I told myself I wouldn’t write another word about the absolute fiasco that is the state of the Dodgers on local television – until it’s finally over. Heaven knows, I’ve written enough about it over the past two seasons. But after reading the condescending and tone-deaf statements that have come from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and Dodgers’ President Stan Kasten, I’ve just gotta get up on my soapbox and sound off one more time!
The nerve, the hubris, the audacity Manfred and Kasten showed today demands that everyone with a keyboard and an opinion expose them for the empty suits that they are – at least in the case of baseball on TV in general, and the Dodgers on Los Angeles TV, in particular.
Here’s what Commissioner Manfred had to say,
“The distribution dispute involving DirecTV, AT&T, COX and Verizon has gone on too long. The Dodgers’ massive fan base deserves to be able to watch Dodger games regardless of their choice of provider. The situation is particularly acute given that this is Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully’s final season. Time Warner has made a significant economic move that I hope will be accepted by the providers.”
Can you believe the brass on this guy? He said the fan base deserves to watch the Dodgers “regardless of their choice of provider”. What if our choice of provider is the local, free, over the air, broadcast network? Well, he didn’t really mean that choice, did he? Manfred was really only talking about the choices that we have to pay for.
The benevolent behemoth that is Time Warner Cable has exclusive Dodgers TV broadcasting rights. No one else can show Dodger games without first showing TWC the money. According to Manfred, TWC’s offer of a 30% reduction in the per-subscriber price to the other providers was a “significant economic move”.
Did anybody notice that reduction in price was good for only one year ? What do you think will happen at the end of that first-year, trial offer – after TWC has those other providers and their subscribers on the hook? Yeah, you know what’ll happen.
A significant move, indeed. Are they not merciful?
But the real chutzpah came from the local suit, President Kasten. Here’s his altruistic statement,
“We think it’s a wonderful gesture from Time Warner Cable, particularly out of respect for Vin Scully. It’s a big win for the fans and, frankly, a big win for the cable and satellite providers. There could be no better way to honor Vin in his final year than for them to quickly accept this offer and get the games on TV.”
Are you kidding me? Now he invokes respect for Vin Scully? Vinny couldn’t even watch the team that he has devoted his life’s work – nay, his life – to, when the TWC blackout kept his TV screen dark. Where was Kasten’s respect for Scully then? For 66 years he has been careful to not insert himself into Dodger affairs outside of the broadcast booth. So where was the respect when Kasten dropped Scully right into the mud of this fiasco today?
How about a bit of respect for the lifelong Dodger fans who are senior citizens and on fixed incomes, Stan? How about some respect for the single parents who can’t afford cable TV, let alone take their kids to a game? Where was the respect for these fans when you granted exclusive broadcasting rights to TWC for the next 25 years and killed all free, over the air Dodger broadcasts for a generation?
Did you seriously call a one-year, one-time discount a big win for the fans? Maybe for the short-sighted, not paying attention, or money-is-no-object fans.
That said, Kasten had it pretty much pegged when he called it a big win for the cable and satellite providers. No matter how things had played out, if the deal had gone through, it would have been a brilliant win for them. Money in their pockets – 30% less now, but anybody’s guess how much more later – is always a win.
It’s been estimated that TWC has lost $100 million a year over this fiasco since 2014. Please stop name-dropping Vin Scully and calling for everyone to quickly accept this deal, when you won’t even admit what it’s really all about.
Oscar Martinez
I was born in the shadow of Dodger Stadium and immediately drenched in Dodger Blue. Chavez Ravine is my baseball cathedral, Vin Scully was the golden voice of summer all my life, and Tommy Lasorda remains the greatest Dodgers manager ever. My favorite things are coffee, beer, and the Dodgers beating the Giants. I also blog about my baseball card hobby at All Trade Bait, All the Time.
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Where were these bozos when we needed them? Before they handed our team over to the scumbags at Time/Warner, just like Bud Selig handed the Dodgers over to sleazeball Frank McCourt?
Like The Man in Black said, they were all “smoking big cigars and drinking coffee”.
