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Cubs to go own way...


Lip Man 1

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According to Bruce Levine and the Score tonight, the Cubs have decided to form their own TV Network in October 2019. They have hired Mike McCarthy to oversee it. He ran the MSG Network and the St. Louis Blues.

The story said the Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks have hired Phil Bedella to help run their next regional sports network. He was the former G.M. of Comcast Sports Chicago. Sounds like those three are going to stay untied.

 

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1 hour ago, Lip Man 1 said:

According to Bruce Levine and the Score tonight, the Cubs have decided to form their own TV Network in October 2019. They have hired Mike McCarthy to oversee it. He ran the MSG Network and the St. Louis Blues.

The story said the Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks have hired Phil Bedella to help run their next regional sports network. He was the former G.M. of Comcast Sports Chicago. Sounds like those three are going to stay untied.

 

United or untied? Two very different scenarios. I assume you mean United by the context.

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Hopefully they repeat the same mistakes as Houston and LA and piss off their fan base and lose viewers because their providers no longer carry the channel the team is on.

Seeing as Comcast/NBC is losing the Cubs you KNOW they are going to play hardball over carrier fees. That is a big chunk of local viewers,  even if Dish picks the up right away, which isn't a given. 

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The rich just keep on getting richer. Didn't the Dodgers get like 8 billion dollars or something ridiculous like that a few years back? I imagine that the Cubs will get at least half of that. 

Wouldn't surprise me in the least if they sign both Machado and Harper in the offseason. For some, money truly does grow on trees. 

 

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1 hour ago, footlongcomiskeydog said:

The rich just keep on getting richer. Didn't the Dodgers get like 8 billion dollars or something ridiculous like that a few years back? I imagine that the Cubs will get at least half of that. 

Wouldn't surprise me in the least if they sign both Machado and Harper in the offseason. For some, money truly does grow on trees. 

 

That would completely shock me. They already have the 4th highest team payroll in MLB this season and over $100MM+ in payroll commitments to just 6 players in 2019 and 2020, 3 of which are untradeable (Darvish, Heyward, and Chatwood). Plus a number of guys entering arbitration that will command big money - Bryant, Hendricks, Russell, Baez, Contreras, etc. Quite frankly, I'd be shocked if they signed one of those two guys. 

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1 minute ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

That would completely shock me. They already have the 4th highest team payroll in MLB this season and over $100MM+ in payroll commitments to just 6 players in 2019 and 2020, 3 of which are untradeable (Darvish, Heyward, and Chatwood). Plus a number of guys entering arbitration that will command big money - Bryant, Hendricks, Russell, Baez, Contreras, etc. Quite frankly, I'd be shocked if they signed one of those two guys. 

Remember the luxury tax issue could come into play if they did that as well.

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2 hours ago, Jose Abreu said:

So the Sox, Bulls, and Hawks are forming a new network independent of NBC Sports? Or am I misinterpreting Levine's reporting 

It sounds to me like they are staying together and wll "probably" return to NBC Sports Chicago but are keeping their options open just in case. (Although basically they have no where else to go unless they started their own network which I doubt.) 

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4 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Remember the luxury tax issue could come into play if they did that as well.

Absolutely. They are already going to have luxury tax issues over the next few years with the team as currently constructed. Those Heyward and Darvish contracts start to become a real problem when trying to stay below luxury tax levels. With the way Hamels is pitching, don't they almost have to pick up his $20MM option next year as well? I'd think so if he carries his recent performance into October.

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3 hours ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

Absolutely. They are already going to have luxury tax issues over the next few years with the team as currently constructed. Those Heyward and Darvish contracts start to become a real problem when trying to stay below luxury tax levels. With the way Hamels is pitching, don't they almost have to pick up his $20MM option next year as well? I'd think so if he carries his recent performance into October.

The luxury tax penalty will be peanuts compared to the new revenue generated by having their own network.

They will definitely go hard after Machado and Harper. Money is not an issue on the North Side.

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20 minutes ago, footlongcomiskeydog said:

The luxury tax penalty will be peanuts compared to the new revenue generated by having their own network.

They will definitely go hard after Machado and Harper. Money is not an issue on the North Side.

False. Money is an issue for every owner at some point. Even money-is-no-object franchises NYY and LAD made a conscious effort this season to stay below the luxury tax threshold to minimize the impacts of major FA signings this coming winter. It will be a deterrent for the north side as well when you consider their future obligations. The Darvish and Hayward signings really hurt and will limit their flexibility a great deal.

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6 hours ago, footlongcomiskeydog said:

The luxury tax penalty will be peanuts compared to the new revenue generated by having their own network.

 

In theory you are right but we'll see what happens. Many are claiming the RSN rights bubble is about to burst because of cord cutting and other options. I'm sure the Cubs have researched and calculated the risks involved.

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7 hours ago, footlongcomiskeydog said:

The luxury tax penalty will be peanuts compared to the new revenue generated by having their own network.

They will definitely go hard after Machado and Harper. Money is not an issue on the North Side.

There is absolutely no way that any team signs both. The penalties would be crippling after a couple of years 

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8 hours ago, ChiliIrishHammock24 said:

And if I am not mistaken, it's not just a monetary fee. You start losing draft picks, I believe, starting with your 1st Rounder.

Correct. This is what I meant by penalties, all inclusive.

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11 hours ago, ptatc said:

There is absolutely no way that any team signs both. The penalties would be crippling after a couple of years 

I don't think it was implied that they would try to land both. Just that they try for both in hopes of landing one at any cost. Example: stay in talks with each. If Harper signs somewhere else first, go harder after Machado and vice versa. 

Edited by soxfan2014
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21 hours ago, footlongcomiskeydog said:

The luxury tax penalty will be peanuts compared to the new revenue generated by having their own network.

They will definitely go hard after Machado and Harper. Money is not an issue on the North Side.

Actually money has been an issue up north, mostly related to the debt payments surrounding the financing of the team with the Rickett's purchase.  That is why they took on new minority share owners in the last few years.

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3 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

Actually money has been an issue up north, mostly related to the debt payments surrounding the financing of the team with the Rickett's purchase.  That is why they took on new minority share owners in the last few years.

I always thought that would be the case but the spending on the team and on the ballpark has not slowed.  

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On 8/29/2018 at 11:09 AM, Harry Chappas said:

The cubs don't need either.  They need pitching and will most likely pick up Hamels option and resign Murphy.

What do they get back trading Almora, Schwarber or Russell? 

Kaplan says that the tax penalties do not impact them as they are a cash cow but I would have to guess they would.  

You listened to Kaplan...

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