From Yahoo.com:

 

Is Major League Baseball on the verge of ending its decade-long relationship with Fox Sports?

 

The winds seem to be blowing in that direction. A divorce could be on the horizon, leaving Fox with the NFL, NASCAR and the Bowl Championship Series as its primary sports packages.

 

This would also put the futures of Fox's No. 1 baseball broadcast team - Joe Buck and Tim McCarver - very much up in the air.

 

Fox's exclusive negotiating period with MLB is about to expire - probably in the next two weeks - and the two sides are far apart in terms of the only thing that counts - money.

 

Fox's current six-year deal with Bud Selig & Co., worth $2.5 billion, ends following the 2006 season. The Foxies began televising baseball in 1996 and, as in past negotiations, MLB is looking for more dough than Fox is currently willing to offer.

 

So, when Fox's exclusive negotiating period runs out without a deal, MLB will become a TV free agent. This probably was Selig's plan all along. Selig and the owners want to test the waters and see what their national TV rights are worth on an open market.

 

Fox, according to baseball sources, does have the right to match any "final" offer MLB receives from another network.

 

A baseball source said NBC has expressed an interest in the package. It is likely Peacock suits have their eyes set on MLB's postseason inventory. That makes sense. NBC's prime-time ratings are down. What better way to add some ratings consistency - and a promotional platform for entertainment programming - than picking up the World Series?

 

That possibility should give the Foxies reason to pause and think twice before blowing off baseball. Why allow NBC to use baseball to dig its way out of the prime-time ratings grave?

 

There could be another option for Selig. MLB, as it has done in the past, could go to a split network format with Fox and NBC sharing the rights. Under this plan, the two networks would each air an LCS and rotate World Series coverage each year.

 

Don't discount the possibility of Disney-owned ESPN, MLB's national cable TV partner, getting into the act. ESPN could pay top dollar for the right to air the LCS, then put the World Series on ABC-TV, also a Disney property. Because of its dual revenue streams (advertising revenue and licensing fees from cable operators), ESPN has become a virtual pot of gold for the NFL, NBA and MLB.

 

If Fox loses baseball McCarver would have to move on. Baseball is his sport. Buck would have an option. He is Fox's No. 1 NFL play-by-play voice. The network has just embarked on an eight-year extension of its NFL deal.

 

Still, if working the World Series is a priority for Buck, would he bolt the Foxies' Hollywood bunker to follow baseball to another network? If baseball went to NBC, Bob (Rapping Roberto) Costas, the current face of NBC Sports, would likely want to do World Series play-by-play. That fact in itself could keep Buck at Fox.

 

Even if baseball leaves.

 

*ejaculates to thought of Costas and Uecker*

I wouldn't mind never listening to Joe Buck again.

I hate Bob Costas, but I don't really like Buck that much either.

 

Both are just way too full of themselves and try to make every call epic.

I hate Costas too.....I got fed his bulls*** at school but to me he overdramatizes everything. Not every event in sports is life or death and that deep.

I hate Costas too.....I got fed his bulls*** at school but to me he overdramatizes everything.

 

I'll never forget him calling Game 6 of the World Series in 1997, and before the play was even finished he was saying (as loudly and epically as possible) "GAME 7 TOMORROW NIGHT!"

 

It's like, jeez, buddy, call the game, let history judge what needs to be remembered, don't write it as you're broadcasting. Stuff like that (which he does quite often) just bugs the hell out of me.

If it moves then I hope it goes to ESPN.

I hope Fox Saturday Baseball dies and burns in hell.

gimme Costas anyday

Costas pwns, I don't know what you guys are talking about.

I hope Fox Saturday Baseball dies and burns in hell.

 

 

And that computer generated piece of sh*t known as Scooter.

 

We know what the f*** a fastball is already!

No more McCarver, and he gets replaced by Uecker?

 

I'm all for anything that makes this happen.

Costas is one of hte best play by play men in baseball ever.

 

 

though i have no problems with Joe Buck neither.

 

 

I still hate McCarver with a passion.

hopefully they stop blacking out the mlbtv games..(dreams)

There's a special place in Hell reserved for Scooter.

NBC with baseball...hmm. Costas is not interested in any play-by-play for the network. He will do the NFL pregame, so he is taken from doing MLB games unless you want Chip Caray subbing for him on the NFL pregame.

 

I would think if NBC lands MLB, they sign Buck and bring him over to call the NFL and MLB games with the possibility of having Buck, McCarver, and Morgan in the NBC booth.

 

However I feel ABC will get MLB World Series and All-Star Game Rights because ESPN will blow FOX and NBC out of the water....but will ESPN get away with the LCS? No, I say NBC being the finalists with ABC and FOX deep in it.

