Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Blackout Could Hurt Twins Bill
The Minnesota Twins' attempt to strongarm legislators and cable companies at the same time seems to be backfiring. Aron Kahn of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that with 105 Twins telecasts unavailable to the vast majority of the state, thanks to the Pohlad family's demand that cable companies pay $2.20/subscriber each month for its new Victory Sports Network, the Minnesota legislature's not inclined to take up the stadium bill demanded by the club until the cable dispute is resolved.
One legislator has already tried to force Victory Sports into binding arbitration with local cable systems. Senate majority leader Dean Johnson says his constituents know which issue they want to see resolved first:
"It's been said to me more than once: 'Keep your powder dry on the stadium until they resolve the issue of putting them back on TV.' "
Last year Fox Sports charged $1.70/month for the Twins plus the local NBA and NHL teams. Last month a panel of arbitrators ruled that the Yankees' YES Network was worth $1.93/month. The Pohlads can hold their breath until they turn blue, but their product is clearly overpriced at $2.20/month and no major cable operator is going to meet their terms.
The cable stalemate is also antagonizing legislators whose vote will be needed to pass any bill containing the nine-figure stadium subsidy demanded by the Pohlads. Their overreaching could leave them as friendless as they were the day after they offered the club for contraction.
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The Minnesota Twins' attempt to strongarm legislators and cable companies at the same time seems to be backfiring. Aron Kahn of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that with 105 Twins telecasts unavailable to the vast majority of the state, thanks to the Pohlad family's demand that cable companies pay $2.20/subscriber each month for its new Victory Sports Network, the Minnesota legislature's not inclined to take up the stadium bill demanded by the club until the cable dispute is resolved.
One legislator has already tried to force Victory Sports into binding arbitration with local cable systems. Senate majority leader Dean Johnson says his constituents know which issue they want to see resolved first:
"It's been said to me more than once: 'Keep your powder dry on the stadium until they resolve the issue of putting them back on TV.' "
Last year Fox Sports charged $1.70/month for the Twins plus the local NBA and NHL teams. Last month a panel of arbitrators ruled that the Yankees' YES Network was worth $1.93/month. The Pohlads can hold their breath until they turn blue, but their product is clearly overpriced at $2.20/month and no major cable operator is going to meet their terms.
The cable stalemate is also antagonizing legislators whose vote will be needed to pass any bill containing the nine-figure stadium subsidy demanded by the Pohlads. Their overreaching could leave them as friendless as they were the day after they offered the club for contraction.
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