Disney/ESPN & DIRECTV Reach Deal

[meStevo]

DIRECTV CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) Vince Torres told a financial conference today that subscriber defections “have not been immaterial” since the company lost the entire Disney suite of channels, including ESPN, on September 1. However, he said the company expects to ‘claw back’ those subscriber numbers when it ultimately reaches a new deal with Disney.

Rumors are they are high and have grown everyday.

And if he thinks he will get them back, I would believe him to be incorrect, go back to a more expensive service, old equipment and a new 2 year contract, what happens if DirecTV gets rid of other stations, quite likely based on their current rhetoric, with a new contract, they would be stuck on the Satellite /by internet side or no contract with Stream, but that is about $50 more then YTTV.

DIRECTV Says Subscriber Losses 'Not Immaterial' Since Disney Dispute - The TV Answer Man!

By Phillip Swann The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X. Former editor of Satellite DIRECT magazine. Reported on DIRECTV for 30 years. DIRECTV CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) Vince Torres told a financial conference today that subscriber defections “have not been immaterial” since the company lost the...

tvanswerman.com

I think if it ends within the next week or two they'll get most of them back. Hardware still installed and not enough time for new habits to sink in, free trials still going, and for many a little goodwill with the proactive credits for stopgaps they've recommended.

Longer than that... and yeah, most are gone for good, exacerbating the bleeding out they've already been experiencing for years. Stopgaps will become replacements, and the credits will dry up.

 

[Bruce]

I think if it ends within the next week or two they'll get most of them back. Hardware still installed and not enough time for new habits to sink in, free trials still going, and for many a little goodwill with the proactive credits for stopgaps they've recommended.

On the Hardware side, depends on how quick they can get it to the UPS Store.

With people coming back, the current massive price increase ( the 3rd in 21 Months) might help prevent that.

The closest package to YTTV is Choice without the RSN and it’s fee of course, that thing is $129.99 a month before Box/DVR fees.

YTTV is $73.99, so with 1 $15 Box/DVR fee with DirecTV, the difference is $71 a month.

Longer than that... and yeah, most are gone for good, exacerbating the bleeding out they've already been experiencing for years. Stopgaps will become replacements, and the credits will dry up.

I have heard ( just a rumor), if this is correct, that DirecTV is not even negotiating with Disney right now, playing a weird form of chicken.

Disney has offered DirecTV the same deal they gave Charter last year, both with and without the ad version of D+, but without channels like Freeform, FXX, one of the extra Disney Channels, etc.

But with no increase in the per sub fee.

One thing people forget, rights fees have gone up for ESPN, so not asking for a increase in the per sub fee is a win for DirecTV.

Another thing people do not understand, DirecTV does not have the power they used to when they had 26M Subs (with Uverse at the time), they are about 10M, Disney is still getting per sub fees from 58M subscribers, so while a dip in revenue, something they can handle.

DirecTV will continue to lose a lot of subscribers when they cannot afford to, Disney will gain back some of those per sub fees from those who have switched.

 

[savarese04]

I think if it ends within the next week or two they'll get most of them back. Hardware still installed and not enough time for new habits to sink in, free trials still going, and for many a little goodwill with the proactive credits for stopgaps they've recommended.

Longer than that... and yeah, most are gone for good, exacerbating the bleeding out they've already been experiencing for years. Stopgaps will become replacements, and the credits will dry up.

I mean, he has to say people are coming back. What is he supposed to do? admit this cost them 1M subs? that would just cause more people to defect, i think, as their friends tell them how other services are.

I left 2 months ago and directv keeps sending me stuff in the mail to "come back" including offering deals that were unavailable to me when i was a 20 year subscriber. Should have offered me these prices to start with and maybe I would have stayed.

 

[b4pjoe]

I am considering taking a look at YTTV ($72.99) +4K option + Redzone after 30 years on DIRECTV. Would have to also get Friendly TV ($10) to make up for a couple of missing channels then I would need MLB-TV and to subscribe to Bally Sports Midwest ($19.99) streaming at least during the baseball season in the months when the Cubs and Braves are playing them as those games would not be available on MLB-TV. Getting some push back about having to have 3 different apps to replace the one DIRECTV system plus no channel numbers blah blah blah...some people hate change.

