ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery to launch joint sports streaming platform
ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery to launch joint sports streaming platform
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ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery to launch joint sports streaming platform
- Thread starter wdwmagic
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www.wdwmagic.com
I guess it keeps Amazon, Netflix, Apple, or YouTube away…for now.
Whether consumers will benefit from consolidation like this is an interesting discussion.
One interesting item, Comcast not being part of this.
Whether consumers will benefit from consolidation like this is an interesting discussion.
One interesting item, Comcast not being part of this.
Indeed. It's breaker against Apple and Prime from buying up all the sports rights.
Paramount is also left out.
Warner, Fox, Disney to Launch Streaming Sports Joint Venture
Warner Bros. Discovery, ESPN and Fox Sports will join together in a game-changing streaming outlet that will put all their sports offerings together
variety.com
doctornick
Well-Known Member
in theory I like it - streaming sucks for sports fans as various leagues and competitions are on different networks and this streaming services which makes it complicated and expensive to “have everything”. At least in the past, you could have a cable subscription, get the sports bundle and have access to most everything.
This doesn’t really get to that, as sports are still fractured but it at least is a start. And with three companies behind it, it could be a big player in perhaps just bidding for rights directly (rather than ESPN and FOX and Turner individually bidding and driving up an asking price).
Regarding the details, it seems odd to me that each would have a third of ownership unless they aren’t put all their available content there. ESPN (Disney) has a lot more sports content than the other two.
This doesn’t really get to that, as sports are still fractured but it at least is a start. And with three companies behind it, it could be a big player in perhaps just bidding for rights directly (rather than ESPN and FOX and Turner individually bidding and driving up an asking price).
Regarding the details, it seems odd to me that each would have a third of ownership unless they aren’t put all their available content there. ESPN (Disney) has a lot more sports content than the other two.
Honestly it seems like the last stand of the linear sports giants. The big tech companies can outbid or outright purchase any of these operations at any time. If anything this consolidates the streaming side of things into a single easy to buy package for someone. Which maybe what the intent could be?
Not unless they’re absorbed by WB.
By Benjamin Mullin and Kevin Draper
Feb. 6, 2024Updated 6:34 p.m. ET
For years, the rising price of sports rights has been a major headache for media executives, who have watched viewers abandon traditional TV for streaming services even as their companies continue to pay up to broadcast games.
On Tuesday, Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery proposed a new offering that could keep them in business with some of those customers. The companies announced a streaming service that will feature games from the major professional leagues and college conferences, which they hope will attract sports fans who have abandoned cable.
The service will offer streaming subscribers all the channels owned by those companies that show sports, like ESPN, TNT and FS1, but also ABC and Fox. In addition to sports content, subscribers will be able to watch nonsports shows like “The Simpsons” and “The Bachelor” that are available on the channels. Subscribers will have access to 14 channels in total, as well as ESPN’s existing streaming service, ESPN+.
The price, name and executive team behind the service have not yet been determined. It is scheduled to launch in the fall.
Rich Greenfield, a media analyst at LightShed Partners, said in an interview that he was encouraged by the new service, which is likely to satisfy some sports viewers who are fed up with paying for traditional TV channels they don’t want. But he said the absence of companies like Paramount meant that die-hard fans still wouldn’t have access to a complete array of live sports.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” Mr. Greenfield said. “The question is: Is it enough?”
Sports fans will find games and matches from almost every major league on the app. In addition to National Football League and National Basketball Association games, the service will offer action from Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, the PGA Tour, Grand Slam tennis, professional soccer, major college conferences and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
While this service goes a long way toward allowing sports fans to watch every game in a single app, it does not bundle all sports together. NBC, CBS and Amazon, in particular, have major rights — like many N.F.L. games, most major golf tournaments and the Olympics — that will not be a part of the service. Regional sports networks, where most fans still watch their local baseball, basketball and hockey teams, are also not included.
The service, which will also be supported by advertising, will be distinct from the companies’ other streaming services. Viewers will be offered the opportunity to bundle the new app with their existing subscriptions to services like Disney’s ESPN+ and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max.
Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery will each own a one-third stake of the new service and have equal board representation. They will license their sports content to the joint venture on a nonexclusive basis, allowing them to show games elsewhere, like on their linear networks.
