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MLB to make TV, timing decisions on new playoff games
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TMC
Jan 9, 2012, 8:34:11 PM1/9/12
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http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2012/01/09/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/MLB.aspx
By Eric Fisher & John Ourand, Staff Writers
Published January 9, 2012, Page 3
MLB this week during owners meetings in Arizona will wrestle with the
mechanics of inserting an additional round of playoffs into the 2012
schedule, including how to televise the extra games.
The league and MLB Players Association in November, as part of a new
five-year labor deal, agreed to an expanded postseason in which two
wild card teams in each league would play a single-elimination game,
with the winners advancing for League Division Series play. The new
postseason plan will begin no later than 2013, but both sides would
like to start the revised format this year, if possible.
A decision on the 2012 postseason schedule must be made by March 1.
Given that this week marks the last set of owners meetings before that
deadline and that broadcast plans must be made, a decision before that
date is likely.
MLB executives, after announcing the plan, said they would begin talks
on televising the two new playoff games with their existing television
partners: ESPN, Turner Sports and Fox. Turner already holds exclusive
rights for the League Division Series games, and it televises the
League Championship Series games with Fox on an alternating basis
between the American and National leagues.
Since the announcement, though, the league has been tight-lipped about
its progress in squeezing the extra games into a 2012 schedule that
already calls for an April 4 Opening Day, an Oct. 3 end to the regular
season, and a postseason that would end Nov. 1 in the event of a seven-
game World Series.
Under the league’s media contracts, Turner has held the right to carry
tie-breaking games at the end of the regular season. Those rights came
into play most recently when Minnesota and Detroit played for the AL
Central Division crown in 2009.
In accordance with Turner’s contract, media industry sources expect
the network to land the rights to the new round of play-in games, but
they are waiting to hear definitively that the games are covered by
Turner’s current deal.
In any event, the creation of new postseason baseball TV inventory
represents a valuable addition for both the league and the network
that ends up carrying it.
Also on the MLB meetings agenda is a vote on a shift of the San Diego
Padres’ designated control executive from Chairman John Moores to Jeff
Moorad, vice chairman and chief executive officer. Moorad, a former
agent, and his investor group are in the midst of a multiyear plan to
buy the Padres’ equity from Moores.
The San Diego change for its designated control executive — the
appointed lead representative for the team with regard to league
matters — will be the fourth such change in the league since the
beginning of last season, following switches last year in San
Francisco, Houston and Texas.
By Eric Fisher & John Ourand, Staff Writers
Published January 9, 2012, Page 3
MLB this week during owners meetings in Arizona will wrestle with the
mechanics of inserting an additional round of playoffs into the 2012
schedule, including how to televise the extra games.
The league and MLB Players Association in November, as part of a new
five-year labor deal, agreed to an expanded postseason in which two
wild card teams in each league would play a single-elimination game,
with the winners advancing for League Division Series play. The new
postseason plan will begin no later than 2013, but both sides would
like to start the revised format this year, if possible.
A decision on the 2012 postseason schedule must be made by March 1.
Given that this week marks the last set of owners meetings before that
deadline and that broadcast plans must be made, a decision before that
date is likely.
MLB executives, after announcing the plan, said they would begin talks
on televising the two new playoff games with their existing television
partners: ESPN, Turner Sports and Fox. Turner already holds exclusive
rights for the League Division Series games, and it televises the
League Championship Series games with Fox on an alternating basis
between the American and National leagues.
Since the announcement, though, the league has been tight-lipped about
its progress in squeezing the extra games into a 2012 schedule that
already calls for an April 4 Opening Day, an Oct. 3 end to the regular
season, and a postseason that would end Nov. 1 in the event of a seven-
game World Series.
Under the league’s media contracts, Turner has held the right to carry
tie-breaking games at the end of the regular season. Those rights came
into play most recently when Minnesota and Detroit played for the AL
Central Division crown in 2009.
In accordance with Turner’s contract, media industry sources expect
the network to land the rights to the new round of play-in games, but
they are waiting to hear definitively that the games are covered by
Turner’s current deal.
In any event, the creation of new postseason baseball TV inventory
represents a valuable addition for both the league and the network
that ends up carrying it.
