I wish ESPN3 would go away and be absorbed by ESPN+

(01-22-2021 02:52 PM)XLance Wrote:  NBC had a sports channel?

NBCSN is the 2nd most watched sports channel behind only ESPN. It’s ahead of ESPN2.
https://www.primetimer.com/item/NBC-Spor...lar-ElSQPq

(01-23-2021 01:04 AM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  I wish ESPN3 would go away and be absorbed by ESPN+

It pretty much is

The only stuff on ESPN3 are legacy properties from deals generated prior to ESPN+ or GOTW type situations like the Big South. Most games on ESPN+ with 1 a week on ESPN3 for non subscribers

(01-22-2021 02:42 PM)curtis0620 Wrote:  I bet NHL will be moving, that is why they are doing this.

ESPN and ESPN+

The NHL is basically F***ed.

(01-23-2021 03:28 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 02:52 PM)XLance Wrote:  NBC had a sports channel?

NBCSN is the 2nd most watched sports channel behind only ESPN. It’s ahead of ESPN2.
https://www.primetimer.com/item/NBC-Spor...lar-ElSQPq

What's significant is that Comcast is behind NBC. They are giving up on cable.

(01-23-2021 10:38 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(01-23-2021 03:28 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 02:52 PM)XLance Wrote:  NBC had a sports channel?

NBCSN is the 2nd most watched sports channel behind only ESPN. It’s ahead of ESPN2.
https://www.primetimer.com/item/NBC-Spor...lar-ElSQPq

What's significant is that Comcast is behind NBC. They are giving up on cable.

Which is also significant because from an industry standpoint, Comcast IS cable. That’s their primary business and to actively shift away from that is quite something to see.

It’s a confounding (and not easy) business question: when do you pull the plug on a business that’s deteriorating but still very profitable? Comcast must have gotten there with NBCSN. I still think Disney is a long way from that point with ESPN since, for all of the stories about Disney+, no one should forget that ESPN is still the most profitable part of the entire Walt Disney Company by a wide margin. Fox is sort of in the middle, although they’re much less diversified since they sold off most of their assets to Disney. They’re effectively a pure TV company now.

(01-22-2021 09:58 PM)Renandpat Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 07:56 PM)ChrisLords Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 07:35 PM)PAL88888 Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 07:09 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 05:05 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  BTW folks...

If NBC Sports Network was not really that big of a money maker then can we reasonably conclude that these conference networks are going to be viable in the years to come? Consider also the trouble some of the RSNs have had in the last year or so getting picked up.

SEC Network, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, PAC 12 Networks...

I think the clock is ticking.

There’s certainly that risk, but honestly, the P5 conference networks actually have more valuable content than NBCSN. P5 college football draws the most viewers of any sport outside of the NFL. That’s a major difference here. Plus, if any of those conferences end up wanting to go direct-to-consumer streaming (which, to be clear, is still a long way off in practicality), then they just essentially can flip the switch on those networks to turn them into streaming services to do that.

This is the constant dilemma with the media landscape that hasn’t been resolved. Sports networks are very expensive, but by the same token, sports programs are really the only content that has any value to watch live today (which means they command a massive premium for commercial revenue). The P5 have A-list content and I’m a big believer that anyone with A-list content will maximize their revenue regardless of the format. The Yankees, Lakers, Big Ten and SEC were the most valuable leagues long before cable networks and they’ll be the most valuable long after they’re gone. The conferences are what make the networks valuable as opposed to the other way around.

NY Times 1/22/21
NBCSN is still quite popular and generates plenty of revenue. It was the second most viewed cable sports channel in 2020, behind only ESPN and ahead of FS1 and ESPN2. The channel is available in 76.6 million homes, each of which pays 42 cents per month for it, according to Kagan, a media research group within S&P Global Market Intelligence. That means NBCSN is on track to earn more than $380 million in revenue this year, even before advertising is taken into account.

But the future of television is streaming, and Comcast is determined not to be left behind.

