On the demise of WGN

[Brownie]

It looks like the WGN-Cubs relationship could be over after next year as they look to get a Dodgers-style contract and I'm sure people far better than me can Gil the comments beneath Sully's story on it.

Yes, I can wax poetic about getting home from school at 3:10 or so, getting a snack of some sort and switching the TV to Channel 9 to watch the last few innings of the 1:20 game (or if I was lucky, it'd be a 3:05 game, and I'd have only missed the first couple batters). And it was cool to be a Cubs fan in the '80s when they were not as embarrassingly bad as in the 50s, 60s and 70s (and at least as good as they were in the 40s), and you could go anywhere in the country and watch every single one of their games. It was nice to be a Cubs fan in the 90s and be able to watch every game when I was away at IU. When TCI Cable of Bloomington threatened to remove WGN for Animal Planet in the mid 90s, God it was awful. But you know what was worse? They didn't follow through, and I got to watch the Cubs lose every one of their first 14 games in 1997.

Anyway, to channel Rick Pitino: Arne Harris is not walking through that door. Vince Lloyd and Lou Boudreau are not walking through that door! Harry Caray is not walking through that door! Murph and his Union 76 crew are not walking through that door! We can only hope Thom Brennaman and Milo Hamilton and Joe Carter and Steve Stone are not walking through that door! Chip Caray better not be walking through that door!

We know the landscape has changed. MLB.tv is rather inexpensive, so is Extra Innings, blah blah blah. The Braves are off of TBS, the Dodgers and Yankees are printing money off their TV deals, etc.

But you know what the real story is? Andy touched on it last year: WGN America sucks.

Here's the real story: WGN America's only relevant programming is its live programs: the news, the Bulls, the Sox and the Cubs. If they lose the Cubs, they don't stay on any cable system. It's that simple. So, do they take a gamble, offer the Cubs a shitload, maybe allow the Cubs to turn the Superstation into a Cubs network of sorts and fill the rest of its programming with more SPORTZ and other Chicago-centric programming?

[Chuck to Chuck]

Here's the real story: WGN America's only relevant programming is its live programs: the news, the Bulls, the Sox and the Cubs. If they lose the Cubs, they don't stay on any cable system. It's that simple. So, do they take a gamble, offer the Cubs a shitload, maybe allow the Cubs to turn the Superstation into a Cubs network of sorts and fill the rest of its programming with more SPORTZ and other Chicago-centric programming?

Looks like the answer is, "No."  The new CEO of the Trib is Peter Liguori.  His background is Discovery Channel and original programming. In this interview he talks about selling everything.  But WGN America, he talks about "creating original programming".

The bet here is that WGN dumps the Cubs, sells the papers and WGN radio, rebrands WGN America to some new name, and uses the capital from the sales to produce AMC / FX / Discovery Channel type shows.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

SPORTZ AND TOM SKILLINGZ

[RedBeard]

Valid points - but I have to pick at one of them. MLB.tv is fairly inexpensive, and Extra Innings can be - but it depends on your provider and where you are. I'm not going to start a Comcast sucks rant, because that horse has been beaten numerous times way past rigor mortis.

However, the nice thing about WGN on a cable system or a dish based system is that shmucks like those of us that live in a genuinely rural area can still watch the games (at least the ones not on CSN Chicago) on a plan barely over basic. MLB.tv relies on a decent internet connection - which you aren't going to get in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. And Extra Innings can be kinda spendy if you make the average wages a rural shmuck makes - so WGN, while a relic, still serves a purpose.

That said - I guess I really don't give a fuck what they do, I'll figure out a way to get the games - MLB audio isn't that expensive either, when I can get in a 3G area - but I just thought I'd throw in a $.02 as to why they do still provide a decent service, whether around the country, or just in the further reaches of downstate.

[Quality Start Machine]

Could the Ricketts family start their own network, similar to the YES network? Or would that run into a conflict with their interest in CSN Chicago?

A Cubs network could enable the Ricketti to sell Cubs' broadcast rights below market value, and run the advertising and leasing revenue through a separate pipeline that isn't part of MLB revenue sharing.

But if Comcast isn't cool with it, they could refuse to carry the channel.

[Brownie]

Valid points - but I have to pick at one of them. MLB.tv is fairly inexpensive, and Extra Innings can be - but it depends on your provider and where you are. I'm not going to start a Comcast sucks rant, because that horse has been beaten numerous times way past rigor mortis.

