TV deal may get more interesting

[ChicosBailBonds]

The DOYERS (that's the Dodgers for you non So Cal folks) may now sign with Time Warner for $7 billion instead of FOX.  The amount is gigantically ridiculous on all levels, but the point is that FOX could lose another huge property.  They lost the Lakers to Time Warner to start this season (as a Laker hater and Doyer hater, I can only hope that if they move to Time Warner Sports it does the same for them that it did for the Lakers).

http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-dodgers-time-warner-fox-tv-20130118,0,2289117.story


One of several possibilities here.  FOX ups the ante one more time, meaning they have to spend more money.  Or, they do lose the Lakers and it potentially benefits the new conference with a more attractive offer.  We'll see.  The buckets where these dollars come from are not always the same.  Fox Sports One is a national channel while Prime Ticket \ Fox Sports West , the two RSNs in So. Cal operated by FOX, are from another.  That being said, they are from the same parent and have the same top down controlling structure.

[gjreda]

Chicos - Any chance that we see games broadcast over the internet or some sort of internet package available with the new contract?  Obviously it's a fairly broad question, but it seems silly that I can't purchase a package that would allow me to watch every MU game (or even the just conference ones).

My assumption is that this is currently due to the BE contact - my hope is the new league could be a bit more progressive, but I have no clue as to all that would be involved to pull that off.

[jsglow]

$7 B for the 'local' TV?  What might the poor Brewers have in their TV deal?  Not to turn this into a baseball thread but it is amazing to me when small market teams win at all.  That's why I always cheer for them in post season.

Anyway, hopefully the BEast 2.0 has perfect timing.

[mr.MUskie]

DOYERS?

[Nukem2]

Los Doyers, the Hispanic pronunciation of the Dodgers.  Guess it has caught on....

[ChicosBailBonds]

DOYERS?

Going to Doyers games now is quite an experience...it's like going to the old Raiders games.  Catch a game, maybe get mugged, certainly verbally assaulted if you are wearing an opposing team's colors, quite the experience.   

[ChicosBailBonds]

Chicos - Any chance that we see games broadcast over the internet or some sort of internet package available with the new contract?  Obviously it's a fairly broad question, but it seems silly that I can't purchase a package that would allow me to watch every MU game (or even the just conference ones).

My assumption is that this is currently due to the BE contact - my hope is the new league could be a bit more progressive, but I have no clue as to all that would be involved to pull that off.

If the rumors are true that Fox is spending $500 million, then they are going to control most of the digital rights as well.  I would guess it would be an authentication scenario online much like Big Ten Network is, not a separate by-through.  If its a buy through, then I'm going to have a problem with it just like every other television distributor that ultimately has to pay for that $500 million and pass it on to customers just to break even....to ask a distributor to foot all those costs and then sell it outside the distributor, that's not going to fly....at least not for long.

[TallTitan34]

Didn't someone mention FOX already has the technology in place for online streaming as they stream games on their soccer channel?  I thought I saw that in an old scoop thread.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Didn't someone mention FOX already has the technology in place for online streaming as they stream games on their soccer channel?  I thought I saw that in an old scoop thread.

Yes, I mentioned it.  The technology isn't really the issue, it's whether they wish to do it and what rights are negotiated with the distributor and also directly with the league.  Fox is going to demand digital rights for that kind of money.  In turn, distributors are going to demand authenticated rights from FOX. 

[ATWizJr]

Los Doyers, the Hispanic pronunciation of the Dodgers.  Guess it has caught on....

You know, the pronunciation from the prohects.

[Golden Avalanche]

Didn't someone mention FOX already has the technology in place for online streaming as they stream games on their soccer channel?  I thought I saw that in an old scoop thread.

And FOX has some room on that streaming platform as they've lost the rights to every league they once broadcasted over the last two years with only the pan-European Champions League (which takes place on Tuesday/Wednesday in the 14.45-17.00 EST period) left in their stable.

Fox Soccer Channel should become a new all sports channel sometime in August at this rate.

[JTBMU7]

this has some decent info. apparently they are scrapping their current sports networks and airing sports on FX to set up an ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 model with their network channel. this tells me they probably have enough content (C7/Big East) to kick both these channels off in August...
http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2013/01/sbj-fuel-to-become-fox-sports-2-fx-will-no-longer-carry-sports/

[brewcity77]

And FOX has some room on that streaming platform as they've lost the rights to every league they once broadcasted over the last two years with only the pan-European Champions League (which takes place on Tuesday/Wednesday in the 14.45-17.00 EST period) left in their stable.

Fox Soccer Channel should become a new all sports channel sometime in August at this rate.

I have no idea what they'll do without the Prem. Maybe push for Bundesliga or try to get La Liga or Serie A. No way they can live on Europe, the Championship, and MLS.

[ChicosBailBonds]

$7 B for the 'local' TV?  What might the poor Brewers have in their TV deal?  Not to turn this into a baseball thread but it is amazing to me when small market teams win at all.  That's why I always cheer for them in post season.

Anyway, hopefully the BEast 2.0 has perfect timing.

Word today is the deal might be $8 billion.

[muwarrior69]

Chicos, is there a chance DirecTV would move the Speed and Fuel channels out of the 600s into the 200s like they did NBCSports channel?.

[Bocephys]

Chicos, is there a chance DirecTV would move the Speed and Fuel channels out of the 600s into the 200s like they did NBCSports channel?.

