Comments on: UPDATE: Maybe the Rangers-FOX deal is not 20-years, $3 billion

By: APBA Guy

APBA Guy — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 18:20:45 +0000

Craig- if Tiffany is living in your basement what are you doing referencing Vivid Video? How much is enough with you?

By: RichardInBigD

RichardInBigD — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:42:29 +0000

Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News is reporting 1.6 billion for 20 years.

By: sportsdrenched

sportsdrenched — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:40:37 +0000

At first thought, I was like wow, The Rangers? Really.
Then I remember a lot of the discussion during this past summers Big 12 morph into the Texas 10. Texas is expected to double in population in the next 20 years, the life of this contract. Now it makes perfect sense that FOX would try and get ahead of the curve on this.
Because like a Good Royals fan, and Big 12 North fan knows. It’s a not about athletic performance anymore…it’s how many TV’s you can bring.

By: Dan in Katonah

Dan in Katonah — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:30:37 +0000

Craig,
We’ve had law discussions here before, but I don’t do bankruptcy. My question is, obviously a deal of this size was in the works for some time – so how could the team be shielded by bankruptcy if they had this much cash flow on tap and waiting to come in? If I was a creditor who was getting paid back a reduced amount on what the Rangers owed me (after they tried to accept a lower purchase price), I’d be pretty pissed off right now. Can we call shenanigans?

By: Giant Space Ants

Giant Space Ants — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:22:50 +0000

Of course the Rangers franchise would be faced with the end of the world once they got good- one playoff win in fifty years says someone somewhere has it in for you.

By: geoknows

geoknows — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:11:36 +0000

“It’s possible, however, that he has inside information on an imminent nuclear war or zombie apocalypse.”
Well, there’s that whole Mayan calendar thing…

By: Tony A

Tony A — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:52:43 +0000

WOW! The Texas Rangers, America’s Team…

By: Tony A

Tony A — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:39:24 +0000

WOW! The Texas Rangers, America’s Team…

By: ThatGuy

ThatGuy — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:05:55 +0000

I found an article from 2004 that said the Twins signed a 8 year, 12 million dollar a year deal. 1.5 million a year vs 150 million a year. Thats a crazy disparity.

By: Simon DelMonte

Simon DelMonte — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:03:16 +0000

On the one hand, the Yanks own their own network. OTOH, they have a budget.
All I know is that unless Cliff Lee spends the next three weeks throwing home run balls, he’s likely to be at the center of a bidding war.

By: andrewlw

andrewlw — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:20:14 +0000

I’m curious to see what implications this will have on payroll. Given that this seems to be the most by far any team receives they should have a massive payroll increase while at the same time remain profitable.
I gotta ask what was FOX thinking? Is there a reason they would pay this much compared to other teams?
Finally anyone know where I can find out how much Rogers’ right hand charges it’s left hand to broadcast Blue Jay games.

By: Chris Fiorentino

Chris Fiorentino — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:16:30 +0000

Rangers can pay Lee more than C.C. The Yankers can’t.

By: JimmyY

JimmyY — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:05:04 +0000

…….and SD’s is like $4 million (I think, please correct if not) and a playoff contender

By: Craig Calcaterra

Craig Calcaterra — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:42:43 +0000

No idea about the Angels. I heard the Mariners make something like $40 million a year.

By: Professor Dave

Professor Dave — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:41:29 +0000

Any clue what LAA makes?

By: lardin

lardin — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:35:41 +0000

Did you ever think the reason the Yankees talk like Lee is a forgone conclusion is because CC is his best friend in baseball and there wives are extremely close also. At the trade deadline, before he went to Texas, Lee’s wife was discussing where to live with CC’s wife.
Throw in the fact that he shares an agent with AJ Burnett. The Yankees like their chances.
The Yankees also believe that Cliff Lee will be all amount the money. Do you really expect Texas to win a bidding war with the Yankees?

By: Trevor B

Trevor B — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:26:58 +0000

Yeah, this could greenlight them to be stingy for 15 years and line their pockets. Then rebuild the team for a few seasons and spend more money to have one great season to get the contract renewed another 20 years!

By: Jonny5

Jonny5 — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:21:49 +0000

Maybe Nolan Ryan is 20 times smarter than he seems to be in those Scotts commercials. It would be totally awesome if they gave the middle finger to the Yanks and kept Lee. With that much money they could probably land……… Wow, Like a whole pitching staff full of aces…

By: Detroit Michael

Detroit Michael — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:18:56 +0000

Given that for the next 19 seasons or so that the Rangers’ off-field success has no impact on their local television revenue, doesn’t this decrease the incentive to spend more on major league payroll? Sorry to be a wet blanket.

By: Chris Fiorentino

Chris Fiorentino — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:18:52 +0000

Isn’t this part of the problem with baseball? The big teams get the big local money and they don’t really have to share much of it with anyone. There would be no Texas without Kansas City, Tampa Bay, and Florida. Yet, Texas will now have a major advantage over about 80% of the teams because of a monster contract they signed. Whether they spend it right or not is not the issue…the issue is that Cliff Lee will be the #1 free agent and there’s only about 8 teams that can truly afford to sign him. In the NFL, all 32 teams have an equal chance to sign a free agent. In baseball, the biggest free agents can only go to about 25% of the teams…if that.

By: Giant Space Ants

Giant Space Ants — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:08:18 +0000

Greenberg said he’d make use of that 5th largest market- guess this is a first step.

By: matt

matt — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:05:50 +0000

It would be cool if they signed Cliff Lee. The Yankees talk like its a forgone conclusion that nobody else would be able to afford him. Spread the wealth!!