However, the nice thing about WGN on a cable system or a dish based system is that shmucks like those of us that live in a genuinely rural area can still watch the games (at least the ones not on CSN Chicago) on a plan barely over basic. MLB.tv relies on a decent internet connection - which you aren't going to get in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. And Extra Innings can be kinda spendy if you make the average wages a rural shmuck makes - so WGN, while a relic, still serves a purpose.

That said - I guess I really don't give a fuck what they do, I'll figure out a way to get the games - MLB audio isn't that expensive either, when I can get in a 3G area - but I just thought I'd throw in a $.02 as to why they do still provide a decent service, whether around the country, or just in the further reaches of downstate.

But here's the rub: Back in 1980, when the Wrigleys owned the Cubs and the team was pure dogshit and you could count the fleas at the park, the Cubs needed WGN. It worked out nicely a media company bought it and immediately thought SYNERGY! and beamed it out across the fruited plain. And it was a no-brainer the Cubs would be on GN for the length of TribCo's regime.

Now, the team is adulterated dogshit (this club would kick the shite out of Bruce Sutter's '80 Cubs, no doubt about it), but it wants to be a big boy, big market ballclub. It has the fanbase. It has the foundation. It just needs cash. Now here's the thing: Ricketts can start up his own network and deal with the cost of negotiating it onto everyone's cable plan, and the other costs associated with putting programming on. That can be risky. He can also go to Comcast/NBC, Fox/WFLD, and any other media company that could find a home for Cubs games in short order (Viacom/CBS, Disney/ABC/ESPN, Turner), have them set up a channel (or use an existing channel) and pay him top dollar for Cubs broadcasts. There will be a bidding war.

Larry Wert is President of "Local Broadcasting," which includes 720 and the number 9 as well as KWGN, KTLA and WPIX, among others. WGN America is conspicuously left out of that mix, so maybe Ligouri will put Kate and 8 plus a Bounty Hunter Getting an Intervention on a renamed WGN America.

Seriously, if Peter Ligouri wants some free advice, here it is:

1. Open up Fort Knox for the Cubs (or the Sox, if the Cubs go elsewhere).
2. Max out the number of Bulls contests.
3. Get as many MAC, MVC, Horizon League and other Midwestern college basketball games you can to put on the cable channel.
4. Put every NIU football game on Channel 9.
5. Get the IHSA Championship games in every sport.
6. Televise an Illinois-centric political show.
7. Put every Channel 9 newscast you can on it.
8. Fill the rest of the hours with Chicago-centric programming: Orion Samuelson reading hogs prices, old Bozo and Ray Rayner reruns, "Chicago's Best" (really, why isn't that on WGN America?), old Sportswriters on TV reruns, whatever.
9. Simulcast items 1-6 on WGN, WCIU, CLTV or CSN Chicago.
10. Profit wildly while screaming "FUCK YOU SAM ZELL!" from the top of Tribune Tower.

Unfortunately item 1 will cost around $5-7 Billion. Maybe American Chartered can float them a loan.

[Brownie]

Could the Ricketts family start their own network, similar to the YES network? Or would that run into a conflict with their interest in CSN Chicago?

A Cubs network could enable the Ricketti to sell Cubs' broadcast rights below market value, and run the advertising and leasing revenue through a separate pipeline that isn't part of MLB revenue sharing.

But if Comcast isn't cool with it, they could refuse to carry the channel.

And that seems to be the problem. Do you want to deal with the headaches of starting up a network, including negotiating with hostile competitors?

[Quality Start Machine]

Could the Ricketts family start their own network, similar to the YES network? Or would that run into a conflict with their interest in CSN Chicago?

A Cubs network could enable the Ricketti to sell Cubs' broadcast rights below market value, and run the advertising and leasing revenue through a separate pipeline that isn't part of MLB revenue sharing.

But if Comcast isn't cool with it, they could refuse to carry the channel.

And that seems to be the problem. Do you want to deal with the headaches of starting up a network, including negotiating with hostile competitors?

Cablevision finally made nice with the Yankees, and that was before AT&T started running fiber for TV all over the fucking place. The market favors the consumer now.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

5. Get the IHSA Championship games in every sport.
6. Televise an Illinois-centric political show.

Target demo: TJ Brown.

[Chuck to Chuck]

WGN America is conspicuously left out of that mix, so maybe Ligouri will put Kate and 8 plus a Bounty Hunter Getting an Intervention on a renamed WGN America.

