News Disney and Fox come to terms -- announcement soon; huge IP acquisition

[Darkprime]

Oh they did? Damn.

 

[brodie999]

Oh they did? Damn.

I agree. I hope Disney announces they're gaining approval from Brazil on either the Investor Call tomorrow or the 19th. It could be the last country to go before the deal closes.

 

[Darkprime]

So basically Mexico has kind of approved it but not really? I guess the IFT is the big approval Disney needs?

 

[Darkprime]

What do you think. Over or under 30% we get a close date tomorrow?

 

[biggy H]

So if a few countries say Disney would have to sell a sports channel to get approval I gather thats just tto do with the local markets right? What's stopping Disney or fox closing down a channel in that country and then at a later date getting those sporting rights for the remaining channels?

 

[JoeCamel]

So if a few countries say Disney would have to sell a sports channel to get approval I gather thats just tto do with the local markets right? What's stopping Disney or fox closing down a channel in that country and then at a later date getting those sporting rights for the remaining channels?

$$$$$

 

[mab7689]

Bob has said in the conference call it's still awaiting approval in the "remaining few markets". No explicit confirmation that is just Brazil and Mexico.

 

[bartholomr4]

Iger Initial Statements from the Earnings Call:

• The company beat Earnings Estimate by 30 cents a share.
• 37 Oscar Nominations between Disney and 21CF
• Direct To consumer is our main Focus.
• Continued ESPN+. Had 600,000 new ESPN+ Subscribers with First “Fight Night” Broadcast
• ESPN+ Now has 2,000,000 Subscribers (up 1,000,000 in the last quarter)
• Lots of New content under construction for Disney+
• Demonstrate Disney+ on Investor Day on April 19th. Preview of New Content
• Ready to Combine the two companies once final regulatory approval is received.

No Mention of when the closing will occur! (The call is still going on, if anything else is stated, I'll come back with an update)

 

[Darkprime]

Someone on twitter said Iger mentioned a few remaining markets for approval? Brazil, Mexico and?

 

[Indy_UK]

A million subscribers added to ESPN+ in a quarter ? That's quite impressive so while they may be bleeding TV subscriber to ESPN, obviously + is where people may be moving too?

 

[bartholomr4]

Someone on twitter said Iger mentioned a few remaining markets for approval? Brazil, Mexico and?

He made no mention on the earnings call.... He may have in an interview, but he (as of yet) hasn't named any countries.

 

[Darkprime]

Iger Initial Statements from the Earnings Call:

• The company beat Earnings Estimate by 30 cents a share.
• 37 Oscar Nominations between Disney and 21CF
• Direct To consumer is our main Focus.
• Continued ESPN+. Had 600,000 new ESPN+ Subscribers with First “Fight Night” Broadcast
• ESPN+ Now has 2,000,000 Subscribers (up 1,000,000 in the last quarter)
• Lots of New content under construction for Disney+
• Demonstrate Disney+ on Investor Day on April 19th. Preview of New Content
• Ready to Combine the two companies once final regulatory approval is received.

No Mention of when the closing will occur! (The call is still going on, if anything else is stated, I'll come back with an update)

April 19th? Conrad says April 11th for the demo.

 

[Darkprime]

He made no mention on the earnings call.... He may have in an interview, but he (as of yet) hasn't named any countries.

 

[brodie999]

Let me guess. The "few remaining markets" are Brazil, Mexico and Chile. Mark Hughes said on Facebook that approval from Mexico's IFT is inevitable. So it makes me wonder if Disney will indeed complete their deal with Fox this month or next month. We'll wait until we hear Mexico has fully approved the deal in a few weeks.

 

[AnotherDayAnotherDollar]

Disney is bribing Brazil with Disneyland Brasilia!

Governo reserva área de 800 hectares em Sobradinho para parque da Disney

Proposta de instalação de parque da Disney no DF ainda está em fase muito inicial, mas o GDF já tem uma área destinada ao empreendimento, caso ele se concretize

www.correiobraziliense.com.br

Link in Portuguese, but google is your friend!

Spoiler

I'm being sarcastic, this is just a rumor

 

[Darkprime]

Looks like Mexico's IFT is having the same concerns as Brazil with sports channels.

