The 2008 Major League Baseball World Series achieved the event's lowest television ratings in history, and the league is off to a similarly lousy start to the 2009 season.

Ratings for Fox Saturday Baseball have slipped 9% since last season and 23% since 2000. The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that Fox executives will be meeting with MLB Commissioner Bud Selig next week to try to come up with ways to boost ratings.

Executives are not panicking yet -- the real test will be the All-Star Game and the Playoffs, which account for 90% of the revenue under licensing deals.

Continue reading Why isn't anyone watching baseball?

Why isn't anyone watching baseball? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading A salary cap in baseball?

A salary cap in baseball? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading MLB teams up with the NHL to sell online video package

MLB teams up with the NHL to sell online video package originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Citigroup-NY Mets deal is nuts

The Citigroup-NY Mets deal is nuts originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last July I suggested that Citigroup (NYSE: C) should cancel its $400 million deal to put its name on the new New York Mets stadium. Although previous CEO Chuck Prince inked the 20-year deal, I called for it to be canceled after Citi posted $17 billion in losses for the first half of 2008. Not surprisingly, it took more than my blog post to push Citi to cancel the $400 million deal.

After getting $45 billion in government bailout cash and another $305 billion in loan guarantees; and canceling the delivery of a $50 million corporate jet, it comes as no surprise that Citi is beginning to realize that times have changed. But as I suggested last July, there is a rich history of companies naming stadiums after themselves and soon ceasing to exist. For instance, there used to be a stadium in Houston named after a little energy trading firm you may have heard of -- Enron.

Continue reading Citi should have canceled Mets stadium naming deal six months ago

Citi should have canceled Mets stadium naming deal six months ago originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Chicago ObamaSox?

The Chicago ObamaSox? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Not so fast Under Armour, you're being sued by the Chicago Cubs

Not so fast Under Armour, you're being sued by the Chicago Cubs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Scott Boras on why Major League Baseball is better without a Salary Cap originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Does Major League Baseball need a salary cap? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 25 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Are you disgusted yet? This week MBIA (NYSE: MBI) testified -- no they lobbied, hmm, actually they complained -- well the truth is they whined to Congress that short-seller William Ackman had trashed its reputation, and its stock for personal gain -- gee, no kidding -- but the big problem is he seems to have been correct to a major extent. For more on this see MBIA asks Congress to fight its battles with Ackman by Peter Cohan or MBIA plays the spooky short-seller card by Zac Bissonnette.

I own MBIA shares and recently "adventured" into more, but it was not based on management crying foul and everything being just fine. I did it because I think the company will work through the mess over time and that it is oversold now based on fear. MBIA needs to focus on cleaning up its exposure to risk and underwriting standards and stop looking for scapegoats.

Others are in the same boat. There are times the squirming around the truth is painful to watch. This week we watched a baseball pitching icon, Roger Clemens, remind us once again of the first rule of holes: "If you're in one, stop digging." I'm afraid this truism that I often refer to will continue to be a recurring theme in my stories every so often, because some folks just don't get it.

Continue reading It's all disgusting: C, CFC, MBIA, MER & Roger Clemens

It's all disgusting: C, CFC, MBIA, MER & Roger Clemens originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch is probably too busy plotting world domination to spend much time worrying about something trivial like baseball -- until now.

America's pastime is about to start post-season play, most of which will be televised on the company's Fox television network. Already, there was one huge surprise as the Philadelphia Phillies overtook the New York Mets to win the National League East. But this isn't the type of surprise that the media mogul probably likes because a team from a smaller media market beat one from a larger one.

Remember that last year's series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers had record-low television ratings. Advertisers pay a premium price for television spots on the World Series because of the huge audience it attracts. Fox probably has guaranteed that the commercials will be seen by a set amount of viewers and must refund money to advertisers if these targets aren't hit.

Continue reading Will the World Series be a home run for Rupert Murdoch?

