2014 Cubs Catch-All Thread

[cabiness42]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/bre...0,2270840.story

 

The Chicago Cubs have exercised an option to get out of their broadcast contract with WGN-TV after the 2014 season, sources close to the situation said Wednesday.

 

On Tuesday, the team notified the Tribune Co.-owned station it had 30 days to meet a higher assessed fair market value for the broadcast rights, or they would be opened up for negotiation with other media. A third-party consultant hired by the Cubs and WGN-TV determined the increased valuation, according to sources.

 

After 30 days, the team would be free to explore other broadcast options for about 70 games televised each season by WGN, opening the door to a potentially more lucrative contract or perhaps its own cable sports network.

 

Efforts to reach a Tribune Co. spokesman Wednesday morning were unsuccessful, and a Cubs spokesman declined to comment.

 

The Cubs and WGN-TV have a broadcast partnership that dates to 1948. With baseball rights fees soaring, there is much at stake for both. In January, the Los Angeles Dodgers launched their own cable sports network, striking a deal with Time Warner Cable that will pay the team a reported $7 billion to broadcast its games over 25 years.

 

Currently, Cubs games are split between Comcast SportsNet Chicago and WGN-TV, netting the club about $60 million in annual broadcast rights fees combined, according to sources. The CSN deal runs through 2019 and includes the White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks as partners. Comcast owns about 30 percent of the network.

 

The Cubs get about $20 million to air 70 games each year on WGN. If the team didn’t give notice to opt out at this point in the contract, the deal would run through 2022 at the current rate, and the Cubs would lose any leverage for renegotiating the broadcast rights, according to sources.

 

The Ricketts family inherited the broadcast agreements as part of their 2009 purchase of the Cubs from Tribune Co., owner of the Chicago Tribune and WGN-TV. The $845 million deal — then the highest in Major League Baseball history — included Wrigley Field and a 25 percent stake in Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

[witesoxfan]

That could be a really, really good thing for the White Sox and something they absolutely need to look into taking advantage of.

[cabiness42]

That could be a really, really good thing for the White Sox and something they absolutely need to look into taking advantage of.

 

I can't speak to the dollars and cents of negotiations, but as a fan outside of the "local territory," I appreciate having games on WGN because they are not subject to blackout.

 

[Balta1701]

I can't speak to the dollars and cents of negotiations, but as a fan outside of the "local territory," I appreciate having games on WGN because they are not subject to blackout.

I used to agree with this although with Extra innings it's much less of an issue. But I think a big deal there is that the new TV deals are an order of magnitude more money than people thought they'd be when the last round was signed.

[Marty34]

That could be a really, really good thing for the White Sox and something they absolutely need to look into taking advantage of.

 

How so?

[Balta1701]

How so?

Current TV contracts are producing valuations something like 5-10x the previous contracts. The teams who were lucky enough to have their contracts come up right now are raking in a fortune - see the Dodgers. Any team that has any way to renegotiate their TV deal right not ought to be considering it.

[Marty34]

Current TV contracts are producing valuations something like 5-10x the previous contracts. The teams who were lucky enough to have their contracts come up right now are raking in a fortune - see the Dodgers. Any team that has any way to renegotiate their TV deal right not ought to be considering it.

 

I thought he meant the Cubs getting out of their deal with WGN TV specifically being good for the Sox.

[Balta1701]

I thought he meant the Cubs getting out of their deal with WGN TV specifically being good for the Sox.

I assumed when he said "look into taking advantage of" that it was something that would require effort on the part of the Sox. If the Cubs leave WGN and that leads to increasing White Sox viewership on the same channel, that doesn't require any effort on the part of the White Sox.

 

Although I'd consider giving up a kidney to get them off WCIU, if that helps.

[southsider2k5]

That could be a really, really good thing for the White Sox and something they absolutely need to look into taking advantage of.

 

Do you know something about the Sox tv deals? I thought they ran through '19?

[Kyyle23]

I assumed when he said "look into taking advantage of" that it was something that would require effort on the part of the Sox. If the Cubs leave WGN and that leads to increasing White Sox viewership on the same channel, that doesn't require any effort on the part of the White Sox.

 

Although I'd consider giving up a kidney to get them off WCIU, if that helps.

 

*grabs scalpel*

[Dick Allen]

I assumed when he said "look into taking advantage of" that it was something that would require effort on the part of the Sox. If the Cubs leave WGN and that leads to increasing White Sox viewership on the same channel, that doesn't require any effort on the part of the White Sox.

 

Although I'd consider giving up a kidney to get them off WCIU, if that helps.

I agree about games on the "U", and I'm local. The sound is horrific every broadcast, and there seems to be other technical issues more often than when they are on the other stations.

[Eminor3rd]

I assumed when he said "look into taking advantage of" that it was something that would require effort on the part of the Sox. If the Cubs leave WGN and that leads to increasing White Sox viewership on the same channel, that doesn't require any effort on the part of the White Sox.

 

Although I'd consider giving up a kidney to get them off WCIU, if that helps.

 

I'd consider giving up your kidney for that too

[Quin]

Balta's kidney, we knew thee well.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Cubs hire Rick Renteria as their new manager.

