Re: NBATV Conspiracy

[Douglas342@xxxxxxx]

     Well, don't be too sure about that.  There's a perfect example to the 
contrary in NASCAR.  For years, each NASCAR track had its own TV rights.  This 
led to races being on 4 or 5 networks.  About five years ago, NASCAR said that 
it was going to take control of TV rights and sell them as a package, which it 
did.  Now ABC/TNT has half the year, while Fox/FX has the other half.  Did 
this abrogate any existing contracts?  I have no idea, but it sure showed that 
when a major sport flexes its muscles, amazing things happen.
     Of course, structurally, NASCAR is much more like the NFL than the NBA, 
which has multiple events on various days.    But for those of you old enough 
to remember, do you remember the calls that "pay TV" would be taking over?  
Well, it is.  What percentage of sports is now on network as opposed to cable?  
Is it that far a leap from basic cable to premium cable to League Pass?

n a message dated 7/30/2003 5:51:54 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
ubiquitous_am_i@xxxxxxxxx writes:

> 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...