Fox Sports North to become Bally's Sports Network

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howeda7

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I have nothing against sports gambling, but re-naming the network and in-game promotion of it? Ugh. I knew the sale to Sinclair would be bad.


Imagine longtime play-by-play voice Dick Bremer saying something like: "Rogers has converted seven consecutive save opportunities. Can he make it eight? If you'd like to place a bet on it, just go to your Bally's Sports app and click on 'In-game wagers.'"

Fox Sports North, which has televised Twins games on cable under a variety of names almost continuously since 1989, will be rebranded as Bally's Sports Network (or something similar) this spring, perhaps as soon as baseball's scheduled Opening Day on April 1. And along with a new look will come a new facet of broadcasts of Twins, Timberwolves, Wild and Minnesota United FC games: gambling.

www.startribune.com

From 'Play ball' to 'Play Bally's'? Sinclair betting on legal gambling to boost viewership

Sinclair Broadcasting, the owner of Fox Sports North, might soon be able to offer ways to bet on the game you're watching through your TV, phone or pad.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
 

I think it's just naming rights, just like TCF (or whatever TCF is now) is the name of our football stadium. I thought Bally's was paying them something like $10M a year just for naming rights to the sports channels. Sinclair still owns them.
 

Livingat45north said:
I think it's just naming rights, just like TCF (or whatever TCF is now) is the name of our football stadium. I thought Bally's was paying them something like $10M a year just for naming rights to the sports channels. Sinclair still owns them.
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Really? Good grief. What's next- "Pfizer sports network, powered by ESPN"? Or how about the "Home Depot HGTV Network"?
 

Livingat45north said:
I think it's just naming rights, just like TCF (or whatever TCF is now) is the name of our football stadium. I thought Bally's was paying them something like $10M a year just for naming rights to the sports channels. Sinclair still owns them.
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Yes, but in game promotion of their betting app is part of the deal once legal in that market. I suspect Bremer will retire before he goes along with that.
 

forever a gopher said:
Really? Good grief. What's next- "Pfizer sports network, powered by ESPN"? Or how about the "Home Depot HGTV Network"?
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I guess you're not familiar with the Home Depot SEC on CBS...it's already here.
 


I'm not a gambler, so I really don't have a strong opinion about this either way.

for MN, legal gambling is going to be a real hard sell in the legislature as long as the Native American tribes are willing to keep coughing up the campaign contributions so they can keep the monopoly on gambling in the state.

the real issue for FSN, or whatever we call it, is streaming. the channel has been dropped from most of the major streaming packages.

I still think that we're going to see FSN offered on a stand-along streaming deal like Netflix. The question is how much the monthly fee will be.
 


short ornery norwegian said:
I'm not a gambler, so I really don't have a strong opinion about this either way.

for MN, legal gambling is going to be a real hard sell in the legislature as long as the Native American tribes are willing to keep coughing up the campaign contributions so they can keep the monopoly on gambling in the state.

the real issue for FSN, or whatever we call it, is streaming. the channel has been dropped from most of the major streaming packages.

I still think that we're going to see FSN offered on a stand-along streaming deal like Netflix. The question is how much the monthly fee will be.
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Do the Native American casinos offer sports gambling? I don't believe so. If not, why would they care? It will not effect their traffic IMO.

In the short-term, FSN/Bally's will reach a deal with YouTube/Hulu, it will just probably take until Twins Opening Day. The Wolves don't have enough leverage.

Long-term you might be right, but won't be Bally's/Sinclaire, it will be the Twins taking their TV rights in house. I.e Victory Sports One but over an app.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I'm not a gambler, so I really don't have a strong opinion about this either way.

for MN, legal gambling is going to be a real hard sell in the legislature as long as the Native American tribes are willing to keep coughing up the campaign contributions so they can keep the monopoly on gambling in the state..
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That Anti-Gambling Coalition at the Capital also includes the Evangelicals from the Religious Right who have fought any expansion of gambling in the State for decades.

There was also a "Gambling harms the poor "unofficial" group in the DFL. They fought the establishment of the Lottery way back in '87-'88. Except for Sandy Pappas and John Marty they're probably out of office by now.
 



Iceland12 said:
That Anti-Gambling Coalition at the Capital also includes the Evangelicals from the Religious Right who have fought any expansion of gambling in the State for decades.

There was also a "Gambling harms the poor "unofficial" group in the DFL. They fought the establishment of the Lottery way back in '87-'88. Except for Sandy Pappas and John Marty they're probably out of office by now.
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Gambling is a tax on the stupid, that's been established for decades. I love it, all in favor of it, it's the reason I don't pay state income tax. Roll those pearly dice and always hit on soft 17!
 

Bremer is a very straight laced dude. I can't see him pitching the odds of Nelson Cruz parking one during his next at bat to a young audience that loves to gamble.

A young player making the minimum is going to be more vulnerable than ever throwing a game.
 

jamiche said:
Bremer is a very straight laced dude. I can't see him pitching the odds of Nelson Cruz parking one during his next at bat to a young audience that loves to gamble.

A young player making the minimum is going to be more vulnerable than ever throwing a game.
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I remember when he wouldn't read the promos for "The Best D@mn Sport Show Period" and Bert had to read them.
 

If you need to bet on the game, in order to care enough to watch a mid-week regular season game for the Twins, Twolves, Wild, or Loons ..... then maybe don't watch.
 



Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Gambling is a tax on the stupid, that's been established for decades. I love it, all in favor of it, it's the reason I don't pay state income tax. Roll those pearly dice and always hit on soft 17!
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Have to double against a 3-6.
 

MplsGopher said:
If you need to bet on the game, in order to care enough to watch a mid-week regular season game for the Twins, Twolves, Wild, or Loons ..... then maybe don't watch.
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That would not help the Twins, Twolves, Wild or Loons business models. Take away betters and fan duel types from the viewership and the franchise values stagnate or regress.
 

Ope3 said:
That would not help the Twins, Twolves, Wild or Loons business models. Take away betters and fan duel types from the viewership and the franchise values stagnate or regress.
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Both of our comments can be true at the same time.


Tangentially -- the sole value of all viewership outside ticket buyers, is for advertisement. This has always been the case. And it has always struck me odd that, no one wants to even dig deeper, to understand how and if people who are viewing certain events even care what advertisers try to put in front of them. I would think people who gambled on a game, could literally not care less about the ads during the game. Anyway ....
 

MplsGopher said:
Both of our comments can be true at the same time.

Tangentially -- the sole value of all viewership outside ticket buyers, is for advertisement. This has always been the case. And it has always struck me odd that, no one wants to even dig deeper, to understand how and if people who are viewing certain events even care what advertisers try to put in front of them. I would think people who gambled on a game, could literally not care less about the ads during the game. Anyway ....
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True on both points. Also on a side note, watching sports and whatnot, I have noticed an uptick on Funeral/Cremation services. Morbid indeed, but they are the times we are currently dealing with.
 


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