11-18-2014, 02:33 PM
Minority not here, minority based on the coverage of the talks. If you read an article about the negotiations, they pretty much all talk about the Cubs weak ratings over the last several years being an issue. The opinion that the Cubs last several years of terrible ratings and thus ad sales is having ramifications on their current attempt to secure a favorable short term deal, or tempt someone into a long, seems to me to be a majority opinion. I don't mean here, I'm referencing the multiple articles posted here about the subject, specifically the last 3. Your response to that seems to be the people writing the articles don't know what they're talking about, which could be true, but Kid I don't see where you've shown that much evidence to the contrary, be it today or way back when. Again, if you think the Cubs last several years of ratings are like the Dodgers' or the Phillies', it's a fair argument I've fully admitted has some merit, but I beg to differ overall and I think I illustrated the differences fairly clearly. Without rehashing it in full, for the Cubs ratings to be like the Dodgers the Cubs would have had to have good ratings in 2014, not bad, and strong overall in the 5 year run up to the deal.
Now, you say Coldneck has an uneducated opinion on the subject. I did a news search for "Cubs TV deal" and posted snipits from the first 2 articles that popped up talking about how the ratings have impacted the deal, thus likely showing where Cold formed that opinion. He likely educated himself on the subject simply by reading any article about the negotiations over the last few weeks or months. Is it still opinion? Sure, and the people writing the articles could absolutely be wrong, but it's not an uncommon opinion, that's all I was trying to point out. Again, outside of Tom Ricketts, I'd ask where are you reading that the ratings aren't an issue in these negotiations?
Finally, I've pointed out my concern about the ratings for years, well before last summer even, but every time I've also said I still think the Cubs will get a big deal. A lot of people have looked at the Cubs ratings as and issue, as a stumbling block, but one that could be overcome thanks to so many other positives. You can, for instance, say a team is going to win their division, but the bullpen is terrible and is an issue. Even if the team does win their division, it doesn't mean the bullpen wasn't a problem. I've always thought the ratings would be an issue they'd overcome, as have many people writing about the subject over the years (and keep in mind a year ago, the assumption was we had seen the bottom, the stadium would be much further along, etc). Now if they get the not so great deal that's being rumored now a lot of factors are at play, including uncertainty in the market, but ratings and how good the Cubs have been over the last 5 years are almost certainly one of the issues, just the same as a bad bullpen would be if that mythical team missed the playoffs.
Now, you say Coldneck has an uneducated opinion on the subject. I did a news search for "Cubs TV deal" and posted snipits from the first 2 articles that popped up talking about how the ratings have impacted the deal, thus likely showing where Cold formed that opinion. He likely educated himself on the subject simply by reading any article about the negotiations over the last few weeks or months. Is it still opinion? Sure, and the people writing the articles could absolutely be wrong, but it's not an uncommon opinion, that's all I was trying to point out. Again, outside of Tom Ricketts, I'd ask where are you reading that the ratings aren't an issue in these negotiations?
Finally, I've pointed out my concern about the ratings for years, well before last summer even, but every time I've also said I still think the Cubs will get a big deal. A lot of people have looked at the Cubs ratings as and issue, as a stumbling block, but one that could be overcome thanks to so many other positives. You can, for instance, say a team is going to win their division, but the bullpen is terrible and is an issue. Even if the team does win their division, it doesn't mean the bullpen wasn't a problem. I've always thought the ratings would be an issue they'd overcome, as have many people writing about the subject over the years (and keep in mind a year ago, the assumption was we had seen the bottom, the stadium would be much further along, etc). Now if they get the not so great deal that's being rumored now a lot of factors are at play, including uncertainty in the market, but ratings and how good the Cubs have been over the last 5 years are almost certainly one of the issues, just the same as a bad bullpen would be if that mythical team missed the playoffs.