MLB seeks creative solution to MASN rights fees dispute between Nationals, Orioles

[Frobby]

Here's what I think is interesting: what is driving the big increase in sports rights fees is that people are not watching much live television programming any more. They record the shows they want to watch, or watch then online, and then fast forward through the commercials. So, the theory goes, live sports shows are very valuable because people still want to watch them in "real time" and will suffer through the commercials, so those shows are very attractive to advertisers.

Well, that's all fine and dandy, but do you think advertisers have been knocking down the doors to show their ads on Orioles games? Not so far as I've noticed. I mean, Just for Men seems to think MASN is a great place to advertise, and every class action lawyer who is drumming up clients for their lawsuits against the pharmaceutical industry, but I'm not seeing a lot of prime advertisers on Oriole games. And maybe that's the big driver here. I can't believe that if these games were on a well-run network, we wouldn't be seeing a lot more beer, car, tire and shaving ads.

I just don't think MASN is a very well-run operation.

[eddie83]

Here's what I think is interesting: what is driving the big increase in sports rights fees is that people are not watching much live television programming any more. They record the shows they want to watch, or watch then online, and then fast forward through the commercials. So, the theory goes, live sports shows are very valuable because people still want to watch them in "real time" and will suffer through the commercials, so those shows are very attractive to advertisers.

Well, that's all fine and dandy, but do you think advertisers have been knocking down the doors to show their ads on Orioles games? Not so far as I've noticed. I mean, Just for Men seems to think MASN is a great place to advertise, and every class action lawyer who is drumming up clients for their lawsuits against the pharmaceutical industry, but I'm not seeing a lot of prime advertisers on Oriole games. And maybe that's the big driver here. I can't believe that if these games were on a well-run network, we wouldn't be seeing a lot more beer, car, tire and shaving ads.

I just don't think MASN is a very well-run operation.

As we all know the Orioles had 14 consecutive losing seasons and the Nats had horrible ratings until recently. The Nats weren't really relevant in the DC market until 2011 and weren't popular until 2012. I don't watch the Wizards hardly at all so I can't comment on their advertisers.

Maybe next year we will see a big change in all of this with the teams recent success.

[TonySoprano]

Here's what I think is interesting: what is driving the big increase in sports rights fees is that people are not watching much live television programming any more. They record the shows they want to watch, or watch then online, and then fast forward through the commercials. So, the theory goes, live sports shows are very valuable because people still want to watch them in "real time" and will suffer through the commercials, so those shows are very attractive to advertisers.

Well, that's all fine and dandy, but do you think advertisers have been knocking down the doors to show their ads on Orioles games? Not so far as I've noticed. I mean, Just for Men seems to think MASN is a great place to advertise, and every class action lawyer who is drumming up clients for their lawsuits against the pharmaceutical industry, but I'm not seeing a lot of prime advertisers on Oriole games. And maybe that's the big driver here. I can't believe that if these games were on a well-run network, we wouldn't be seeing a lot more beer, car, tire and shaving ads.

I just don't think MASN is a very well-run operation.

If MASN was run efficiently, it would have its own programming, instead of ESPN's feed. I agree, the Orioles alone gets you routinely terrible LUNA ads, and Miss Kitty at Midstate Federal. The Orioles with the Nationals are a much more valuable package. MASN will grow when the teams are in the running year after year, as we saw in 2012. The idea behind MASN was to give the Orioles the resources to compete. If those resources aren't recycled into the on-field product then how does Angelos realistically expect his RSN to grow?