extensions.”

Yeah, DirecTV might ever let Dish have an equity in the channel ?

Since when is DirecTV now running MLB's business. If DirecTV has to agree to any equity for Dish Network there will never be an agreement. Forget it, it is all over for MLBEI on Dish.

 

[Sean Mota]

Yeah, DirecTV might ever let Dish have an equity in the channel ?

Since when is DirecTV now running MLB's business. If DirecTV has to agree to any equity for Dish Network there will never be an agreement. Forget it, it is all over for MLBEI on Dish.

I fully agree. How is the new "evil empire" playing fair with the others if it is true that now DirecTv is the hold up.

 

[cforrest]

Why do I think this saga will continue as is, with just talks, for the next month, until InDemand and E* say forget about it MLB/D* not willing to budge, etc.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Added MLB president and COO Bob DuPuy, “No deal is possible without the agreement of DirecTV. We have a contract with them and they have been fully engaged in the process, including any extensions.”

Why is DirecTV involved in this process?

This should be between Dish Network and MLB, not Dish Network and MLB / DirecTV.

Maybe its time to start calling for the removal of MLB's Anti Trust exemptions again.

 

[FlyingJ]

Why is DirecTV involved in this process?

This should be between Dish Network and MLB, not Dish Network and MLB / DirecTV.

Maybe its time to start calling for the removal of MLB's Anti Trust exemptions again.

That threat has been coming and going for, well forever. Not gonna happen.

As to why D* is involved: They already signed on the dotted line.

 

[pdxsam]

Why is DirecTV involved in this process?

This should be between Dish Network and MLB, not Dish Network and MLB / DirecTV.

Maybe its time to start calling for the removal of MLB's Anti Trust exemptions again.

Because DTV has a signed contract and any dilution of a contract that is already signed has to be agreed upon by the party who holds the contract.

MLB can't arbitrarily reduce the amount without going into breach of contract.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

As to why D* is involved: They already signed on the dotted line.

Which proves my point, its an exclusive deal for DirecTV.

 

[FlyingJ]

Which proves my point, its an exclusive deal for DirecTV.

Yes it is. Unless D* figures that their equity stake in MLB Channel is worth more if carried by cable and E* / against what they figure they lose out on not having EI exclusivly. Now, I love to do math, but that one is a toughy!

 

[josem3]

The Congress needs to act now if cable and Dish Network want to play on 2007 baseball Season. To continuing talk without a deadline is playing fool to the Congress.

 

[Peter Parker]

Because DTV has a signed contract and any dilution of a contract that is already signed has to be agreed upon by the party who holds the contract.

MLB can't arbitrarily reduce the amount without going into breach of
contract.

How is the D* deal diluted? D* knew when they signed it that it might not be exclusive and while what happens to price is a bit fuzzy to us it was apparently part of the contract.

Any change in accordance with those terms would not be arbitrary and it is ahrd to figure out D*'s role unless they ahve some sort of veto power over this.

 

[peterson40]

Because DirectTV and MLB never intended this deal to not be exclusive. Talks will continue to try to appease fans and congress, but nothing will happen because DirectTV and MLB do not want it to happen.

How is the D* deal diluted? D* knew when they signed it that it might not be exclusive and while what happens to price is a bit fuzzy to us it was apparently part of the contract.

Any change in accordance with those terms would not be arbitrary and it is ahrd to figure out D*'s role unless they ahve some sort of veto power over this.

 

[RealityCheck]

I fully agree. How is the new "evil empire" playing fair with the others if it is true that now DirecTv is the hold up.

I believe the quote regarding DirecTV is as follows:

Added MLB president and COO Bob DuPuy, “No deal is possible without the agreement of DirecTV. We have a contract with them and they have been fully engaged in the process, including any extensions.”

Where do you see that DirecTV is the hold up?

No matter the outcome, and if there is any blame to place - it has to fall squarely on the shoulders of MLB. You can't fault DirecTV for wanting this - but it had to be OFFERED to them by MLB for it to happen in any case. No matter how much money or new channels that DirecTV put up for the deal - MLB only had to say NO - didn't they?

 

[cybertrip]

D* and MLB intend on this deal being fully exclusive. But they are being pressured to accept other offers. If they make a reserve price on their contracts with certain conditions that are off the wall then the likelyhood of actually getting additional contracts is slim. But, at least they can say that they gave others a chance and that right there will stop any law suits. We all know E* will either not get the contract and tell customers that MLB would not accept a fair price and that E* didn't want to have to pass the costs to the customers, or, they will end up suing the MLB for something ridiculous. However, I'm sure some congressman will submit a bill making all cable/sat contracts with third parties go through some kind of fair price research and only allow those contracts to accept no higher than something like 20% higher than the "fair price" of the contract.

 

[RealityCheck]

I don't believe in any way that the idea was to have this as an exclusive. The way I see it - MLB originally laid out parameters for the various providers - such as carriage of the MLB channel on their most basic tier, etc.

From everything I can gather, the cable companies and Echostar rejected that FLAT OUT - while DirecTV was open to doing it. I'm not sure why there is such a need to find blame. I see this as MLB doing what it is good at - playing HARDBALL. They want to get that new channel into EVERY household on the basic tier - a similar reason that Echostar had a temporary problem with Court TV - it was over what package the channel would be put into. It is a HUGE difference in the number of households between the 2 packages - it affects everything - ratings, ad prices, etc. For baseball, this represents HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of potential dollars.

Don't some of those same cable companies prevent D* and E* from having some of THEIR sports channels (like in Philly and S.D.)?

 

[Senato]

I don't believe in any way that the idea was to have this as an exclusive. The way I see it - MLB originally laid out parameters for the various providers - such as carriage of the MLB channel on their most basic tier, etc.

From everything I can gather, the cable companies and Echostar rejected that FLAT OUT - while DirecTV was open to doing it. I'm not sure why there is such a need to find blame. I see this as MLB doing what it is good at - playing HARDBALL. They want to get that new channel into EVERY household on the basic tier - a similar reason that Echostar had a temporary problem with Court TV - it was over what package the channel would be put into. It is a HUGE difference in the number of households between the 2 packages - it affects everything - ratings, ad prices, etc. For baseball, this represents HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of potential dollars.

Don't some of those same cable companies prevent D* and E* from having some of THEIR sports channels (like in Philly and S.D.)?

I think you have hit a HOME RUN here. InDemand and Echostar turned MLB down on full carriage of their channel - and this is the cornerstone of the agreement. Now because DirecTV was willing to PLAY BALL, they are crying FOUL. I however think they have STRUCK OUT.

 

[Peter Parker]

Actually what I have red from MLB does NOT say it has to be on the lowest tier. its eems to discuss 80% of digital subs. BIG difference.

but it is with VERY naive or downright disingenous to to say that this was not intended to be an exclusive. I think that they designed a deal that they knew MLB and IN DEMAND would have trouble with.

 

[mdonnelly]

I think you have hit a HOME RUN here. InDemand and Echostar turned MLB down on full carriage of their channel - and this is the cornerstone of the agreement. Now because DirecTV was willing to PLAY BALL, they are crying FOUL. I however think they have STRUCK OUT.

So E* and cable should just take a WALK, and head for the SHOWERS. But we're still in the 9TH INNING, and they could still HIT ONE OUT OF THE PARK.

 

[kstuart]

Major League Soccer starts Saturday. Direct Kick is available from Dish (and those other two guys) for $79 a year (not to mention that many matches will be on national channels).
But baseball is great to have on your DVR if you can't get to sleep...