The Red Wings have consistently finished in the top two in local prime-time programmingGETTY IMAGES
The Ilitch family, which owns the Tigers and Red Wings, is considering "forming a regional television network dedicated to coverage" of the teams, according to Lynn Henning of the DETROIT NEWS. A source said that the RSN would "not be launched until early in the next decade," after current contracts with FS Detroit have expired. Both teams have on FS Detroit for the past two decades, and in their "peak years posted ratings that per-capita were among the best of any market in professional sports." The teams have "consistently finished 1-2 in local prime-time programming during their regular-season schedules, even in recent years as both teams have fallen out of the playoffs and dealt with the desolation of rebuilding cycles." The Ilitch family is "studying the potential" for an RSN that would "rival other sports’ teams that are covered by in-house networks" such as the Yankees (YES Net), Red Sox (NESN), Knicks and NHL Rangers (MSG) and Dodgers (Spectrum SportsNet). It is also "possible" the teams could re-sign with FS Detroit once the current deal expires (DETROIT NEWS, 10/25).
CLOSE WATCH ON DISNEY DEAL: In Michigan, Evan Woodbery notes Disney is in the process of purchasing many of 21st Century Fox' assets and a "condition of the deal" is that Disney would have to sell off Fox' 22 RSNs, including FS Detroit. That means the Tigers and Red Wings are "uncertain who they will be negotiating with when their current deal expires." If nothing else, "forming their own sports network would give them a viable backup plan" (MLIVE.com, 10/25). NBCSPORTS.com's Craig Calcaterra wites if FS Detroit is "not owned by Fox and is not carrying Tigers and Red Wings games, it’s a far less attractive channel for cable operators, while the Ilitch-run network would be far more attractive." It would also probably "put to bed rumors that the Ilitches are thinking about selling the Tigers" (NBCSPORTS.com, 10/25).
TWITTER REAX: MLive.com's Woodbery tweeted, "This is interesting. Perhaps also a message to FSD that Tigers/Red Wings have a back-up plan ready if the offer is not to their liking in the next round of negotiations." Crain's Detroit Business' Bill Shea: "This is incredibly expensive. Kagan had FSD's expenses at $190M this year. New network would have start-up costs, carriage rights negotiations, etc. ... This is an idea you float publicly to gain leverage in your next contract." SBJ/SBD's Eric Fisher: "Further signifies org under Chris Ilitch in it for the long haul. His profile already had been rising in baseball ownership circles." College sports web journalist Matt Sarzyniak: "Part of me wonders why Ilitch doesn't just buy FSD as part of the RSN sale, unless he wants no part of the Pistons TV contract or some of the MHSAA content that FSD picks up."