Ballsy comments and unfortunately for Dodger fans, right on the money. I live in Colorado and use MLB.TV. So I see all the games except those on ESPN….I use a Roku and stream my TV avoiding cable costs, and the games vs the Rockies, although those I can see 2 hours after the game is over because that is when MLB.TV allows the stream. My sister who lives in Carson, Ca, has Time Warner cable and gets all the Dodger games. Other friends of mine who live there do not. The money part of TV has gotten so out of hand. Here in my little city, basic cable, with little or no sports, is 39.99. You get the sports package for an additional 9.99. So your bill is already up to 50 bucks. You bundle that with internet, and boom, 90 dollars. add a phone line with equipment rental, and taxes and you are paying over 100 dollars a month just to watch stuff you used to get for free. If you are retired, that is a big chunk of cash. Which is why I now have a Roku. I remember when the Dodgers first moved to LA. They broadcast 11 games a year……..the games against the Giants and that was all. It got better later on, but then the cable company’s took over, and now fans are at the mercy of the big conglomerates. Has not helped those who are unable to attend games because they are infirm, or bedridden. And even more so families who can go to maybe 2 or 3 games a year because prices have risen so high, it cost a family of four over 200 bucks for one game and more…..
Well…..I would just point out that, anytime any one of you gnash your teeth or complain that the Dodgers didn’t sign Greinke to that six year/200+ million deal, just realize that money has to come from somewhere.
The very first day of my Econ 101 class when I was a wet behind the ears college student, my professor, Dr. Sexton, the very first thing he said was, “There are no free lunches.” Sorry Oscar. You can’t have your big TV antenna on your roof and watch the Dodgers for free anymore. That era has come and gone (and even back in the day, and I’m a little younger than some of you, it’s not like we were able to watch home games….those were blacked out).
Oops, I missed your comment the first time through, Patch. See my reply to Bum below, as it applys pretty much to what you said.
Michael, you hit the nail on the head with the out of control cable costs, and saving a ton of money by being a cord-cutter. I cut the cord myself, and joined the Roku nation. I pay a bit for Netflix and Hulu, and don’t miss all the crap channels that I never watched anyway.
You got that right brother. I live in a small town now, but was born and raised in LA. Watched the 1959 playoffs on a 19 inch black and white set. The so called free channels that went digital can be had through a digital antenna, BUT……I am 40 miles away from Pueblo, in a valley with no line of sight, so I get 1 if I am lucky……NBC…..So I have CBS all access for 6 a month, gives me all my NCIS stuff, Netflix for 10….and my sister got me a years subscription to Amazon Prime…so I am set movie wise. Pay 39.99 for my internet, and bought MLB.TV for the new 109 dollar a year rate…..it still averages out to only 60 a month instead of the 120 I was paying Charter…..
You sure played it smart and cut your costs in half, Michael. It’s too bad you can’t get many broadcast channels.
I suggest looking into Hulu. For $8 monthly you can get just about every tv show there is, from most TV channels, including past shows.
I had HULU for a while, but I get most of the stuff I want to watch on ROKU. FOX< NBC have channels there that are free…..so I use them instead…..only watch the BLACKLIST on NBC, and Bones on FOX..
Ok…I suppose we can all pile on with our fulminations against The Man, but tell me, what are the Dodgers supposed to do? This is an issue between TWC and the other providers. Maybe TWC overpaid for those rights, and maybe they’re digging in their heels, but there’s really not a whole lot the Dodgers can do aside from some empty vocalizing. I suppose they can demand the contract get ripped up, give back those nine figures and just give their broadcasting rights away to everyone so everybody can watch for free (and does anyone even still watch TV broadcast over the airwaves anymore?)
I was about to pay twenty bucks a month to MLB.com to watch games until I realized that the Dodgers are still blacked out locally. I would be willing to pay that much to watch the games. I think MLB and Manfred could work a deal where the MLB and possibly Dodger coffers opened up a little and they pay back TWC to at least be able to stream games on the MLB network (btw, there’s a way to get around the local blackout. It takes a little subterfuge).
I think the whole cable business model is kind of stupid and obsolete. People are willing to pay for what they watch, but not all the junk. I’m about ready to just cancel cable in general. When I watch TV, it’s typically Netflix and some news and mindless channel surfing when I’m bored. Cable is expensive because channels like ESPN charge a premium to be included in any cable package. Most people don’t watch ESPN, but is HAS to be on a cable package because the cable company would stink if it didn’t have all the popular channels. There needs to be more of an a la carte style of channel selection.
I would even pay….maybe…3-5 bucks to watch a game without commercials on TV. Maybe that’s the future of watching sports….kind of a pay per view model.
