STO "close" to being sold.

[Pyro]

I know we were discussing this in the Larry Dolan thread, but figured it deserved it's own thread since this is about a network, not the team.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Fox Sports Ohio is close to purchasing SportsTime Ohio for between $200 million and $250 million, said a source familiar with the negotiations. The sale could be completed by the end of December and would increase the Indians' rights fees for broadcasting their games from $30 million to an estimated $40 million a year.

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index...se_to_sel.html

[Amherstcavsfan]

Indians get 40 million a year for their games.

Dodgers get about 100 million.

Oh well, more money is more money.

[JMcCurry08]

And yet Dolan still wont fork out money for FAs

[Pyro]

[Amherstcavsfan]

And yet Dolan still wont fork out money for FAs

No, he won't.

To be fair, The Indians would literally have to outbid every FA they ever try to obtain. We aren't the Tigers who have a good team and guys would take pay cuts to come here. We aren't the Cubs, who make money every year despite sucking. And we aren't the Cardinals in many, many different ways.

No reason to bitch. I'm not sure there is a million or billionaire on this planet that would spend the money it would take to sign someone of high impact to the team. It'd be nice to do it, but it's just not realistic to hope fore. Hell, we had to pay Kerry Wood 10 million a year to play here, and he was an average closer. We'd have to pay Hamilton about 30 a year to play here.

Whatever, I'm not going to get into a war about this. I expect the Indians to spend more this offseason and try to make creative moves. If this sale helps that facilitate more, then so be it.

[JMcCurry08]

I wonder what the future of STO is

[Pyro]

Hopefully a future without Matt, Rick, Bruce and Chuck.

[JMcCurry08]

Hopefully a future without Matt, Rick, Bruce and Chuck.

I like Bruce, his show is pretty humorous

[macbdog]

Note it said this deal says that it is an increase to 40m to revenue, not a yearly addition of 40m. Apparently, STO was bringing in 30m yearly for the rights fees for games and this increases the Tribe's TV revenues to 40m. That is a 10m gain then- so enough to afford a Jeremy Guthrie and a Max Aviles. Or 2/3rds of a season of BJ Upton.

Do note, too, that STO was not owned by the Tribe but was owned seperately by the Dolans are whatever other investors. In fact, all of the team-affiliated stations are not owned by the team. And do note that at a time when other teams are starting their own networks the Tribe is bailing on theirs, much like Minnesota did just a few years ago. Maybe that might help people understand the situation the Tribe is in when it comes to revenue here. Jeff Passan wrote a good article the other day in Yahoo about how these new local TV deals are going to severely skew the landscape yet again- and here is yet another example.

[macbdog]

As for STO, they had trouble filling all of their programming time with quality shows as it is. FSO probably folds it up and absorbs what it likes because there i no way in hell the cable companies continue to pay out $1 per subscriber or whatever it was for STO. Only way the station stays alive is IF they feel there is a market for covering in-state high school and college sports in on the rise.

[warddj86]

So, how does that work with regards to FSO's alliance with the Reds?

[Damage]

STO has/had some of the worst programming I have ever seen. With a mid-market team the viewership isn't/wasn't cutting it. Add in the different outlets of media exposure, marketing, et al & it is/was a complete & utter failure - no think tank decisions, just plain Jane shit.

[cdt]

Bruce Drennan is awful...

Caller: "My opinion differs slightly Bruce...I -cutoff
Bruce: "JOHN YOU ARE GOING ON HOLD! I CANT BELIEVE YOU DISAGREE WITH ME ARE YOU KIDDING ME IM BRUCE DRENNAN AND I TALK REALLY LOUD."

Can't stand that stupid hack

[The Voice]

On a side note Bruce is a huge lush. Guy kills bottles of champagne while in Arizona for spring training. I could only imagine it's much of the same in Strongsville.

[Juicy]

STO has/had some of the worst programming I have ever seen. With a mid-market team the viewership isn't/wasn't cutting it. Add in the different outlets of media exposure, marketing, et al & it is/was a complete & utter failure - no think tank decisions, just plain Jane shit.

Only thing they got going for them is there coverage of High School football playoffs, other than that they have that blonde "thing" on Beer Money and I don't even know what else they show.