Will the World Series be a home run for Rupert Murdoch? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 01 Oct 2007 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Taking a $752,467 stand: Bonds' ball to be branded originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 26 Sep 2007 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Tribune may sell Cubs, Wrigley Field separately

Tribune may sell Cubs, Wrigley Field separately originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Walt Disney Corp. (NYSE: DIS), Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX) may be tempted to pick up the Yankee Entertainment & Sports Network, the cable TV channel that broadcasts the baseball team's games which Bloomberg News said could be worth as much as $2 billion.

The channel, whose owners include Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) and former New Jersey Nets owner Raymond Chambers, is "running a limited check" and would only consider selling if it got a price "reflecting its real value," spokesman Peter Rose told Bloomberg. Funny guy to be quoted in a baseball story. I guess anything is for sale at the right price. What an original concept.

It will be an interesting test of wills between Disney's ESPN and Comcast. ESPN remains a juggernaut for the house that Mickey built. Comcast is trying to challenge ESPN with its Comcast SportsNet channels including the one I watch in Philadelphia that broadcasts Phillies games.

Remember, we're talking about the Yankees here, one of the most recognized though not necessarily loved franchises in baseball. New Yorkers, though, continue to love their Bronx Bombers even though they have struggled this year.

But the time the YES network is sold, however, slugger Alex Rodriguez will have left the Big Apple for parts unknown. With $2 billion in the bank, I'm sure the team could afford to replace him.

Disney, Comcast, Time Warner may bid for Yankees TV network originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Cubbies for sale

Cubbies for sale originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading World watches while Bonds chases record

World watches while Bonds chases record originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 31 May 2007 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

How much money would Barry Bonds be worth if he liked the media and the media liked him? That is the proverbial $64,000 question with the brawny outfielder just 10 home runs shy of Hank Aaron's career home run record of 755.

The 42-year-old Bonds has a one-year $16 million contract with the San Francisco Giants and if he has saved and invested well during his lucrative playing years, he should have no financial worries heading into his life after baseball. His career earnings dating back to his rookie season with Pittsburgh in 1986 are at least $172 million. But with potential legal bills mounting, Bonds is probably saving every penny he can. He still may be indicted by federal prosecutors on charges of perjury and he could be fined hefty amounts by the U.S. government in tax penalties.

With all this going on for the soon-to-be home run king, he's practically invisible on the endorsement front. Companies don't want to go anywhere near Bonds because of still unproven suspicions of steroid use. That and his general unfriendliness towards the media, and he really is alone on an island most days at the ballpark. But that didn't seem to bother him much this week as the Giants visited Shea Stadium and the New York Mets.

Bonds didn't even speak to the media before the first game of the series on Tuesday. The most intriguing aspect of the Bonds home run-record chase is how Aaron himself says he won't attend when the record is broken. And Commissioner Bud Selig has not confirmed whether he will attend either. Some way for baseball to treat its most hallowed record. The same Major League Baseball which clearly turned its collective heads the other way when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa (both bulked up beyond rational belief) were chasing Roger Maris' single season record of 61 in 1998. McGwire went on to hit 70 dingers that summer, a record Bonds surpassed with 73 in 2001.

Will Bonds ever reap the financial rewards of the record he's about to shatter? The answer, quite clearly, is no.

Bonds won't get rich as baseball's home run king originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 May 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What lessons can investors learn from the return of Roger Clemens to the Yankees next week, possibly against the Boston Red Sox? Plenty.

Like great investors, great baseball executives know where to find value. On the face of it, spending lots of money on a 44-year-old pitcher seems like a poor investment. But this isn't just any player. Clemens has already won 348 games, along with seven Cy Young Awards, making him one of the best to ever play the game.

The Yankees are going to pay him an astounding $4.5 million per month for four months work. That works out to about $9,000 per pitch regardless whether they are balls or strikes. Sure is nice work if you can get it, but is Yankee owner George Steinbrenner going to get his money's worth from Clemens? They have to reach the postseason, period.

The Bronx Bombers faced a double-digit deficit to the Red Sox last weekend, before rebounding slightly. They've been forced to start a record seven rookies in the team's first 42 games, so adding Clemens surely will be a welcome injection for the decimated starting staff.

Continue reading Is Roger Clemens a good investment?

Is Roger Clemens a good investment? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 May 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It shoots, it scores! NBA announces video download store originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 May 2007 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.