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ESPN and Fox Sports Regional channels merging an issue?

Perhaps we'll finally get the ESPN 8, The Ocho, that we deserve.
 
On the news this morning, they said the sports networks weren't a part of the deal. Could be wrong though.
 
Hadn't heard of ESPN Plus. Seems like that could be nothing or a game-changer.
 
Can it mean the return of Australian Rules Football?
 
wsc8521s said:
FS1 and FS2 (and Fox) arent, but the RSNs are
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I remember being excited about FS1 and FS2, but I've been pretty disappointed. Unless you are a fan of UFC reruns or tuesday night horse racing, the programming is pretty weak.
 
skinnydeac said:
I remember being excited about FS1 and FS2, but I've been pretty disappointed. Unless you are a fan of UFC reruns or tuesday night horse racing, the programming is pretty weak.
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Decent Bundesliga action to watch the young Americanos.
 
It wasn't a prediction.
 
Theory is the deal will help with ESPN's current financial woes. Here's an excerpt from a larger Washington Post article:

Let’s put it another way: The total price tag of the Disney-Fox deal is estimated to be $52.4 billion. CNBC’s David Faber estimates that Fox’s 22 RSNs alone would be valued at $20 billion (RSN hold the telecast rights for 17 NBA teams, 15 MLB teams and 12 NHL teams -- valuable assets), or more than 38 percent of that amount. This isn’t an entertainment deal; it’s a sports deal.


ESPN will certainly slap its name on all of those networks, but this goes far beyond mere branding. Cable companies can charge customers top dollar for the right to have RSNs in their cable lineup, with costs that approach the more than $9 ESPN gets monthly from each customer who has ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and the SEC Network in their package. The price is so high because cable subscribers view RSNs as essential: According to a 2016 Neilsen survey of 1,500 pay-TV subscribers, the local RSN ranked as the fifth-most-important cable channel in their lineups, ahead of any other cable channel (including ESPN). In markets such as St. Louis and Detroit — both of which are served by Fox Sports RSNs — the local RSN ranked higher in importance to cable customers than broadcast networks such as NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox.


Here is the link to the entire analysis: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/12/14/disney-fox-deal-gives-espn-a-local-strategy-to-combat-its-financial-woes/?utm_term=.3190c7f3864b
 
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ESPN tried to heavily brand the ESPN [name of city] on their website. This helps them do it on cable.
 
Some of the out of market RSN games would sneak through the blackouts (for those not in ACC territory and want to skip the ESPN3 route), I bet it's easier to close those loopholes after this.
 
PhDeac said:
ESPN tried to heavily brand the ESPN [name of city] on their website. This helps them do it on cable.
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They have also attempted it with various sports talk radio stations around the country. I know it was successful in a couple of markets.
 
Good call. nomadic, what's your take on this ESPN push? The combination of the net neutrality repeal and Disney purchasing FOX makes me even more fearful about the lack of competition in sports broadcasting.
 
It's good for ESPN. The networks are no longer just competing with each other. They are competing against Amazon, YouTube and other OTT players.
 
nomadic said:
It's good for ESPN. The networks are no longer just competing with each other. They are competing against Amazon, YouTube and other OTT players.
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To go along with this, Verizon just paid the NFL $500 million to live stream their football games.
 
Internet and mobile seem to be way overpaying for NFL content.
 
Just be glad that Comcast didn't buy them. Would have fit nicely with Comcast's portfolio. Comcast won't let Philly network on DirectV for fear of losing customers to the superior provider. Comcast is run by Democrats from Mississippi. IMO, Democrats should not run corporations and Republicans shouldn't run the federal government.
 
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