The latest reason to whip on Rupert - (ha, as if we need a reason?) - is the current squabble between YES Network and Channel 9 - or "My Nine," as it calls itself - (and which Murdoch, the owner, can rightfully call it.) Games on "My Nine" represent one of the rare "freebies" offered by the Yankees - the people who still old stadium dirt for $69.95 - to non-rich fans.
But Murdoch's rooster honks at My (His) Nine are balking at the high broadcast fees for Yankee games, which are set by Murdoch's clucking honks at YES.
In a perfect world, this would be written about by Murdoch's inky honks at the NY Post, after being debated by Murdoch's blubbery honks in NYS government. (Wait! Maybe we can get on Rupert's payroll and start honking: Hail Hydra!)
(UPDATE: I DO HAVE TO GIVE MURDOCH'S HONKS AT THE POST CREDIT FOR THIS:
RETURNING TO PREVIOUS POST)
Unfortunately, our perfect symmetry is shattered by Bob Raissman at the Daily News:
The contract with Ch. 9, the Yankees’ current over-the-air partner, has expired. According to MLB sources, Ch. 9 suits, who likely lost money on their last Yankees TV deal, don’t want to pay the rights fee that YES, which owns rights to all Yankees games, is asking for. What makes this highly unusual is both YES and Ch. 9 are owned by Fox. “The notion when things — like a negotiation — are in the ‘family’, it should make the process a lot easier,” the MLB mole said. “That’s not always the case.”
So... recapping here... YES is looking for another TV outlet, maybe even a non-Murdoch-owned entity - (if they exist) - to pay more for "free" Yankee games. Something tells me that Fox Sports, or something else owned by Murdoch, might be interested in bidding up the price. There's nothing like bidding more for "free" games on TV!
Listen: We all know what's going to happen:
1. Murdoch will make more money.
2. Fewer Yankee games will air on so-called "free" TV.
3. More pressure will be exerted on the Yankees to win this year, rather than build for the future.
4. The surving Murdoch honk - i.e. the meanest bastard in the bunch - will rise within Fox's Supreme Legion of Evil, where members regularly transfuse the blood of Rasputin, Al Capone and Merv Griffin. Isn't this how Roger Ailes made it?
ReplyDeleteThe saddest thing about this is that, among the four things that El Duque's as "going to happen", only #3 won't succeed.
One must wonder what the rich man is thinking. The rich man didn't get rich by negotiating with himself. There's some other piece to this that we're not seeing.
And then, in a surprise move, the non-YES games go to PBS Channel 13, where the play-by-play is handled by the butler from Downton Abbey and color commentary is by Bill Moyers. The station refuses to air the jingoistic 'God Bless America' yahoofest during the seventh inning stretch, instead cutting to Charlie Rose for a quick game recap with Salman Rushdie, who remains amazed that no Yankee pitcher has attempted to develop a googly. Leon Panetta drops in on Moyers once in a while to discuss the strategic importance of second base.
ReplyDelete