MLB: Chicago Cubs Offseason Hot Stove
- Thread starter enisthemenace
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CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
The best way to grow the fanbase and reward us fans that stuck out the tough times is to make it impossible to watch the team.
I'm not sure how the contract was exactly structured, but I'm sure that since the old owners, the Tribune Company and WGN were basically the same thing, I bet they had a pretty sweet deal.It wouldn't surprise me at all to find out that some local stations can offer a lot more money.
It sucks. But the way everything is set up, it's the best move for the Cubs.
They wanted to pair up their TV contracts so they both expire the same year so they can launch their own network. Then, those with a sports package should be able to get all 162 games. Unfortunately, thats 5 years away.
They wanted to pair up their TV contracts so they both expire the same year so they can launch their own network. Then, those with a sports package should be able to get all 162 games. Unfortunately, thats 5 years away.
Not sure about your local market but MLB has an app that plays the radio feed for every team.
Sirius XM also has the baseball package. One good thing about baseball is that it translates well to the radio. I listen to far more games than I actually watch
Yea - but it costs money :wink:. And it's baseball. not a big baseball FAN. But it's good listening when in the garage or driving about in the evening. Do have XM and get the radio games - at least most of them.
If I get mlb.tv, will I get every Cubs game, or just the ones that aren't on all these stations?
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
The answer I've both gotten and found is that you'll get blacked out a lot, since we're a "local" Cubs market, or something like that.
I'm actually dying to give them my money this year, but from checking with their service, people here, and fans I know (Cubs, Cards, and Brewers), I think I'd spend more time muttering about the money wasted than watching the Cubs, and I would want to see about every game.
Based on the maps that the teams listed for your area would be blacked out on mlb.tv I believe:
As mentioned, apparently we're somehow a home market for a team that's 6 freaking hours away from Des Moines. Oh yeah, along with like 5 other teams as well. Talk about complete crap, we have no team in the state of Iowa yet we're one of the worst states to be in if you're trying to watch that mlb.tv stuff.
If you want to ensure not getting blacked out by MLB TV you can use a proxy server.
This doesn't sound too promising on the blackout front:
http://www.cubsinsider.com/will-fans-blackout-areas-watch-cubs-2015/
http://www.cubsinsider.com/will-fans-blackout-areas-watch-cubs-2015/
Possibly some good news for the Cubs Convention today. Probably wouldn't hurt to contact WOI and KCWI saying you want them to pick up the Cubs games:
CHICAGO -- There may be hope for Chicago Cubs fans who want to watch games but live outside the Chicagoland viewing area. President of business operations Crane Kenney detailed two avenues the team and their television partners are exploring for those fans to see games that will be broadcast on WLS-TV and WGN-TV.
In most parts of the country, those games would be available online via MLB.TV for a fee. But in places like Iowa and downstate Illinois, they’re blacked out, so those fans won’t get Cubs games on television or online right now.
The first option, Kenney explained, is for an affiliate of WLS-TV (ABC) to pick up the games in their local community. For example, the ABC channel in Des Moines, Iowa, would have that option. In WGN-TV’s case, it would be the local CW channel. WGN America is no longer carrying Chicago sports so they wouldn’t be picking them up.
Kenney said the television stations are working on those deals, but if they fall through the Cubs will then ask Major League Baseball to lift the blackout restrictions.
“If there is a market they don’t serve, we can go to baseball and ask them to lift the blackout in that community only,” Kenney said Saturday at the Cubs convention. “We can probably push them there.”
Kenney agreed that there probably isn’t a downside for Major League Baseball as they’ll get new subscribers to MLB.TV. The bottom line, though, is those markets that were getting games on WGN America will now have to pay a fee to watch online ... if deals for local syndication fall through.
Kenney also said he’s hopeful that in the very near future local games will be streamed online within markets so fans can view the Cubs on their personal devices, including phones and tablets.
The team signed 5-year television agreements with WLS and WGN this season. WLS-TV will air 25 games and WGN-TV will broadcast 45 games. The rest will air on ComcastSportsNet unless picked up by a national rights-holder, like ESPN or FOX.
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cub...ewing-options-for-fans-outside-of-chicagoland
CHICAGO -- There may be hope for Chicago Cubs fans who want to watch games but live outside the Chicagoland viewing area. President of business operations Crane Kenney detailed two avenues the team and their television partners are exploring for those fans to see games that will be broadcast on WLS-TV and WGN-TV.
In most parts of the country, those games would be available online via MLB.TV for a fee. But in places like Iowa and downstate Illinois, they’re blacked out, so those fans won’t get Cubs games on television or online right now.
The first option, Kenney explained, is for an affiliate of WLS-TV (ABC) to pick up the games in their local community. For example, the ABC channel in Des Moines, Iowa, would have that option. In WGN-TV’s case, it would be the local CW channel. WGN America is no longer carrying Chicago sports so they wouldn’t be picking them up.
Kenney said the television stations are working on those deals, but if they fall through the Cubs will then ask Major League Baseball to lift the blackout restrictions.
“If there is a market they don’t serve, we can go to baseball and ask them to lift the blackout in that community only,” Kenney said Saturday at the Cubs convention. “We can probably push them there.”
Kenney agreed that there probably isn’t a downside for Major League Baseball as they’ll get new subscribers to MLB.TV. The bottom line, though, is those markets that were getting games on WGN America will now have to pay a fee to watch online ... if deals for local syndication fall through.
Kenney also said he’s hopeful that in the very near future local games will be streamed online within markets so fans can view the Cubs on their personal devices, including phones and tablets.
The team signed 5-year television agreements with WLS and WGN this season. WLS-TV will air 25 games and WGN-TV will broadcast 45 games. The rest will air on ComcastSportsNet unless picked up by a national rights-holder, like ESPN or FOX.
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cub...ewing-options-for-fans-outside-of-chicagoland
Just saw the bleachers will be closed until mid-May due to renovations. That sucks. Can't they complete the renovations in the off season??
I watched a bit of the Cubs Convention last night. As I've grown older, I've found myself distancing from the game of baseball, but what I saw gave me chills. Looking forward to the upcoming season.
I watched a bit of the Cubs Convention last night. As I've grown older, I've found myself distancing from the game of baseball, but what I saw gave me chills. Looking forward to the upcoming season.
Believe they had a major issue with a Water Main line that caused a pretty good delay. Believe it was pretty tight schedule to begin with even if everything went perfect.
WOI won't touch the Cubs. KCWI might. They never have anything interesting on TV. Only potential problem is they have a contract with the Cardinals, so I'm sure there would be plenty of conflicts