The merger between Disney and 21ST Century Fox could affect Mexican Soccer

• The IDET detected disadvantages to promote competition as well as distribution of audiovisual products in Mexico with the merger between Disney and Fox
• Mexican soccer could be involved after 4 teams are broadcast by Fox Sports
• Fox launched a premium application with national and international sports content, whose price is 139 pesos per month

From the Institute of Telecommunications Law (IDET) concerned the merger between Disney and 21st Century Fox , as this could have on consumer detriment television in Mexico, including football fans.


According to an Economist report , the IDET has stated that it finds disadvantages to promote healthy competition as well as the distribution of audiovisual products; this, despite the fact that the Federal Telecommunications Institute still needs to analyze the transaction.

And it is that the games of Monterrey, Pachuca, León and Tijuana are broadcast by the Fox Sports signal , which means 22 percent of the teams that play in the first division of the country.
While, from ESPN can see the matches of Atlas and Santos, although it is shared rights with TV Azteca .

Competition.
After the announcement of purchase, the media reports, Fox launched a premium application with national and international sports content, whose price is 139 pesos per month, or free for those who already pay for the television service.

Similarly, El Economista said that Morena senators will summon the commissioners of the IFT, Gabriel Contreras , as well as Alejandra Palacios , from the Federal Commission of Economic Competition, to look into the risks of the union.

In the last tournament, 31 percent of the 153 games played in the regular season were broadcast exclusively by a pay-TV channel, while 77 percent were tuned to open television.

And, during the last four years, the television offer of the parties changed for the followers, derived from the distribution of television rights, which produced better offers from Fox Sports, ESPN, TVC Deportes as well asClaro Video.

In such a way that the Mexican amateur would have to pay to be able to watch the transmissions of the equipment, something that lives since 1998 when Televisa incorporated first division matches in its pay signal (Sky) since by contract it was established that the clubs yielded two or three matches per tournament.

However, this fact could be slowed down in Mexico, also, there are precedents, in Argentina, to see football matches must be paid, while in Brazil the purchase was not authorized by the Administrative Council of the Economic Defense; Meanwhile, in the United States, the union was made without the inclusion of Fox Sports , to avoid monopolistic actions.

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

Just tell them to sell the sports channels.

 

[Darkprime]

Just tell them to sell the sports channels.

Whether these are legit concerns by CADE or IFT or not who knows maybe they just want some $$$ from Disney. Or they simply feel like that have to leave their mark on this historic merger. I dont understand why Disney isn't offering concessions to Brazil and Mexico. I get it, it will be a loss there is no doubt about that but at this point if its holding up Mexico and Brazil approvals. Whats the alternative? Brazil doesn't seem to want behavioural fixes and clearly wants the sale/divestiture of assets. Mexico will probably be the same. At this point it seems easier to divest Fox Networks Group Latin America.

 

[seascape]

Whether these are legit concerns by CADE or IFT or not who knows maybe they just want some $$$ from Disney. Or they simply feel like that have to leave their mark on this historic merger. I dont understand why Disney isn't offering concessions to Brazil and Mexico. I get it, it will be a loss there is no doubt about that but at this point if its holding up Mexico and Brazil approvals. Whats the alternative? Brazil doesn't seem to want behavioural fixes and clearly wants the sale/divestiture of assets. Mexico will probably be the same. At this point it seems easier to divest Fox Networks Group Latin America.

No way. Sell off the conflicting sports channels but not the entire Latin American Network. That is one of the best assets they bought. Remember Disney wants to be a completely global company. Offer to build a park in Brazil. South America is a huge market and Brazil is in the middle of it with a growing middleclass.

 

[Darkprime]

No way. Sell off the conflicting sports channels but not the entire Latin American Network. That is one of the best assets they bought. Remember Disney wants to be a completely global company. Offer to build a park in Brazil. South America is a huge market and Brazil is in the middle of it with a growing middleclass.

I think they would have more trouble selling the conflicting channels individually unless they sold them off for dirt cheap. They would have more luck finding a buyer and getting what its worth if they sold off the entire Latin America Network. If the rumours going round are true they are already have trouble finding a potential buyer for the local RSN's in the U.S and will probably have to sell those off at a loss as well.