Valuing the Dodgers TV Rights

6:00 AM PDT 8/7/2012 by Ed Desser

The head of consultancy Desser Sports Media, who negotiated the Lakers' recent deal with Time Warner Cable and testified for Major League Baseball in the Dodgers' bankruptcy, independently evaluates the team's options when its deals expire after next season.

Live sporting events are arguably the most valuable content on TV. They deliver a consistent audience, are largely DVR-proof and can be a decisive reason to maintain a pay-cable subscription. There are just a handful of superpremium franchises, the rights to which rarely hit the market. For these reasons, Dodgers rights should command an extraordinary price. The team's new owners have three options when its deals with Fox Sports and KCAL expire after the 2013 season: