SNY SAYS YES! OVER CES
Yoenis deal is game changer for network
The dead zone between the end of NFL season and the beginning of baseball’s 2016 campaign will feature debates in the Valley of the Stupid, and other media precincts, over who will “own” the town this summer. This is all so entertaining, but ultimately pap, babble-filler until the games are played. There is, however, an undeniable fact when it comes to Yankees and Mets businesses and their status as entertainment properties.
When the Mets came to terms with Yoenis Cespedes, Sandy Alderson did not only ink a bona fide game changer, he signed a player who is a TV ratings changer — something the Yankees, as of today, do not have.
In 2015, before the Mets acquired Cespedes from Detroit, Sports-Net New York was averaging a 2.25 household rating, 202,911 total viewers, on its Mets telecasts. Once Cespedes arrived in Queens, the average rating increased by nearly a full point and total viewership increased by over 100,000 viewers.
In the 57 regular-season games Cespedes played in for the Mets, SNY’s average rating on Mets telecasts was a 3.21, 304,706 total viewers. These numbers were also higher than the Mets’ figures for the full season (132 games) on SNY, which were 2.63 and 242,434, respectively.
Who on the current Yankees roster can produce those kind of results? Alex Rodriguez? That’s doubtful. Last season, on the comeback trail, A-Rod was a curiosity. This season, his story is not as compelling, unless the Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network uses him in the booth when he’s not playing. Perhaps the Bombers’ Trio Grande — relievers Andrew Miller, Dellin Betances, Aroldis Chapman — will quickly turn into eyeball magnets.
Of course there is the time-tested Yankees brand. The suits can always sell the Yankees’ storied past. Beyond that, in the ratings-generating category, who do the Yankees have? Starlin Castro? Didi Gregorius? Waldman? Sterling? Get it? Either the Yankees have yet to acquire their own ratings changer or someone on the current roster will emerge from the shadows.
Cespedes is backed by a charismatic choir, the best young starting pitchers in baseball, major attractions in their own right. This gives the Mets a good chance of pushing the ratings needle to the max from jump street on a nightly basis.
Still, the ultimate ratings generator is winning — no matter who is doing it. Success is what eventually captures the “floaters,” front running fans (and there are a significant number of them) who glom on to the hot baseball team in town and jack up the TV ratings.
Now, they lean Mets. After all, they did make it to the World Series.
With Yo en is Cespedes.
RAPPING ON ’ROIDS
A few weeks ago in this space, we related our sadness at seeing Bob ( Rapping pping Roberto) Costas, baseball’s ball’s conscience, on MLB Network casting a vote for Barry arry Bonds and Roger Clemensens on his mock Hall of Fame ballot. Say it ain’t so Bob, we whined. After exhaling, we flashed back to the late 1990s, when Costas didn’t like the smell of what baseball was cooking and said so on NBC’s baseball telecasts. Not many in the media seemed as disgusted by the impact PEDs were beginning to have on the game. Yet Costas was subtle but cutting on national TV.
He never singled out a player but presented telling, memorable lines like: “There is something in the water supply that’s strange.” Or “The game is being ripped from its moorings.”
See, Costas doesn’t need to provide us with any explanation for what seems like a change of heart. But with those memories linger- ing, we had to ask. “I respect anybody who says, ‘You know what, that (PED use) disqualifies you (Bonds/Clemens from the HOF),’” Costas said.
Costas explained he has always, since long before he cast his mock ballot, made a distinction.
“My concern was how do you get this (PED use) out of the game, or at least reduce it. Or at the very least, how do we get people to see it in a proper light instead of celebrating these numbers as if they are apples-to-apples comparisons,” Costas said. “My thing is not to be punitive towards any particular player. Now what has to happen is that everybody is going to have to make their way through this murky area and make distinctions.”
Well said.
DRAMA-ING UP RATINGS
After all their years crooning together, it appeared Michael Kay and Don LaGreca were really on to something.
Monday, on ESPN 98.7, Kay threw a snit, again revealing his thin epidermis, after DLG tweaked him for mispronouncing the word “jack-o’-lantern” (Yes Virginia, I can’t believe I’m writing this) and advised his mate to pack up and get out of the studio.
LaGreca split, leaving Kay and third wheel Peter Rosenberg to finish the show. Finally, Kay and LaGreca had reached Valley of the Stupid nirvana — alleged “partners” at each other’s throats. For the good of the show (i.e. ratings) let the hate roll. Take the venom to the limit and one day you — Kay and DLG — could have YOUR OWN reunion show at Radio City.
Alas, the bubble burst Tuesday when DLG returned to the studio. Both Gasbags began spreading love instead of controversy.
These mouths are far too nice for their own good.
GETTING SHECKY WITH IT
Reading his interview in Columbia Journalism Review, it was impossible to determine if Jeff Van Gundy was in his new role of Professor Van Gundy or channeling his longtime alter ego, comedian Shecky Van Gundy.
Sounding oh so professorial, JVG (as he did during a recent NBA telecast) was decrying the use of anonymous sources by boss NBA scribes.
“I don’t believe readersreader understand how beholden most of these writerswrite are to their sources,” JVG told CJR. “They are actuallyac the mouthpiece for these people. It’s a quid pro quo.”
Professor Van Gundy w was providing students with a valuable lesson. Still,Sti if these words were delivered by Shecky Van GundyG at Adam’s Silver Streak Comedy Club the audiencea would be rolling in the aisles over this brandb of humor.
It’s hard not to believe JVG,J or any other NBA coach, at one time or ano another, played the role of anonymous source. Would anyone be shocked if Shecky had a few quid prop quos stashed in the Gulag when he was coaching the Knicks? The fact thattha JVG had any “off the record” relationshiprela with the media while beingb trailed by James (Guitar Jimmy)J Dolan’s spies,
er, PR op operatives, is somewhat amazi amazing. H Hilarious, too.
ROACH LOVE
Whether it be on h hoops or NFL football, Ia Ian ( The Bird) Eagle ca can write an opening to a telecast that is often bot both motivational and emotio emotional. The B Bird topped himself Wednesday w while paying tribute to Steve Somers duri during a spot on WFAN. “You Steve,” Eag Eagle said, “you’re like a cockroach cockroach. You will live forever.”
Wow, a awe-inspiring stuff.