For ESPN, this service is just one step in its transformation away from traditional television. Disney’s chief executive, Robert A. Iger, announced last year that the company planned to offer the flagship ESPN network as a stand-alone streaming offering by 2025. Disney is also having conversations with sports leagues about selling an equity stake in the network, and ESPN struck a $2 billion deal with Penn Entertainment last year to create ESPN Bet, an online sports betting brand.
Each company trumpeted the new service in a joint news release. Mr. Iger called it “an important step forward for the media business.” Lachlan Murdoch, the chief executive of Fox Corporation, said the service was “a new and exciting platform.” David Zaslav, the chief executive of Warner Bros. Discovery, hailed the service’s “unparalleled combination of marquee sports rights.”
This is not the first time media companies have joined together on a venture to deal with the rise of streaming. In 2007, Fox and NBCUniversal teamed up to start Hulu, a streaming service that included shows from both companies. Hulu’s ownership structure has changed over the years, including the additions of Time Warner, Disney and, when it bought NBCUniversal, Comcast. Disney is now poised to buy out Comcast’s share of Hulu and own the entirety of the service, which has more than 48 million subscribers.
networkpro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
Paramount is on the block and it looks like Skydance will win. The Redstone family has run its Viacom course with the Patriarch passing away. IMHO it will be parted out like a junk car.
Disney Irish
Premium Member
It appears it will be a separate service, which will include ESPN+ as part of its offered channels.
Consumer
Well-Known Member
I've got an idea: what if we packaged all these different networks into a single bundle that consumers can purchase for a set price every month. Imagine, ESPN, Hulu, Netflix, WB Discovery, Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Peacock, Paramount, Fox, CNN, and 500 more, all at your disposable. It'd be like having a cable tying all these channels together.ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery to launch joint sports streaming platform
ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery to launch joint sports streaming platform
Disney Irish
Premium Member
This isn't a merger, its a partnership among competitors to offer a new service focusing on sports that essentially bundles a bunch of services together. This is good for consumers overall and will likely lead to other such deals in the future.
So I don't see why the Feds would have an issue with this let alone have to weigh in it. As mentioned in the article above, this is really no different than how Hulu was started by Fox and NBCUniversal 17 years ago.
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
Disney Irish
Premium Member
You joke, but I've long said that streaming bundles are the future and will replace cable in the long term. You already have streaming aggregators such as Amazon Prime where you can subscribe to other streaming services and view it through the Prime app.
This is probably the most important paragraph in the article, which of course begs the question, what are subscribers actually getting?
There’s no game content on the thing!
Here are a few more tidbits via CNBC.
"While no price has been determined, a logical starting point could be $45 or $50 per month with introductory pricing lower to entice signups, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the discussions around the service have been private. A second person added that even with promotional pricing, the service will cost more than $30 per month.
The companies’ longer term goal is to make the platform a home base for sports programming. Hypothetically, independent networks such as The Tennis Channel could be added to improve the offering, one of the people said. While Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox each will own one-third of the company, the rights fee revenue sharing will be proportional to what the cable networks charge pay TV providers, a second person said."
More at the link below.
www.cnbc.com
"While no price has been determined, a logical starting point could be $45 or $50 per month with introductory pricing lower to entice signups, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the discussions around the service have been private. A second person added that even with promotional pricing, the service will cost more than $30 per month.
The companies’ longer term goal is to make the platform a home base for sports programming. Hypothetically, independent networks such as The Tennis Channel could be added to improve the offering, one of the people said. While Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox each will own one-third of the company, the rights fee revenue sharing will be proportional to what the cable networks charge pay TV providers, a second person said."
More at the link below.
ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery to launch joint sports streaming platform this year
Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery plan to launch the service as media companies move away from traditional cable viewing of sports games.
www.cnbc.com
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Disney Irish
Premium Member
There will be game content, from sports primarily on ESPN/ABC, FOX, FS1, and TNT. This covers a wide range of sports include live games for NFL, NBA, MLS, MLB, racing, and various college games.
So it may not cover everything and every game, but it does cover a large range of them. And I suspect if its popular other providers will come onboard.
doctornick
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure what you mean. This service will contain a ton of games - but just the national ones on Disney/FOX/Turner channels. So, college football matches, national NBA/NHL/MLB games on those channels, a bunch of soccer, even some NFL games. It basically relieves the viewer from needing to subscribe to ESPN, FS1, TNT, etc for their sports content.