Re: NBATV Conspiracy

[Ryan W <ubiquitous_am_i@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- Rich <rich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > From: Ryan W <ubiquitous_am_i@xxxxxxxxx>
> > Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2003 12:14:39 -0700 (PDT)
> > To: celtics@xxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: NBATV Conspiracy
> > 
> > Nice, diabolical idea, but it's not going to
> > happen...each team signs an individual deal with
> an
> > individual network (though once Fox Sports came on
> to
> > the scene, things started getting monopolized in
> this
> > regard) for local television rights.  Each of
> these
> > contracts between the specific team and the local
> > network are of varying lengths.  Ergo, they will
> not
> > all expire at the same time and, even if Stern
> wanted
> > to, he wouldn't be able to "give" (give in
> quotation
> > marks because they aren't his to give in the first
> > place) all the games to NBA TV.
> 
> Well, good. I certainly hope it stays this way.
> 
> One question though: do you mean Stern cannot "give"
> the games to NBATV
> because he is only the commish, and that decision is
> reserved for the league
> as a whole?

I think my point was that he cannot give the games to
NBATV because he is not in the position to do
so....because by giving the games to NBATV he would
undoubtedly be breaking the contract between NBA teams
and their local networks (these contracts pertain to
exclusive local televising rights...rights which would
be violated if NBA TV were to swoop down and broadcast
all games).  Now, if by some chance (this won't
happen) all the contracts between the NBA teams and
their locals providers were to expire at the same
time, then, possibly, each team could make a contract
with an NBATV affiliate (which, at this time, doesn't
exist and would take many man hours to
accomplish--ergo it's not happening any time soon)
whereas that affiliate provided the exclusive local
television rights as well as any national rights...
> 
> I ask because I do not mean to imply that Stern is
> some sort of dictator and
> the rest of the league merely puppets in his hand.
> Rather, I believe that
> his success has made him quite powerful within the
> league and it's given him
> the ability to manipulate its direction. So, if he
> wants NBATV to eventually
> be the exclusive carrier, as I fear he might, he'd
> be able to get it done.

Obviously, if Stern wanted it done, he would find a
way....it's just that currently it would be next to
impossible.
> 
> > This does not even factor in the question of
> whether
> > the NBA has any but the most minimal jurisdiction
> > when it comes to local viewing rights...they can
> > black out in certain circumstances, but the
> relationship
> > between the network and the local team is usually
> > pretty sovereign...even the games that are slated
> to
> > be shown on NBA TV will be available in the local
> > markets on the local channels.
> 
> Not being privy to the content of these agreements,
> I can only hope the
> "sovereignty" you mention does, in fact, and will
> continue to, supercede any
> arrangements with NBATV.
> 
> > Actually, if I remember correctly, the games were
> > shown on ESPN2.  In fact, I never remember any
> summer
> > league games on FSNE.
> 
> My bad. I could've sworn some of the games were on
> FSNE. But whether it was
> FSNE or ESPN2 last summer, the coverage was not
> repeated for those channels
> this summer, implying, to me at least, a desire to
> promote NBATV to the
> exclusion of others.
> 
> Rich
Oh, that is definately what is happening.  First with
the playoffs (which were horribly televised and
announced) and now with the summer league and next
year's NBATV schedule, NBA TV is attempting to gain a
foothold in the NBA broadcast business.  And they do
have an unfair advantage, which, I'm sure, could be
challenged under anti-trust laws....but let's not get
into that.

Ryan

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