Clippers and Prime Ticket Announce Exclusive Agreement

Post #1 » by **mkwest** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:28 am

Further extending their successful longstanding partnership, the Los Angeles Clippers and PRIME TICKET today announced an exclusive multi-year telecast rights agreement, to begin with the upcoming 2009-10 National Basketball Association season.

In it’s 14th season overall as telecast partner - and the first season as the sole television home for the Clippers - PRIME TICKET will provide a minimum of 70 game telecasts all in High Definition (HD). This marks the first complete HD Clippers season for the regional sports network.

“PRIME TICKET is a terrific business partner for the Clippers and we are thrilled to expand our partnership with them,” said Clippers’ President Andy Roeser. “With a minimum of 70 games on PRIME TICKET, our fans will always know where to find the Clippers.”

“As we embark on our 14th season, PRIME TICKET is proud to continue our partnership with the Clippers organization,” said Steve Simpson, senior vice president and general manager of FOX Sports West and PRIME TICKET. “We are excited to further extend our commitment to production excellence and showcasing a new era of Clippers basketball.”

Ralph Lawler, the “Voice of the Clippers,” is in his 31st year as the Clippers play-by-play announcer alongside former Clipper Michael Smith, who is in his eighth season providing color analysis. Sideline reporter Dain Blanton begins his first complete season of Clippers basketball and will deliver up-to-the-minute interviews and reports during every game telecast.

PRIME TICKET is the exclusive home of “Clippers Live”, the 30-minute original Clippers show that provides fans with unmatched access to the team. Hosted by PRIME TICKET reporter Michael Eaves, with analysis from former NBA player Don MacLean, “Clippers Live” keeps fans informed and entertained with player interviews, expert analysis and feature stories.

PRIME TICKET and sister network, FOX Sports West, have been providing local sports coverage to Southern California, Nevada and Hawaii for over 20 years. Together, the regional sports networks present more live, local sports programming than any other network or broadcast system in the market. FOX Sports West provides 24-hour sports programming to more than 6.7 million subscribers; PRIME TICKET reaches 5.8 million subscribers. The partner networks combine to produce over 700 live sporting events and telecast 2,000 hours of live programming every year. For complete national and regional sports news, provocative opinions, telecast schedules and updated statistics, log-on to http://www.foxsports.com.

Clippers.com

Post #2 » by **mkwest** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:35 am

Agreement will run through 2015-16 season and all games will be shown in HD. Ralph Lawler and Mike Smith will stay as the broadcast team. The team will end its run with over-the-air KTLA.

The NBA season hasn't started but the Los Angeles Clippers are already big winners.

The club confirmed today that it is not renewing its arrangement with over-the-air KTLA and has signed an exclusive long-term television deal with Fox Prime Ticket, the cable network that already carries a majority of the Dodgers' games.

While there was no official word on the details, three sources said the Clippers' new deal runs through the 2015-16 season. The sources, none of whom were authorized to speak publicly, also said the agreement is worth substantially more than the $12.5 million a year in revenue the Clippers had been receiving from its contracts with KTLA and Fox.

"It's a very good deal for us," Clippers President Andy Roeser said today. "Fox is our exclusive television partner now. We enjoyed a good relationship with KTLA but in terms of having a stable situation with a great partner, this is great."

All games will be broadcast in high definition and there will be a pregame and postgame studio show after all home broadcasts. Also, Ralph Lawler and Mike Smith will continue to be the television voices of the Clippers.

Diane Pucin, LA Times

PlinkingPanda · Post #3 » by **PlinkingPanda** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 3:11 am

I have a monday and tuesday night class this semester.

I'm thinking of buying a netbook so I can stream them during class. Although that would probably get me quite distracted. >.>;

jflipclip · Post #4 » by **jflipclip** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:57 am

Mmm, HD.

JJ LoDuca · Post #5 » by **JJ LoDuca** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:08 am

Best news

Post #6 » by **mkwest** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:50 am

Fishy~McFish wrote:I have a monday and tuesday night class this semester. I'm thinking of buying a netbook so I can stream them during class. Although that would probably get me quite distracted. >.>;

Will you be able to see the rest of them without streams?

Post #7 » by **thanumba2clippersfan** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:09 am

Will we not be having any games on the CW?

Post #8 » by **mkwest** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:13 am

One thing I do like is that Prime Ticket re-plays most games around 11ish. KTLA re-airs the games at 2 in the morning during the week and 3 in the morning on the weekends.

thanumba2clippersfan wrote:Will we not be having any games on the CW?

Not for the next 6 years or so.

donemilio21 · Post #9 » by **donemilio21** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:47 am

Thats great news. I live in santa barbara and we don't get ktla here. I'm gonna be able to watch every game now. Mainly because of that I had to subscribe to NBA league pass, but i liked watchin all the games anyway

mattfish · Post #10 » by **mattfish** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:24 pm

Great news for those of us in San Diego! Last season I hated turning on Prime Ticket and watching super blurry broadcasts (crappier than Standard Definition) and sometimes getting infomercials instead even when it was scheduled to broadcast.

PlinkingPanda · Post #11 » by **PlinkingPanda** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:38 pm

mkwest wrote:
Fishy~McFish wrote:I have a monday and tuesday night class this semester. I'm thinking of buying a netbook so I can stream them during class. Although that would probably get me quite distracted. >.>;

Will you be able to see the rest of them without streams?

Nah I'm still cable-less. I actually sold my TV to my brother since I hardly use it now.. I think the last time I turned it one was 2 months ago, and before that maybe another month or two.

I'm pretty much stuck with streams and box scores for now.

ClipperDomination · Post #12 » by **ClipperDomination** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:21 pm

Hated KTLA's coverage because it was so damn blurry. Great news.

illastrate · Post #13 » by **illastrate** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:29 pm

Fishy~McFish wrote:
mkwest wrote:
Fishy~McFish wrote:I have a monday and tuesday night class this semester. I'm thinking of buying a netbook so I can stream them during class. Although that would probably get me quite distracted. >.>;

Will you be able to see the rest of them without streams?

Nah I'm still cable-less. I actually sold my TV to my brother since I hardly use it now.. I think the last time I turned it one was 2 months ago, and before that maybe another month or two. I'm pretty much stuck with streams and box scores for now.

I think your best option is League Pass broadband. I believe it's $99 for the entire season.