Cable Sports Channels 2020
1. ESPN
2. NBCSN
3. FS1
4. ESPN2

The information would be more reliable if it had come from a credible news source but that is very interesting. NBC must feel pretty strongly about upgrading the Peacock streaming service and the USA channel to torpedo such a successful channel.

Don't trust SNL Kagan, the media research group, which conducted the research that NYT printed and credited, huh?

No, the NY Times is fish wrap, bird cage liner, not a real news source.

(01-22-2021 06:58 PM)solohawks Wrote:  I also wouldnt be surprised to see a trade off. Carry Peacock for your internet customers at X, which offsets the Y amount that they were spending on NBCSN

Good point.

Trading a $4.99 sub fee for a $0.42 sub fee is an easy decision. The question is how large can they grow the subscriber base?

(01-23-2021 11:12 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(01-23-2021 10:38 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(01-23-2021 03:28 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 02:52 PM)XLance Wrote:  NBC had a sports channel?

NBCSN is the 2nd most watched sports channel behind only ESPN. It’s ahead of ESPN2.
https://www.primetimer.com/item/NBC-Spor...lar-ElSQPq

What's significant is that Comcast is behind NBC. They are giving up on cable.

Which is also significant because from an industry standpoint, Comcast IS cable. That’s their primary business and to actively shift away from that is quite something to see.

It’s a confounding (and not easy) business question: when do you pull the plug on a business that’s deteriorating but still very profitable? Comcast must have gotten there with NBCSN. I still think Disney is a long way from that point with ESPN since, for all of the stories about Disney+, no one should forget that ESPN is still the most profitable part of the entire Walt Disney Company by a wide margin. Fox is sort of in the middle, although they’re much less diversified since they sold off most of their assets to Disney. They’re effectively a pure TV company now.

The wake-up call for Comcast, Disney, Fox, AT&T/Warner, Viacom/CBS, et al. rang a couple of years ago when they realized that Netflix is now worth more on the stock market than every legacy media company except Disney, which has a far larger business than just media.

Think about just the Netflix vs. AT&T comparison. AT&T has this enormous legacy business in telecom, including landlines, business telecom infrastructure, a huge mobile phone service, in addition to the media they acquired by buying up Warner Bros., Turner, etc. with their movie studios, a dozen or more TV properties, and their giant back libraries of content. And even with all of that, Netflix and its one revenue source is worth over $40 billion more than all of AT&T.

So Netflix has this enormous head start in streaming and the legacy companies are trying to catch up. Comcast starting Peacock and pulling the plug on NBCSN. Fox selling its back library of content in exchange for Disney stock, and Disney then launching Disney+ with the combined Disney and Fox libraries, and the Disney+/ESPN+/Hulu bundle that sells for the same monthly price as Netflix. AT&T starting the HBOMax streaming service and putting all of Warner's first-run movies on HBOMax at the same time they open in theatres. Viacom/CBS floundering badly with "CBS All Access" which they're going to rebrand as Paramount+ for some reason.

All of these things are attempts to get in on the streaming gold rush that turned Netflix from a company whose business was renting DVDs through the mail into a company that (as of this writing) is worth $249.69 billion.

(01-23-2021 11:18 AM)ChrisLords Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 09:58 PM)Renandpat Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 07:56 PM)ChrisLords Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 07:35 PM)PAL88888 Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 07:09 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  There’s certainly that risk, but honestly, the P5 conference networks actually have more valuable content than NBCSN. P5 college football draws the most viewers of any sport outside of the NFL. That’s a major difference here. Plus, if any of those conferences end up wanting to go direct-to-consumer streaming (which, to be clear, is still a long way off in practicality), then they just essentially can flip the switch on those networks to turn them into streaming services to do that.

This is the constant dilemma with the media landscape that hasn’t been resolved. Sports networks are very expensive, but by the same token, sports programs are really the only content that has any value to watch live today (which means they command a massive premium for commercial revenue). The P5 have A-list content and I’m a big believer that anyone with A-list content will maximize their revenue regardless of the format. The Yankees, Lakers, Big Ten and SEC were the most valuable leagues long before cable networks and they’ll be the most valuable long after they’re gone. The conferences are what make the networks valuable as opposed to the other way around.

NY Times 1/22/21
NBCSN is still quite popular and generates plenty of revenue. It was the second most viewed cable sports channel in 2020, behind only ESPN and ahead of FS1 and ESPN2. The channel is available in 76.6 million homes, each of which pays 42 cents per month for it, according to Kagan, a media research group within S&P Global Market Intelligence. That means NBCSN is on track to earn more than $380 million in revenue this year, even before advertising is taken into account.

But the future of television is streaming, and Comcast is determined not to be left behind.

Cable Sports Channels 2020
1. ESPN
2. NBCSN
3. FS1
4. ESPN2

The information would be more reliable if it had come from a credible news source but that is very interesting. NBC must feel pretty strongly about upgrading the Peacock streaming service and the USA channel to torpedo such a successful channel.

Don't trust SNL Kagan, the media research group, which conducted the research that NYT printed and credited, huh?

No, the NY Times is fish wrap, bird cage liner, not a real news source.

I have the completely opposite opinion of The New York Times.

I subscribe to it. I think it is one of the best news sources out there.

(01-24-2021 07:39 AM)TerryD Wrote:  

(01-23-2021 11:18 AM)ChrisLords Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 09:58 PM)Renandpat Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 07:56 PM)ChrisLords Wrote:  

(01-22-2021 07:35 PM)PAL88888 Wrote:  NY Times 1/22/21
NBCSN is still quite popular and generates plenty of revenue. It was the second most viewed cable sports channel in 2020, behind only ESPN and ahead of FS1 and ESPN2. The channel is available in 76.6 million homes, each of which pays 42 cents per month for it, according to Kagan, a media research group within S&P Global Market Intelligence. That means NBCSN is on track to earn more than $380 million in revenue this year, even before advertising is taken into account.

But the future of television is streaming, and Comcast is determined not to be left behind.

Cable Sports Channels 2020
1. ESPN
2. NBCSN
3. FS1
4. ESPN2

The information would be more reliable if it had come from a credible news source but that is very interesting. NBC must feel pretty strongly about upgrading the Peacock streaming service and the USA channel to torpedo such a successful channel.

Don't trust SNL Kagan, the media research group, which conducted the research that NYT printed and credited, huh?

No, the NY Times is fish wrap, bird cage liner, not a real news source.

I have the completely opposite opinion of The New York Times.

I subscribe to it. I think it is one of the best news sources out there.

Their reliability on political news is a topic for the spin room, not here. As for other things, NYT is a joke when they talk about things outside Manhattan. There's a classic story from the 80s when they sent a reporter down to Houston in July. He was wandering around the streets and didn't see anyone. He reported that downtown Houston was deserted. Now if he had bothered asking anyone, they would have told them that only idiots walk around mid-day in Houston's heat and humidity! Everybody was having lunch in the downtown tunnels. There was a similar hit and miss on an article on medical procedures and lawsuits in Texas that any lawyer in the country could have explained to them.

But Comcast I believe is HQ'd in Manhattan.

I don't watch much TV anymore outside of live sporting events. But I have a basic Xfinity package because of Comcast bundled pricing and lack of other high speed internet options in my neighborhood. (It is less than $10/month more to have internet+TV than to just have internet.)

But I also just got a notice talking about all the cancelled live sporting events during the pandemic and their desire to keep Xfinity providing value so customers don't drop their subscriptions:

Quote:We are always working to bring you more value. Xfinity TV now includes access to the Peacock Premium streaming service from NBCUniversal at no extra cost (a $4.99 per month value).

Maybe I'll have to figure out how to access Peacock to take advantage--as this may not stay long term (Comcast LOVES teasers followed by increased price).

