In a potential move which would be a surprising first in the show’s extensive history, Fox’s leading animated comedy The Simpsons is preparing to announce their intention to find cable networks to syndicate past episodes of the show.
The Simpsons had held back on allowing such a move to take place since signing broadcast syndication agreements in 1993, a term of which was that no cable stations could receive access for as long as new episodes are made, part of a deal made during a time when cable was a strongly-feared competitor of the regular networks.
While the wariness of cable edging in on the rights will still remain, it appears as though the show’s syndication managers Twentieth Television are aware that times have changed and that they could benefit from a huge financial incentive in exchange for any new syndication sold, as well as the small matter of no-one expecting the show to last over 2 decades longer than when the original agreements were made in 1993.
In an announcement made that some will picture a pinky to the lips with just by its words, the amount that Fox hope to claim in such a sale is as much as… one billion dollars.
The sale, if it does go forward, is expected to occur at some point in 2014, and it is widely acknowledged that the $1b target price would be met if demand from cable networks is anything to go by, as one source for the matter noted: “There’s a pent-up demand for it.”
Early favourites for the rights include Fox-owned station FX (or its own potential new sister network FXX), as well as continuing rumours of a Simpsons-exclusive archive network, with Fox reluctant to allow one of their most well-known names to benefit a competitor (although Turner (who operate the Adult Swim block that host reruns of other popular animated shows) could be a strong and well-connected candidate), but for the possible financial gain it would be likely that all that is thrown out the window if previous statistics by analysts (headlined by the one that the comedy’s 530 episodes could be valued at up to $1.5m each in syndication purchase value) are to be believed.
Part of that analysis, though, is that that valuation would be after The Simpsons stops producing no episodes, but show executives have insisted that talk of the deal does not mean the show is ending after the upcoming 25th season, despite a lack of renewal so far. It would seem unlikely too, with there obviously being more value in a programme which is current, so will The Simpsons be able to work around an old contract to get the best of both past and present?
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