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.

[arrogantsob]

I don’t think that would happen.  If he did it would be outside and to the Left.I am sure they would have had Da Mare trough it out.

[Natchez Hawk]

“Fox to change world series time for O’Bama”

Well, last night their propagandists changed for O’Bama, so I’m not too surprised.

[Frank_2001]

“Loved the guy who said that right after Obama wins, go down to Miami Beach and see all the Cubans getting back into their boats to leave this country for one with more freedom, Cuba! LOL!”

Many who have lost freedom and want it back have come to America, but where do AMERICANS go when we’ve lost freedom?

[Carley]

Wow, I committed a high crime and misdemeanor.

Geez is right.

[ZAKJAN2]

I think McCain should buy the 10 seconds following..
and just say..

Enjoy the Game folks!!

HAHAH
that would be a scream!!!

[codder too]

I still like the idea of having Palin sing “God Bless America” at 7th inning break for that game. The last word wins.

[rhema]

I hope the McCain camp readies a response ad for the first inning.

I hope it's John, Sarah, and Joe the Plumber dissecting Obama's predatory designs on our wallets.

[rhema]

You should watch the most compelling baseball team in some time, the Rays. Very interesting team which plays the game the way it should be played. Real baseball fans can appreciate this as worth watching in itself. Of course, I love the game and watching the kids in the park league play as much as the bigs. Tampa stomped my White Sox and seems about ready to do the same to the Red Sox. What is best is that it is getting done with a team of young guys not making hundreds of millions.

My Twins (7th lowest salary in MLB: $62 million) are also a bunch of young, hungry guys that came within a 1-0 game (your Jim Thome broke our hearts) of the playoffs. The Rays are the second-lowest team: $44 million.

[hsmomx3]

Talk about arrogance.

A friend said this is actually a good thing because people will be ticked off to begin with, and they will get sick of Obama.

[Sir_Ed]

His purchase of every network’s slot at that time period almost sounds like some horrific sci-fi movie...like everyone watching will be given the codeword to wake up an evil creature living inside of them, or everyone watching will have some evil alien mind-control beam broadcast into them!

Obviously that’s all just Hollywood, but it does certainly give me the chills, nonetheless.

Ed

[heatherlund]

Did eveyone send an email to foxnews yesterday as I had suggested? I think we ALL need to express our concern, agree?

[BobS]

If I see him on the SCI FI channel, it’s time to walk down the street blowing off a shotgun.

[arrogantsob]

Thome had been breaking OUR hearts most of the year so it was good to see another team get it. You have to admit neither the Sox nor the Twins deserved to go any further though. Both teams had been floundering for a month and were not good at the end. The Sox had been in the lead almost all year but never played good enough to do anything but stumble into the playoffs after the Tigers and Indians collapsed. They never had all cylinders firing for more than a game or three. The Twins consistently get more out of less than any other team and I hate and admire them.

I will have to say though that for once the Sox have a bunch of excellent young players and look forward to next year. When they picked up Thome I thought it would mean a fundamental change in the way they played the game and it did. They started waiting for the homer and they seemed to come in bunches when some didn’t even manner. And they seemed to stop being able to scratch and fight for runs even forgetting how to bunt.

But we have four excellent starters so we will have a chance next year. I have a feeling there will be some major changes elsewhere.

[Mr.Atos]

"Obama’s “Heidi” moment."

Nice! Hubris jumps the shark, dressed like a carrot. And Senator "Government" doesnt even see it coming. And he's even paying for it. You can't by these moments much less have them gifted to you.

Brilliant tag though. This is most certainly Obama's "HEIDI MOMENT." Own it 101 and Spread it like wildfire. One thing BHO cannot handle is ridicule. Three weeks of it could tip him over the edge.

[mikrofon]

I’m hoping the Rays will bounce back and beat Boston to get to the Series — I don’t want the Sox to take all of the comeback mojo from McCain-Palin ;)

[AnnaZ]

Thanks for saying that about the comments. I just went and read some of them, and was pleased. Loved the guy who said that right after Obama wins, go down to Miami Beach and see all the Cubans getting back into their boats to leave this country for one with more freedom, Cuba! LOL!

LOL.

And yes... the comments were the saving grace. (A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down!)

: \

[jilliane]

McCain should purchase the 1/2 hour immediately after Obama’s and insist they push the game back 30 minutes more to insure fair and equal representation

[KittyKares]

I was driving home from church today and actually saw a car with a license plate frame which read: "OBAMA IS EVERYTHING"

It gave me a creepy feeling.

[bmwcyle]

If the Phillies win tonight is Obama’s spot over on the sixth game?

[Michigan CD]

I’ve done some research and the last time (and only other time) the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series, the year was 1980 and there was an election approaching in which the liberal Democrat Jimmy Carter was defeated by Ronald Reagan. This seems to be a great season for Pennsylvania. Penn State is ranked #3 in college football. Phillies are on the brink of winning World Series, without the Game 6 being necessary that Obama bought his ad for. Pennsylvania you could be the state that saves America in 2008, if Pennsylvania ends up being decisive for McCain.