Dodgers Make a Switch to Channel 13

For only the third time since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn in 1958, the team is changing over-the-air television stations.

The Dodgers and Channel 13 announced Monday that they have reached a three-year agreement that calls for 50 regular-season and six spring-training telecasts per season.

The Dodgers were on Channel 11 from 1958-92 and Channel 5 from 1993 through last season.

Dodger Senior Vice President Derrick Hall said the reason the Dodgers are changing stations is because Channel 5, due to WB programming, could not commit to 50 regular-season telecasts.

Going from Channel 5 to Channel 13 could be construed as a step down. Channel 13 no longer has a regular weekend sports anchor.

“We hope we can help them grow,” Hall said.

According to a source, Channel 13 will pay around $8 million a year to the Dodgers, which is slightly less than what Channel 5 was paying.

Fox Sports Net 2, which is able to pass costs on to cable operators, pays around $12 million a year for 80 regular-season games.

Under the new agreement, the same production crew will work Dodger telecasts on Channel 13 and Fox Sports Net 2. Channel 5 had its own production crew.

“Of course Vin Scully will continue to provide his unparalleled play-by-play descriptions,” Dodger President Bob Graziano said.