Fangraphs piece with every local TV deal listed

[Frobby]

Fair enough.

Point still applies, someone is able to move money between MASN and the Orioles and there own checking accounts in amounts they see fit and I doubt they have to report any of this information. I would point out the actual TV deals in the article do give a nice idea of how much money the Orioles should have available if they wanted to spend.

Report to whom? To the public, no. But moving the money around has big implications for the purpose of MLB's revenue-sharing program. Baseball has a formula whereby the teams with a lot of revenue pay money into a pool that is then distributed to the low revenue teams. So, if the money stays in MASN, it doesn't affect the Orioles' revenues, and they get more favorable treatment in the revenue-sharing system. If it is paid to the Orioles, then they get less favorable treatment under the system. There also may be some tax consequences depending on whether the money stays within MASN, is paid to the Orioles as part of its rights fees, or is paid to the MASN owners as a dividend.

[Frobby]

As does the fact that the Nationals are asking for 100 million annually.

Speaking as a lawyer, the position one initially takes in an arbitration or negotiation isn't necessarily realistic. The fact that the Nats are asking for $100 mm simply reflects that they are being very aggressive in their negotiations. It tells us very little about what MASN can afford to pay in rights fees.

[Can_of_corn]

Speaking as a lawyer, the position one initially takes in an arbitration or negotiation isn't necessarily realistic. The fact that the Nats are asking for $100 mm simply reflects that they are being very aggressive in their negotiations. It tells us very little about what MASN can afford to pay in rights fees.

Of course. However you won't name a figure so outrageous as to color your entire claim correct? I think the Nationals asking 100 million tells us something very different then if they were asking 40 million.