WP: Nats MASN deal renegotations will have a huge impact

[Tyler Durden]

You don't think Cholula is paying big bucks to MASN? 

[Lintyfresh85]

You don't think Cholula is paying big bucks to MASN? 

Luna is the one paying the big bucks, no doubt.

[HalfSmokes]

Think Angelos is charging full price to advertise ticket packages?

[PowerBoater69]

Would an expanded territory net additional television dollars for the Braves? If so, it's a bad move.

Sports are all about television territories now. Allowing the Braves long-term control over a new territory is not worth a few million dollars.

Not a few million, I was thinking that a dollar or two a month from every cable subscriber in North Carolina would be worth between $100 and $250 million.

A good deal for the Braves long term, a huge influx of money for MASN from a territory where the courts just killed their cash flow.

[NatsDad14]

Not a few million, I was thinking that a dollar or two a month from every cable subscriber in North Carolina would be worth between $100 and $250 million.

They aren't getting a $1 per subscriber in North Carolina where there is no Nats market.

[HalfSmokes]

They aren't getting a $1 per subscriber in North Carolina where there is no Nats market.

you're right, they're getting at least double that for every cable subscriber forced to have MASN on their package, though I would guess following that ruling that MASN starts getting dropped in NC by most carriers

[MarquisDeSade]

you're right, they're getting at least double that for every cable subscriber forced to have MASN on their package, though I would guess following that ruling that MASN starts getting dropped in NC by most carriers

MASN needs better lobbyists.

[NatsDad14]

MASN needs better lobbyists.

Don't you work as a lobbyist or for the government? Use your influence to enrich the Lerners pocketbooks.

[Tyler Durden]

Was this thing supposed to be resolved on June 1? 

[Moore Athletic]

Was this thing supposed to be resolved on June 1? 

Yep, but when have functional timetables ever had relelvance to local baseball when Selig's involved...

[PowerBoater69]

Was this thing supposed to be resolved on June 1? 

Boz speculated that Angelos will attempt to stall the decision.  In any case, the teams have no reason to notify the media of the results so we'll have to wait until it leaks out.

[MarquisDeSade]

It'll never be announced and don't expect to see anything change on the field.

[HalfSmokes]

It'll never be announced and don't expect to see anything change on the field.

It'll leak, either it's low and the Nats leak it as an excuse for not doing anything in the off season, or it's high and the Os leak it as an excuse for not doing anything in the offseason

[OldChelsea]

It'll never be announced and don't expect to see anything change on the field.

As long as Angelos remains in control, nothing will change.

[Kevrock]

It will absolutely be announced or leaked soon after the decision.

[MarquisDeSade]

As long as Angelos remains in control, nothing will change.

Unless you're suggesting the arbitrators are under Selig and Angelos's thumbs I don't think that's the way it's going to work.

It will absolutely be announced or leaked soon after the decision.

If it's nothing we'll get more of the same, if it's a sizable bump the Lerners get their debt paid down faster.  Either way the cable subscribers forced to pay for MASN lose when they reset the fees accordingly. Get ready for a lot of pissed off consumers if the fees increase significantly.

[OldChelsea]

Unless you're suggesting the arbitrators are under Selig and Angelos's thumbs I don't think that's the way it's going to work. [...]

Nothing less than the complete elimination of Angelos from the ownership, management and matchday broadcast structure of the Nationals local telly carrier will suffice. But he'll still be involved, take that to the bank - look how quickly Selig and the rest of the Lords of Baseball caved in to Angelos' blackmail in the first place.

[PowerBoater69]

Either way the cable subscribers forced to pay for MASN lose when they reset the fees accordingly. Get ready for a lot of pissed off consumers if the fees increase significantly.

Pretty sure that you have cause and effect mixed up, the Nats are getting more cash due to the already high cable fees, MASN will not be able to raise their rates based on the renegotiation.

[MarquisDeSade]

Pretty sure that you have cause and effect mixed up, the Nats are getting more cash due to the already high cable fees, MASN will not be able to raise their rates based on the renegotiation.

You don't think MASN isn't going to pass this on to forced consumers the first chance they get?  ICE please.

[PowerBoater69]

You don't think MASN isn't going to pass this on to forced consumers the first chance they get?  ICE please.

I am certain that MASN has already been charging the cable companies every dollar they can get regardless of what the Nats get as their cut so that an increase in costs isn't going to be something that can simply be passed along.

[MarquisDeSade]

I am certain that MASN has already been charging the cable companies every dollar they can get regardless of what the Nats get as their cut so that an increase in costs isn't going to be something that can simply be passed along.

Not until their contracts are up. Who really gives a crap though.

[PowerBoater69]

Not until their contracts are up. Who really gives a crap though.

Since the FCC mandates that the cable companies carry the local sports packages I'd speculate that they put caps on the fees that can be charged.

[tomterp]

I am certain that MASN has already been charging the cable companies every dollar they can get regardless of what the Nats get as their cut so that an increase in costs isn't going to be something that can simply be passed along.

Agreed.  They have every incentive to sqeeze cable companies to the max regardless of how the revenue pie is then divvied up.

[Tyler Durden]

Boz update -

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/the-washington-nationals-have-arrived/2012/06/10/gJQAbGPMTV_story_1.html
 
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Just as the Nats’ profile is skyrocketing, the argument between the Nationals and Peter Angelos’s MASN network over the value of Washington’s cable TV rights has met yet another delay. The sport’s revenue fairness committee has delayed giving its opinion of the fair market value of the Nats’ TV rights until July 1.

Talk about luck. The longer the haggling, the more likely the value of the Nats rights will jump. The 2012 payment is $29 million. The reset figure the Nats seek is $108 million per year for five seasons. Nats to MASN: Keep stalling, the price goes up.

[PowerBoater69]

Better get this straight before the trading deadline gets too close to do anything.