People have been talking about the Tigers a lot lately and for good reason, but don't forget they were the team who did us a massive favor by not taking Langford at #3 overall.

I don't care what the guy they pick develops into. We had a massive need in the outfield and I'm thrilled to have Wyatt.

are we waiting for the WS to end for Rangers offseason thread?????

Yikes… Hope he gets the help he needs.

Former Texas Rangers pitcher Matt Bush charged with DWI after Arlington crash

https://www.fox4news.com/news/matt-bush-dwi-crash-arlington-2024

That's not good. Isn't that what he went to prison for? Dwi wreck?

Yep.

Refresher from the article:

Quote:

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Bush spent time in prison after a 2012 drunken crash in Florida that seriously injured a 72-year-old man on a motorcycle. His blood alcohol content was 0.18 at the time of that crash.

He served 39 months of a 51-month sentence and was released from prison in 2015.

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I guess he is bored now that he isn't pitching anymore.

Article indicated he hit like 3 cars in an intersection. All non-life-threatening.

I just don't get it.

I tell the young people I work with that I'll pay their Uber charges. They take an Uber out knowing they are going to drink. Can it be expensive? $30 one way is much cheaper than 3 years in prison.

He got a WS share last year, or at least a partial one, iirc.

PatAg said:

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Pro tip, all the playoff highlights from last year are still on Youtube and havent gotten old to watch yet.

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Wish I could find the full game broadcasts. Those ALCS and WS games would be great to watch again.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5829378/2024/10/08/mlb-tv-broadcast-takeovers/?source=user_shared_article MLB to take over broadcasts of Guardians, Brewers, Twins for 2025

MLB taking over broadcasts of 3 teams. Rangers won't return to Ballys.

TefIon Don said:

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PatAg said:

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Pro tip, all the playoff highlights from last year are still on Youtube and havent gotten old to watch yet.

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Wish I could find the full game broadcasts. Those ALCS and WS games would be great to watch again.

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I saw the ALCS games on YouTube the other day.

Is victory+ just a paid subscription/streaming service?

Manny Machado advances to third on a throwing error by Freddie Freeman pic.twitter.com/FEOpgsUIvm

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 9, 2024

What's the deal with this? How is this legal?

shack009 said:

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Manny Machado advances to third on a throwing error by Freddie Freeman pic.twitter.com/FEOpgsUIvm

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 9, 2024

What's the deal with this? How is this legal?

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How is it not?

Unless you're running from home to first (and the throw is coming from the home plate area) there's no restrictions about where you have to be unless a tag attempt is being made.

Now you can't play the ball (swat, bad, headbutt), but if you're still a runner (that is, not out as part of a double play), you can get in the line just like that.

Oh gotcha. I was not aware of that. Really smart play then.

Good to know!

Legal Custodian said:

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MrCoachEricTaylor said:

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Is victory+ just a paid subscription/streaming service?

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It's a free streaming service put on by the Stars. Just download the app, register with your email address, and begin watching. No paying or anything.

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This is for anybody, regardless of location? Or only certain regions?

KT 90 said:

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Legal Custodian said:

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MrCoachEricTaylor said:

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Is victory+ just a paid subscription/streaming service?

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It's a free streaming service put on by the Stars. Just download the app, register with your email address, and begin watching. No paying or anything.

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This is for anybody, regardless of location? Or only certain regions?

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All of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas will be able to watch games on it. If you're outside of those states, you'll have to watch the broadcast thru ESPN+.

Even if you're outside of the footprint, you'll be able to watch the games on demand the next day on the app.

Currently, the Stars signed the Anaheim Ducks to it as well.

The Victory+ COO was just on Podman Rush and he said pretty emphatically that more teams will be joining. He didn't say whether it was other NHL teams or teams from other leagues.

Obviously the biggest challenge is getting sports bars to figure out how to show the games on the app and then getting the casual fan to the app who wouldn't notice their team was playing unless they were flipping through the TV channels.

