MLB Seeks A Buyer For MASN

[StevenJB]

Major League Baseball has asked a private investment bank to seek potential new owners for the rights that are now held by the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) RSN controlled by Orioles owner Peter Angelos. Allen & Co., a New York-based investment bank, is seeking buyers to acquire the two franchises’ broadcast rights from MASN. Two interested buyers are Comcast (CSN) and Fox (FSN). The new owner would essentially separate MASN and Angelos from the Nationals by creating a new RSN in the region and give each franchise an independent broadcast deal under a single RSN. MASN would cease to exist.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...abs_sports_pop

[ajc54terp]

What a joke that peter is only offering them 34 million this year.

[ivanbalt]

What a joke that peter is only offering them 34 million this year.

You'll take what you get and like it.

[StevenJB]

You'll take what you get and like it.

Tell that to Ted Lerner on his way to court.

It is rather obvious that MLB agrees with the Nationals that they are being underpaid. MLB must also be concerned with potential Nationals legal action. I'm not an attorney so I have no opinion as what the Nationals chances are of prevailing in court and gaining legal relief. But, I will say this. MLB is worried enough about the legal ramifications that it wants Angelos to sell his RSN or else they would be backing him.

Thomas Boswell said this:

"Now, MLB has asked a private investment bank to seek potential new owners for all of MASN, which would, in theory, take Angelos out of the picture. What a great idea, Bud — for 18 months ago.

"For now, the most likely potential buyer would be Fox. Would Angelos sell? Normally, I’d say, “No,” or only under threat of “best interests of the game” powers that Selig is loath to use for fear of a court case that might prompt Angelos to go all Al Davis and embarrass MLB with dirty laundry.

"However, irony never sleeps. Someone once said, “Sell high.” And MASN may never again be worth what it is now with Fox about to close on the $6-billion Dodger deal — the bonanza swung by Kasten’s group.

"Neither D.C. nor Baltimore is L.A. But, combined, they’re half L.A.’s population. That fat footprint is made all the more valuable by two teams in the market. The last thing Angelos ever wanted, baseball in D.C., may catalyze a bigger payday for him than asbestos and big tobacco."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...2_story_1.html

[ivanbalt]

Tell that to Ted Lerner on his way to court.

I'm sure a deal can be worked out. More money to the Nats and a couple of those pitchers to the O's.

[StevenJB]

I'm sure a deal can be worked out. More money to the Nats and a couple of those pitchers to the O's.

You think Angelos would be happy with Strasburg and Gio in the deal?

[ivanbalt]

You think Angelos would be happy with Strasburg and Gio in the deal?

The Nats would have to pick up most of their contracts too.

[StevenJB]

The Nats would have to pick up most of their contracts too.

Damn, there you go again. I just sprayed hot tea all over my monitor after trying to laugh and swallow at the same time!

Seriously though, Angelos would be a fool to pass up this potential windfall. MLB wants MASN kaput, now. Even Angelos knows when to quit while he is far ahead of the game. He may hate the Nationals and want to fight on because of his stubborn pride but MLB is trying to tell him something and that is get out while the getting out is good. MLB wants this controversy behind them. It has stretched out now for well over a year. The Orioles will be paid handsomely for their TV rights and Angelos can forget about the headaches that running an RSN entail. Besides, Angelos is an old man. He should enjoy his money now. He can't take MASN with him when he descends into Hell.

[can you hear me now!]

this comes as no shock to me. this network was doomed from day 1 given the ownership. little petey will walk away with a nice profit and restart his "oh, woe is me" campaign about not being able to compete.

congrats Nats fans, your days of having to deal with this little pos are coming to an end.

the Nats will rake in signnificantly more in rights fees than petey's listing franchise. If I'm COMCAST, I want to make sure little petey feels the pain.

[weird-O]

sadly, none of this will help the O's. Fox could give PGA a Billion $ a season, and he would still cry poor put $90M on the field and pocket the rest.

perhaps justice will finally find it's way to the Expos/Nats who have suffered under owner induced poverty since the franchise joined the league.

PGA's reaction will tell us everything we need to know. if he acquiesces, you know he's getting more money to back down. his got an ego that won't quit, but that ego can be stroked with $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$



$$$$$

[atomic]

What a joke that peter is only offering them 34 million this year.

well in 2010 the nationals only had 26000 viewers per game. 34 million seems to me that they are overpaying for the nationals rights.

The league agreed to the deal for the nationals entering the orioles market. if the nationals want to leave the market they could stop being on the orioles network but they would probably have a hard time breaking their lease.

[atomic]

the nationals can sell their share of the network anytime they want.

[Ravens2006]

A couple months old, but still a decent overview...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozan...-world-series/

[HAIL2BNG]

If Angelos sells does that mean people will stop waiting for him to spend the MASN money?

[Far from home]

If Angelos sells does that mean people will stop waiting for him to spend the MASN money?

nice!

I'm sure that money is gaining interest in some Swiss bank as we speak.

[kudzu]

congrats Nats fans, your days of having to deal with this little pos are coming to an end.

From your lips to God's ears.

Violently, silently, I don't care.

MASN needs to die.

[can you hear me now!]

If Angelos sells does that mean people will stop waiting for him to spend the MASN money?

only the truly gullible believed this in the first place....

[AntiMoon]

Read Schmuck's new article. The Nats are screwed, Angelos is laughing all the way to the bank and O's fans are wondering when the cheapskate will sign a big FA

[Ravens2006]

The Nationals’ stake in MASN will increase to 14 percent next season. Based on MASN’s proposal, the rights fee amount would increase to just under $37 million in 2013 with an equity stake payment of $8 million, one person said.

So financial management gurus please explain...

If the Nationals stake in MASN is 14% (about 1/7th) and their 2013 "equity payment" is 8 million... I'm assuming that's on total profit... then are we to assume that MASN's total profit in the last year is / was approximately $56 million? And that would be after they've paid out a combined $74 million to the Nationals and the Orioles, right? Or no?

Would it also be right to assume that MASN's current profit AFTER all business expenses and BEFORE broadcast contract & equity payouts is the sum of those two numbers... about $130 million?

[allballfan]

You think Angelos would be happy with Strasburg and Gio in the deal?

Angelos would reject Strasburg due his medical history