I don’t know. I come on here to opine and argue about baseball. Discussions about the economics of the cable TV industry are a little outside my wheelhouse. But I do know that the Dodgers sold the rights to their games to be broadcast to TWC. It’s a done deal. Whatever TWC does with that deal is up to them now. The Dodgers can offer – encouragement I guess – but they’re really out of it, unless MLB wants to somehow impose their will and either open up the collective MLB checkbook or somehow put pressure on TWC. I honestly don’t know what form that takes, or what the Dodgers or Manfred are supposed to do.
A la carte is more than the future of sports, it’s the future of TV, period. The huge cable packages are fazing out. The average person under 30 is no longer buying cable TV. They get almost everything online and just the stuff they want.
The cable companies know their business model is fading as more people cut the cord and the young people aren’t even buying into it in the first place.
As we mentioned above, with netflix and hulu you can get almost everything you watch on cable at a fraction of the cost.
Finally, yes, all of us cord cutters watch broadcast TV. With a digital antenna, it’s crystal clear – and free.
Maybe MLB could tell TWC that unless this is resolved, TWC will not be allowed to bid on any more MLB TV rights. I know that won’t happen, but until he’s willing to do SOMETHING Manfred should pipe down. Living 100 miles away from the Stadium the MLB.TV blackout is especially annoying, as I would pay to watch the games as long as the money wasn’t going to COX.
I also remember when we only got to watch the Dodger games when they went to SF. But at least we got to listen to Vin Scully for six innings on the radio. Put Vin back on the radio and let Steiner and Friends handle TV. Most people would turn down the sound and listen to the radio.
I am not sure I am fully on board with your post Oscar. I grew up watching the Game of the Week on Saturdays followed by those 11 road games the Dodgers played against the Giants. I think there might have been a Sunday road game that was also televised. All of that was free via the antenna on the roof of our house and the wire running down the pole and through the cracked open window that was connected to the back of my black and white TV.
Brooklyn Dodger players had winter jobs operating elevators and clerking at liquor stores, etc. Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale held out together one year to wind up getting $100,000 annual contracts. Ron Cey made $53,000 a year.
I live in New Hampshire so I can pay about $180 for Extra Innings and see all teams including the Dodgers on Direct TV. I only want to watch the Dodgers though. I have to pay extra for HBO or the Western Channel for that matter.
My Direct TV deal includes many channels that I never watch and I hated that shows like Glen Beck benefited from my Direct TV subscription.
There was a time when cars were sold without heaters and radios. Then air conditioning became standard as did AM/FM radios with blue tooth, CD players, back up cameras, air bags, automatic braking, and much more. This isn’t the 1950’s any more.
The Dodgers benefit from TV contracts even if it allows them to pay large sums for players not on the team, I say sarcastically. The Dodgers need to find a way to put 20 games on TV at no cost to fans in the greater LA metro area. But, they also need to let Time Warner avoid letting their investment bankrupt them.
Bum, you and me both grew up watching the games of the week, and fuzzy broadcasts of the Dodgers vs. the Giants from Candlestick Park. Watching those games on the ol’ black and white are some of my fondest memories of being with my father. He was a Giants fan – go figure.
Those games on free TV were few and far between, but they were special – partly because we didn’t get them always, on demand.
I don’t want to be the guy complaining about those new-fangled automobiles and why doesn’t anybody use horses anymore? – but the Dodgers could have retained the rights to a few games for the local TV channels. Just a few, like when we play the Giants, so the people without deep pockets can watch a game once in a while. You know, for the fans.
I get that milk doesn’t cost a nickel anymore, but the Dodgers left the local networks by the side of the road when they gave exclusive rights to TWC – FOR A GENERATION!
I agree with that Oscar. Thus my 20 games a year on free local networks. I still want to be able to watch every game though and i am okay with paying extra for the privilege.
I should have added in my previous comment that I loved the Pacific Coast League before the Dodgers and Giants moved west. The Angels and Stars always had a double hitter on Sunday afternoon TV. Remember Steve Bilko (1955, 56, 57)? I was lucky that my Dad and I were Dodger fans before they came to LA.