Once people see that this works for a couple months, they will jump on board. I'm hopeful a lot of baseball teams figure this out before the start of next season.

I'm really surprised that they didn't spend more on their advertising push. Local TV Ads during nightly news, newspapers, ESPN broadcasts, etc.

They need to reach the older market because there are ton of people who just don't know.

Legal Custodian said:

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KT 90 said:

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Legal Custodian said:

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MrCoachEricTaylor said:

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Is victory+ just a paid subscription/streaming service?

---

It's a free streaming service put on by the Stars. Just download the app, register with your email address, and begin watching. No paying or anything.

---

This is for anybody, regardless of location? Or only certain regions?

---

All of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas will be able to watch games on it. If you're outside of those states, you'll have to watch the broadcast thru ESPN+.

Even if you're outside of the footprint, you'll be able to watch the games on demand the next day on the app.

Currently, the Stars signed the Anaheim Ducks to it as well.

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Thanks. I knew about the switch, but don't really watch much hockey. I will get the app and check it out.

Not sure how the Stars will be generating much revenue with this being free though. Sure there will be advertising money, but there will also be production and personnel costs. Can't be a huge amount going to the Stars.

Legal Custodian said:

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I'm really surprised that they didn't spend more on their advertising push. Local TV Ads during nightly news, newspapers, ESPN broadcasts, etc.

They need to reach the older market because there are ton of people who just don't know.

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I did see a billboard for this when I was driving through Dallas last weekend!

You've gotta keep in mind... the App is like OTA. They rely on Ad revenue.

Until the games get rolling, they don't get that Ad revenue.

IMO, the 1st round of adopters/viewers will be the loyal fans that say "Where can I watch my team (Dallas Stars)?" From there... it is like Netflix and others where the content interest drives Subscription (even if 'free').

The Platform is pre-existing from a kids streaming service.

There was a snippet on The Fan a couple weeks ago. Vaguely (details may be wrong) the guy who runs the Streaming is friends with one of the Stars Execs.

He said their data indicated Streaming was a saturated market by 2017... 2018 and that people were just not looking to add another service... especially for unproven content. I believe their content was mostly static/asynchronous/YouTube type stuff.

The biggest problem they indicated was that for something like the Stars... you have zero ability to capture the passing casual fan who won't signup for a for-pay service to watch a game to see if they like it. That gets compounded where you start lose any potential fringe fan who, with OTA might be flipping the channel, stumble on a Stars game and keep watching.

It is a huge risk to go free and rely on Ads, but it opens up to everyone the idea that they can catch a Stars game. Now, IMO, they likely need other content to get people on board. I think that is why you see AppleTV and Paramount/Peacock do things like playoff games.

I think I saw where someone said 60% of the people who installed (Peacock?) and watched the playoff game did NOT unsubscribe. So, saw the Stars fans start to build an install base and the Rangers start to show games/content... you will start to grow the platform.

The benefit with Live Sports is... even if you paid $20/mo to get rid of commercials (which I think that is an option)... it isn't like you can fast-forward past the breaks in play.

Good info, thanks.

Yikes...

My goodness. Hurricane Milton did a number on Tropicana Field. https://t.co/9BVJ9STQdF

— Michael Bier (@MichaelJBier) October 10, 2024

So where do the Rays play next season?

Looks like what the Rangers did to them last October

I imagine they'll have it patched up and cleaned up by April

Not trying to be a smartass, but can't they just remove the framing of the roof and play without it? It's Tampa, FL. What exactly is the purpose of the roof to begin with?

Rain. Lots of delays and rainouts without it

They may do like the A's and play in a nice AAA stadium for a couple of years……. Charlotte and Nashville come to mind. Tampa needs to come up with a new stadium option or they need to permanently relocate somewhere else.

It rains almost everyday out on the peninsula.

EDIT: They have an agreement with St. Pete to build a new stadium - maybe this fast tracks it. And they are NOT going to Tampa.

It's time for the Rays to double down on being in Tampa or get out.