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The Clippers’ television deal with Fox Sports’ Prime Ticket runs out after the 2015-16 season and both sides have been looking to make a deal to start anew.
Talks started back in June between the two about a new contract; Fox Sports’ offered $60 million to broadcast the Clippers, which Ballmer countered with a $100 million deal. Fox Sports rejected and did not speak on the matter publicly.
The Clippers current deal with Fox Sports is $25 million per-year, but after the deal not getting done they have other windows to explore. Steve Ballmer has been exploring other options to get the games seen by the local market, one of these options includes streaming the games. The Portland Trail Blazers have experimented with streaming games, but won’t do it this season.
The NBA said they had problem with the idea, as long as the games get seen by the local market. An executive with the team said Steve Ballmer is aware of the pros and cons, but instead may try and strike a deal with Fox Sports for a hybrid-type deal.
With everything this Clippers team has to offer, it has only been averaging 50,000 homes tuning in for their games. And at the $10 charge they may want to do with the streaming, they’ll have to find another 450,000 people willing to pay to watch their games to match the $60 million offer that Fox Sports’ Prime Ticket had offered.