Comcast just signed up the WWE Network to be exclusive on their streaming service (Peacock) for a reported $1B. WWE will be closing up its streaming service for the 5 year deal with Peacock.

Those who think Comcast/NBC are closing up shop on sports have it all wrong. They’re going to be buying up sports content and load it up on Peacock. They’ve already moved Premier League games to Peacock and now have landed the WWE for streaming. They have already made it very clear they want to re-up with the NHL after their rights end this year.

NBC thought they had the Pac 12 rights locked up back in 2010, before ESPN and Fox partnered up for the rights. I’ll bet anyone a strawberry sundae that Comcast/NBC go hard after one of the available college rights deals coming up (Big Ten, Pac 12, Big 12) for NBC, USA and especially Peacock. Could the Pac 12 Network go out like the WWE Network and the content end up on Peacock? Not sure, maybe? Or Comcast could be the partner the Pac 12 Network needs for distribution?

Either way, Comcast is certainly building up sports content for Peacock.

https://www.bleacherreport.com/articles/...1b-on-deal

(01-25-2021 11:37 PM)BruinNation Wrote:  Comcast just signed up the WWE Network to be exclusive on their streaming service (Peacock) for a reported $1B. WWE will be closing up its streaming service for the 5 year deal with Peacock.

Those who think Comcast/NBC are closing up shop on sports have it all wrong. They’re going to be buying up sports content and load it up on Peacock. They’ve already moved Premier League games to Peacock and now have landed the WWE for streaming. They have already made it very clear they want to re-up with the NHL after their rights end this year.

NBC thought they had the Pac 12 rights locked up back in 2010, before ESPN and Fox partnered up for the rights. I’ll bet anyone a strawberry sundae that Comcast/NBC go hard after one of the available college rights deals coming up (Big Ten, Pac 12, Big 12) for NBC, USA and especially Peacock. Could the Pac 12 Network go out like the WWE Network and the content end up on Peacock? Not sure, maybe? Or Comcast could be the partner the Pac 12 Network needs for distribution?

Either way, Comcast is certainly building up sports content for Peacock.

https://www.bleacherreport.com/articles/...1b-on-deal

I fully expect Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime to be at least attempting to buy tier 1 rights as well. Which, I think, will be a huge game changer in itself. These new outlets will likely be the #1 reason why the B12 and Pac 12 will get lucrative distribution deals. The game is changing and there's even more competition to the mix.

(01-25-2021 11:50 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  

(01-25-2021 11:37 PM)BruinNation Wrote:  Comcast just signed up the WWE Network to be exclusive on their streaming service (Peacock) for a reported $1B. WWE will be closing up its streaming service for the 5 year deal with Peacock.

Those who think Comcast/NBC are closing up shop on sports have it all wrong. They’re going to be buying up sports content and load it up on Peacock. They’ve already moved Premier League games to Peacock and now have landed the WWE for streaming. They have already made it very clear they want to re-up with the NHL after their rights end this year.

NBC thought they had the Pac 12 rights locked up back in 2010, before ESPN and Fox partnered up for the rights. I’ll bet anyone a strawberry sundae that Comcast/NBC go hard after one of the available college rights deals coming up (Big Ten, Pac 12, Big 12) for NBC, USA and especially Peacock. Could the Pac 12 Network go out like the WWE Network and the content end up on Peacock? Not sure, maybe? Or Comcast could be the partner the Pac 12 Network needs for distribution?

Either way, Comcast is certainly building up sports content for Peacock.

https://www.bleacherreport.com/articles/...1b-on-deal

I fully expect Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime to be at least attempting to buy tier 1 rights as well. Which, I think, will be a huge game changer in itself. These new outlets will likely be the #1 reason why the B12 and Pac 12 will get lucrative distribution deals. The game is changing and there's even more competition to the mix.

I don't know. the number the NFL got for their Amazon Prime game was extremely low. I think that's going to give colleges a lot of pause on going that route.