 

Talk about settling.

[Balta1701]

A guy with actual minor league managerial experience?

 

For shame.

[RockRaines]

another scapegoat when they fail. Im hearing people are laughing at this move. They hired a guy with a history of failure.

[Harry Chappas]

Pretty much says it all.

 

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/...-not-built-last

 

 

It really is amazing that the organization is willing to say four years of a team that you follow means nothing.

 

Sorry I watch sport for entertainment and losing 100 games is not entertaining. I understand the goal of the franchise is to win the championship but on a daily basis I like my team to be worth watching because at the end of the day my life is the same whether they win or lose. It is those days that I am looking to be entertained that I want the White Sox to be interesting.

 

Sorry but I will take every year to be like 2012 than 4 years of 100 losses and then hope that there will be sustained success. No team has done it that way and I have no reason to believe the cub will.

 

[southsider2k5]

I'd consider giving up your kidney for that too

 

You have mine... though it might be a bit pickled.

[clyons]

Cubs hire Rick Renteria as their new manager.

 

Talk about settling.

/quote]

 

There's really got to be some bad stuff out there on Davey Martinez. He's the right-hand man and protégé of one of the game's most-highly respected managers, as well as an ex-Cub. I thought we should have hired him when Robin got the job.

[caulfield12]

Ryan Dempster, who spent nine seasons with the Cubs before winning his first championship ring last week with the Red Sox, has a good perspective on that subject. The Red Sox were able to change their culture one year after a last-place finish, while Renteria enters with Cubs in the midst of yet another five-year plan.

 

"The one thing I noticed (in Boston) is the amount of talent in the minor leagues is coming on a steady basis," Dempster said. "We get rid of a guy like (Jose) Iglesias, and have a guy like Xander Bogaerts come behind him. We have got a guy like (Brandon) Workman in the bullpen, but also arms in Triple A like Allan Webster and (Rubby) De La Rosa and Anthony Ranaudo and all these guys coming behind them.

 

"That's what Theo and Jed are doing, and have done a great job of stockpiling talent, because you have to sustain that. Look at what the Cardinals did. You have to have that coming. In the long time I was there, we had very few impact rookies who could really make a difference. When you have that you don't have to go outside the organization and tradeplayers away to get that kind of talent."

 

Paul Sullivan had a REALLY long story in the Tribune, you can read the whole thing here.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,2812141.story

 

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/rosen...,7764048.column

Rosenbloom, in Theo Oopstein's problems hiring managers and inspiring fan base

[Iwritecode]

Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts believes the key to a championship lies in Epstein's vision and a $300 million Wrigley renovation that remains in a state of flux. Purists point to the 97-win team of 2008 as proof the Cubs can still win without a major overhaul, but most players polled feel the time has come for New Wrigley.

 

I thought 2008 was when they just started throwing money at players in an effort to try to win it all and up the value of the franchise before they sold it.

 

One of those unnamed idiosyncrasies was likely the allure of night life in Chicago and the ability of players to cash in on their celebrity with a steady stream of available female companionship. One former Cubs pitcher once said "the real curse" of the Cubs is not the Billy Goat, but the combination of attractive women and day baseball.

 

Added former Cubs outfielder Marlon Byrd: "It's not that they can't win at Wrigley. It's just that it's a little bit tougher when you look at the other 29 stadiums. Going to (the Mets) it was a lot easier to get work done at (Citi Field). We had two cages right next to us, and we had tennis ball machine in one of the cages, an unbelievable kitchen with two chefs and the food was amazing.

 

"An unbelievable training room, an unbelievable gym … so you have all these new stadiums, huge clubhouses and everyone has two lockers. When you go to the field, you're comfortable. It's amazing."

 

I've heard about this from the players for years. The combination of out-dated facilities plus the constant schedule of day games makes it more difficult for them to play well. A friend of mine that is a die-hard Cubs fan has been saying for years that they'll never win unless they get out of that ballpark.

 

 

[Harry Chappas]

Jed was on the radio this morning tell us how great Ricky is.

 

They are looking at short term stop gaps until the magic that is their farm system turn into the Kansas City Royals.

[Wanne]

Talk about settling.

/quote]

 

There's really got to be some bad stuff out there on Davey Martinez. He's the right-hand man and protégé of one of the game's most-highly respected managers, as well as an ex-Cub. I thought we should have hired him when Robin got the job.

 

I thought the Cubs were idiots for not hiring Martinez...but what do I know. Maybe he's a horrible interview? Renteria is just keeping the seat warm for somebody else tho...

[Jake]

Still waiting for TheoHoyer's stud prospects to turn into great major leaguers.

 

Just would like to point out that Andrew Cashner had a .6 higher WAR than Rizzo last year.

 

Of course, starting pitchers aren't what the Cubs need......

[caulfield12]

However, the signing of Jackson is one the team appears to regret, as Epstein told the Chicago Sun-Times:

 

"We got a little ahead of ourselves. We’re not perfect. We didn’t fully understand the scope of our situation, the overall situation with the timing of our business plan, the timing of our facilities and the timing of our baseball plan."

 

www.sbnation.com