HHP: MASN/Nats/Orioles case (Inside the Courtroom)

[Redskins Rick]

Casey at the bat.

Yes, and the imitations of Carey & Scully had me laughing so hard, it was hard to stay on the road.

I worked nights back then, and I absolutely loved West Coast trips, sure helped the night go by.

"Warming up in the bullpen for the Orioles, that's Donner the right-hander and Blitzen the lefty," Miller did during one early season brief snow shower.

[hoosiers]

The fans will lose out, if MASN separates, most cable subscribers will be forced into one package, and maybe not the one they want.

My solution is the following:

- get MASN professional management to get programming and TV subscription rates to market rates

- give each team local TV rights in line with real FMV (presumably to $60M for the Os and $100+M for the Nats)

- split the ownership evenly between the Os and Nats

- have mediator/arbiter determine the $ due to PA for this ownership change and conversion to FMV

- have MLB agree to give ALL or PART of the Nat's TV rights fees that is shared with MLB to the Os. This enables the Nats to get their FMV and for the Os to profit from those TV rights fees.

[Redskins Rick]

My solution is the following:

- get MASN professional management to get programming and TV subscription rates to market rates

- give each team local TV rights in line with real FMV (presumably to $60M for the Os and $100+M for the Nats)

- split the ownership evenly between the Os and Nats

- have mediator/arbiter determine the $ due to PA for this ownership change and conversion to FMV

- have MLB agree to give ALL or PART of the Nat's TV rights fees that is shared with MLB to the Os. This enables the Nats to get their FMV and for the Os to profit from those TV rights fees.

Sounds like a good solution.

[weams]

My solution is the following:

- get MASN professional management to get programming and TV subscription rates to market rates

- give each team local TV rights in line with real FMV (presumably to $60M for the Os and $100+M for the Nats)

- split the ownership evenly between the Os and Nats

- have mediator/arbiter determine the $ due to PA for this ownership change and conversion to FMV

- have MLB agree to give ALL or PART of the Nat's TV rights fees that is shared with MLB to the Os. This enables the Nats to get their FMV and for the Os to profit from those TV rights fees.

My solution. Give them the formulaic increase the agreement called for. Not one penny more.

[FlipTheBird]

My solution. Give them the formulaic increase the agreement called for. Not one penny more.

Agreed.

[TonySoprano]

My solution. Give them the formulaic increase the agreement called for. Not one penny more.

My solution: MASN is bought out by FoxSportNet and both teams will be much richer.

[Trackmaster]

Here's my solution:

The Orioles get their own network, and the Nationals get their own network. The Nationals agree to pay 10% of their broadcasting revenue to the Orioles as a royalty fee for as long as the Orioles are in Maryland and the Nationals are in the area.

Simple, clean and it does the trick. The Nationals pay a price, but that was the price that they had to pay to get their TV rights.

[weams]

Here's my solution:

The Orioles get their own network, and the Nationals get their own network. The Nationals agree to pay 10% of their broadcasting revenue to the Orioles as a royalty fee for as long as the Orioles are in Maryland and the Nationals are in the area.

Simple, clean and it does the trick. The Nationals pay a price, but that was the price that they had to pay to get their TV rights.

Not enough. Sorry. It would have to be 40% to work.

[weams]

Let's face it, the Nationals don't really have any television rights to sell. Their rights are owned by MASN. And if they don't like that, they can grow their brand without a television presence. Simple.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Here's my solution:

The Orioles get their own network, and the Nationals get their own network. The Nationals agree to pay 10% of their broadcasting revenue to the Orioles as a royalty fee for as long as the Orioles are in Maryland and the Nationals are in the area.

Simple, clean and it does the trick. The Nationals pay a price, but that was the price that they had to pay to get their TV rights.

No, that wouldn't work, because the O's broadcast area would be hugely reduced, and the MASN carrying fees would drop by way more than 10% of the Nats revenue. It would be a horrible, horrible thing for the O's.

[weams]

No, that wouldn't work, because the O's broadcast area would be hugely reduced, and the MASN carrying fees would drop by way more than 10% of the Nats revenue. It would be a horrible, horrible thing for the O's.

And yet many people think it in the only "fair" thing to do. HogWash.

[weams]

My solution: MASN is bought out by FoxSportNet and both teams will be much richer.

Do we have a chance? You get me one coffee drinker on that jury, you gonna walk outta there a rich man.

[Mondo Trasho]

Let's face it, the Nationals don't really have any television rights to sell. Their rights are owned by MASN. And if they don't like that, they can grow their brand without a television presence. Simple.

Couldn't they just invite another network to broadcast their games and deny MASN entry? I mean if it really came to it.

Yes Angelos and MASN could sue, but if the court costs vs the benefits of selling their product on TV came out on the plus side of it, it could be worth it to them to do it. At least that's my ad hoc Coasian analysis of it.

These things are why I wish the Expos still existed...

[mdbdotcom]

My solution:

The Gnats pay the Orioles (not MASN) $50 million/year plus COLA in perpetuity for the right to leave MASN and either start their own network or license their broadcasts to another network. Plus, the Gnats pay the Orioles 25 cents per month for every subscriber whose system drops MASN in favor of the Gnats new broadcaster.

This should be enough to keep the O's and Gnats on fairly equal financial footing.

[Nigel Tufnel]

My solution:

The Gnats pay the Orioles (not MASN) $50 million/year plus COLA in perpetuity for the right to leave MASN and either start their own network or license their broadcasts to another network. Plus, the Gnats pay the Orioles 25 cents per month for every subscriber whose system drops MASN in favor of the Gnats new broadcaster.

This should be enough to keep the O's and Gnats on fairly equal financial footing.

Sounds great. Think the Nats would go for it?

Hint: no.