I don’t remember Bilko, “The Babe Ruth of the West Coast”, because he was a bit before my time, but I do have an interesting Bilko story. Do you know about The Other Baseball Hall of Fame – The Shrine of the Eternals? I was introduced to Bilko when he was inducted into the Shrine. Here is my photo-story about attending the induction (it’s from my blog):
http://alltradebait.blogspot.com/2015/07/wallet-card-goes-to-other-hall-of-fame.html
And, here is another post about the same day, and me getting to meet Wes Parker, as he was there for the induction:
http://alltradebait.blogspot.com/2015/07/there-is-nothing-like-surprise-auto.html
Hope you enjoy reading about that. If you’re interested in the Baseball Reliquary, just search on my blog, and you’ll see the posts I wrote about visiting there. Absolute baseball heaven.
Oscar my dad was a Giant fan I think. I don’t know if he was a Giant fan, or just like to mess with me. He was always in the garage, doing something, and listening to Vin on the radio.
Man, Vinny on the radio.
More of my great memories are my dad cooking for family BBQ’s and Vinny calling the Sunday afternoon game on the radio as the soundtrack.
You’re getting me all nostalgic!
How about hearing Vin’s voice coming through my parents 59 merc in congested freeway traffic late to the stadium with my dad cussing at the situation. That’s the best with Vin but I’ve got one that’d win any contest for a fans memory. My mom sockin Neville Brand in his face at Dodger Stadium and all those nearby cheering her!
I can’t think anything better than TWC going bankrupt. I say “goddamn, goddamn! the pusherman”! My house was built in 1914 by Santa Fe railroad as the fire station in this town. I live in the capt. quarters upstairs which is a two bedroom home on top of the building with the downstairs converted to business office. The building and property sold a week ago and I am now, sadly, awaiting my eviction notice. Been here 12 years and the privacy and convenience here couldn’t be near matched for downtown living. I can’t call what’s in store but hopefully I’ll have my Dodgers without the unsatisfactory service that TWC provides.
Best of luck to you Quasi, in finding a new and hopefully better place.
Although that former fire station sounds like it was a plenty cool home.
$8 billion can produce a lot of bullsh*t. It’s possible that what we are bearing witness to is corporate behavior controlling every facet of professional sports. It’s a business. It’s about the money. Fans are just the junkies that allow all this to take place.
This is Vin’s last year. I bought MLBTV for the privilege of listening to him. I love the game of baseball. But I’ve about had it with the corporate side of this. Somebody somewhere said the last true Los Angeles Dodger year was 1981. I’m not sure when it all changed but I’m thinking when Fox got its hands on the Dodgers it was over. McCourt was a f’n joke and now we have more of the same with the Guggenheim Group. I mean, who the hell are they? The Guggenheim Partners, named Best Fixed Income Small Fund Group for the second year in a row at the 2016 Lipper U.S. Fund Awards. Wtf does that mean? It means they manage $240 billion in assets and make nothing but money. What could possibly go wrong here? I think we’re seeing it. We’ve been seeing it since O’Malley sold to Fox.
So best of luck to all in LA trying to see a team whose ownership has virtually no connection with the people who actually love the Dodgers. No connection other than managing the people’s money. So, pay up even more and you may be allowed access.
The day my baseball innocence left me was when the Dodgers traded Piazza. That day I knew a little bit about how the folks from Brooklyn must have felt.
Sure it’s a business, and sure the bottom line is profit over everything. That doesn’t mean I have to like it, or quietly bow and accept it.
I lost mine when Buzzie Bavasi traded Duke Snider to the Mets……I actually cried…..
Yeh, I can’t even accept the Duke as a Met on a baseball card.
Even worse was the Mets sending him to the Giants for his final season…….here is a kicker….He hit a HR at Dodger Stadium that year off a pitcher who went to my high school, and who I had to face in spring batting practice……Joe Moeller…….I did meet Duke at a baseball card show and got his autograph on a 8X10 picture. Wes Parker also got me an autograph from him at another show in Anaheim. I met Wes at a show and he was the one who got me my National Anthem appearance in 1981. He came to a show I did at a bar in Long Beach. I was playing country music back then. Wes found out from the Dodgers what I needed to audition. He took the tape into the promotions office personally, and two months later I got the letter with the date I was to sing. He was a classy guy….Used to let me have his seats when I wanted to go to a game……4 rows back behind the 1st base dugout………..
Thus the curse Oscar. I have never rooted more for a player than I did for Duke. But, I got to watch him play and liked the idea that Brooklyn got to say good bye one more time as well. But, WTF was up with him going to the Giants.
