New Tribe Network Trying To Strike Deal With Cable Providers

[cablewithaview]

With less than 40 days to go before opening day, there is still no deal to broadcast Tribe games on TV.

NewsChannel5's Curtis Jackson reported that the team's new television network is confident it can strike an agreement with local cable companies.

In northeast Ohio, Indians baseball is must-see TV. According to Scarborough Consumer Research, Tribe fans are second only to St. Louis in enthusiasm for their team.

But unless more cable companies step up to the plate, fans won't be able to see their favorite team on television.

For the first time, the majority of televised Tribe games -- 130 in all -- will be carried on the team's own cable network, Sportstime Ohio. But the network needs cable companies to carry it.

So far, only one company, Time Warner, has agreed to carry the network. Others, such as Cox Adelphia and Comcast, are still in negotiations.

The new president of the Indians network says Tribe fans shouldn't worry.

"I can tell you that every cable operator we're talking to, things are moving at a very good and promising pace," said Jim Liberatore.

But with just a little more than a month before baseball season begins, fans are worried about a potential TV blackout.

Bob Lau is an executive for Insight Communications, the cable carrier for Columbus and its surrounding areas. He fears negotiations over how much cable should pay for Indians TV are reaching an impasse.

"We have a lot of Indians fans. They want the product. We have a lot more customers that don't want higher rates," said Lau.

"We have a lot of Indians fans. They want the product. We have a lot more customers that don't want higher rates," said Lau.

Sportstime Ohio expects to have 90 percent of the cable companies in Cleveland on board by opening day.

With Indians ratings in the top five for all Major League baseball, the network says the product sells itself.

Sportstime Ohio also said it is in final negotiations with the satellite provider Direct TV.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/wews/20060224/lo_wews/3288501

 

[bills41]

I hope Directv picks them up for the MLBEI Package.

 

[tomyo10]

So if Directv picks them up, does that mean Dish won't?

 

[jrbdmb]

So if Directv picks them up, does that mean Dish won't?

Probably.

This will not be a DBS exclusive channel, but E* has a tendency to drag their feet on new RSNs (FSNW2, YES, MASN). There is a good chance that neither the Indians or Mets new RSNs will be available to E* subs at launch.

 

[JamesJ]

if dish drags their feet too long, alot of people (my wife is already starting to whine, she loves baseball) will be going to time warner here in ohio!

 

[tomyo10]

Yeah, me too.

I went to Dish because of the price and my mounting hatred of cable. But if E* does not carry the Tribe, I will swallow my hate and go back regardless of the pro-rated extortion I'll have to pay Dish.

 

[fayrich]

Saw that a few cable companies around the state had signed on, including the Columbus area, but nothing new in the Cleveland area yet.

 

[tomyo10]

another story in Satbiznews...

http://www.satbiznews.com/

anyone have a subscription?

 

[John Corn]

While FSN Ohio General Manager Steve Liverani insists he wishes the Indians' new network SportsTime Ohio well, he barely hides annoyance that the club has suddenly become a competitor of FSN Ohio. That's particulary so because FSN Ohio aired Indians games for 16 seasons and offered a reported $35 million to televise them this year. SportsTime Ohio will show 130 Indians regular-season games and other team shows, and expects to add non-Indians programming soon.

"We made the Indians a very generous offer," Liverani says. "It was distributor-friendly, consumer-friendly and Indians-friendly. But their [regional sports network] is just another expense in this marketplace for consumers, and for a product that was already available to viewers."

Liverani won't comment on rumors that the network may be giving rebates to cable and satellite TV outlets because it no longer airs Indians games, which had been a major part of its programming lineup. "We don't discuss our contract agreements," says Liverani. "What's relevant is that we're not going away. We're not going anywhere."

While the cable network hasn't officially announced it will simulcast WKNR AM/850's Indians postgame show during the baseball season, it's already begun wooing advertisers for the planned show.

 

[tomyo10]

Adelphia, Buckeye, Comcast and Cox now on board. They added over a million people in the past few days.

No news on E* unless you consider the company line of "we know we have to get them on board" news.

 

[John Corn]

There's an intresting article today in the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Sports Section) about how DirecTV is playing hardball with Sports Time Ohio and how D* won't carry the channel at the Indians current price.

 

[Digital Dude]

Good for DirecTV! If all pro sports franchises in the 4 major team sports tried to do their own network they would alienate all ex-patriate fans and there is not bandwidth to carry all these teams.

Damn Yankees.

 

[tomyo10]

I called during the Charlie Chat last night inquiring about Sportstime Ohio. The second person I talked to waded through all the channels trying to gain access to Dish. STO wasn't even on the list. The person I talked to suggested the negotiations weren't far enough along to even warrant being listed as "possible".

Back to cable I guess.

 

[John Corn]

I called during the Charlie Chat last night inquiring about Sportstime Ohio. The second person I talked to waded through all the channels trying to gain access to Dish. STO wasn't even on the list. The person I talked to suggested the negotiations weren't far enough along to even warrant being listed as "possible".

Back to cable I guess.

Upsets me as well, not sure what I'm going to do yet. I love baseball and won't miss many Tribe games, it really going to hit me hard on opening day when I can't watch the Tribe. It might be back to cable for me as well.

Question???
I thought about subbing to the MLB EI to watch the away games, but I'm not sure that will work, wont they be blacked out being I live in the Cleveland DMA?

 

[fayrich]

Kind of strange how STO suddenly appeared on Comcast without any word about settlement in any of the media. Also can't understand why the 2 games broadcast so far have been on a tape delayed basis. Saw some halfassed reason for Sundays game, but why yesterday?

 

[tomyo10]

"Question???
I thought about subbing to the MLB EI to watch the away games, but I'm not sure that will work, wont they be blacked out being I live in the Cleveland DMA?"

From what I understand, you won't see ANY Tribe games home or away with EI. I'm in Erie, PA and would not get any Tribe or Pirate games.

 

[John Corn]

From the Cleveland PD this morning...

DirecTV executive vice president Dan Fawcett says the satellite TV operator is “in discussions” with the Indians and is slightly more optimistic it may carry SportsTime Ohio, the team’s new regional sports network.

It's the Roger Brown media column, so you be the judge on its worth.

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/pla....ssf?/base/sports/1142761139120930.xml&coll=2

 

[fayrich]

From the Cleveland PD this morning...

It's the Roger Brown media column, so you be the judge on its worth.

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/pla....ssf?/base/sports/1142761139120930.xml&coll=2

Sounds as if you're a big fan of that stuffed A*hole Trivisano.

 

[JamesJ]

hey wait a second I listen to triv every once in a while....I like whats his face Roda on 850, but I do listen to triv every once in a while he knows his baseball!

 

[fayrich]

hey wait a second I listen to triv every once in a while....I like whats his face Roda on 850, but I do listen to triv every once in a while he knows his baseball!

To each his own I guess. I much prefer the Roadman. He is not just a schill for the local teams like Trivisano.