 

[Jimbo]

I had the issues in the early days of live streaming, but havent in years now. The biggest culprit in those days was ESPN (whatever it was called at the time. 360 maybe)

Just guessing, but I dont think it was an ESPN+ issue in Jimbos instance, since I havent seen any other reports of it.

As to what the problem is, I am not sure.

I eventually Backed out of the App and logged back in and it ran fine after that.
So, well see how it goes next week.

 

[slice1900]

Sports often is more digitally demanding due to all of the motion.

It is also live, whereas when you watch streaming like Netflix or Disney+ it isn't. That allows them to buffer ahead enough that short interruptions aren't noticeable to the viewer. You can't do that with live streaming unless you make it run further behind true "live" than it already is.

As it is people streaming already complain that people watching on cable or OTA see the action before they do so they might get texts from friends about a touchdown they haven't seen yet.

 

[Bruce]

It is also live, whereas when you watch streaming like Netflix or Disney+ it isn't. That allows them to buffer ahead enough that short interruptions aren't noticeable to the viewer. You can't do that with live streaming unless you make it run further behind true "live" than it already is.

And so what, I never have an issue streaming, Live ( which is always Football/News) or shows ( a lot in 4K).

Everybody is always quick to blame who is providing the stream for any issues, but never look at their own equipment for the possibility that might be the reason(s).

How old is the modem, the router, how far away is the router, who provides it, what device are you using to stream, TV app, streaming device, if either, how old are they, if it is the TV app, how old is it, etc, etc.

I have seen many posts where they are having issues, I will asked what router and how far away, say do not know, whatever the Broadband provider gave them, those have very low range.

For example, my House is over 4500 sq ft., no basement, only two bedrooms/one bathroom upstairs, so my house is quite long, I have to use 4 routers (3 in bridge mode), all wired, so I get full speed in every room, hence why I never have buffering issues.

 

[Jimbo]

And so what, I never have an issue streaming, Live ( which is always Football/News) or shows ( a lot in 4K).

Everybody is always quick to blame who is providing the stream for any issues, but never look at their own equipment for the possibility that might be the reason(s).

How old is the modem, the router, how far away is the router, who provides it, what device are you using to stream, TV app, streaming device, if either, how old are they, if it is the TV app, how old is it, etc, etc.

I have seen many posts where they are having issues, I will asked what router and how far away, say do not know, whatever the Broadband provider gave them, those have very low range.

For example, my House is over 4500 sq ft., no basement, only two bedrooms/one bathroom upstairs, so my house is quite long, I have to use 4 routers (3 in bridge mode), all wired, so I get full speed in every room, hence why I never have buffering issues.

I certainly Hope you never have an issue with Anything ...
You make it sound like you've never had an issue, that everything is perfect in your world.

Not every one Of Us has time and Money to go out and replace things when the don't know what the issue is ...
Not all of us are Super Geniuses ....

Fwiw, I have NOT had any issues Since the 1 that I had, that I mentioned.

As far as I'm concerned, it happened and hasn't happened again, so for now I'm good.

I streamed last nights game with no issues.

Relax, were not all perfect and we don't all Care about having 25k signal .... (were only at 4k at the moment).

Why are you so Angry ???

 

[Bruce]

I certainly Hope you never have an issue with Anything ...
You make it sound like you've never had an issue, that everything is perfect in your world.

Not every one Of Us has time and Money to go out and replace things when the don't know what the issue is ...
Not all of us are Super Geniuses ....

Fwiw, I have NOT had any issues Since the 1 that I had, that I mentioned.

As far as I'm concerned, it happened and hasn't happened again, so for now I'm good.

I streamed last nights game with no issues.

Relax, were not all perfect and we don't all Care about having 25k signal .... (were only at 4k at the moment).

Why are you so Angry ???

Instead of trying to understand and solve your buffering issues (what equipment for example), for some reason, you decided to jump in after I quoted another individual and make it personal , which I definitely did not do, since it is against forum rules to do so.

Other people brought up your problems with streaming ( and they did not have issues either), you did not go after them.

 

[Bruce]

ESPN had 20.5M watching the MNF Week 1 game, only a little down from last year, but up from 2022.

ESPN’s Monday Night Football Delivers 20.5 Million Viewers, Second Most-Watched Week 1 Game in ESPN Era

ESPN’s Monday Night Football Delivers 20.5 Million Viewers, Second Most-Watched Week 1 Game in ESPN Era

espnpressroom.com

Next Week will be the test, not on ABC or ESPN+, so to see if the DirecTV lockout will affect ratings.

