tv schedule

[steig]

Why are none of this weekends games on TV? The tv schedule has been terrible since the all star break. I looked on the reds website for upcoming games on FSN and it gets better but I'm disappointed about this weekend.

[RedFanAlways1966]

I think a lot of us (definitely me!) got spoiled with all the TV games in the 1st half. Many of those games were added (in mid-May) by FoxSportsNet when the REDS were contending. 73 of the 89 games before the All-Star Break were televised this year on FSN. 45 of the last 48 games before the Break were televised on FSN.

FoxSportsNet Games Before The Break
2003: 60 of 93 games
2004: 60 of 88 games
2005: 63 of 88 games
2006: 73 of 89 games

I'm hating it too, but we cannot complain compared to recent years. Starting July 25 the REDS will be on FSN in 27 of the next 35 games. September will be tough though... only 10 of 28 games that month are scheduled for FSN coverage. If the REDS are still in contention, then FSN may add more games like they did in the 1st half!

On the bright side... when not on FSN the REDS are 14-8 (.636) so far.

[reds1869]

There is no excuse for a major league team with such a poor TV package. I hope the new deal comes to fruition, but I still see no reason for less than 162 games on FSN Ohio. There is no logical reason for the current broadcast arrangement; I don't buy the argument that TV hurts attendance. In fact I think it is quite the opposite. Oh well, thank goodness for WLW and XM Radio!

[jnwohio]

The word is (per the Cincy Enquirer & DDN) that a new TV contract with FSN Ohio is very close. From what has been leaked it should make everybody on this thread happy. Supposedly between 140 and 145 games a year will be carried. That is basically all the games not subject to MLB's national contracts blackout provisions.

The new contract will supposedly be for up to 10 years and heavily front loaded on the payments to the Reds to assist Castellini and Co. in rebuilding the organization.

This looks like a win/ win for both the Reds and FSN Ohio because the new ownership in Cleveland pulled the Indians off of FSN and started their own cable channel like the Yankees did. Thus FSN is looking for content it can aggressively market statewide. A healthy vibrant Reds team should fit the bill for them.

[Unassisted]

Originally Posted by jnwohio

The new contract will supposedly be for up to 10 years and heavily front loaded on the payments to the Reds to assist Castellini and Co. in rebuilding the organization.

10 years? That's an eternity in this rapidly changing media marketplace! I hope the deal on the table is not really for 10 years.

Front-loading is not good, either. The TV contract is one of the club's largest assets on the balance sheet. It represents a steady, dependable infusion of cash, the value of which could easily triple by the end of a decade. A 10-year deal would be like a tight pair of handcuffs in the last 5 years, unless there's significant escalation built in over the course of the decade.

Anyone who has lamented low payrolls and chafes at the notion that the Reds are "small market" should cast a wary eye on a 10-year TV deal.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Herd Fan

There is no excuse for a major league team with such a poor TV package. I hope the new deal comes to fruition, but I still see no reason for less than 162 games on FSN Ohio. There is no logical reason for the current broadcast arrangement; I don't buy the argument that TV hurts attendance. In fact I think it is quite the opposite. Oh well, thank goodness for WLW and XM Radio!

162 isn't a very reasonable demand, but 140-5 sounds pretty nice. Assuming the 8-10 weekday day games aren't covered, that doesn't leave many others to skip.

[jnwohio]

Originally Posted by Unassisted

10 years? That's an eternity in this rapidly changing media marketplace! I hope the deal on the table is not really for 10 years.

I thought the same when I read origninal blurb in the DDN (McCoy). His report mentioned the 10 years and also mentioned Bob Castellini as the one advocating for total coverage. The blurb in the Enquirer this week (Fay I believe) dropped Phil Castellini's name as being the point man who was saying the deal was very close but not quite ready to be announced.

So the driving force is coming from the very top on the Reds side. I guess one needs to have faith they have a master plan and this is a part of it. Of course the devil is in the details we never hear about until later. My guess is we will hear lots of talk of a long partnership and that the Reds will have ways to realize additional revenues from the contract based on ratings performance, market penetration etc., maybe a percent of advertising revenues over a certain floor figure, and perhaps other tie ins that give them marketing oppurtunities.

[RedsFan74]

I hope there's something in the new package about broadcasting games in HD. There are plenty of regional FSN channels that broadcast their hometeam's games in HD.

[HumnHilghtFreel]

I've been hating the lack of games on TV too. What radio station could I listen to in the Columbus area, if any? Never tried the radio unless I was in a car, but I'm willing to give it a show. I know The Fan does Indians games.