With local television stations carrying only 23% of MLB games now - with a total of seven major-legue teams being exclusive on cable - some feel that the same result is inevitable for radio. Edison Media Research's President Larry Rosin said to the WSJ, "it is probably inevitable that baseball radio broadcasts will go to a 100% subscription model... It will happen because there's too much money in it not to do it."
That could spell real good news for XM Satellite Radio as they will hold the exclusive rights to all major-league baseball games for over-the-air broadcasts. The MLB's own online subsription Internet radio, MLB Radio, will undoubtedly benefit as well.
And since revenue between XM Radio and MLB Radio is split evenly among the 30 teams, there's an added financial driver to make this happen. With already 23% of XM subscribers signing on primarily to hear the MLB, the revenue driven (and shared) due to exclusivity would make dropping terrestrial radio the inevitable future.
[Wall Street Journal (subscription req'd) via Inside Radio]
wow, talk about a huge hit to baseball and what could potentially be a huge benefit to XM and satellite in general.
I can already see those Inno's flying off the shelves if its true.
it may be going away from radio because stations can not sell ads because people are watching the game, not listening. when i last checked we were in the year 2006, not 1956. baseball grew on radio, but is now watched on tv!
I don't see it happening. The MLB would loose more audience then it would gain from the exclusive fees. "Local TV" (aka broadcast TV) can't carry all games because of network programming, and there's a baseball game almost every night ! Radio (evil AM & FM) on the other hand have much looser formats which will work with the games. It's always said "baseball is a radio sport." The MLB would alienate a lot of local fans if they took baseball off AM radio IMHO. This is also another example of using TV as a model for radio (here, it doesn't work).
Could be very huge for XM. Baseball was a good investment and could get even better.
Who'd call the games?
"I can already see those Inno's flying off the shelves if its true."
If this ever came to pass, I don't think it will have nearly the impact you expect. Baseball is a huge second bannana in popularity compared to the NFL, and Sirius didn't start taking off with subs until Stern came on the scene. I'm sure the NFL brought in some listeners, but the amount isn't that great. Baseball, I'm assuming, would be much less.
>> it may be going away from radio because stations can not sell ads because people are watching the game, not listening. when i last checked we were in the year 2006, not 1956. baseball grew on radio, but is now watched on tv! >>
Not true - during the summer months, most of the baseball lovers I know follow the game in several different forms, one of which is radio. I myself had a BBQ going on Sunday, and while I was outside grilling up the burgers & dogs, the wife kindly pointed the stereo speakers out the window for me to keep track of the action.
We do the same thing when working around the yard and when traveling from place to place on the weekends. In order to 'watch' a full game, you basically need to sacrifice 3 hours of your life almost EVERY day whilst sitting indoors during the more pleasant conditions of the summer months.
No thanks. Except for the postseason, I'd rather have the game on in the background while getting other things done.
>> I'm sure the NFL brought in some listeners, but the amount isn't that great. Baseball, I'm assuming, would be much less. >>
I've made this point before, but the NFL is a *much* more TV-oriented sport than baseball. Football is played (90% of the time) on one day every week (Sunday, wintertime), when everyone's usually home and indoors anyway.
The key is exclusivity.
Yes Football is good on tv BUT it is followable on radio as well. Hockey is not, Basketball I could care less about and Baseball is just plain boring unless you are AT the game.
Lets face it, as much as i love baseball, a 162 game season is an everyday bore. You can't tell me that your exicited about Pirates vs rockies on a tuesday night in mid june. every sport is tv-oriented. baseball on testical radio will never dissappear. a huge win for xm and sat. radio if it does. nothing is better than exclusive content.
"when i last checked we were in the year 2006, not 1956. baseball grew on radio, but is now watched on tv!"
Not neccessarily. Baseball has too many games for a real fan to catch on television. Add to that fact that baseball is predominantly a summer sport, when most folks are out doing other activities instead of lounging around a television. What better pastime is there than being on your boat listening to a game while fishing or hanging with friends?
"I'm sure the NFL brought in some listeners, but the amount isn't that great. Baseball, I'm assuming, would be much less."
It's the opposite I assure you. People plan family events around NFL games. My family is a big NFL family and we do this nearly every week. Plus NFL games are generally played one day a week, a Sunday, during the colder months when fewer people are out and about. Honestly, how much of a commitment is it to be near a television for 3 hours a week? Much easier to follow 16-18 games than 162. Yes, truck drivers and a few will be unavaible to watch games, but these people are in the vast minority. NFL was born on, and meant to be played on, a television. People that don't have NFL sunday ticket or even cable can find a friend or relative that does, or just go to any bar or just about any restaurant and have NFL games playing.
"nothing is better than exclusive content."
Too bad neither satellite service really has exclusive content. Nearly every bit of satellite content can be had elsewhere.
>>Baseball is just plain boring unless you are AT the game. >>
That's your opinion - IMO the commentary often gives me a new insight as to what's happening on the field. A good play-by-play man can hold your interest no matter *what's* going on. Not every team has one, however...
Ryan I don't understand this:
>> With already 23% of XM subscribers signing on primarily to hear the MLB
Huh??
"For XM, the top reasons for signing up are the music channels (24%), commercial-free programming (14%), the belief that XM is good while traveling (12%), and because it came with the vehicle that respondents purchased/leased (11%). Other less frequently mentioned motivators include dissatisfaction with commercial radio, XM sports programming , and Opie & Anthony (all with 8% or less) ."
http://www.jacobsmedia.com/053106-tech-sat.htm
This is terrible news for everyone. YEAH! lets pay for exactly what we have been getting for free!
This is not good for the listener, this is not good for baseball, this is not good for local radio, this is not good for local business's.
people will drop xm and never come back if they are being strong armed into paying for what they have been getting free. Funny even paying the ad's and other annoying shit is still there too. NOT WORTH IT.