KCAL, CBS' Los Angeles owned-and-operated station, is picking off local broadcast rights to Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers from the News Corp.-owned UPN station KCOP.
The new eight-year deal kicks off with the 2006 season and gives KCAL exclusive local TV rights excluding games carried under Major League Baseball's national TV deal. Currently, KCAL broadcasts Anaheim Angels games. That deal expires after next season.The Dodgers currently have an $8 million per year deal with KCOP, a deal crafted back in 2001 when the Dodgers and KCOP were both owned by News Corp. divisions. The media giant's Fox Entertainment arm unloaded the baseball team for $430 million last Janurary to investment group headed by Boston real estate developer Frank McCourt.Terms of the new deal were not disclosed but KCAL is said to be paying the Dodgers a significant increase in rights fees.KCAL is also the local broadcaster for the Los Angeles Lakers and recently signed an extension to keep the team on its air through 2012.
