Dodgers to Join Angels on Channel 5 in ’93 : Broadcasting: A 35-year affiliation with Channel 11 ends with that station’s commitment to expanding Fox Network.
After a 35-year affiliation with Channel 11, the Dodgers are switching stations.
Beginning next season, Channel 5 will carry Dodger and Angel games.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. May 22, 1992 For the record
Los Angeles Times Friday May 22, 1992 Home Edition Sports Part C Page 3 Column 2 Sports Desk 2 inches; 51 words Type of Material: Correction
Mark Wolfson, producer-director of Dodger telecasts on Channel 11, said he is not employed by the station, as reported in Tuesday’s Times.
“The station and my production company have a contract to do the Dodger games, which ends this year. Thus, I am free to pursue the same position with KTLA, which I--and undoubtedly dozens of other producer-directors--will do.”
Channel 5 and the Dodgers announced Monday that they have agreed on a five-year contract, believed to be worth more than $75 million.
Next season, Channel 5 will televise 46 regular-season Dodger games and four exhibitions, which is the same as Channel 11’s schedule this season.
Channel 5 also will televise 50 regular-season Angel games and two exhibitions, the same as this season.
Channel 5 will adopt the slogan, “L.A.’s baseball station,” General Manager Steve Bell said.
Tom Seeberg, the Angels’ vice president in charge of broadcasting, said Tribune Broadcasting, which owns Channel 5, went to the Angels to discuss the possibility of both teams on the same station.
“They really didn’t have to do that, but they did,” Seeberg said. “We told them we had no problem with that. We think, because of cross promotion, it will be a good thing for both clubs.”
In other words, Channel 5 will be able to promote Angel games during Dodger telecasts, and vice versa.
Brent Shyer, the Dodgers’ director of broadcasting, said that aspect also appealed to the Dodgers.
Shyer said Channel 9 and Channel 13 also had negotiated to try to obtain the Dodgers. When previous contracts were negotiated, the Dodgers essentially talked only to Channel 11.
Channel 11 has carried the Dodgers since they moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn in 1958, but the station’s affiliation with the Fox Network created scheduling conflicts.
As Fox programming grew in popularity, Channel 11 (KTTV) had to preempt highly rated shows for Dodger games.
The problem was going to get worse, because Fox Network programming will expand to six nights a week in July and seven nights next January.
“For years, the Dodgers were the backbone of KTTV,” said Greg Nathanson, the president of Fox Television, who, coincidentally, announced his resignation Monday. “Now the Fox Network is the backbone.”
Steve Stern, Channel 11’s station manager, said: “Our goal of becoming the No. 1 station in Los Angeles depends on the strength and continued expansion of the Fox Network. Dodger preemptions would hinder this growth.
“I wish we could have the best of both worlds, the Dodgers and Fox.”
Although no financial aspects of the new contract were announced, a source said Channel 5 will pay $15.5 million per season to the Dodgers.
Another source said the Dodgers were asking more than $20 million per season, but in the current economic climate were not able to get it.
The Dodgers employ announcers Vin Scully, Ross Porter and Don Drysdale, so the change does not affect them. But award-winning producer-director Mark Wolfson and his staff are employed by Channel 11, so they will be affected by the change.
The Dodgers’ Shyer said the experience Channel 5 (KTLA) has in baseball production was another factor in the decision to go with that station.
Dodger owner Peter O’Malley, in a prepared statement, said: “First of all, I want to thank all our good friends at KTTV for their longtime and excellent presentation of Dodger baseball. We completely understand the Fox commitment to network programming and the resulting conflicts in scheduling.
“It is time for a change, and we now look forward to being part of Los Angeles’ baseball station, KTLA. Baseball fans will know where to watch all Southland over-the-air games.”
SportsChannel will continue to show 35 Dodger and 35 Angel homes games on pay-cable next season.
It is believed that SportsChannel pays $3 million per season to the Dodgers, who get $14 million from baseball’s national contracts with CBS and ESPN. With Channel 5’s $15.5 million, that’s a total of $32.5 million per season from television. Dodger radio rights, it is believed, bring in another $5 million or so.
With the addition of Dodger baseball, Tribune Broadcasting has television contracts with six major league teams. WGN in Chicago broadcasts both the Cubs and White Sox, WPIX in New York has the Yankees, and KWGN in Denver recently obtained broadcast rights to the new Colorado Rockies expansion team.
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