 

NBC Olympian Matt Vasgersian of the Padres would likely be NBC's man if Buck and Costas say no.

I don't see why Costas would turn down the World Series.

 

I remember hearing him say on a talk show a while ago that he couldn't wait for NBC to get baseball back.

 

Costas wouldn't do it for the Olympics....even in 2000 when Team USA won it all.

 

Remember NBC lost NASCAR to ABC/ESPN. ABC also has College Football for the most part except the BCS which it lost to FOX. I could see FOX dump MLB and NBC pick it up. NBC has the NFL, NHL, Arena Football, Two of the Triple Crown races, and has the room for MLB.

 

But ABC dropped golf....oh the race for MLB will be interesting.

Please...PLEASE get rid of McCarver. I don't mind Buck all that much, but McCarver is awful.

 

They just better not replace McCarver with Joe Morgan.

McCarver to ESPN would be very likely. Jon Miller and Tim McCarver....it seems so wrong.

 

NBC better keep a weekly MLB game on NBC and make it in HD too. We need to have free baseball, ESPN is expensive.

I don't see why Costas would turn down the World Series.

 

I remember hearing him say on a talk show a while ago that he couldn't wait for NBC to get baseball back.

 

 

I heard the same thing several times.

NBC has Telemundo too....MLB must be salivating.

hopefully ESPN/ ABC picks up the rights, so we can have the ESPN broadcasters throughout the playoffs

I wouldn't mind never listening to Joe Buck again.

 

 

Same here, I hate Joe Buck.

 

It would be great to hear Bob Costas calling baseball again.

In truth, I think it's best that FOX drops MLB because their ratings have been quite poor in the last years. Also, bring back the day games at the playoffs.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/col/stor...5p-326532c.html

 

Out Fox?

 

MLB on brink of shutting out network

 

Tuning In

 

Is Major League Baseball on the verge of ending its decade-long relationship with Fox Sports?

 

The winds seem to be blowing in that direction. A divorce could be on the horizon, leaving Fox with the NFL, NASCAR and the Bowl Championship Series as its primary sports packages.

 

This would also put the futures of Fox's No. 1 baseball broadcast team - Joe Buck and Tim McCarver - very much up in the air.

 

Fox's exclusive negotiating period with MLB is about to expire - probably in the next two weeks - and the two sides are far apart in terms of the only thing that counts - money.

 

Fox's current six-year deal with Bud Selig & Co., worth $2.5 billion, ends following the 2006 season. The Foxies began televising baseball in 1996 and, as in past negotiations, MLB is looking for more dough than Fox is currently willing to offer.

 

So, when Fox's exclusive negotiating period runs out without a deal, MLB will become a TV free agent. This probably was Selig's plan all along. Selig and the owners want to test the waters and see what their national TV rights are worth on an open market.

 

Fox, according to baseball sources, does have the right to match any "final" offer MLB receives from another network.

 

A baseball source said NBC has expressed an interest in the package. It is likely Peacock suits have their eyes set on MLB's postseason inventory. That makes sense. NBC's prime-time ratings are down. What better way to add some ratings consistency - and a promotional platform for entertainment programming - than picking up the World Series?

 

That possibility should give the Foxies reason to pause and think twice before blowing off baseball. Why allow NBC to use baseball to dig its way out of the prime-time ratings grave?

 

There could be another option for Selig. MLB, as it has done in the past, could go to a split network format with Fox and NBC sharing the rights. Under this plan, the two networks would each air an LCS and rotate World Series coverage each year.

 

Don't discount the possibility of Disney-owned ESPN, MLB's national cable TV partner, getting into the act. ESPN could pay top dollar for the right to air the LCS, then put the World Series on ABC-TV, also a Disney property. Because of its dual revenue streams (advertising revenue and licensing fees from cable operators), ESPN has become a virtual pot of gold for the NFL, NBA and MLB.

 

If Fox loses baseball McCarver would have to move on. Baseball is his sport. Buck would have an option. He is Fox's No. 1 NFL play-by-play voice. The network has just embarked on an eight-year extension of its NFL deal.

 

Still, if working the World Series is a priority for Buck, would he bolt the Foxies' Hollywood bunker to follow baseball to another network? If baseball went to NBC, Bob (Rapping Roberto) Costas, the current face of NBC Sports, would likely want to do World Series play-by-play. That fact in itself could keep Buck at Fox.

 

Even if baseball leaves.

 

 

Bob Costats as the anouncer for the World Series seems weird to me does it to you?

 

Bring on Boog!

hopefully ESPN/ ABC picks up the rights, so we can have the ESPN broadcasters throughout the playoffs

 

no, 1 round of Chris Berman doing baseball is too much for me