WLS To Air Cubs Games

[24994J 5619]

I shit you not...

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/ct-cubs-tv-1212-biz-20141211-story.html

 

There are still 45 games up in the air that could be claimed by WGN, CSN, or just about anyone, apparently. EDIT: Reputable sources have WGN picking up the remaining 45... http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/12/11/7376795/cubs-wgn-tv-agreement-2015/in/4338847

[Glimmer 283]

I'm guessing most of the games will be in the summer, when most of the syndicated shows are in reruns or on weekend afternoons.

[24994J 5619]

It's a given that the Kasper/Deshaies duo will call, I'm really curious to see how/who will produce the games. Will it be in-house, will the ESPN's resources factor in, etc?

[ChiCubsFan 34]

Wow. WLS getting a new weather chief, and Cubs games. A HUGE step up.

[stevieboy247 42]

It's usually rare for a major network-owned station to air games featuring a big league club of any kind.

 

This reminds me of when WCBS-TV in New York had over-the-air rights to Yankees games. However, that partnership only lasted about 3 seasons or so.

[TexasTVNews 1378]

 

Wow. WLS getting a new weather chief, and Cubs games. A HUGE step up.

 

Who's replacing Jerry Taft?

[Jase 1065]

 

Who's replacing Jerry Taft?

 

Cheryl Scott (former WMAQ/NBC 5 meteorologist).

[Mrtraveler01 738]

This certainly came out of left field (pardon the pun).

 

Seriously though, I don't think any of us expected WLS to be the station to air Cubs games. My question is who will produce these games? Will WGN still produce these and just air it over WLS (similar to the WCIU arrangement), or is WLS producing these games themselves?

[ns8401 951]

According to WLS the agreement is thru 2019 for Daytime, Primetime and Weekend games so it looks like they will be preempting the network some nights.

 

http://abc7chicago.com/sports/abc7-to-televise-25-cubs-games-in-2015/433851/

 

I can't get the image in the link to copy properly but notice the logo is a plain circle-7 and not an abc7. It's nice to see it that way.

[Georgie56 3318]

 

This certainly came out of left field (pardon the pun).

 

Seriously though, I don't think any of us expected WLS to be the station to air Cubs games. My question is who will produce these games? Will WGN still produce these and just air it over WLS (similar to the WCIU arrangement), or is WLS producing these games themselves?

 

I'm thinking CSN will produce the WLS games.

 

If the Cubs are playing on Sunday nights, then ABC 7 could simulcast ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, if they're allowed to.

[24994J 5619]

I'm thinking CSN will produce the WLS games.

 

If the Cubs are playing on Sunday nights, then ABC 7 could simulcast ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, if they're allowed to.

Both of those sound like a possinility, but 1. Wouldn't NBC5 be s#!ting bricks (for synergy reasons or something), and 2. That seems like something that would have been announced with this statement?

 

As for ESPN and SNB, there's no precedent for comparison.

[24994J 5619]

[ns8401 951]

That looks really good. I wonder if they will ever drop the abc from the logo entirely?

[Georgie56 3318]

Well, according to Feder, this won't be the first time ABC 7 aired Cubs games.

 

http://www.robertfeder.com/2014/12/12/cubs-strike-out-on-abc-7-history/

[24994J 5619]

They can't drop the alphabet identifier. There's a mandate, now.

[ns8401 951]

They can't drop the alphabet identifier. There's a mandate, now.

There must be exceptions to it given this, the pin logo on their website and the crawler WXYZ uses which all lack it. There must be other examples out there too. I really don't like the mandate much, I'm positive folks know which channel is which 70 years into it.

 

I think the cubs thing is a real coup for 7 though, really neat to see a local station air local sports during the season and not an RSN or WGN.

[24994J 5619]

 

There must be exceptions to it given this, the pin logo on their website and the crawler WXYZ uses which all lack it. There must be other examples out there too.

 

That's one thing, but everyday use has to have the ABC attached. It would be nice, though, if it could be mostly dropped.

 

Another report this afternoon is claiming (by GM John Idler) that as few as 5 games will fall on weekdays. Not just days, not just nights, but Monday through Friday as a whole. But the claim is that they will be airing games as soon as April, not just during the summer months, so I think Saturdays are a good bet, as the Sunday NBA matinees/playoffs will be in full swing by then.

[24994J 5619]

I'll just transfer my update to a new post...

 

According to Jim Rose's report that led the 4 o'clock news, he reiterated that most games will air on the weekends, and that they will be a 13-12 home/road split...AND THEY GET FIRST DIBS OF WHAT GAMES THEY WANT.

 

The deal is rumored at over $90M over the 5 years, making each game cost $750K a game, 50% more than CSN, and 3 times what 'GN paid last year. I can't imagine that this just "fell into" WLS' lap. Many are thinking, though, that the team's high-profile trade activity earlier this week sealed the deal for ABC 7.

[TriangleTriadMediaNews 267]

 

It's usually rare for a major network-owned station to air games featuring a big league club of any kind.

 

This reminds me of when WCBS-TV in New York had over-the-air rights to Yankees games. However, that partnership only lasted about 3 seasons or so.

 

Doesn't WJZ still air the Orioles? I know for awhile it was split between WJZ and WNUV, but not sure what the arrangement is nowadays.

[NYNewser_676 26]

"We are excited to have ABC 7 Chicago as our new television broadcast partner," said President of Business Operations Crane Kenney. "WLS-TV has established itself as a trusted voice in Chicago and we look forward to a new chapter of Cubs baseball airing on the flagship station of the ABC television network."

 

The Cubs really had some fact check issues...

[ns8401 951]

"We are excited to have ABC 7 Chicago as our new television broadcast partner," said President of Business Operations Crane Kenney. "WLS-TV has established itself as a trusted voice in Chicago and we look forward to a new chapter of Cubs baseball airing on the flagship station of the ABC television network."

 

The Cubs really had some fact check issues...

That or it just sounds better and nobody cares to put down the correct thing.

[Mannym13 15]

I'm just curious to see what graphics and theme they come up with and what the overall presentation will be. Will they make their own graphics or use and ESPN template with the abc7 logo slapped on? This is so much change at once that it's actually pretty exciting.

[ChiCubsFan 34]

Watch ABC 7 want 14 signs at wrigley.

[Jase 1065]

 

This certainly came out of left field (pardon the pun).

 

Seriously though, I don't think any of us expected WLS to be the station to air Cubs games. My question is who will produce these games? Will WGN still produce these and just air it over WLS (similar to the WCIU arrangement), or is WLS producing these games themselves?

 

My guess is that WLS will produce everything with an assist from ESPN. They have the resources available plus there is too much money involved for them not to have complete and total oversight of every detail imaginable. I may have to start watching some Cubs games again.

[A3N 1002]

It's possible that the Cubs could produce the all the games that do not air on CSN. It would make it less complicated that way. I can't imagine that they would be ok with having three different entities (CSN, WGN, WLS) each produce the games as that would be a nightmare trying to coordinate who will do what games. In all honesty, the Cubs should have done everything possible to buy out their contract with CSN. While it would have cost them a good amount of money right away, they would have recouped that in a few years. I'm not so sure that they get the same amount of tv money in 2019, compared to now had they partnered up to launch their own network or with FOX.