Fox to change World Series time for Obama

The Hollywood Reporter ^ | Oct 15, 2008 | Paul J. Gough

[AnnaZ]

Fox to change World Series time for Obama

Presidential candidate's ad buy interfering with game

By Paul J. Gough

Oct 15, 2008, 03:15 PM ET

Updated: Oct 15, 2008, 10:06 PM ET

NEW YORK -- Barack Obama might have the power to move the World Series by a few minutes.

To accommodate a half-hour Obama time buy on Fox on Oct. 29, Major League Baseball has agreed to move the start time of World Series Game 6 by about 15 minutes. That would move the start of the game from 8:20 p.m. ET or so to 8:35 p.m.

"Fox will accommodate Senator Obama's desire to communicate with voters in this longform format," Fox Sports said in a statement. "We are pleased that Major League Baseball has agreed to delay the first pitch of World Series Game 6 for a few minutes in order for Fox to carry his program on Oct. 29. If requested, the network would be willing to make similar time available to Senator McCain's campaign."

Along with CBS and NBC, Fox was approached by the Obama campaign last week to purchase the 8-8:30 p.m. time slot Oct. 29. If a Game 6 is needed, Fox is obligated to carry the game. That prevented the network from agreeing outright to carry the commercial, which was cleared by CBS and NBC last Thursday.

The blessing from MLB clears the way for Fox to air the promo and collect upward of $1 million in ad revenue for the half hour, more than what either CBS or NBC was charging.

While a big network ad buy from a presidential candidate is rare, it's not unprecedented for a network and sports league to move the start time of a sports event to accommodate a political broadcast. In early September, the National Football League moved up the kickoff time of the opening-night game -- which aired on NBC -- to 7 p.m. to make sure that the game would be over before Sen. John McCain stepped up to the podium to accept the nomination of the Republican party during the RNC.

[Carley]

He bought on all the channels.

You will have no choice if you turn on the TV.

I’ll stick to the radio until the game begins.

we don’t like evil in our home.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

If we don’t get to work, soon he won’t have to pay for these addresses. And he’ll move the series, or cancel it, by executive order.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

FOX is pimping the audience to Obama.....

[philsfan24]

We are completely pumped here in Phila. But this won’t be an issue because there will be no Game 6. Phils will sweep. ;)

[AngelesCrestHighway]

we don’t like evil in our home.

I agree....It’s like having the Devil step in and ruin the game.

[PhiKapMom]

I get mad at political commercials during sports events period. I am so disgusted when I watch football to see political commercials.

[gidget7]

Definately will be watching Dish that night!

[rwilson99]

ding. winner... Baseball fans hopefully in at least two swing states will be aggravated this idiot politician is on every channel.

[1curiousmind]

I think McCain and Palin should go head to head organize a live rally/concert somewhere in PA and bring in some big country singers and something fun like Joe the plumber on drums!

Steal the Messiah’s thunder...and audience!

[wastedyears]

Is anything going to stop this Communist POS?

[nodumbblonde]

If he spent more time hanging out with people like Joe the Plumber, he’d know you DO NOT screw with baseball in America.

[EdReform]

Ping

[fatima]

He bought on ESPN?

[elk]

Now that the rubber is hitting the road, the FOX anchors are probably now having to take the orders directly from the top -- quash the conservatives we've been suckering all along, depress their vote.

Evidence: what else explains that weird, inaccurate post-debate FOX report?

[woodbutcher1963]

You forgot about NYC the biggest baseball TV audience.
I think the Rays are a great young team.
However, their fans don’t even fill their own statium except the most recent playoff games.
Typically during the season there are more Red Sox or Yankee fans at Tropicana Field than Rays fans.

[AnnaZ]

Normally we only get to see/hear someone butcher the National Anthem.

This year we get a chance to see/hear how someone will butcher the nation.

O. M. G. ROTF!

[Carley]

Heard he bought everywhere but ABC

Don’t know for sure. Maybe google knows.

Does ESPN have Olberscum?

[JesusBmyGod]

ping

[Steve_Seattle]

"Totally creepy."

It is exactly that. Why? Because Obama simply could have scheduled the half-hour before the game. But, no, this egomaniacal freak had to delay America's most traditional sports event in order to get his Dumbo ears in our face one more time. Everything has to stop for the Messiah. The man sickens and frightens me.

[omega4179]

One more reason to throw out your televisions.