(01-26-2021 12:07 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(01-25-2021 11:50 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  

(01-25-2021 11:37 PM)BruinNation Wrote:  Comcast just signed up the WWE Network to be exclusive on their streaming service (Peacock) for a reported $1B. WWE will be closing up its streaming service for the 5 year deal with Peacock.

Those who think Comcast/NBC are closing up shop on sports have it all wrong. They’re going to be buying up sports content and load it up on Peacock. They’ve already moved Premier League games to Peacock and now have landed the WWE for streaming. They have already made it very clear they want to re-up with the NHL after their rights end this year.

NBC thought they had the Pac 12 rights locked up back in 2010, before ESPN and Fox partnered up for the rights. I’ll bet anyone a strawberry sundae that Comcast/NBC go hard after one of the available college rights deals coming up (Big Ten, Pac 12, Big 12) for NBC, USA and especially Peacock. Could the Pac 12 Network go out like the WWE Network and the content end up on Peacock? Not sure, maybe? Or Comcast could be the partner the Pac 12 Network needs for distribution?

Either way, Comcast is certainly building up sports content for Peacock.

https://www.bleacherreport.com/articles/...1b-on-deal

I fully expect Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime to be at least attempting to buy tier 1 rights as well. Which, I think, will be a huge game changer in itself. These new outlets will likely be the #1 reason why the B12 and Pac 12 will get lucrative distribution deals. The game is changing and there's even more competition to the mix.

I don't know. the number the NFL got for their Amazon Prime game was extremely low. I think that's going to give colleges a lot of pause on going that route.

The big time sports have no reason to go the streaming route. Once bars & restaurants are open again along with entertainment venues etc. They all use DirecTV and it's a better platform then streaming right now. Maybe in the next decade that changes but there's no reason for the big time leagues to make the move. The NFL will not leave OTA. I think if anything they move Monday Night Football back to ABC from ESPN. I could see them loading up the 4 London Games & 4 Saturday Night Games to NFL Network w/ Amazon Prime getting the streaming rights to those games to meet their 8-game requirement with cable companies for NFLN.

I will say this about NHL rights. I don't think NBC is going to keep it. They have Raw & NXT on Monday & Wednesday nights which directly runs into when NBCSN programmed NHL. Unless they do Tuesday Night Hockey or move NXT to Tuesday and then do Sunday Night Hockey (Hockey Night in America) and Wednesday Night Hockey (Doubleheader exclusive). Though NBC & FOX have a history of working together on sports rights. Peacock will be the big player for Comcast going forward but don't expect the NFL to make such a move. I do think the Pac-12 is an interesting move, maybe get their games on NBC OTA, ESPN and move Pac-12 Networks to Peacock.

(01-26-2021 12:07 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(01-25-2021 11:50 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  

(01-25-2021 11:37 PM)BruinNation Wrote:  Comcast just signed up the WWE Network to be exclusive on their streaming service (Peacock) for a reported $1B. WWE will be closing up its streaming service for the 5 year deal with Peacock.

Those who think Comcast/NBC are closing up shop on sports have it all wrong. They’re going to be buying up sports content and load it up on Peacock. They’ve already moved Premier League games to Peacock and now have landed the WWE for streaming. They have already made it very clear they want to re-up with the NHL after their rights end this year.

NBC thought they had the Pac 12 rights locked up back in 2010, before ESPN and Fox partnered up for the rights. I’ll bet anyone a strawberry sundae that Comcast/NBC go hard after one of the available college rights deals coming up (Big Ten, Pac 12, Big 12) for NBC, USA and especially Peacock. Could the Pac 12 Network go out like the WWE Network and the content end up on Peacock? Not sure, maybe? Or Comcast could be the partner the Pac 12 Network needs for distribution?

Either way, Comcast is certainly building up sports content for Peacock.

https://www.bleacherreport.com/articles/...1b-on-deal

I fully expect Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime to be at least attempting to buy tier 1 rights as well. Which, I think, will be a huge game changer in itself. These new outlets will likely be the #1 reason why the B12 and Pac 12 will get lucrative distribution deals. The game is changing and there's even more competition to the mix.

