McCown/Sportsnet Battle Update

The whole sorted mess can be read here: LINK.

Coles notes version of the events:
- Sportsnet and McCown in battle as McCown has been without a contract since September.
- McCown threatens to pull PTS off the Sportsnet airwaves
- Sportsnet pulls PTS off the air on its own
- McCown and Rogers "connect" on a new contract without Sportsnet's knowledge
- PTS will be back on the air on Tuesday as follows:
* PTS LIVE on Sportsnet East
* HockeyCentral replay (from noon) @ 5pm on Sportsnet Ontario
* Connected @ 6:30pm on Sportsnet Ontario
As Zelkovich pointed out, "The East channel will get McCown, but those elsewhere in the country who want to see it will have to pay for that channel."

I can't believe that Rogers intervened (whether it was McCown pushing it or not), to 'save' PTS. McCown has been way more critical of Rogers with relation to the Blue Jays current issues, than Sportsnet. I still can't believe Rogers was the one who found the value in McCown and didn't want to let him go.

So, some key questions for me:
1) What did Rogers pay McCown? For how much?
2) Did Rogers know that Sportsnet would dramatically scale back the amount of PTS coverage on the airwaves?
3) How long is the contract for?

Will this affect any of you out there?

...like sands through the hourglass...

7 comments:

  1. It's not surprising Rogers would find value in the product, the FAN 590 is also a Rogers property. If Bobcat were to start brodcasting on TSN, it would inevitably mark the begining of his departure from the FAN and I can't see that happening any time soon.

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  2. i don't get it.... can i see it live in ontario?????

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  3. You need Sportnset East (Ch. 403) on Rogers.

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  4. Though all is apparently smiles and chuckles on both sides of the Rogers Sportsnet-Bob McCown battle, this isn't the first time the two have crossed microphones.

    Back when Sportsnet originally planned to put McCown's FAN 590 show on television, things were delayed when McCown brought it to the network's attention that a clause in his contract called for a few more dollars if the show were ever put on TV. How McCown's agent, Gord Kirke, ever thought of that one is a mystery, but things eventually were ironed out.

    Eventually, they were ironed out this time, too.

    Sportsnet's vice-president of content, David Akande, says there were no red faces (embarrassed or angry, as I wrote Friday) over McCown's new deal being reached about the time Sportsnet was yanking the show.

    ``As I told the staff, negotiations were going on and anything can happen," Akande said, adding that Sportsnet was fully prepared to reinstate the show once a deal was done


    source: www.thestar.com

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  5. I don't get it... isnt Rogers/FAN/SportsNet all the same company? Counldn't Rogers just TELL SportsNet to air it? And when you say "McCown" wanted more money, do you mean he himself or the PTS show in general? And when you say "McCown" threatened to pull the show off SN, do you mean him himself or his people or the show's executives? Or do you really mean to imply that he negotiates these things directly?

    Sorry for all the Qs, i just want to understand :)

    Anyway this shouldn't affect anyone if they just download the podcasts right?

    Speaking of which... how come sometimes the 4-5pm hour (listener call-in) is on fadoo.ca but other days its not??

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  6. McCown was able to obtain the television rights to his show in his last negotiation with FAN 590 therefore that is why it is him that has been negotiating directly with Rogers

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  7. Rogers: have the "Stones" and jettison McCown &
    Kirke, the networks will certainly profit by their absence.There is an imminent need for a fresh face at the helm of PTS. I am beyond the point of boredom by their "take it or leave it,
    I don't care" arrogant attitude. I have now decided to leave it and send a very terse not so "fond-Adieu" to McCown & Kirke!
    R.A.D.

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