Monday, February 09, 2004
LAY-ZEE
The P-I blog has touched on it, but I figure I didn't just want to have my content slough off into P-I weblog hell, so I'm going to post what I put in response to the Oregonian article that sparked this post at the P-I weblog.
It basically has to do with the cramped space on basic cable these days and that if the Expos came to Portland, the Mariners and Port'Spos would be fighting over the same time slots, presuming the Port'Spos actually went after a cable deal (Mariners never had one until the early-to mid-'90s with Prime Sports NW, remember). Anyway, Harry Hutt, formerly of the defunct Action Sports Cable Network based in Portland (Paul Allen-led deal there) is quoted as saying the Mariners would basically lose 800k households if the Expos came to Portland. That'll put a dent in that cable deal. The Mariners will be showing 140 games over their two outlets in 2004, but take even the same number of games and concede the state of Oregon, and the net revenue would be a trifle bit different.
Anyway, here's my copied post over at the P-I blog. It'll probably be redundant now that I kinda ranted with that last paragraph, but here goes...
God knows how much money the M's are rolling in right now with that sweet cable deal they have with Fox Sports Net NW. With FSNNW and the free-TV games, they'll show 140 games in 2004.
If a Portland team comes in and they happen to want a cable deal...unless Paul Allen or someone down there tries to bring Action Sports Cable Network back from the dead or someone comes up with another regional sports channel, the Portland team will probably be swapping the slots on FSNNW that would usually go to the Mariners with the Port'Spos.
Tiny note, the TrailBlazers quickly signed their cable deal with FSNNW when ASCN folded. FSNNW never beams the Blazer games up into the Puget Sound area, because they'd rather we watch five straight episodes of "You Gotta See This!" instead of live basketball. Luckily next year, the Sonics will have a TV deal with FSNNW so that we won't be subject to so many YGST episodes.
I guess my point (roundabout as it may be) would be that if the Portland team wants to even think about a cable deal, the Mariners are going to get reamed unless a new regional sports network is launched. Again.
What was once a sweet cable deal may merely turn into a cable deal with a pinch of powdered sugar added to neutralize the flavor -- far from "sweet."
Yay!! Actual Mariner-related content today!! The only thing that would make this day better would be an absolute purge of assigned homework from my professors and a five-hour nap. All hail napping!
It basically has to do with the cramped space on basic cable these days and that if the Expos came to Portland, the Mariners and Port'Spos would be fighting over the same time slots, presuming the Port'Spos actually went after a cable deal (Mariners never had one until the early-to mid-'90s with Prime Sports NW, remember). Anyway, Harry Hutt, formerly of the defunct Action Sports Cable Network based in Portland (Paul Allen-led deal there) is quoted as saying the Mariners would basically lose 800k households if the Expos came to Portland. That'll put a dent in that cable deal. The Mariners will be showing 140 games over their two outlets in 2004, but take even the same number of games and concede the state of Oregon, and the net revenue would be a trifle bit different.
Anyway, here's my copied post over at the P-I blog. It'll probably be redundant now that I kinda ranted with that last paragraph, but here goes...
God knows how much money the M's are rolling in right now with that sweet cable deal they have with Fox Sports Net NW. With FSNNW and the free-TV games, they'll show 140 games in 2004.
If a Portland team comes in and they happen to want a cable deal...unless Paul Allen or someone down there tries to bring Action Sports Cable Network back from the dead or someone comes up with another regional sports channel, the Portland team will probably be swapping the slots on FSNNW that would usually go to the Mariners with the Port'Spos.
Tiny note, the TrailBlazers quickly signed their cable deal with FSNNW when ASCN folded. FSNNW never beams the Blazer games up into the Puget Sound area, because they'd rather we watch five straight episodes of "You Gotta See This!" instead of live basketball. Luckily next year, the Sonics will have a TV deal with FSNNW so that we won't be subject to so many YGST episodes.
I guess my point (roundabout as it may be) would be that if the Portland team wants to even think about a cable deal, the Mariners are going to get reamed unless a new regional sports network is launched. Again.
What was once a sweet cable deal may merely turn into a cable deal with a pinch of powdered sugar added to neutralize the flavor -- far from "sweet."
Yay!! Actual Mariner-related content today!! The only thing that would make this day better would be an absolute purge of assigned homework from my professors and a five-hour nap. All hail napping!
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