ESPN has "done a commendable job making itself out to
be the victim" in its "latest tiff" with MLB, but MLB has
"every right to be miffed" at the sports network, according
to Tom Hoffarth of the L.A. DAILY NEWS. The "bottom line is
ESPN dropped the ball and baseball finally got tired of
being charged with the error, no matter how many hours of
programming it has received in return. A deal's a deal."
The "implication" is that "someone has put the bug in
baseball's ear that it's not getting enough money for its
product and there are others willing to pay more for it.
That, of course, points to Fox." While Fox or Turner
"privately" are not "too upset to watch Disney squirm on
both sides of this issue," if MLB's "cable package falls
into their laps, they'll accommodate it" (DAILY NEWS, 5/7).
BUT IS MLB AT FAULT? In Boston, Howard Manly writes
that the "only thing missing" from MLB is "a tin cup and a
monkey. League officials might as well remove the mask of
being America's national pastime and tell the world they are
shamelessly trying to keep up with the Joneses." Manly:
"Granted, last season's home run chase was great for the
sport. But it doesn't mean baseball has the ratings muscle
to command a gigantic increase in rights fees. ... It's not
about the nine hours of programming. It's about baseball
standing up for its right to squeeze a few more nickels out
of a network" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/7). In DC, Leonard Shapiro
writes that "on the face of it, ESPN seemingly has gone out
of its way" to make up for moving Sunday games to ESPN2.
While one network exec said that it's "possible baseball
simply felt jilted" and decided to terminate its deal,
others "think that this is an attempt by baseball to package
its regular season and playoffs so that contracts will end
in the same year." Currently, MLB's deals with Fox and NBC
end in 2000, while ESPN's deal ends in 2002. Shapiro adds
that if the dispute goes to court, considering MLB's "recent
dismal track record" in such forums, "there's definitely a
clear-cut favorite" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/7). In L.A., Larry
Stewart writes that the feud between ESPN and MLB is a
"lose-lose situation," noting that if the court finds in
favor of MLB, the league "loses exposure and an important,
longtime relationship." If it finds in favor of ESPN,
"what's left is a strained relationship that probably will
end after the 2002 season anyway" (L.A. TIMES, 5/7).
POSSIBLE AMNESIA? Fox Exec Producer Ed Goren is
"miffed" at Pilson Communications President Neal Pilson for
telling Daily Variety that MLB's "demographics skew to 'old,
lower-income people who live in rural areas.'" Goren,
referring to the "financial bath" CBS took in '90 with its
MLB deal under Pilson's tenure as CBS Sports President: "I
guess Neal's still having flashbacks over how once upon a
time baseball was worth $1.06B for four years. Since 1996,
ratings for men 18-49 have jumped 21% on Fox's baseball"
(USA TODAY, 5/7). In L.A., Tom Hoffarth also criticizes
Pilson for his comments and adds that Pilson speaking on the
issue is "akin to asking the captain of the Titanic about
the benefits of oceanic travel" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 5/7).
