Jim Donovan, Mike Hegan, John Sanders and Rick Manning will serve as the announcers for Tribe games on WKYC-TV and SportsTime Ohio. (Photo by Kevin Kelley)

Familiar voices to announce Tribe games in 2006
By Kevin Kelley
Westshore
Published March 1, 2006

Longtime Cleveland Indians announcers Mike Hegan, Rick Manning and John Sanders will broadcast the 130 regular season games carried by SportsTime Ohio, the new television network licensed to carry the Tribe’s games. WKYC sports director Jim Donovan will join the returning broadcasters as play-by-play announcer on the 20 games telecast on Channel 3. Donovan will also host the pre-game show for SportsTime Ohio as well as a weekly baseball program to be carried by both WKYC and the cable network.

SportsTime Ohio is owned by Fastball Sports Productions, a separate business entity from the team operated by the Dolan Family. Larry Dolan is the owner of the American League franchise.

But whether Tribe fans will be able to watch their team on their cable or satellite systems by opening day is still an open question.

Jim Liberatore, president of Fastball Sports Productions, said at a press conference Thursday that negotiations with cable operators and satellite companies to carry SportsTime Ohio are continuing. Only Time Warner Cable, which dominates the Akron region, has finalized a deal to carry the network as of Thursday. But Liberatore said deals were imminent with several companies.

Adelphia, which is due to be purchased by Time Warner, this summer, is being dealt with separately by SportsTime Ohio until that deal is finalized, Liberatore said.

Jim Liberatore, president of Fastball Sports Productions, announces the name of the Cleveland Indians new television network, SportsTime Ohio, during a press conference Thursday at Jacobs Field. (Photo by Kevin Kelley)

Liberatore, a native of Bay Village, declined to be specific about which cable systems the network is close to signing with, but he expressed optimism that the majority will reach deals to carry SportsTime Ohio.

All cable systems are different, Liberatore said, and have a variety of issues to resolve before committing to carrying the network. The price was a significant factor with most systems, Liberatore acknowledged. However, he said negotiations have proceeded beyond the rate issue with most systems.

“I can tell you that with every cable operator we’re talking to, things are moving and moving at a very good and promising pace,” Liberatore said.

“We are  confident that by opening day that we will have at least 90 percent of the cable universe in Cleveland’s inner market (Greater Cleveland) covered. We’re really confident that we’re progressing with everyone,” he said.

Cox Communications, which serves Fairview Park and Rocky River, has been critical of the network’s fees and launched a Web site (www makethemplayfair.com) to inform consumers about the issue.

Liberatore said he understands the need for cable operators to keep their bills low. However, he said the Indians network is not the product cable systems should target for managing costs.

“This will be the highest rated product in the market,” he said.

The increase in rates, which Cox has claimed is 200 percent, is comparable to television fees for other teams across the nation, Liberatore said.

“We don’t pull these rates out of the sky,” he said, adding that the fees for Fox Sports Net Ohio would have increased if they had retained the Tribe games.

Liberatore said he believes the new network will be successful due to the strong fan base the Tribe has.

“The Indians last year were in the top five for (television) ratings for all Major League Baseball teams,” he said.

SportsTime Ohio will also eliminate the middleman as far as the team’s ability to speak to the fans and to the viewers of the network, he said.

“When a team can take some control over the presentation to the fans, it’s important,” Liberatore said. “For example, the decisions about what is on this network and the programming content happen in Cleveland. They don’t happen in Los Angeles or they don’t happen in New York. They’re going to happen here in Cleveland.”

Podcast WKYC's Jim Donovan discusses what fans can expects from Tribe games on Channel 3 and SportsTime Ohio. MP3 • 347KB

A total of 83 games — all home games and all games broadcast on WKYC — will be available in high definition. The pre-game show, which will be hosted by Donovan and based at WKYC’s studios, will focus on the latest team news, Liberatore said.

Donovan told West Life he believes the fans will be impressed with the high-definition telecasts. “They’ll say to themselves, ‘how did I ever watch a game without it?’” he said.

Donovan said the pre-game show will feature plenty of information for fans, including interviews with manager Eric Wedge and players.

“What we’re looking for is to be a real fast-paced show — a lot of news of what’s going on at the ballpark,” Donovan said. “We’ll be really up to date as far as what’s going to happen that night.”

Most of the games carried by WKYC are on Sunday afternoons. However, the home opener against Minnesota the afternoon of April 7, as well as a July 3 game against the Yankees and an Aug. 1 game against Boston from Fenway Park will be carried on Channel 3.

The Indians Sunday night season opener April 2 against the White Sox from Chicago will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Liberatore acknowledged SportsTime Ohio is late in getting started and signing agreements with cable systems. But its relationship with WKYC will help the Indians broadcasts achieve high quality from the start, he said.

“To be able to be able to partner with someone of that stature in this market immediately is going to elevate SportsTime Ohio and helps when we’re starting in the manner we’re starting,” Liberatore said.

Technical operations for SportsTime Ohio will be operated out of WKYC.

Liberatore said over the past decade, regional sports networks still carried local teams but began to imitate national sports networks.

“We are going to get back to kind of ‘old school’ regional sports network programming,” Liberatore said. “We feel we’re going to fill a void that is out there, that will really satisfy the fans of this region and speak to the fans of this region.”

Liberatore said the network has held discussions with St. Edward High School about carrying it’s annual football rivalry with St. Ignatius as well as a documentary on its storied wrestling program. The network has also held talks with the Mid American Conference and Cleveland State about carrying their athletic events, he said.

On the Net:

• SportsTime Ohio
• 2006 Indians schedule with TV coverage
• Press release on new network