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Did The Twins Just Kill A Vikings Stadium Deal?

by: TwoPuttTommy

Thu Feb 17, 2011 at 08:35:00 AM CST

Went out during this heatwave to pick up the dead-tree copy o' my Strib (yes, I recently re-subscribed; the Strib has been getting better despite the occasional water-carrying by Kevin Diaz) and read this, on the front page:

Twins OK exclusive cable deal with FS North
Viewers who don't have cable or satellite will be able to watch only eight scheduled games.
By NEAL JUSTIN, Star Tribune
Last update: February 17, 2011 - 6:57 AM

About that "Viewers that don't have cable..." deal? Further into the story:

TwoPuttTommy :: Did The Twins Just Kill A Vikings Stadium Deal?

Add in cable subscribers who only pay for the basic tier, which FSN is not part of, and you've got a lot of fans crying foul.

Yep! Yours truly (and my fixed-income, senior-citizen mother) are included in that group o' fans. Why?

Because, as residents of Hennepin County, we have/are/and will continue to pony up taxpayer dough for that fancy new palace where the Twins play.

And now we're going to have to pay more to watch the Twins on TV (we only have basic cable) in a stadium we already have/are/will continue to pay for?

At the same time the Twins decided to screw them that bought 'em a dance floor, the Vikings are "negotiating" with Ramsey County for a new palace.

Say, Wilf? Thanks to what the Twins just did, good luck with that.

Tags: legislature, Twins, Vikings, Wilf, Lester Bagley, ramsey county, stadium, Taxes, cable, TV, kevin diaz, Strib, Star Tribune, (All Tags)

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Did The Twins Just Kill A Vikings Stadium Deal? | 4 comments

I don't think these should be related (0.00 / 0)

The NFL collects $2 billion a year from their over-the-air contracts. It's not likely the NFL is going to stop over-the-air broadcasts any time soon. The NFL Network has been a relative dud, and there's not a cable partner likely to step up with the kind of money and resources to replace the over-the-air networks. (ESPN pays $1 billion a year for the privilege to broadcast Monday Night Football, while the CBS, Fox, and NBC are each in the $600-700 million range)

Now, it's entirely possible a Vikings stadium deal will screw folks in a different way.

by: seano @ Thu Feb 17, 2011 at 15:26:57 PM UTC

What if.... (0.00 / 0)

...the NFL could collect 2.5 Billion by going premium cable, the way the Twinks just did?

"Those that forget the lessons of history, tend to vote GOP"

by: TwoPuttTommy @ Thu Feb 17, 2011 at 16:29:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The economics of MLB and the NFL aren't the same (0.00 / 0)

It's not likely a cable network would be willing or able to pay more than the networks to broadcast the full slate of NFL games. ESPN is widely believed to be losing money on MNF, which is a single game in primetime with no other football competition. If they (or someone else) had to ramp up to broadcast all the other NFL games and deliver them regionally they would be hard-pressed to be able to pay more than the networks, especially given that the viewing audiences are going to be smaller.

by: seano @ Thu Feb 17, 2011 at 16:53:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

seano is right (0.00 / 0)

The NFL has almost nothing in terms of local TV broadcasts. Just the exhibition season. The broadcasts over Fox, NBC, and CBS are the lifeblood. Even though the NFL could get a big contract from cable, the networks make too much to let that happen.

FSN must have thrown a big bunch of money the Twins' way. It will probably use this contract to push cable companies to put it on a better tier. It's foolish for the Twins though, because they'll lose some fans. It's the same thinking that caused MLB to resist radio, and then to prohibit TV broadcasts of home games. I used to consider a home game on TV a huge treat the once or twice a season it happened. Eventually they found they actually built an audience by showing home games, which is why we take it for granted we see all games on TV for all sports. Looks like the Twins have to relearn that.

by: ericf @ Thu Feb 17, 2011 at 17:43:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]