Bobcats move from NEWS14 to FSN-South starting . . NOW!!!!!!

The new arena naming rights deal with Time Warner Cable means the Bobcats get to move their games to FSN-South immediately, starting with the Timberwolves game tomorrow night . . This oughta quardruple their ratings right away, right ? ? I'm curious to see how many games the Bobcats will get on FSN-South/SportsSouth over the next few years (I think the Hurricanes get scheduling priority on FSN-South now; I will guess most of the team's games will be on SPORTSSOUTH).

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Time Warner gets naming rights for Bobcats Arena 10:07 PM

10:07 PM EDT on Monday, April 7, 2008

By MIKE CRANSTON / Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Bobcats have solved two problems, securing a naming rights deal for its arena and getting out of a television contract that limited the team's reach.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday that Charlotte Bobcats Arena will be renamed Time Warner Cable Arena. In exchange, the Bobcats will immediately end a TV deal with the cable company that prevented Bobcats games from being shown on regional sports networks and satellite TV services.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement was not scheduled until Tuesday, said Bobcats games will shift from Time Warner Cable's News 14 to Fox Sports' regional television networks Fox Sports Net South and SportSouth.

The new TV deal begins Tuesday night when the Bobcats' home game with Minnesota will air on FSN South.

It was uncertain how much money, if any, Time Warner Cable would pay to get its name on Charlotte's downtown arena, which has been without a naming rights deal since it opened in 2005.

The agreement also solves a distribution problem that has prevented many fans from watching the fledgling franchise.

Owner Bob Johnson partnered with Time Warner Cable in 2004 to start a regional sports network, Carolinas Sports and Entertainment Television. The network, nicknamed C-SET, was only available on Time Warner's digital cable service. That prevented fans with only basic cable and satellite subscribers from watching most of the Bobcats' games in their inaugural 2004-05 season.

C-SET folded after losing millions in less than a year, but the Bobcats were stuck with a long-term deal with Time Warner Cable. The games shifted to the cable company's news channel, which is available on basic cable.

But fans in areas north of Charlotte and other parts of the Carolinas not served by Time Warner Cable still couldn't see the games. Satellite TV subscribers were also shut out, save for a handful of games that were shown on over-the-air television. It led to a strange scenario where many restaurants and bars within walking distance of the arena that have satellite TV couldn't show Bobcats games.

The Bobcats, Time Warner Cable and NBA officials have discussed for months the unique swap that ends a three-year naming rights search for Bobcats Arena, which also houses the Charlotte Checkers minor-league hockey team.

The Bobcats were never able to match other teams in getting a lucrative yearly income from a company wanting to put its name on an arena. The lack of interest mirrored fans' apathy toward the team. The Bobcats rank 23rd out of 30 NBA teams this season with an average attendance of 14,631 per game.

The city of Charlotte built the $265 million arena with hotel and rental car taxes in exchange for securing the expansion Bobcats after the NBA's Hornets moved to New Orleans in 2002. Under an agreement with the city, the Bobcats keep all revenue from a naming rights deal.

 

Thank god, that's great news for the team. Anyone else find it ironic though that the Bobcat games have been exclusively on cable UNTIL they name the arena after a cable company?

Good riddence News 14, no offense to the fine employees here. I just think the Cats need to be on Satellite for the local market so heavily invested in the NFL.

 

just in time as they head for the playoffs

 

they've got no more excuses as to why nobody gives a shit

 

Great so will get all 82games on TV

 

I was at the game tonight . . After the 1st intermission, the announced the deal to the fans. I think FSN-South VP said that 70 games will be on the network next year, which is way more than I expected (I was thinking 50-55 tops, considering they have to share time with the Canes/Predators/Grizzlies). I guess this means no games will be on MYTV12 next year ? ?

 

I bet we will see some if not all 12 games on MYTV12 Even when the Hornets were in town i remember that they were some games on Channel 8 in charlotte

 

Bobcats announce arena name, TV deal

Time Warner Cable will get name on arena; games on Fox Sports Net
JEFFERSON GEORGE

The Charlotte Bobcats are moving their games to Fox Sports Net -- tripling the team's television exposure in the Carolinas -- and have agreed to rename their home court Time Warner Cable Arena in a deal announced this morning.

Most Bobcats games had been aired on the News 14 Carolina channel -- available only on Time Warner Cable, not other cable systems or satellite networks. Starting tonight, the team said in a statement, games will be on Fox Sports Net South, available in three times as many Carolinas homes through various cable and satellite systems.

The Bobcats said the deal caps 15 months of negotiations and are the first example of a pro sports franchise executing arena naming rights and TV rights deals simultaneously.

Bobcats games have aired on News 14 Carolina since the team's regional sports network, C-SET, folded in 2005. Now available in about 1.2 million cable households, Bobcats games would be available in about 3.8 million households through Fox Sports Net South, a television industry source said.

Fox Sports Net South will carry 70 games each season starting with the 2008-09 season, the Bobcats said. Other games air in Charlotte on WMYT Channel 12, available on all cable and satellite systems.

Instead of televising games, Time Warner Cable will get its name on the arena, as well as on signs and the court inside the building, the Bobcats said. The company also will get a dedicated concourse gallery where it can display programming and products

 

This deal may save the franchise. It will get them some exposure so they better get competative next year if they want to stay in Charlotte.

 

Who are these Bobcats you speak of?