I don't know. the number the NFL got for their Amazon Prime game was extremely low. I think that's going to give colleges a lot of pause on going that route.

Its better than putting the games up on twitter and facebook.

(01-22-2021 03:30 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  USA has a better brand in the world of TV compared to NBCSN. Think about the NBA being on TNT for example despite it not being a sports network. Maybe that's what they want.

And lots of cable-alternative streaming packages will be more likely to carry USA than NBCSN. Something like a Tour de France half hour or hour recap on USA while full streaming is on Peacock would not be a surprising way for that to play out.

(01-26-2021 12:07 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(01-25-2021 11:50 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  

(01-25-2021 11:37 PM)BruinNation Wrote:  Comcast just signed up the WWE Network to be exclusive on their streaming service (Peacock) for a reported $1B. WWE will be closing up its streaming service for the 5 year deal with Peacock.

Those who think Comcast/NBC are closing up shop on sports have it all wrong. They’re going to be buying up sports content and load it up on Peacock. They’ve already moved Premier League games to Peacock and now have landed the WWE for streaming. They have already made it very clear they want to re-up with the NHL after their rights end this year.

NBC thought they had the Pac 12 rights locked up back in 2010, before ESPN and Fox partnered up for the rights. I’ll bet anyone a strawberry sundae that Comcast/NBC go hard after one of the available college rights deals coming up (Big Ten, Pac 12, Big 12) for NBC, USA and especially Peacock. Could the Pac 12 Network go out like the WWE Network and the content end up on Peacock? Not sure, maybe? Or Comcast could be the partner the Pac 12 Network needs for distribution?

Either way, Comcast is certainly building up sports content for Peacock.

https://www.bleacherreport.com/articles/...1b-on-deal

I fully expect Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime to be at least attempting to buy tier 1 rights as well. Which, I think, will be a huge game changer in itself. These new outlets will likely be the #1 reason why the B12 and Pac 12 will get lucrative distribution deals. The game is changing and there's even more competition to the mix.

I don't know. the number the NFL got for their Amazon Prime game was extremely low. I think that's going to give colleges a lot of pause on going that route.

Those were simulcasts though. Exclusive rights are a different matter.

(01-25-2021 11:37 PM)BruinNation Wrote:  Comcast just signed up the WWE Network to be exclusive on their streaming service (Peacock) for a reported $1B. WWE will be closing up its streaming service for the 5 year deal with Peacock.

Those who think Comcast/NBC are closing up shop on sports have it all wrong. They’re going to be buying up sports content and load it up on Peacock. They’ve already moved Premier League games to Peacock and now have landed the WWE for streaming. They have already made it very clear they want to re-up with the NHL after their rights end this year.

NBC thought they had the Pac 12 rights locked up back in 2010, before ESPN and Fox partnered up for the rights. I’ll bet anyone a strawberry sundae that Comcast/NBC go hard after one of the available college rights deals coming up (Big Ten, Pac 12, Big 12) for NBC, USA and especially Peacock. Could the Pac 12 Network go out like the WWE Network and the content end up on Peacock? Not sure, maybe? Or Comcast could be the partner the Pac 12 Network needs for distribution?

Either way, Comcast is certainly building up sports content for Peacock.

https://www.bleacherreport.com/articles/...1b-on-deal

Good point. The availability of Peacock is becoming more of a game changer than I thought it would be.

They've done a good job with streaming sports so far. I've watched quite a few Premier League games on there and it's hardly every spotty.

Part of the strength of Peacock is its connection to Comcast...they own the infrastructure it's streaming on. That is, assuming one is a Comcast customer. Right now, they're also including the service for their customers. I have it, but I don't pay extra for it. That helps big time with distribution. If they really build the portfolio then it's going to be a force.

The PAC 12 needs to look at that.