If there's a way to enlarge the viewer footprint for the Astros by using Fox as a secondary provider, hoepfully that will be enough additional revenue to make Crane happy.
http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Closing-Bell/2014/01/03/CSN-terms.aspx Phillies' 25-Year TV Rights Deal Worth An Average $100M Annually By John Ourand & Eric Fisher Published January 3, 2014 The Phillies doubled their annual average TV rights fee and picked up an ownership stake in CSN Philadelphia, according to several sources. NBC Sports Group, which operates the RSN, has agreed to a 25-year deal that will see it pay an average of $100M per year for the rights, with the annual fee growing between 3-4% each year, sources said. That figure doubles the rights fee the team had received from CSN Philadelphia and its over-the-air partner, Philadelphia's NBC affiliate. The Phillies also increased its ownership stake in the RSN to 25%. It is unclear how much of CSN Philadelphia the Phillies had owned before. The Philadelphia Daily News first reported news of the contract extension. The Phillies' TV deal was set to expire after the '15 season. The more than $2.5B in aggregate rights fees places the Phillies in the upper echelon of MLB teams, and the initial annual figure of $100M currently trails only the Dodgers, Angels, Rangers and Mariners – though it also will be eclipsed by the Yankees.
So the Angels, Rangers and Mariners are all getting over $100M annually in local TV rights. They are all in our division. When looking at it through that lens, the Astros need a similar deal in order to not be at a competitive disadvantage in the division.
It would be interesting to know where the Astros would have ranked in tv rights had they stayed in the National League.
Who in their right mind would give the Astros a deal like that? At this point public access would turn them down.
Too bad because they aren't about to get it. Looks like the Astros will be at a permanent competitive disadvantage in their division.
It's not like they were that far away. The CSN deal gave them $80MM + ownership profits (which have become losses). The FSN deal they turned down (and presumably Crane is trying to get back to) was for more in media rights without ownership - so presumably $85 or $90MM. That's in the general ballpark.
I don't think we know exactly what it was - we only know that they took less to do CSN in order to get ownership profits, so it has to be more than the $80MM. I'd be curious to know what that offer really was and if it's still an option or not if CSN falls apart. We've been through this already, but that's the only offer that was on the table. Everything else is speculation and projection from a company that had every incentive to convince people the DTV deal was good and had been totally wrong about its previous projections.
So, at least the bubble hasn't completely burst everywhere else... just in Houston. There are several more teams in markets similar to Houston with contracts due for re-negotiations soon (Arizona, Cincy, Colorado, Detroit, Tampa). All these teams should see hefty raises (including Tampa who despite crappy attendance, does get good tv ratings).
The bolded print is nothing but speculation on your part. And yeah, we have been through it and none of us know for sure that with all the providers signed up it would have resulted in losses over either the 10 or 20 year periods. We have no idea what the other providers would or would not have signed up for as details of the DTV deal would not have been made public and couldn't be used as leverage for the other providers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The Rockets asked a federal bankruptcy judge Monday to extend their role as lead negotiator for CSN Houston through Jan. 31,</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420371306622636033">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The Rockets say this will give them more time to pursue what they describe as “significant progress” with potential partners.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420371512432930816">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The request was filed in advance of a 4 p.m. Tuesday hearing before Judge Marvin Isgur, Rockets have been lead negotiator since Dec. 12</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420371862523113472">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The Rockets said they received an offer Mon.from unnamed party and are “in the midst of significant negotiations with at least one other."</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420372246167683072">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>They also filed a status report saying Comcast has provided a stalking horse bid to purchase the portion of CSNH it does not already own.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420372492339798017">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Motion: "“The Rockets have made significant progress. Nevertheless, (they) need additional time to further advance...current negotiations.”</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420372838160142336">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>No immediate comment from Comcast/NBC on Rockets motion.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420373003600293889">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Earlier comment from Astros: “We’re still hopeful that a deal could be worked out that satisfies all three parties ...</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420373186245455872">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>“... but we believe that the best thing is for this bankruptcy case to be dismissed so that our fans get to watch our games.”</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420373267417792512">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>For those who asked, stalking horse bid is an initial bid placed before an auction to test the market.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/statuses/420373827189628928">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterocke...ad-negotiator-in-csn-houston-bankruptcy-case/ The Rockets asked a federal bankruptcy judge Monday night to extend their role as lead negotiator for Comcast SportsNet Houston through Jan. 31, allowing more time to pursue what they describe as “significant progress” with potential partners that could help revive the financially troubled regional sports network. The request was filed in advance of a 4 p.m. Tuesday status conference before U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Marvin Isgur, who is presiding over the involuntary Chapter 11 case filed last September against Houston Regional Sports Network, the Astros-Rockets-Comcast partnership that owns CSN Houston. The Rockets have been acting as lead negotiator since Dec. 12, when they inherited that role from the Astros. Judge Isgur has allowed each team leeway to seek new business alliances while he delays ruling on a Comcast motion to appoint an interim trustee and on the Astros’ motion to dismiss the bankruptcy petition filed by four Comcast subsidiaries. In their request for the extension, the Rockets said they received an offer Monday from an unnamed party and are “in the midst of significant negotiations with at least one other party. While the motion does not stipulate the name of the bidder, the Rockets also filed a status report with the court saying Comcast has provided a stalking horse bid to purchase the portion of CSN Houston that it does not already own. “The Rockets have made significant progress,” the motion continued. “Nevertheless, the Rockets need additional time to further advance their current negotiations.” Comcast and the Astros have not agreed to extend the Rockets’ negotiating authority, the Rockets said, so the team wants the court to do so. The team said it is willing to continue negotiations while hearings begin, if the court wishes, on the Astros’ motion to dismiss and the Comcast motion to name an interim trustee. The Rockets, who own about 31 percent of CSN Houston, had no comment beyond the statements in the two court documents. Comcast/NBC Universal, which owns about 23 percent, had no immediate comment. The Astros, who own 46 percent of the partnership, said in a statement from general counsel Giles Kibbe: “We’re still hopeful that a deal could be worked out that satisfies all three parties, but we believe that the best thing is for this bankruptcy case to be dismissed so that our fans get to watch our games.” Kibbe also cited this week’s announcement the Comcast/NBC has extended its agreement with the Philadelphia Phillies for what the Philadelphia Inquirer reports is a 25-year term that will pay the team more than $2.5 billion plus an equity stake in CSN Philadelphia. “As was shown by Comcast’s recent deal with the Phillies, media rights are going up, not down,” he said. “We’re not going to cut a bad deal that harms the franchise for the next 20 years. We’ve made too much progress in rebuilding this franchise to do that.”
Now that the Rockets start running the show **** is happening, imagine that. Meanwhile back on the farm team, Crane is still wanting out of a deal that he bought in to.
Hmm interesting. I'm assuming the two parties would be AT&T and Direct, unfortunately for me. I'm also assuming the Rockets will have to back this statement up tomorrow to the judge?
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