The better play would be to use WGN America as the network.  It's already in homes and already is paying subscriber rights fees back to the Trib.  Getting the Cubs on there partially now with full time starting 2020 could be the birth of CUBS America.

Trib still owns 5% of the team. Get a move on this and start jacking the subscriber fee.

[Brownie]

5. Get the IHSA Championship games in every sport.
6. Televise an Illinois-centric political show.

Target demo: TJ Brown.

Don't be so sure I'd be glued to the set watching the Bass Fishing State Finals between Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin and Quincy, but otherwise, probably.

[Yeti]

5. Get the IHSA Championship games in every sport.
6. Televise an Illinois-centric political show.

Target demo: TJ Brown.

Don't be so sure I'd be glued to the set watching the Bass Fishing State Finals between Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin and Quincy, but otherwise, probably.

The SHG kids are too good for bass fishing

[morpheus]

Valid points - but I have to pick at one of them. MLB.tv is fairly inexpensive, and Extra Innings can be - but it depends on your provider and where you are. I'm not going to start a Comcast sucks rant, because that horse has been beaten numerous times way past rigor mortis.

However, the nice thing about WGN on a cable system or a dish based system is that shmucks like those of us that live in a genuinely rural area can still watch the games (at least the ones not on CSN Chicago) on a plan barely over basic. MLB.tv relies on a decent internet connection - which you aren't going to get in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. And Extra Innings can be kinda spendy if you make the average wages a rural shmuck makes - so WGN, while a relic, still serves a purpose.

That said - I guess I really don't give a fuck what they do, I'll figure out a way to get the games - MLB audio isn't that expensive either, when I can get in a 3G area - but I just thought I'd throw in a $.02 as to why they do still provide a decent service, whether around the country, or just in the further reaches of downstate.

Who is Red Beard?

[PenFoe]

Valid points - but I have to pick at one of them. MLB.tv is fairly inexpensive, and Extra Innings can be - but it depends on your provider and where you are. I'm not going to start a Comcast sucks rant, because that horse has been beaten numerous times way past rigor mortis.

However, the nice thing about WGN on a cable system or a dish based system is that shmucks like those of us that live in a genuinely rural area can still watch the games (at least the ones not on CSN Chicago) on a plan barely over basic. MLB.tv relies on a decent internet connection - which you aren't going to get in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. And Extra Innings can be kinda spendy if you make the average wages a rural shmuck makes - so WGN, while a relic, still serves a purpose.

That said - I guess I really don't give a fuck what they do, I'll figure out a way to get the games - MLB audio isn't that expensive either, when I can get in a 3G area - but I just thought I'd throw in a $.02 as to why they do still provide a decent service, whether around the country, or just in the further reaches of downstate.

Where the hell do you live that you can't get a decent internet connection or 3G?

It's 2013 for God's sake.

I spent 6 years working with a company that was bringing 50 Mbps Internet speeds to places like Bartlesville, Oklahoma and Ohatchee, Alabama, so it's not like it can't be done.

You better have a hell of a view, wherever you are.

[Gilgamesh]

Valid points - but I have to pick at one of them. MLB.tv is fairly inexpensive, and Extra Innings can be - but it depends on your provider and where you are. I'm not going to start a Comcast sucks rant, because that horse has been beaten numerous times way past rigor mortis.

However, the nice thing about WGN on a cable system or a dish based system is that shmucks like those of us that live in a genuinely rural area can still watch the games (at least the ones not on CSN Chicago) on a plan barely over basic. MLB.tv relies on a decent internet connection - which you aren't going to get in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. And Extra Innings can be kinda spendy if you make the average wages a rural shmuck makes - so WGN, while a relic, still serves a purpose.

That said - I guess I really don't give a fuck what they do, I'll figure out a way to get the games - MLB audio isn't that expensive either, when I can get in a 3G area - but I just thought I'd throw in a $.02 as to why they do still provide a decent service, whether around the country, or just in the further reaches of downstate.

Where the hell do you live that you can't get a decent internet connection or 3G?

It's 2013 for God's sake.

I spent 6 years working with a company that was bringing 50 Mbps Internet speeds to places like Bartlesville, Oklahoma and Ohatchee, Alabama, so it's not like it can't be done.

You better have a hell of a view, wherever you are.

I'm sure there are some places in Inuit Alaska where 3G connections are hard to find, you elitist jerk!!