Channel 4 is officially no more, but where does that leave the San Diego Padres on TV?

by Dex on Aug 31, 2011 10:26 AM PDT

As 'Eaters FanShots for us, Cox Communications has confirmed that they are out of the race for broadcasting the 2012 San Diego Padres. It's the end of an era.

I've already made my peace with the fact that Channel 4, as we know it, will be no more. Maybe some of you held out crazy hope beyond hope, but it's not to be. Cox has made layoffs. As we speak, Johnny Weisbarth is texting me to see if I need a babysitter for the boys. Jenny Cavnar just offered to do the GameThread writeups. Bob Scanlan asked if I needed to buy any hair.

The dream that I had in the back of my mind of turning Gaslamp Ball into a ridiculous Channel 4 show actually took a turn for the more likely. They're gonna have to fill that thing with programming, and there's only so much Sam the Cooking Guy to go around.

Now the question is, where do the Padres end up? The most obvious choice is Fox Sports. From what I can see, Fox Sports could put the Padres on in San Diego as part of their overall lineup and just broadcast Padres games in place of blacked out Dodger and Angels games.

Here's the problem with that. Do you have Fox Sports West? Neither do I. Maybe I do. Who knows. I definitely don't have Prime Ticket, which is how Fox splits their sports programming when there's overlap. Any problems that Time Warner had in broadcasting Padres games because of Cox are currently doubled since Fox Sports West (allegedly) charges such a premium for programming. Neither Time Warner nor Cox Communications carries Fox Sports West in San Diego because they claim it's too expensive.

Now obviously, the previous value of Fox Sports West is cut significantly because they aren't allowed to broadcast the Dodgers or the Angels in San Diego. The incentive wasn't there to just offer up the other sporadic LA sports to San Diego. However, the question then becomes, are the Padres actually worth it?

Having a crap season this year following a great season last year was ill luck for the Padres. Ideally, a winner, good attendance and strong ratings would've been good bargaining chips for a new TV deal. In the light of the 2011 season, I'm not so sure that Cox or Time Warner would give any indication of changing their collective minds about FSW just because the Padres were there. Cox has said that they plan to accommodate the next rights holder and maybe they will, but if FSW is really as expensive as the cable companies claim, then we'll probably end up in the 300s to watch Padres games.

On the flip side, the deal supposed to be worth upwards of $30 million and should get the Padres broadcast to a wider potential audience. It will be interesting to see exactly how it shakes down.

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Mass Exodus to Satellite?

Another thing to consider is this: How many people have stayed with TWC or Cox Cable strictly because they did not want to lose Channel 4 Padres? There could be a mass exodus of San Diegans to Satellite TV, dropping their cable subscriptions. I think for many, the only draw for keeping cable was that it’s the only way to get Ch 4 Padres. It will be a whole new ball game next year.

by Jen Faye on Aug 31, 2011 10:44 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Actually, the disincentive for adding FSPT to San Diego is that there isn’t enough interest in the Ducks or Clippers to justify it. We get FSW which covers about 60% of the Lakers games and 80% of the Kings and Angels games.

I don’t know that a channel that has to be carried by the Ducks and Clippers for 6 months out of the year is really a sustainable idea in San Diego.

I, however, would support the idea, since PT does carry like, 7-10 Kings games a year.

by Adam Rosenberg on Aug 31, 2011 10:46 AM PDT reply actions

Right

I was mixing up Prime Ticket and FSW in my head.

by Dex on Aug 31, 2011 12:26 PM PDT up reply actions

I thought Fox Sports was considering adding a Fox Sports SD channel

Would obviously be a perfect fit for the Pads.

by athletics68 on Aug 31, 2011 11:06 AM PDT reply actions

Who would play there?

I think the only way that happens is if the programming includes San Diego State athletics, which I’m not sure is gonna happen.

by Dex on Aug 31, 2011 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions

I can bother to find the article if you need me to

but the rumor was that the padres would be a fox sports west/primeticket subfeed for a “temporary” amount of time and then eventually become it’s own channel.

For a San Diego resident, a subfeed isn’t all that bad as the dodgers and angels are outside of the market and shouldnt be broadcast anyways. A subfeed can suck for places like las vegas though as the operator will likely pick the LA feed over the SD feed.

by kevintheoman on Aug 31, 2011 12:31 PM PDT up reply actions

As a temporary measure that could work

I know I get FSW with the basic Time Warner package I have. It’s just blacked out most of the summer due to the Angels and Dodgers which leaves plenty of space to fill with Pads games.

by athletics68 on Aug 31, 2011 5:15 PM PDT up reply actions

I've had Cox and Time Warner

And I’ve had Fox Sports West on both. They black out the Angels games and I think some of the Lakers and Clippers games in SD, but they will show the Kings. However, I don’t see how they’d be able to show Padres games unless they regionalized their programming on that channel by cable provider. And then I don’t know what that would mean for satellite.

