How does this work? Cards v Cubs: ESPN v WGN

[fishnfla]

both stations playing the same game. They must really look at the ratings book on this match-up

[El Supremo]

1. I have been asking the same question for years.

Why does ESPN show games that are also on WGN? And why do they show Braves games that are also on TBS?

I don't get the New York Station (what is it? WOR?), but I guess that ESPN shows those games too.

WTF?

[HuskerDU]

2. WGN has a schedule of games already mapped out before the

season starts. Over 150 Cub games are broadcast on either WGN or Comcast Sports. I can look on Chicagosports.com and tell you what channel the Cubs will be on for games the rest of the season. ESPN chooses the games it wants as the season goes on and WGN won't pull the game just because ESPN is broadcasting it.

[Captain Hilts]

3. Local , broadcast, stations have rights to show cable games.

TBS is a broadcast station locally in Atlanta, isn't it?

[El Supremo]

4. OK, then why...

does ESPN show any of the superstations' games? After all, they are broadcast nationwide on cable too. ESPN would get a better audience if they would show some other game.

[Bluzmann57]

5. ESPN = Eastern Seaboard Programming Network

They show Red Sox, Yankees constantly. They talk about Red Sox, Yankees constantly. They worship at the altar of Red Sox, Yankees. They finally showed a Midwestern matchup of a rivalry that is every bit as intense as the two other teams mentioned here. East Coasters bitch. BooHoo. Screw ESPN. They may get better ratings if they understood that America is a big country and about 99 pct. of us don't give a rats ass about the East Coast American League teams. Go BlueJays! Now that would throw 'em for a loop.

[Captain Hilts]

7. Fox's playoff ratings for Yanks, Sox and Cubs went through the roof

compared to previous years.

Yes, you see those teams a lot, but folks want to see them. And the Dodgers and Giants and Astros all suck this year.

They go for big cities first, then big cities with good teams second. That's why the Dodgers and Nats were on Fox last Saturday. Two big cities with teams that are lousy.

People want to watch games at Fenway, Yankee Stadium and Wrigley Field.

[MessiahRp]

9. I don't think the complaint was at all targeted towards the Midwest

It was targeted at the fact that the Braves and the Cubs are on nationally all the time as it is and don't need another national game. I don't think anyone was arguing for more Yankees-Red Sox games... rather something different. Beit a Midwest game of say the Brewers or Tigers or something from the West Coast.

Rp

[Captain Hilts]

6. I've NEVER understood that. But broadcast channels...

have certain rights to games broadcast on cable.

[northzax]

8. TBS has a broadcast deal with the Braves

just as WGN does for the Cubs, but ESPN has the deal for MLB as a whole, and picks and chooses the games it wants to broadcast. They go for ratings, the locals go for consistency.

and I get ESPN but not TBS or WGN...

[mduffy31]

10. Doesn't the same company that owns WGN

...also own the Cubs. They are both owned by the Tribune aren't they?

[HuskerDU]

11. yup

NT