Cubs, WGN-TV may part ways after 2014 season

CSF77

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Cubs, WGN-TV may part ways after 2014 season
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com | 11/6/2013 12:27 P.M. ET



CHICAGO -- The Cubs first appeared on WGN-TV on April 16, 1948, and the team and the TV station have been partners since. But that may end after next season.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs have exercised an option to exit their broadcast contract with WGN-TV following the 2014 campaign.

The Cubs reportedly notified WGN-TV that it had 30 days to meet a higher assessed fair market value for the broadcast rights or the team would open negotiations with other media. WGN-TV currently televises about 70 Cubs games.

A new broadcast deal would definitely help the team in its search for other revenue sources. In January, the Dodgers reached a deal with Time Warner Cable to establish their own cable sports network, which will pay the team a reported $7 billion to broadcast games over 25 years.

Per the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs receive about $20 million in annual broadcast rights fees from WGN-TV. The Cubs games are split between WGN-TV and Comcast SportsNet Chicago. The deal with Comcast SportsNet Chicago runs through 2019 and includes the White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks as partners.

If the Cubs do not establish a new deal with WGN-TV, they could create their own cable sports network.

Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings, and you can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
 

brett05

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The Dodgers are getting than 280 million per year for 25 years if my math is right.

I wonder what the Cubs would get..
 

Uman85

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First Old Style, now WGN? Damn you! That's two strikes, Cubs. Don't make it three.
 

waldo7239117

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I have a feeling the Cubs and WGN will strike a new deal. Too much at stake for both sides.
 

X

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Games need to be on WGN-America... :shifty:
 

jooo83

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The TV landscape has changed significantly in the last decade plus. The cubs don't need to be on WGN anymore to continue their national exposure. One problem right now is that the cubs are lacking leverage. Their deal is expiring at a time when the ratings are way down.
 

CSF77

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The TV landscape has changed significantly in the last decade plus. The cubs don't need to be on WGN anymore to continue their national exposure. One problem right now is that the cubs are lacking leverage. Their deal is expiring at a time when the ratings are way down.

I disagree. WGN has been holding them back. I believe it is time to move on and the idea of their own network is interesting but I believe a deal with a fox network would pay the most.

WGN is rerun central anyways. Fact they cut games to add in more reruns was lame to begin with.
 

chibears55

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braves cut ties with TBS and signed a 20 yr deal with FOX that their regretting only because a couple years after they did that most other teams started signing big tv deals..

cubs will drop WGN like the braves did with TBS, but they will be looking to hit on a big TV deal.. my guess they will end up with their own network..
they have until the end of 2019 season with comcast.
 

Joe The Dragon

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braves cut ties with TBS and signed a 20 yr deal with FOX that their regretting only because a couple years after they did that most other teams started signing big tv deals..

cubs will drop WGN like the braves did with TBS, but they will be looking to hit on a big TV deal.. my guess they will end up with their own network..
they have until the end of 2019 season with comcast.

Comcast may have a hard time having to fit in all of the WGN cubs games. they may need to add an plus 3 feed and make plus 2 go HD.

The last time they used plus 2 it was a very poor PQ.
 

CSF77

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I hope it is not only their own network. Pads had that and it sucked. Bad filler programming and off season was just bad. I want that I'll watch baseball network in the off season.

Fox would be good. They made a fox south west that focused on the Pads and some soccer which is popular here with the heavy Latino pop. It paid very well for the Pads which is surprising concidering the market. A Fox Chicago deal could get into Dodgers market value
 

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All about the $ people. WGN can't afford the crazy things Fox Sports or NBC (comcast) can. I expect either a channel dedicated like YES or everything Comcast. Either way, if you grew out outside of Chicago and like the cubs--get MLB gameday or whatever it is.

Dont see WGN renewing it unless they shell out big bucks.
 

beckdawg

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I'd like to see them do what i've seen suggested which is to offer the wgn games in a package to re-write the other tv contract they have. That would get them a pretty decent bounty
 

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According to what is out there the Cubs can't sign with any other cable deal until their deal with Comcast is done. Also CSN isn't likely to bid for the full slate of Cubs games (Reinsdorf own the largest stake of CSN just as an aside). Cubs might end up remaining with WGN on both radio and TV through 2019 at a slightly increased amount.
 

Flacco4Prez

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Yeah there are ways to get games outside of the network. It's not like WGN broadcasts most of their games anyway
 

SilenceS

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According to what is out there the Cubs can't sign with any other cable deal until their deal with Comcast is done. Also CSN isn't likely to bid for the full slate of Cubs games (Reinsdorf own the largest stake of CSN just as an aside). Cubs might end up remaining with WGN on both radio and TV through 2019 at a slightly increased amount.

WGN is the reason the Cubs have the fan base they do. Without WGN, I probably never would have been a Cubs fan my whole life.
 

jooo83

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I disagree. WGN has been holding them back. I believe it is time to move on and the idea of their own network is interesting but I believe a deal with a fox network would pay the most.

WGN is rerun central anyways. Fact they cut games to add in more reruns was lame to begin with.

What exactly are you disagreeing with? I said they don't need WGN.
 

jooo83

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WGN is the reason the Cubs have the fan base they do. Without WGN, I probably never would have been a Cubs fan my whole life.

Those days are most likely over.
 

daddies3angels

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According to what is out there the Cubs can't sign with any other cable deal until their deal with Comcast is done. Also CSN isn't likely to bid for the full slate of Cubs games (Reinsdorf own the largest stake of CSN just as an aside). Cubs might end up remaining with WGN on both radio and TV through 2019 at a slightly increased amount.

I agree with this. I see Cubs signing 4 yr deal through 2019 with WGN then in 2020 they will get HUGE TV deal. So Cubs act like Mid Market for another 6 yrs while charging highest NL ticket prices in baseball.
 

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