Also, it's odd that NBCSports was moved, but the B1G network is stuck in the 600s last I checked.

[Tigidal]

this has some decent info. apparently they are scrapping their current sports networks and airing sports on FX to set up an ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 model with their network channel. this tells me they probably have enough content (C7/Big East) to kick both these channels off in August...
http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2013/01/sbj-fuel-to-become-fox-sports-2-fx-will-no-longer-carry-sports/

Damn... Had no clue Fox Soccer lost the EPL.  Sad news.  Sounds like it'll start in August on NBC's various networks, who bid $250M for 3 years vs Fox's $23M bid for the last 3.  What's great about Fox Soccer is that everything is in one place right now, and that they actually use the English announcers, who really make the broadcast.  They also show the British broadcasts of the Preview/Review shows.  Sinking feeling that NBC is going to f*ck it up with US announcers from the studio.

[honkytonk]

Word today is the deal might be $8 billion.

Is this good? Bad? Fair market?

[muwarrior69]

Also, it's odd that NBCSports was moved, but the B1G network is stuck in the 600s last I checked.

What is even odder wasn't the B1G in the 200s when it first started? I maybe wrong.

[brewcity77]

Damn... Had no clue Fox Soccer lost the EPL.  Sad news.  Sounds like it'll start in August on NBC's various networks, who bid $250M for 3 years vs Fox's $23M bid for the last 3.  What's great about Fox Soccer is that everything is in one place right now, and that they actually use the English announcers, who really make the broadcast.  They also show the British broadcasts of the Preview/Review shows.  Sinking feeling that NBC is going to f*ck it up with US announcers from the studio.

Much of Fox's coverage is a direct feed from Sky Sports. The real question will be if NBC can use their feed and announce teams. If so, things will be fine. However, Sky is owned by News Corp, which is Fox's parent company.

Also out of the EPL will be ESPN. What will that mean for American fan favorite Ian Darke? ABC/ESPN also lost the World Cup, which will move over to Fox.

[MU82]

There is one and only one thing I care about: Will I be able to watch as many Marquette games as I do now if I maintain the same level of cable service (with Time Warner) that I currently have.

I don't like a lot of things about ESPN, but its family of networks (including ESPN3) and its relationship with the Big East has been a wonderful thing that has let us watch just about every game, and I'd hate to see us take a step backward.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

There is one and only one thing I care about: Will I be able to watch as many Marquette games as I do now if I maintain the same level of cable service (with Time Warner) that I currently have.

I don't like a lot of things about ESPN, but its family of networks (including ESPN3) and its relationship with the Big East has been a wonderful thing that has let us watch just about every game, and I'd hate to see us take a step backward.

+1

[ChicosBailBonds]

Chicos, is there a chance DirecTV would move the Speed and Fuel channels out of the 600s into the 200s like they did NBCSports channel?.

I believe NBCSports was moved into the 200's as a result of the NBC deal being consumated.  Certain channel positions are more highly coveted that others and come with considerations.  Anything is possible, but there are dominoes that need to fall as well. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Is this good? Bad? Fair market?

That, is a loaded question that elicits a lot of different answers based on who the constituency is.

Is it good for the consumer?  Hell no.  That channel at that cost will command probably $5 or $6 per subscriber, per month.  That is insane.  All to carry ONE sport, the Doyers.  In context, ESPN gets about $5 for 4 channels that carries a bunch of sports all the time.  It just means when all these new ESPN deals come around again, the insanity will continue.

Is it good for the C7?  I would say yes, a big hell yes.  It's a sellers market so this is a chance for the C7 and the conference to help FOX lick their wounds and pay extra for the rights.  Now, the word on the street is still that FOX has the ability to match this Dodgers offer, so we'll see what happens. If they do, then that could hurt our deal.  All depends where the dollars are coming from.  If Fox does lose the Dodgers after already losing the Lakers, wow are they going to be pissed.

Is it fair market?  Honestly, how does one answer that in today's world.  Some would argue any market driven price agreed to by two parties, by definition, is fair market.  In my opinion, the rate is absolutely, grotesquely absurd and the ramifications for consumers and sports teams is going to get so out of hand by this and other recent deals that the landscape is going to get beyond wild.

[Lennys Tap]

That, is a loaded question that elicits a lot of different answers based on who the constituency is.

Is it good for the consumer?  Hell no.  That channel at that cost will command probably $5 or $6 per subscriber, per month.  That is insane.  All to carry ONE sport, the Doyers.  In context, ESPN gets about $5 for 4 channels that carries a bunch of sports all the time.  It just means when all these new ESPN deals come around again, the insanity will continue.

Is it good for the C7?  I would say yes, a big hell yes.  It's a sellers market so this is a chance for the C7 and the conference to help FOX lick their wounds and pay extra for the rights.  Now, the word on the street is still that FOX has the ability to match this Dodgers offer, so we'll see what happens. If they do, then that could hurt our deal.  All depends where the dollars are coming from.  If Fox does lose the Dodgers after already losing the Lakers, wow are they going to be pissed.

Is it fair market?  Honestly, how does one answer that in today's world.  Some would argue any market driven price agreed to by two parties, by definition, is fair market.  In my opinion, the rate is absolutely, grotesquely absurd and the ramifications for consumers and sports teams is going to get so out of hand by this and other recent deals that the landscape is going to get beyond wild.

Sounds like the next bubble.