"Beating the Red Sox feels SO GOOD.! SO GOOD! SO GOOD!" -jbox

Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't

by Wonko on Aug 31, 2011 11:13 AM PDT reply actions

Hmm

I guess Dex said a lot of what I said in his post. I skimmed through some and I thought he had said something different.

Carry on. Ignore this blithering nonsense from Wonko.

"Beating the Red Sox feels SO GOOD.! SO GOOD! SO GOOD!" -jbox

Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't

by Wonko on Aug 31, 2011 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions

No you're right

FSW makes little sense unless they regionalize it. In which case it’s essentially a new channel anyway which goes back to the idea floated earlier this year that they’d create a Fox Sports SD in essence.

Still I must say I’m sorry to see 4SD go. They were a great home for the team but Cox needed to get them on the satellite systems.

by athletics68 on Aug 31, 2011 12:08 PM PDT up reply actions

subfeeds have been used before

Fox Sports Wisconsin used to be a subfeed of Fox Sports North.

Fox Sports Ohio has two subfeeds: Cincinnati and Cleveland

by kevintheoman on Aug 31, 2011 12:38 PM PDT up reply actions

cox las vegas carries both fox sports west and prime ticket

it can’t be as expensive as the cable companies claim if they are bothering to carry it in a market outside the target market. Additionally, they’d seriously lose customers in san diego if they didn’t carry the padres.

the real concern is markets like las vegas, palm springs, yuma, and el centro who are in the padres blackout area but are outside of san diego county.

by kevintheoman on Aug 31, 2011 12:27 PM PDT reply actions

I'm sure Vegas can justify

What with all the sports books and out of towners and no restrictions on broadcasting Dodgers and Angels.

by Dex on Aug 31, 2011 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions

yeah

the channels are too expensive if half the programming is blacked out. But if padres are added to the programming, they will be worth their value. I’m saying its silly to think that Cox San Diego and Time Warner San Diego won’t pick up the channel if it has the padres on it.

by kevintheoman on Aug 31, 2011 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions

"Fox Sports, San Diego Region" Is Hiring

a Senior VP/General Manager: https://newscorp.taleo.net/careersection/fox_external_career_section/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=48529

Don’t know if that means a new network or not.

by nwynne on Aug 31, 2011 1:00 PM PDT reply actions

Yep

And they’ve supposedly already got Enberg lined up to make the jump (unfortunately) according to 1090

by athletics68 on Aug 31, 2011 5:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

"Rob Johnson does not suck" --me
"Norf is straight up awesome on b-holes out there."--TheThinGwynn (sort of)
"I hate Rob Johnson's stupid face"-- sdchicken

by tonoxtono on Aug 31, 2011 6:35 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

God please no!!!!!

I was praying they’d go with someone, anyone else.

Hopefully Cavnar, Grant and Scanlan follow. Any word on them?

by BigRed61 on Aug 31, 2011 7:04 PM PDT up reply actions 3 recs

FSW

Cox actually does carry it, in North County at least. It’s channel 29 on standard cable.

by Vekou on Aug 31, 2011 5:22 PM PDT reply actions

Oh yeah... I totally forgot about that channel

No Prime Ticket though.

by Dex on Aug 31, 2011 7:00 PM PDT up reply actions

I believe it's 731 on Time Warner too for HD at least.

by athletics68 on Aug 31, 2011 7:33 PM PDT up reply actions

Its the same here for Cox in San Diego. Ch. 29

This is a terrible thing for the Padres. - Jerry Coleman

by Padres_Hobo on Aug 31, 2011 7:50 PM PDT up reply actions

SDUT is reporting

Padres have an agreement with Fox for 2012

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/01/padres-have-agreement-principle-fsn/

http://chargerdynasty.blogspot.com/ " If you have some spare money hanging around, it would be worth your time to place some bets based on my Chargers 38 Bengals 7 prediction"

by strummer on Sep 1, 2011 1:27 PM PDT reply actions

And that defines it as using a Fox Sports San Diego channel.

And after thinking about this, I don’t think they need additional local sports programming other than Padres. These channels have filler shows that they put in when no sporting events are on.

"Beating the Red Sox feels SO GOOD.! SO GOOD! SO GOOD!" -jbox

Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't

by Wonko on Sep 1, 2011 4:20 PM PDT up reply actions