The Los Angeles Dodgers Find Themselves in a Media Rights Bind

A recent issue regarding media rights in sports has been with the baseball team, The Los Angeles Dodgers. The LA Dodgers are suing Fox over the sale of media rights. The lawsuit stated that Fox Sports, whom broadcasts all Dodger games violated an agreement they had together protecting the Dodgers and their bankruptcy situation. The Dodgers have a pending deal with the MLB in regards to the Dodgers' media rights. After agreeing to sell the Dodger franchise, they have found themselves in a world-wind of mess. Beginning in the year 2014 and on, the Dodger's media rights will be up for sale. This soon to be settlement with the MLB is stated by Fox to be breaching their contract with them. Fox believed the Dodgers should not be selling their media rights. 

 

The Dodgers requested of the court a restraining order on Fox. This would be to protect them from messing up any media rights deals and issues.  And after suing Fox Sports in bankruptcy court this month, the initial hearing on if this immediate situation was to be dismissed or not was canceled. Reuters cites that the Dodgers have been trying to get negotiations on the sale of the team going while the Fox situation is basically on the back burner. The Dodgers are offering to sell the entire team including their media rights, which is why they prefer to make a concrete deal with the MLB before Fox Sports takes advantage of their situation. 

I think that the Dodgers should not completely abandon Fox in their sale of media rights. Being they apparently have a stringent contract, I think there should not only be a deal made with the MLB but with Fox as well. The Dodgers can not assume they can abandon their legal commitments just because they are in a very bad situation currently business-wise. If the appropriate time is taken, and parties do not try to avoid each other, I think that a solution should be relatively smooth. I am sure the Dodgers want their media rights in the right hands at the end of the day. 

Sources:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/21/us-dodgers-idUSTRE7AK2EM20111121

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203699404577042220194179562.html

http://www.wgal.com/r/29827191/detail.html

NBA Lockout

 I think the biggest sports business conflict that has arisen in the past 5 years is definitely the NBA lockout. Unlike the NFL lockout, a resolution is not seemingly being able to be met on relatively easy terms.  Although the NBA Lockout of 2011 is not the first ever NBA lockout, it is proving to be the worst. The 2011-2012 season has completely been compromised, and as of today was supposed to be resolved already as weeks’ worth of originally scheduled games have been canceled.

Derek Fisher is the NBPA (National Basketball Player’s Association) president, and early on in the lockout he expressed many sentiments that on behalf of the players, everyone wanted to reach common ground before games were canceled and the NBA would be on a true stall. Many fans have been on edge throughout the entire lockout ordeal, hoping this would happen. Unfortunately, games have already been lost and fans are not the only ones that are upset. Television networks, vendors, and players are all losing money over what is happening.

Most recently, there has been a multitude of meetings and going back and forth between the NBA owners and the NBPA. Rejected deal after rejected deal, and revised deal after deal, no consensus has yet been reached.  Some players have even been cited as refusing to be bullied throughout the negotiation process. Now, it has come to somewhat like a scramble to reach a mutual deal so everyone my resume with the NBA season. Business has too long trampled what the NBA should be about—the game.

The lockout has been going on for 135 days, and new business issues arise almost on the daily. Although fans are optimistic that the season will return soon, many underlying factors are showing up. In one article I read, the agents that are influencing the NBA players’ requirements and demands all will have long careers, as the average NBA player plays only 4-5 years. True interests need to be examined by the NBA players so they are truly doing what is best for them, not who works for them. Essentially, the big picture now needs to be seen more than the immediate picture. The history of the NBA can forever be changed by the exchanges happening. I hope it is all resolved soon. 

Cited:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ycn-10429217

http://denver.sbnation.com/denver-nuggets/2011/11/12/2556803/nba-lockout-2011-news-update-details-revised-proposal-decertification-cbs-new-york-times

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ycn-9675207