 

[Jimbo]

Instead of trying to understand and solve your buffering issues (what equipment for example), for some reason, you decided to jump in after I quoted another individual and make it personal , which I definitely did not do, since it is against forum rules to do so.

Other people brought up your problems with streaming ( and they did not have issues either), you did not go after them.

My Issue is what started the conversation, therefore when you responded about My Issue, I presumed you were talking to me.
IF My issue continues, I will look further into it, if not, I'll consider it a Glitch ...

Thats ok, move on.

 

[Bruce]

My Issue is what started the conversation, therefore when you responded about My Issue, I presumed you were talking to me.

But why make it personal, you may not like my views on things changing, there is no excuse for that, which is something I never do.

 

[Jimbo]

But why make it personal, you may not like my views on things changing, there is no excuse for that, which is something I never do.

I just don't like it when you beat a dead horse with some things (I know others don't either)

Most around here try to help others ...

You try to help as long as Your RIGHT .

Its just seems that , if your right, everything is OK.

If not ...

 

[Ronnie-]

Ok guys, lets not let the back and forth take over the thread please.

 

[DS0816]

I am considering taking a look at YTTV ($72.99) +4K option + Redzone after 30 years on DIRECTV. Would have to also get Friendly TV ($10) to make up for a couple of missing channels then I would need MLB-TV and to subscribe to Bally Sports Midwest ($19.99) streaming at least during the baseball season in the months when the Cubs and Braves are playing them as those games would not be available on MLB-TV. Getting some push back about having to have 3 different apps to replace the one DIRECTV system plus no channel numbers blah blah blah...some people hate change.

I switched in 2022 from DirecTV [Satellite] to YouTube TV and Frndly. It was nothing against DirecTV. It was numerous factors. I am good. I did not have a problem. Now, I will mention I am in the area of Detroit (in Wayne County), Michigan.

 

[prushing]

ESPN had 20.5M watching the MNF Week 1 game, only a little down from last year, but up from 2022.

ESPN’s Monday Night Football Delivers 20.5 Million Viewers, Second Most-Watched Week 1 Game in ESPN Era

ESPN’s Monday Night Football Delivers 20.5 Million Viewers, Second Most-Watched Week 1 Game in ESPN Era

espnpressroom.com

Next Week will be the test, not on ABC or ESPN+, so to see if the DirecTV lockout will affect ratings.

Teams playing also have impacts on trying to compare weekly numbers. I'm sure Monday will be less than it would be with DTV. The impact may not be huge though as Philly sports are not on DTV, so there are less customers there to begin with. So ESPN will most likely be able to say DTV users signed up for other services as our #s didn't change much. I don't remember who played in Week 2 last year though, so don't know if this is a bigger or smaller game market size.

 

[Bruce]

Teams playing also have impacts on trying to compare weekly numbers.

But this game, one California team, one New York team, was not on in those markets via DirecTV, only a little blip in the ratings.

The main reason, DirecTV just does not have enough subscribers to affect the ratings any longer.

On ESPN+, who has 24M subscribers, plus the other 58M Households(out of 131M) that have other providers, then OTA, probably helped.

 

[prushing]

But this game, one California team, one New York team, was not on in those markets via DirecTV, only a little blip in the ratings.

The main reason, DirecTV just does not have enough subscribers to affect the ratings any longer.

On ESPN+, who has 24M subscribers, plus the other 58M Households(out of 131M) that have other providers, then OTA, probably helped.

You aren't proving the point you think you are.

The numbers don't mean anything. You can't use them say DTV had no impact and ESPN is fine without them. The teams are different, the market sizes are different, the fan base size are different. At the end of the year, if DTV still doesn't have a deal, you may be able to see some correlation. For 1 week there are too many variables.

Jets vs Bills last year did 2 million more than Jets vs 49ers. That is not good. That is a huge decrease when you have 2 teams from 2 different large markets plus a fan base that spans the whole nation. You still can't say DTV caused that decrease though. People may not have cared about this game, had other things to do, lost interest in the NFL, etc. Right now there is no way to tell.

 

[lordodogg]

I don't remember who played in Week 2 last year though

I believe 2 games were on MNF Week 2 last year, Saints@Panthers on ESPN and Browns@Steelers on ABC

 

[John2021]

it would be interesting to see the numbers of how many canceled since the blackout