Sports Media

[zambonir]

Yeah Apple News + is kind of a screaming deal for the NYer alone, assuming you want to read a few other things (and it has WSJ I believe). But it is yet another digital thing where the magazines don't make any decent money, they just feel obligated to be in the ecosystem because Apple holds all the cards. I don't much like the product either, I really liked Texture which made it a lot easier to just read the magazines, but that obviously wasn't making any money for the publishers either (so they sold it to Apple).

I still prefer to read as many mags in print as I can, I spend 12 hours a day looking at screens already. There aren't going to be as many of them come fall, unfortunately.

[zambonir]

This is unfortunate: no more Hardball Talk. Bring back Crashburn Alley!

Some personal news: After 11+ years at NBC, @HardballTalk is officially no more and I'm out with it. I want to thank @NBCSports for a ■■■■ of a ride and HBT readers for riding along.

My ride's not over, though. Updates soon, but you're not rid of my opinions just yet.

— Craig Calcaterra ( @craigcalcaterra ) August 3, 2020

https://twitter.com/Baer_Bill/status/1290366518912573442

[kmc1019]

Phillies TV broadcast team member Gregg Murphy part of layoffs at NBC Sports:

Phillies broadcaster Gregg Murphy among the layoffs at NBC Sports Philadelphia

[julio]

Phillies TV broadcast team member Gregg Murphy part of layoffs at NBC Sports:

Phillies broadcaster Gregg Murphy among the layoffs at NBC Sports Philadelphia

Does this mean that future Phillies' telecasts will have to survive without Murphy's inane "color" pieces that intrude on actually reporting on the game in progress? Oh, the horror.

Sorry to see the guy lose his job, but I'd have been happier if NBC Sports Philly had employed him... I don't know... polishing hubcaps in the parking lot or something - without a mic or camera!

[zambonir]

haha I was just going to say julio must be crushed.

I'm sure he's a capable broadcaster, possibly even better than some of the guys in the booth. It's just a dumb role. And also one that is really more in the realm of marketing and ticket sales than covering the game, so not really needed either. Kinda funny that his last season is going to be one where he can't even do his job normally, but at least he got paid this year.

A lot of these changes won't be undone, I suspect. Broadcasters will stop going on the road with teams. Booths will shrink (which is not necessarily a bad thing). Front offices will also be scaled back, including baseball ops, when November 1 hits.

[julio]

Murphy is apparently a stand-up guy, well-liked among the media. But as zambonir noted, he's been in a stupid, annoying role - yes, more marketer than game coverage. At least one of the beat writers indicated that he's expected to leave after the season, so the in-game interruptions will presumably continue. I don't wish him ill - I just want him to stop "entertaining" us at the cost of actually covering the game in progress. I have less issue with the way he's handled PbP when he fills in there (ST games sometimes). He's OK - not great (nobody on the TV crew has been "great" since Harry passed, and the best of the people they tried - Scott Graham - was driven away by...well, he who shall not be named).

Thank goodness for Scott Franzke! It clearly is possible to hire a first-rate baseball announcer, even in this day and age.

[zambonir]

Yes, he's under contract, so not technically even laid-off, just won't be getting a new contract. I'm sure he is probably happy to continue to spend the year at the ballpark, when technically he could just collect the pay.

I agree that when he's in the booth he's perfectly fine. And hear-hear on Graham.

I think Frandsen has worked out very well too. LA feels like mostly schtick/grumpy old man to me at this point.

It was supposed to get better when Comcast took over control of the broadcast, but their choices haven't been any more interesting than when Phillies PR (i.e. Wheeler) was in charge.

[Lawman]

Thank goodness for Scott Franzke! It clearly is possible to hire a first-rate baseball announcer, even in this day and age.

Agreed.

[schillingfan]

I don’t recall the story about Scott Graham or who he who shall not be named is.

[zambonir]

Wheeler.

[andyb]

MLB.com did send their rest of season TV offer. $24.99 for the rest of the season. $19.99 for the Phillies.

Not quite as good as last year when the offer was like $39.99 for the Phillies starting Father's Day in mid-June. Was like 60% of the season for 40% of the price. This year started at $59.99 and $49.99, so it is still a 60% discount but we are over halfway through the season.

Will probably skip it as MLB Network has about half the Phillies schedule the rest of the way (almost all of that Marlins series).

[zambonir]

But can you tell how often they are the primary MLBN games? I haven't had much luck there so far. Doesn't really matter since I also have MLB.TV but I do actually have one TV with old-fashioned non-HD cable that include MLBN so it's sometimes nice to have the option.

[andyb]

Hard to tell. Some don't have backups listed and at least one had the Nats or Orioles in the other game, so I know I am getting the Phillies.

In general it does look like FS1 and ESPN have twice the number of games as usual too since I assume they had make-goods from the cancelled games.

[andyb]

In the annoying "view at home" category, the Phillies look like they are the backup game on MLB Network for both games with the Orioles and Yankees the primary game. My schedule correctly shows a blackout on the Orioles' games. YTTV does get the alternate feed though and the Phillies are not listed on my schedule yet. Hope it kicks in by game time.

[andyb]

MLB national TV rights still look healthy:

Turner Sports expands rights deal with MLB through 2028

This deal and the Fox deal include 40% increases from the previous deal. ESPN still needs to renew but would assume they are likely too under similar increases (though all of these include new digital rights).

[HopeSpringsEternal]

For any of you missing Tom McCarthy’s voice this offseason, he’s apparently scheduled to be one of the announcers for the Bills-Titans game tomorrow (Tue, Oct 13) on CBS.

[zambonir]

haha. I heard them talking about that on one of the games yesterday, didn't catch which one.

[bkox]

Jim Jackson Says the Phillies are Letting Him Go - Crossing Broad

[zambonir]

I always liked Jim on the Phillies games, maybe I just have good will towards him from the Flyers but he was always the best-sounding announcer to me, Nothing special, nothing fancy, just a good describer of the action with a good radio voice.

The machinations of the Phillies broadcast group is still interesting to me - supposedly the TV crew has worked directly for Comcast since the first big shake-up (when they dropped Matthews and Wheeler) but the radio team still works for the Phillies, and Schmidt and Rollins also have advisor gigs with the Phillies. You have to wonder if they'll even carry both Davis and Kruk, or if LA might finally get nudged into full retirement.

[Philsmania]

I always liked Jim on the Phillies games, maybe I just have good will towards him from the Flyers but he was always the best-sounding announcer to me, Nothing special, nothing fancy, just a good describer of the action with a good radio voice.

The machinations of the Phillies broadcast group is still interesting to me - supposedly the TV crew has worked directly for Comcast since the first big shake-up (when they dropped Matthews and Wheeler) but the radio team still works for the Phillies, and Schmidt and Rollins also have advisor gigs with the Phillies. You have to wonder if they'll even carry both Davis and Kruk, or if LA might finally get nudged into full retirement.

NBCSNP already dropped Phillies "sideline" reporter Gregg Murphy.

As for me, I am not as enamored as the Franzke-LA pairing as a lot of other people. No real problem with Franzke but LA has, for the most part, evolved into an old curmudgeon--though an insightful one. If the Phillies pivot back to a rebuild, he will probably become downright grouchy. When he and Franzke try to make things lighthearted, their banter comes off--to me, at least--as somewhat sophomoric.

Does Kruk want a full time gig? He is certainly better than Davis. One thing that McCarthy has never really had has been a strong or popular boothmate and I wonder if that has held him back in the phans' estimation. Wheeler was always controversial and never accepted by the phanbase while Sarge and Davis were weak.