FSN sole TV source for D-Backs
Nick Piecoro
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 12, 2007 10:56 PM
The Diamondbacks and regional network Fox Sports Net Arizona have signed an eight-year agreement that will move all of the club's televised games to the cable station beginning next season.
The deal means that Channel 3 (KTVK) will no longer carry the Diamondbacks after having aired games since the team's inaugural season in 1998.
It will make the Diamondbacks one of a growing number of teams to put their full schedule of games on a cable network.
Team officials say a large number of their fan base has cable or satellite television. They also believe the new arrangement adds simplicity in that fans will know where to look and programming conflicts will no longer arise.
The deal is a rights fee arrangement; meaning FSNAZ pays a fee and sells the advertising. In the current arrangement, which this season split 150 games evenly between Channel 3 and FSNAZ, the team has been selling its own ads for games on Channel 3.
FSNAZ will carry up to 150 games a season through 2015. FSNAZ had carried 60 games a year from 1998 to 2005 before increasing to 70 last season and 75 this year, FSN spokesman Brett Hansen said.
"If a fan is going to want to watch Diamondbacks baseball, they're going to watch it on FSN Arizona," said Mike Connelly, FSNAZ's senior vice president and general manager. "It continues our vision for being a home for local sports."
Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall said the team was sensitive to fans who don't have cable or satellite.
"It's certainly something we consider," he said. "We had the same concern over the last couple of years when we were reducing the number (of games on Channel 3)."
FSNAZ reaches 2.8 million households in Arizona and New Mexico, and according to Hansen, the latest Nielsen Media Research numbers show that 85 percent of the Phoenix market and 83 percent of the Tucson market have cable or satellite penetration.
Channel 3 executives could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.
The Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox have their full schedule of games on regional networks.
"I think that's eventually where everybody is going to go because over-the-air stations have fewer and fewer time slots available and they don't want to have to cut programming," Hall said. "The Fox regional networks provide the perfect stage for 150 games."
Hall said there are fewer programming conflicts on regional networks - for games and for pregame and postgame shows.
Nick Piecoro
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 12, 2007 10:56 PM
The Diamondbacks and regional network Fox Sports Net Arizona have signed an eight-year agreement that will move all of the club's televised games to the cable station beginning next season.
The deal means that Channel 3 (KTVK) will no longer carry the Diamondbacks after having aired games since the team's inaugural season in 1998.
It will make the Diamondbacks one of a growing number of teams to put their full schedule of games on a cable network.
Team officials say a large number of their fan base has cable or satellite television. They also believe the new arrangement adds simplicity in that fans will know where to look and programming conflicts will no longer arise.
The deal is a rights fee arrangement; meaning FSNAZ pays a fee and sells the advertising. In the current arrangement, which this season split 150 games evenly between Channel 3 and FSNAZ, the team has been selling its own ads for games on Channel 3.
FSNAZ will carry up to 150 games a season through 2015. FSNAZ had carried 60 games a year from 1998 to 2005 before increasing to 70 last season and 75 this year, FSN spokesman Brett Hansen said.
"If a fan is going to want to watch Diamondbacks baseball, they're going to watch it on FSN Arizona," said Mike Connelly, FSNAZ's senior vice president and general manager. "It continues our vision for being a home for local sports."
Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall said the team was sensitive to fans who don't have cable or satellite.
"It's certainly something we consider," he said. "We had the same concern over the last couple of years when we were reducing the number (of games on Channel 3)."
FSNAZ reaches 2.8 million households in Arizona and New Mexico, and according to Hansen, the latest Nielsen Media Research numbers show that 85 percent of the Phoenix market and 83 percent of the Tucson market have cable or satellite penetration.
Channel 3 executives could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.
The Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox have their full schedule of games on regional networks.
"I think that's eventually where everybody is going to go because over-the-air stations have fewer and fewer time slots available and they don't want to have to cut programming," Hall said. "The Fox regional networks provide the perfect stage for 150 games."
Hall said there are fewer programming conflicts on regional networks - for games and for pregame and postgame shows.
