Angels to create their own TV network to carry games

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Angels took a step toward clarity with their television situation by agreeing to purchase a portion of Main Street Sports, essentially creating their own network.

The deal has been reached, a source said on Friday, but the Angels won’t officially announce it until early next week, because there are some details that need to be finalized.

The news comes on the day that the Angels announced that long-time president John Carpino will be retiring, replaced by Molly Jolly on April 6. Jolly had been the senior vice president in charge of finance and administration. Carpino will remain involved “to assist with key projects,” according to the club announcement.

For the fans, the change in leadership is not expected to have much impact on the operation of the team. The important decisions will still come from owner Arte Moreno.

Of more immediate concern to fans is how they will watch the games.

The cable and satellite providers that carried FanDuel Sports Network in Southern California will have the new Angels network, which has yet to be officially named, in part because it also involves the Kings. No additional subscription will be required.

Fans in the Southern California market who did not have cable or satellite television can purchase a streaming package through Major League Baseball for $99.99 for the season.

For out-of-market fans, the situation is unchanged from last year. The Angels will still be available on the MLB package for $149.99. Southern California fans who want to watch all 30 teams can buy a combo package for $199.99.

Those packages have been on sale through MLB for several weeks.

The on-air talent for the Angels broadcasts — led by announcers Mark Gubicza and Wayne Randazzo and sideline reporter Erica Weston — will return. It’s still unclear what type of pre- and postgame coverage will be available.

All of this juggling over the television coverage came about because cord-cutting viewers have changed the landscape of cable over the past decade. Main Street Sports, the parent company of FanDuel Sports Network, went through bankruptcy proceedings last year.

That took a chunk out of the rights fees that they paid to the teams they covered, across MLB, the NBA and the NHL.

A few months ago, Main Street also failed to make payments to its MLB team partners, causing them to cancel their contracts and look for new agreements.

Most of the affected baseball teams simply handed their rights to MLB, which will take over production of the broadcasts and sell them directly to consumers.

The Angels and Atlanta Braves had larger viewer bases than some of the small market teams, so they sought alternatives to the MLB solution. The Braves announced the start of their own network last week.

For the Angels, the change in the way their games are distributed means a change in revenue that has yet to be determined. Rather than receiving an up-front, fixed rights fee, the Angels will now generate revenue by selling the ads on the broadcasts and by increasing the number of streaming subscribers.

Moreno said two weeks ago that the television uncertainty was a primary reason that the payroll has been slashed by at least $50 million this season.

Although they have a deal now, they still have some work to do in order to build the revenue to the levels the Angels received under the old model.

Part of that will fall under the direction of Jolly, who takes over a role that Carpino had held since 2009.

“John has been one of the cornerstones of the organization for over two decades,” Moreno said in a statement. “His impact goes beyond the field, shepherding this organization through historic growth with an unwavering dedication to our fans, employees and our players.

“As we begin our 66th season, Molly’s deep experience in all aspects of the organization, and her passion for our community and team make her the perfect leader in our next chapter of Angels Baseball.”