I was at a game in the Coliseum and Duke came up as a Giant and hit a home run that won the game for the Giants and the crowd cheered him all around the bases. I loved it. The only time i was happy that the Giants beat the Dodgers.
I would have to go to bed telling myself it wasn’t the Giants, twas the Duke killed the Dodgers.
See above Bum….I was listening to that game. Joe was a really nice guy. He used to come to our school and pitch against us before he headed for Vero….
Oscar cheers to you! You hit the nail right on the head. Even when the Dodgers were on regular cable there were still some games on free over the air broadcast. The Dodgers didn’t give a crap when those games were taken away from us. From their perspective pay us period! No objections from anyone in an expensive suit.
.
So from my perspective Manfred, Kasten, TWC : Fuck you! Eat shit! Take SNLA and shove it up your collective ass 24/7 !
What could I possibly add to that?
amen brother! LOL
Artie, other than everything I said above, I hope the Dodger ownership reads your comment. Kind of back at ya Front Office.
Artie – we could be heading for a Everton v Watford FA Cup final?
Would be a repeat of 1984
This is where I’ve heard Watford! I was watching Watford embarrass Arsenal a couple weeks ago thinking the whole time “where else have I seen Watford?”
Back to the subject: This is tough because as someone said earlier this is the way sports is going. Personally, I drop at least 20 bucks a month on MLB.tv JUST so I can see the Dodgers because I live in Massachusetts. I remember reading about the cable negotiations when they first started. One cable provider was saying we’re not going to pass the cost on to our customers. Why don’t these empty suits let the consumer decide?? Maybe those customers want to see the Dodgers. Maybe they’re like me and don’t mind paying a few extra bucks for something they actually want to watch instead of getting all these useless channels. Maybe not. At least make it available to your customers. Of course I don’t know the intricacies of the dealings. However this rich people posturing is just ridiculous.
Here in LA we may have to sacrifice one more year without the boys in blue on TV, but I predict next year – after TWC loses another $100 million – we’ll go to some type of a la carte menu for Dodger games.
It might even break into different tiers of access – that is, if the marketing guys are smart.
I fail to see how the Dodgers are the villains in this. They sold the TV rights to Time-Warner (who by the way, will be bankrupt in less than 5 years). After the sale, Time-Warner has all the control. MLB getting involved had no bearing on their decision – they likely believe they can make more more at a 30% reduction. This is not on the Dodgers, it’s on Time Warner. If you blame the Dodgers, you are just kicking the cat.
…and I don’t see really much of an explanation how the Dodgers are the villains, aside from some vague resentment towards “corporate” interests. Kasten = Guggs money = financial industry = Wall Street greed = screwing over the little guy = fuck Kasten! = somebody oughta do somethin’
Somehow the assumption is that baseball teams weren’t profit-centric businesses until recently. I’m sure you had Dodger fans howling the same exact way when the O’Malleys left Brooklyn for LA. They betrayed their fans for a payday in sunny California.
Someone said the last true Dodger team was in 81? I think Brooklyn fans would have disagreed. Somehow, in spite of the money involved in baseball and the Guggs Dodger ownership and our complaints, we’re still fans.
It always makes my blood boil when I read about Walter O’Malley betraying the fans in Brooklyn. I’ve been a Dodger fan since 1947 and emotionally went through hard times because of the move. O’Malley did NOT want to leave Brooklyn and was in fact begging NYC planner Robert Moses to build him a new stadium which O’Malley would at least partially fund.
After years of asking and asking Moses came up with an alternate site at Flushing Meadows in the borough of Queens. However, O’Malley did not want to leave Brooklyn as their roots were there for generations. The rest is history.
I remember reading about that, Richie. It’s a drag that they left Brooklyn…but I’m sure glad if it was gonna happen, they chose LA, and became my team.
I’m not out to portray the Dodgers as “villians”, but they sure as heck don’t get to wash their hands of it, and shrug their shoulders with a “what do you want us to do?” look on their faces.
They had all the control from the first day of TV negotiations, and they gave everything to TWC. If we believe the line they have no control over anything this point, that has to be the only aspect of the Dodgers brand that they have absolutely no control over.
They don’t give exclusive food rights to only one food provider in the stadium – they allow competition and some variety.
In cases where they do give exclusive rights, such as souvenirs or who makes their uniforms, do you really believe they have no say over the services provided? Perhaps they are locked into 25-year long contracts and they cannot alter or cancel regardless of the level of service received? Doubtful.
