BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Nationals Might Form New Regional Sports Network

Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Friday, December 14, 2012

Nationals Might Form New Regional Sports Network

Former red-headed stepchild franchise now courted by rich suitors.

Reached at his office last week, Steve Greenberg, a managing director at Allen & Co. who has deep ties to baseball, would neither confirm nor deny the investment bank’s involvement.

Through a spokesman, MLB declined to comment. The Nationals, through a spokesman, also declined comment.

Another individual familiar with MASN and the Orioles said the network has not been approached about a potential sale and that MASN is not for sale.

Well…you just KNOW something is up with all those “no comment” comments!

boteman Posted: December 14, 2012 at 10:30 AM | 11 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: business, nationals, orioles, television rights

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

1. J.R. Wolf Posted: December 14, 2012 at 11:49 AM (#4324701)

"When you finally get back up on your feet again,
Everybody wants to be your old long-lost friend."

2. Spectral Posted: December 14, 2012 at 12:04 PM (#4324720)

Anyone have any thoughts on potential payroll ramifications for the Nats if someone along these lines goes through? I'd like to fantasize about Rizzo having Dodgers/Angels money, but DC isn't LA, so I suppose that's not happening.

3. NattyBoh Posted: December 14, 2012 at 12:11 PM (#4324728)

Angelos doesn't have to do anything. The Nats are stuck. Given his age his passing to the big courtroom in the sky is only a matter of time; his heirs might be forced to sell.

4. Natty Fan Posted: December 14, 2012 at 12:59 PM (#4324770)

Angelos doesn't have to do anything. The Nats are stuck.

Well, per the terms of the agreement, he (as MASN) must pay the Nationals the market value for their television rights. The Nationals are asking for $100 million per year; MASN has offered $34 million. Angelos must reach some compromise or take it to some kind of binding arbitration. He can't simply sit back and do nothing.

If Angelos really believes that the Nats' broadcast rights are worth so little, he should be ecstatic if someone like Fox Sports were to buy them off his hands, right?

5. zack Posted: December 14, 2012 at 01:08 PM (#4324774)

While I understand it's not the best situation for the Nats, having two teams on one RSN is awesome. Although I'm guessing most carriers in DC would still carry both teams, is that true in Baltimore?

6. NattyBoh Posted: December 14, 2012 at 02:25 PM (#4324859)

Well, per the terms of the agreement, he (as MASN) must pay the Nationals the market value for their television rights. The Nationals are asking for $100 million per year; MASN has offered $34 million..

Every five years and there is also a formula in the contract. The Orioles also have to get paid the same as the Nat's.

Angelos must reach some compromise or take it to some kind of binding arbitration. He can't simply sit back and do nothing.

They went to arbitration earlier this year. It's been dragging on since the spring. Angelos owns 87% of the network and will own 67% in 20 years. If cash doesn't go to the Lerners goes to Angelos.

7. cercopithecus aethiops Posted: December 14, 2012 at 02:39 PM (#4324876)

While I understand it's not the best situation for the Nats, having two teams on one RSN is awesome. Although I'm guessing most carriers in DC would still carry both teams, is that true in Baltimore?

If it's one RSN, wouldn't the carriers be stuck with the package deal or nothing?

I'm no expert, but ISTM that MASN with two teams should be a much more profitable enterprise than two RSNs with one team each. You'd think that cooler heads would be able to work out some kind of everybody wins accommodation, but since Angelos is one of the heads, maybe cooler doesn't enter into it.

8. AROM Posted: December 14, 2012 at 02:54 PM (#4324902)

How long are the Nats stuck in this deal? Is there a point where they can just pull out and negotiate their own deal?

At first it seems ridiculous for Angelos to have so much control over another team's TV rights, but then again Lerner knew what he was doing going into this, and factored it all into the purchase. If he had the prospect of signing a massive TV deal after a few years he presumably would have had to pay more for the ballclub.

9. JJ1986 Posted: December 14, 2012 at 02:58 PM (#4324906)

CSN Washington puts on the cheapest-looking broadcasts. I hope Comcast has nothing to do with this.

10. NattyBoh Posted: December 14, 2012 at 04:49 PM (#4325047)

The Devil would go to trial against Daniel Webster, but not Peter Angelos. Who negotiated the contract?

11. DJ Funky and the Smile Time Variety Players Posted: December 15, 2012 at 08:20 PM (#4325751)

Didn't the devil have some grounds for appeal? At the very least, there should have been a judge to rule on an objection to Webster's speech as it had little probative value.

Even if he lost the case, wouldn't the devil have some type of case for damages? Stone pretty much conned the devil, after all.

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

<< Back to main

Friday, December 14, 2012

Nationals Might Form New Regional Sports Network

Reader Comments and Retorts

BBTF Sponsor

Support BBTF

Bookmarks

Hot Topics