(05-23-2013 09:56 AM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 09:47 AM)billings Wrote:  Times are changing at ESPN. Yes they are worried

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/espn-layof...54714.html

Ouch:

"But the rumored reason behind the layoffs — the soaring cost of broadcast rights eating into the company's profit margin — is a real concern for the future of the company.

ESPN is such a monolith because it charges the highest subscription fees on cable, in addition to ad revenue. It can justify those subscription rates because it controls a massive chunk of live sports broadcasting rights — a finite commodity that is getting more and more valuable as TV audiences for other types of programming continue to fragment into smaller groups.

The broadcast rights to live sports are going up for two reasons: 1) live sports is the only thing you have to watch live in the DVR era, and 2) the rise of NBC Sports, CBS Sports Network, and Fox Sports 1 has made bidding more competitive.

In the last 24 months, ESPN has agreed to huge rights deals with a bunch of leagues and events. Some of the highlights:

•$15.2 billion over 10 years for Monday Night football (73% higher annually than the previous deal).

•$7.3 billion over 12 years for the new college football playoff (480% higher annually than what it was previously paying for BCS bowls)."

I guess if you were watching a game in a bar, it is worth it to watch live. But if you are sitting at home by yourself or even with a group of buddies at home, why would you want to watch a game live? Record it and start watching 45 minutes after it starts and skip thorugh commercials and standing around. If you want to go bed, record it and watch the end without comercials when you wake up in the morning. Games are ridiculously long now. Sports are doing the same thing tv shows did. killing the golden goose with too many comercials and outrageous cabletv fees.

(05-23-2013 06:08 PM)goofus Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 09:56 AM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 09:47 AM)billings Wrote:  Times are changing at ESPN. Yes they are worried

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/espn-layof...54714.html

Ouch:

"But the rumored reason behind the layoffs — the soaring cost of broadcast rights eating into the company's profit margin — is a real concern for the future of the company.

ESPN is such a monolith because it charges the highest subscription fees on cable, in addition to ad revenue. It can justify those subscription rates because it controls a massive chunk of live sports broadcasting rights — a finite commodity that is getting more and more valuable as TV audiences for other types of programming continue to fragment into smaller groups.

The broadcast rights to live sports are going up for two reasons: 1) live sports is the only thing you have to watch live in the DVR era, and 2) the rise of NBC Sports, CBS Sports Network, and Fox Sports 1 has made bidding more competitive.

In the last 24 months, ESPN has agreed to huge rights deals with a bunch of leagues and events. Some of the highlights:

•$15.2 billion over 10 years for Monday Night football (73% higher annually than the previous deal).

•$7.3 billion over 12 years for the new college football playoff (480% higher annually than what it was previously paying for BCS bowls)."

I guess if you were watching a game in a bar, it is worth it to watch live. But if you are sitting at home by yourself or even with a group of buddies at home, why would you want to watch a game live? Record it and start watching 45 minutes after it starts and skip thorugh commercials and standing around. If you want to go bed, record it and watch the end without comercials when you wake up in the morning. Games are ridiculously long now. Sports are doing the same thing tv shows did. killing the golden goose with too many comercials and outrageous cabletv fees.

We pay fees for the internet and have to believe that commercials will increase on the internet programming if the networks are losing viewers. I agree that I enjoy that using the DVR is a blessing as far as watching programming, but believe that the digital broadcasts on the internet will become more expensive if cable or satellite becomes a thing of the past.