They knew what they were doing back then. Villians? No. Blameless innocents at the mercy of their TV provider? No way.
Well said Oscar.
Brooklyn huh. We will go great distances to make our point. I’m thinking free agency, though a good thing in principle, started the ball rolling uphill. Hard cap would help.
Yeah well said Oscar! There assumption was that in the event different cable providers would balk at their extortion fans would flock to TWC. Apparently that hasn’t happened.
The Dodgers were part of this mess. If you want to call it a mess. I like Fiasco. If the team didn’t feel responsible for creating this ridiculous situation they why are they getting involved? Benevolence? You really believe that Mark?
they didn’t give anything to anyone. they sold the rights to TWC. it’s like if you sell your car to someone. if they hit someone else with it, it’s not your fault.
the Dodgers have no duty to make sure that TWC sells its services to everyone or at a certain rate. once it sells to TWC, their influence is over.
But they are a party to this mess. Don’t they have an inherent interest in helping TWC avoid bankruptcy? The $ coming in isn’t guaranteed. After all this isnt’t free agency.
I figure the Dodgers can’t lose. They probably got some kind of incredible up-front sum and they could care less if nobody sees the games, because they get paid by TWC no matter what.
If TWC goes bankrupt, the Dodgers still win, because the TV rights will revert back to them, and they get to start the money merry go round all over again – with another huge up-front payday from some other cable behemoth.
I do remember the good old days of free Dodger games, but they were away games on Sunday, and games against the Giants. And back then, I don’t think fans, on the other side of the country, could see all of these Dodger games.
If that was all they were offering now, everyone here, would be upset, because we are spoiled, and can watch every game. I would rather be able to watch every game, instead of it being like the good old days.
And I don’t mind paying to see all of there games. I think this is a good move, because TWC is not the only provider, that has caused all of this to happen. All of the providers, have caused this problem, and DirectTV is the one provider, that everyone else is waiting for, to make this deal happen.
All of these other providers, said that TWC was asking for a unrealistic number, to get there Dodger channel. And that is why non of the other providers, were willing to add the Dodgers, to there program list.
The problem with this, is that all of these providers, have similar type of sports contracts, much like TWC, and there sports contracts, will also be going up in price, some day. And they will have to make deals, with all the other providers, at that time.
This new offer, puts the pressure on all of the other providers now. Now that TWC has lowered there number, there shouldn’t be an issue. This is what the other providers wanted.
I didn’t know about the one year offer, that does complicate the issue, but these other providers should at least try to negotiate with TWC, and get better offer from them, to help there customers, to see the Dodgers, if that is the only issure, or the true issue. The problem is that TWC has no power on there side, so I don’t know why they didn’t offer a better deal, then one year. TWC is at the mercy of every other provider, because the way they have handled this.
They have no bargaining power now. But finally the Dodgers, MLB , and TWC got together, and are using Vinny as pawn piece, and appealing to the Ethos, of all, and putting the pressure on DirectTV, to make this happen, for at least this year.
I don’t get the one year, but TWC wants to opt out, after one year. I now understand why Vinny is upset with this deal, because he doesn’t want to be a pawn. The reason I think that TWC took this deal, as a done thing, is because the way things happened, with the Laker channel, the year before. When TWC bought the Lakers, they were eventually able to get all of the other providers, to pay to have the Laker’s channel, but it didn’t happen right on time, it wasn’t settled, until after the Lakers had already played some games.
They probably thought the Dodger channel, would happen in the same way. But these providers are finally realizing that a sports channel, is a volatile channel, because a sports channel’s popularity, is almost always based, on if a team is a winner. And if you look at the Laker channel now, it isn’t doing good, like in the past!
Badger and Ocasr,
You have no argument! ZERO! The Dodgers have nothing to do with it.
Racing and other sports have had fans in an uproar because ESPN or VERSES bought the rights and they couldn’t see what they wanted without paying.
DodgerRick summed it up perfectly: they didn’t give anything to anyone. they sold the rights to TWC. it’s like if you sell your car to someone. if they hit someone else with it, it’s not your fault.
the Dodgers have no duty to make sure that TWC sells its services to everyone or at a certain rate. once it sells to TWC, their influence is over.
Not only do they have no “duty” to do anything, they CAN’T do anything because they sold the rights (JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER SPORTS TEAM). TWC owns the right and are paying the Dodgers until they go bankrupt… which they will!