Also on the MLB meetings agenda is a vote on a shift of the San Diego
Padres’ designated control executive from Chairman John Moores to Jeff
Moorad, vice chairman and chief executive officer. Moorad, a former
agent, and his investor group are in the midst of a multiyear plan to
buy the Padres’ equity from Moores.
The San Diego change for its designated control executive — the
appointed lead representative for the team with regard to league
matters — will be the fourth such change in the league since the
beginning of last season, following switches last year in San
Francisco, Houston and Texas.
Remysun
Jan 10, 2012, 2:23:50 AM1/10/12
to
The one game playoff could put the wild card teams at a serious
disadvantage. I suppose it's one thing to get an extra start from your
ace in order to sneak in, but even ideally, the wild cards are forced
to choose between putting their best pitcher out there for the winner
takes all, or deferring for a proper matchup in the DS.
disadvantage. I suppose it's one thing to get an extra start from your
ace in order to sneak in, but even ideally, the wild cards are forced
to choose between putting their best pitcher out there for the winner
takes all, or deferring for a proper matchup in the DS.
Goro
Jan 10, 2012, 8:25:23 AM1/10/12
to
7"s.
-goro-
SkippyPB
Jan 10, 2012, 10:12:06 AM1/10/12
to
On Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:25:23 -0800 (PST), Goro <eviln...@gmail.com>
wrote:
This isn't too bad of an idea but I would like to see them cut back on
the regular season to the point where the last game (game 7) of the WS
takes place in mid October or end of September rather than in
November. And leave opening day to the first or second week of April.
They'll proabably never do it because they'd lose broadcasting
dollars, but it sure would make more sense.
Regards,
--
////
(o o)
-oOO--(_)--OOo-
"Cross country skiing is great. . . if you live in a small country."
-- Steven Wright
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remove nospam to email me.
Steve
wrote:
the regular season to the point where the last game (game 7) of the WS
takes place in mid October or end of September rather than in
November. And leave opening day to the first or second week of April.
They'll proabably never do it because they'd lose broadcasting
dollars, but it sure would make more sense.
Regards,
--
////
(o o)
-oOO--(_)--OOo-
"Cross country skiing is great. . . if you live in a small country."
-- Steven Wright
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remove nospam to email me.
Steve
Mike
Jan 11, 2012, 12:17:37 AM1/11/12
to
disadvantage, but that just puts more importance on winning the
division. Don't want the one-game playoff? Win the division. Easier
said than done, of course, but it makes for a great pennant race.
Mike
Remysun
Jan 12, 2012, 5:19:52 PM1/12/12
to
On Jan 11, 12:17 am, Mike <mike9...@postmark.net> wrote:
> I like the new one-game playoff. Sure, the wild-card teams are at a
> disadvantage, but that just puts more importance on winning the
> division. Don't want the one-game playoff? Win the division. Easier
> said than done, of course, but it makes for a great pennant race.
It would make things complicated when teams are tied for the division
> I like the new one-game playoff. Sure, the wild-card teams are at a
> disadvantage, but that just puts more importance on winning the
> division. Don't want the one-game playoff? Win the division. Easier
> said than done, of course, but it makes for a great pennant race.
and wild card. Before, they'd just let them in, but now, somebody's
gotta play an extra game. But there was enough broohah over the rain
delay in the DS that cost a Verlander-Sebathia start that I think
mismatched pitching matchups would be a disappointment.
Mason Barge
Jan 13, 2012, 3:12:33 PM1/13/12
to
On Mon, 9 Jan 2012 17:34:11 -0800 (PST), TMC <tmc...@gmail.com> wrote:
>http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2012/01/09/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/MLB.aspx
>
>By Eric Fisher & John Ourand, Staff Writers
>
>Published January 9, 2012, Page 3
>
>MLB this week during owners meetings in Arizona will wrestle with the
>mechanics of inserting an additional round of playoffs into the 2012
>schedule, including how to televise the extra games.
I look forward to the day when the regular season games will become
>http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2012/01/09/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/MLB.aspx
>
>By Eric Fisher & John Ourand, Staff Writers
>
>Published January 9, 2012, Page 3
>
>MLB this week during owners meetings in Arizona will wrestle with the
>mechanics of inserting an additional round of playoffs into the 2012
>schedule, including how to televise the extra games.
competely meaningless.
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