OT:ish - Josh Bartelstein + Mat Ishbia - U.S. bankruptcy judge blocks Phoenix Suns' new TV deal

Submitted by bmdubs on May 10th, 2023 at 7:05 PM

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/37597916/us-bankruptcy-judge-blocks-phoenix-suns-new-tv-deal

Bartelstein was a key cog in the bench mob if I recall downtown Trey Burke correctly. Ishbia can slow his flopping down.

Wish Bartelstein luck but uhhhh... go Lakers (Rob Pelinka) n Nuggets (no Sparty owners or players of note.

NittanyFan

May 10th, 2023 at 7:27 PM ^

This will get figured out - they have time.  The regular season isn't until October.

Not to get too technical, but the Suns' new TV contract (Gray) would pay them less than their current TV deal (Diamond).  As such, Diamond, despite being bankrupt, has the right to match.  Phoenix argued the Gray deal was at least equal, because Gray gave them more geographic distribution.

Both Phoenix and Diamond, IMO, would benefit from cutting ties and settling.  So they'll likely find an appraiser and hash out some formula for valuating distribution, pay out any difference, and that will be that.

TheBlueAbides

May 10th, 2023 at 8:35 PM ^

Don’t like the Lakers and OSU fan LeBron, don’t like KD, respect the grandville native and Detroit-Repping Booker (for now, hope he keeps his head). Nuggets are fine, all teams out east are whatever. Give me NHL playoffs any day.

Vasav

May 10th, 2023 at 9:04 PM ^

The idea that the lower valuation of the gray deal is an apples to apples comparison with diamonds' worries me. I'm not a lawyer so I'm hoping that just means diamond has time, but not a guarantee if they match. The suns are essentially paying for more exposure - they get less money but also get more TVs with their games on them. Diamond has no viable way to have the same reach, so is this to just hold up the inevitable? Or are the sun's are forced to stick with Diamond if they offer the same price?

drjaws

May 10th, 2023 at 9:16 PM ^

I am back in Michigan, played 18 and had dinner with my best bud, and am going to drive to Kalamazoo and see my daughter

 

i fuckin miss this state 

Seth

May 10th, 2023 at 9:51 PM ^

It's expected. The Suns are making the case--which fans have been screaming about for DECADES--that it's more valuable to them to reach more fans even if they get paid less upfront, because access creates those fans. Diamond can't just let them make this claim because their whole model is forcing people into subscribing to things. Nobody's got a monopoly on "right" in these things--it's about money after all--but there is an imbalance of ethics that leans heavily towards the Suns. Mat's trying to do a good thing that's good for the sport, hypothetically (I would make this claim) good for his franchise, and good for fans, but really bad for the cable industry.