You guys can be all up in arms about the Dodgers not showing the games, but it is misplaced anger. The Dodgers can’t do anything about it! Like it or not!
Agreed with both you and DRick, but Oscar has a point when he says the Dodgers could have negotiated into that contract a few free games….just for the sake of goodwill. …or even maybe, to use the food concession analogy, perhaps sold off parts of the rights to different entities. I think that latter argument is weaker, but the first seems like it could have been workable.
It doesn’t matter now either way because it’s already a done deal. The Dodgers can’t really do anything about it.
That’s like selling your house but asking to live in it 3 times a year. Nobody puts those conditions in a deal. When you start adding provisions, you have to give money back.
You can negotiate any conditions in a deal. I’m not saying this was possibility: I wasn’t privy to the negotiations, but I’m trying to build some sort or reasonable bridge over to Oscar’s take. If the Dodgers knew then what they did now, could they have negotiated a few freebies for PRs sake? …
The anger is over these clowns now coming out and using Vinny’s final year as a bargaining chip in their desperate attempt to get the cable companies to ante up! That is the whole point of this excellent post. These scumbags have no dignity at all. How did you miss that????
If you are calling TWC scumbags, you are correct.
If you are calling Kasten and Co. Scumbags, your anger is misplaced!
You all will soon dance on TWC’s grave.
Here’s the big question: What happens to the Dodgers TV revenue when TWC bites the big one soon? Who is going to buy it?
Mark Charter is suppose to be taking over TWC last year. And Charter immediately put the Dodgers on there network. I wasn’t able to get TWC in my area, because this is Charter’s area. Once they put the Dodgers on, I switched to Charter. I guess they are having trouble getting this take over, over, because the goverment must approve of deals like this.
As the head Idiot around here (Mark has called me idiot so many times, I just went down to city hall and added it to my name) — I am going to be involved with TW soon.
Toward the end of May we are scheduled to move to an Independent Living facility that is currently being built. They will have TW as their TV reception in all of the apartments. Get it free, but have to pay for any upgrade of channels. So I figure I will pay for some and hope the Dodger channel is included.
Badger is correct. Baseball is a kids game, but the corporates have taken it over with tickets sales, parking in most cases, food at the ballpark, and now even TV reception. And if you are the real fan and can afford it, XM radio in your car/truck – personal headphone set – and on your computer.
It is all about the money. You want you team to sign and pay for this star and that one — all of the prices go up. Want Greinke, the fans will pay for it. If you want Harper in a couple of years — you will pay for it.
Biggest Dodger hope for right NOW — Noel – second in MLB in stolen bases. Put him in there . . .
Right now the Dodgers are just about in the mode of giving out FREE autographs because the excitement is just about over.
I believe I used the M word!
OK, I’ll play along – go back and tell me where I called you an idiot, Roger?
When bringing up ‘parking’, I remember my dad paying the nearby residents of The Coliseum $10-$15 to park in their driveways-lawns etc. way back then. The parking and the ivy covered Coliseum I remember more than the Dodger games played there.
One of the Dodger’s owners, I think it is Kasten, is suppose to be really schooled in these type of negotiations. This is suppose to be Kasten’s specialty.
Kasten is not an owner. …. He ran the Braves at one time, but he is not on the owners list…….
You know how they want to speed up baseball, because Younger fans get impatient. They asked Jim Kaat about that problem, and he gave a great answer, to the problem. It was just a simple answer. He said the reason that baseball, is more boring to watch now, is because players don’t put the ball in play much anymore. And because of that, there are way to many strike outs, and walks, in today’s game. He said that Royal’s fans don’t get bored watching there team play, because there team is almost always in action. Because they seem to always keep the ball in play.
Great answer!
Pederson is thinking about this . . . he walks and strikes out like 400 times a year.
The Dodgers have their money. The question for me is about public perception and its potential effect on gate receipts. People are pissed. Vinny’s name is in the middle of it. But, if the team still sells over 3.5 million tickets, one might ask – what do they care about a squabble between other billion dollar corporations? Well, I think they should care. This is sloppy and makes everybody look bad, including the Dodgers. Get the deal done already.
There’s no squabble. The deal is done. There’s no more to do or that can be done. You don’t get that do you?
