MLB wants to purchase regional sports networks

charlieoscar

Member
Sep 28, 2014
1,339
This was dated 28 Mar 2018 but I don't recall it being discussed and I first saw mention about it today, but after Disney purchased 21st Century Fox's entertainment business earlier in March, that also included 22 regional sports networks. The Justice Department said that in order for Disney's deal to go through, those RSNs had to be divested.

“There’s tremendous revenue disparity in our game, and I think that if we had more of a national model closer to where the NFL is it would solve a lot of those competitive issues for us, kind of level the playing field.” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday.

Also from the article, "Leagues and teams are worried over the cord-cutting trend and how to react with the emergence of over-the-top digital streaming."
 

snowmanny

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 8, 2005
15,672
Wouldn't that change the value of many franchises? e.g. Red Sox/Yankees/Dodgers would drop and Pirates/Royals/Marlins would go up? Not exactly fair for investors of the former teams.
 

Plympton91

bubble burster
SoSH Member
Oct 19, 2008
12,408
That would be classic US antitrust law.

DOJ: “We are concerned your purchase creates too much monopoly power.”

Disney: “Ok, we’ll sell some stations to this other monopoly that provides half their content.”

DOJ: “Cool! Approved!”

Sigh.