Time to open up the Fang’s Bites Sports Media notebook as we hit midweek. Lets go over some of the stories that are circulating about the sports media. They’re in bullet form.
- How much is too much? The sports rights fee ceiling keeps going higher and higher. As fees for sports programming go up, so do your cable and satellite bills. While sports gets more expensive, sports networks, both national and local continue to pay because they’re consistent programming and they’re a hedge against original dramas, sitcoms and reality TV that fail to catch on with viewers. John Ourand in this week’s Sports Business Journal explains why the sports rights fee bubble may not burst for quite some time, if ever. And if the rights continue to go up, who’s going to pay? You, me and viewers who have yet to cut the cord.
- On a related note, when the Los Angeles Dodgers finally submit their megabucks contract with Time Warner Cable for MLB approval, it will include plans to show the team’s games in three languages. You’re probably thinking, “What? Three languages? I know Emglish so Vin Scully can continue calling games and then Spanish to serve the large Hispanic community in L.A. What’s the third?”
Well, the third language would be Korean! Bill Shaikin and Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times report that this would mark to the best of anyone’s knowledge that an MLB team would be broadcast in three languages. And if you’re wondering why the Dodgers would plan Korean broadcasts, just harken back to the 1990’s when the team signed Chan-Ho Park and the organization continues to sign Korean players. And there’s a large Korean population in Los Angeles as well.
The Dodgers are definitely thinking outside the box. And when the contract with Time Warnervis finally submitted for MLB approval, it will be worth between $7-8 billion over 25 years.
- In Golf Digest, Franz Lidz has an interesting profile of CBS/Golf Channel personality David Feherty. His interview show, aptly titled “Feherty” premiered for its second season this week.
- And the 4th incarnation of Boston Sports Blogapalooza has been set for April 6 at The Harp (pronounced “The Haaahhhp!” by Boston natives). My friend, Joe Gill of Boston Sports Then and Now does a great job organizing the event and I look forward to attending the next one.
If you live in the New England area, it’s a great event to attend.
Ok, it’s time to close the notebook. Back soon with another edition.