The Sports Illustrated Baseball issue is out. They pick the Dodgers to win 94 games. Giants are at 88. They pick the Cubs to beat the Dodgers in the NLCS.
Now I can see you disagreeing with 94 wins but to think the Dodgers are horrible raises questions as to whether you are an idiot!
Not that SI is all that ….
That may be a hard sell ‘as is’. However, with some touching up it could even be better. The sort of touch ups I’m talking about require the F/O to change their so far stubbornness with pitching. Their way to date demands change. Ray Charles is shouting this from his grave!
Can I get an ‘amen’?
Just drive by Inglewood Park Cemetery and you can clearly hear Ray.
Don’t they have the Astros winning the world series?
Thanks for your writ Oscar. “Our Los Angeles Dodgers”, for some of us is just a ten second spot on the news.
I really hope nobody here thinks we’ll be horrible. We’re much better than that, barring season ending injuries to Kersh, Seager, Puig, and Jansen
Tonight is a new nite, and the Dodgers are going to show up and play. Doesn’t it seem like the Dodgers are playing a lot of American League games?
In case anyone is interested as far as Grandal goes:
Alanna Rizzo ✔ @alannarizzo
Grandal said if it were up to him he’d play. Says he respects the #Dodgers decision to be cautious about forearm soreness. Not serious.
3:09 PM – 24 Mar 2016
4 4 Retweets 21 21 likes
The last time I was at Dodgers Stadium Kershaw pitched vs Indians interleague. Sadly Dodgers lost in the 12th. My 1st and only suite seat. Dodgers went on to win the division that season and Kershaw was still too young to sip the champagne. Kill the dragon Clayton!
In his third inning of a minor-league game today, Cuban pitching prospect Yadier Alvarez was clocked by two scouts at 100 mph, said J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News.
Perhaps there is a silver lining to some stubbornness.
I’ll take it!
I just thought of something. If MLB, and there comish, is so suddenly worried about all of the fans, in southern Calif, they should stop all of the block outs, in southern Calif. for Vinny’s last year.
If these cable and dish companies. can’t get it together, then everyone that can’t get the Dodgers, can watch them on the MLB channel at real time, instead, of the delay.
But I am not convinced that 30 percent of the people living in southern Calif., can’t get the Dodgers. I believe that everyone in southern Calif. can get the Dodgers, but they don’t want to switch, to either TWC, or Charter, and there might be another cable company, besides these two, I mentioned.
Bum they were suppose to have already cleaned up his delivery. I hope he can control
the 100 mile pitch, and it has plenty of movement.
Howie with an owie.
And we have Howie for another year.
I bet all of the former trainers, love all of these injuries. Darn it BOB!
Badger Puig clobbered that pitch. I think Puig was safe. And actually, that was a good slide for Puig.
Typical TWC service. Down after the 1st inning! I detest TWC with much passion! Looking at a black screen with no sound is nothing new with them. The best thing possible is TWC to go under!
Quas it is on Charter, and they are suppose to be one company. I’m sorry though.
Don’t stick up for them. I assure you, they really suck!
Quas I am not sticking up for them. They all are about money. Believe me, I want Direct TV. I couldn’t get the Dodgers until Charter took over. I didn’t have a choice, because TWC was not in my area. At least you had a choice.
I had to pay MLB TV and pay a company to avoid the black out, and buy an Apple TV to get the Dodgers.
I know MJ. I’m certain the service is less here than it is elsewhere. But if Dodgers came through via sats it’d eliminate the weak link of cable and outages from primitive equipment.
The start of this practice game is an example of how it could be better handing the top of the batting order to those less likely making an out. Until Pederson and Puig are able to impact the slots batting at top, they bat bottom in my view! I’d much rather hand the top over to Turner and AGon till then. I don’t see Turner clogging the bases with those doubles!
I was just telling you, in case it was some other problem, because mine was working.
They look awful
Due up in the top of the 5th – Hernandez, Herrera, Thompson, all hitting under .200.
Kershaw’s stuff looks ok, just not hitting his spots.
Not looking that sharp so far tonight Blue.
Yessss! A run!!!!
I don’t care what Trayce batting avg is, every time I watch him, he’s hitting the ball hard. He seems to have figured it out at age 25. Let him play and watch him be part of our ‘wait till next year’ core!!
Yeah he looks good. It’s just about getting him some playing time
He will get plenty of playing time this year. I see…….. 5 plate appearances a night.