Yahoo Sports' Mets-specific subscription site that was originally supposed to launch on Opening Day is "now scheduled to debut in early June, likely no later than June 10," according to sources cited by Bob Raissman of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Yahoo and parent company Verizon had "signed the Mets to a three-year deal" worth $3M, and if the app is "not up and running by July, Verizon pays a lesser rights fee to the Mets." However, the immediate financial elements of the deal "were not the sticking point that has delayed the launch." That issue "appears to be the 'future' revenue made in the deal." The Mets "acted as an independent operator in this deal, going outside the MLB umbrella." When MLB "realized what was going down, it wanted more of its teams involved in a similar deal with Verizon/Yahoo." Finding a way to accomplish this "slowed the launch" of the Mets product. Now the process of "getting other teams involved in a similar digital platform has begun." The Rangers, Indians and Angels are all "reported to be interested" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/23).
