Saturday, October 01, 2005

Selig As Rodney

Not that I miss so much of otherwise having had to endure the Yanks clinching the AL East this afternoon, but it's the redundant lack of awareness by Major League Baseball, or more specifically the suits that run it, or more specifically Bud F'ing Selig, that makes this fan scratch his head more than should be necessary.

Here it is: The Nats were supposed to play at 7:05 p.m. and Fox Sports was supposed to cover the Sox v. Yanks this afternoon. With me so far?

Fox then says it wants the Nats v. Phillies pushed to 4 o'clock (see previous post link) so that game, presumably, can smoothly tag with the opener of what is now a broadcast double-header while at the same time not chop up their evening programming.

But Channel 5 in D.C., the Fox affiliate, apparently has some deal with the Nats to not broadcast other games that could overlap their game -- Fine! Pro forma agreement between any major sports team and its local media, par for the course -- and, instead, plugs in a rerun of Stargate IV - Up Yours! followed by infomercials.

Mmm-mm, Mustn't See TV!!

But...

The Nats are owned by Major League Baseball. And wouldn't you think Major League Baseball would prefer not to have its two marquee teams -- arguably at the most heightened moment in at least 27 years (not including playoffs) of their century-old rivalry -- blacked out in a Top-10 media market? I mean, advertising dollars and all that. And wouldn't somebody in New York, with the ability to think a half-day beyond his nose, might call Channel 5 and say, "Hey dummies, we waive the black-out! Broadcast the fucking Sox/Yankees already!!"?

The reverse wouldn't necessarily be true. Channel 5 (again presumably) loses nothing in advertising revenue when a network program is nixed, and likely they made a little green by queing up a local spot or two into a syndicated show previously unscheduled.

Maybe the commissioner should be taking steroids... for his brain!

No comments: