Warner, Fox, Disney to Launch Streaming Sports Joint Venture

[Bruce]

We also subscribe to YTTV every fall and drop it at the end of the bowl games. This would be a cheaper alternative to cable / satellite / linear channel net based choices. Everyone I know who has cut the cord follows very similar pattern if they want sports coverage, but not all year round.

I hate doing it, hopefully this will be the last year since ESPN streaming service starts up next year.

Just no reason to pay for Traditional TV anymore, since the majority of content from there is on the streaming services, plus the exclusive content, shows and movies, along with a lot of sports, in much better quality and less expensive.

When I can get Paramount, Peacock, Hulu, Disney, ESPN+, Showtime and HBO for about $73 a month, in 1080P/4K and commercial free ( except ESPN), it is a no brainer.

 

[prushing]

Name one TV Service that does not have a price increase every year.

But I rather pay for this then the roughly average price of $120-130 a month that Cable/Satellite is.

That is what I love about YTTV, along with no fees like Bos) and DVR, I cancel after College Football Championship, start back up when Football starts up.

Hopefully this service lets you do the same, which you cannot do with Cable/Satellite without paying something

TBS/TNT are no longer producing new scripted content, along with other Cable Channels, because of lost per sub fees due to Cord Cutting and Advertising Revenue being so down.

That has been available for the last two years, I have the Disney Bundle Trio Premium (Disney+ without ads, Hulu without ads, ESPN+), price is $26.99, with ads is $16.99.

I'm not arguing for or against this vs some other option.

Price won't be $43 unless a lot of people sign up. They also can't dump it outside of football season or the price increases more.

Throwing in WB channels are worthless except for the few live sports since its all reruns and older movies (you can get all of that on any streaming provider, even the ones included with this).

Disney+ does not bundle with this since this product is new.

If there is an agreement between them, they have the power now. They can eliminate other streaming providers. Would you pay for YoutubeTV, FUBO, etc without all these channels? They can cut out all the other options if they want to and force you to subscribe directly with them unless you pay for a traditional cable provider.

This service will be interesting if it resets the market and consolidates things again.

Sent from my SM-T970 using Tapatalk

 

[Mike0616]

Prushing - I don't think they have the power you seem to think they do. If they do follow your outline, I can see them in court very shortly on antitrust and monopoly charges. The Justice department would love to see them pull these shenanigans as it would be a pretty cut and dry case and easy for them to win.

 

[prushing]

Prushing - I don't think they have the power you seem to think they do. If they do follow your outline, I can see them in court very shortly on antitrust and monopoly charges. The Justice department would love to see them pull these shenanigans as it would be a pretty cut and dry case and easy for them to win.

That only applies to broadcast TV, not streaming. It would take an action in congress to apply the laws to streaming.

This is also the content producers only making their content available in 1 location. They already do that will all their other streaming apps. The only potential issue would be the competitors working together and price fixing the market. It's not technically them do that though, as it's a "3rd party" who would then be the exclusive streaming service for each of these producers.

 

[savarese04]

That only applies to broadcast TV, not streaming. It would take an action in congress to apply the laws to streaming.

This is also the content producers only making their content available in 1 location. They already do that will all their other streaming apps. The only potential issue would be the competitors working together and price fixing the market. It's not technically them do that though, as it's a "3rd party" who would then be the exclusive streaming service for each of these producers.

This is wrong. a monopoly is a monopoly and price fixing is price fixing. when multiple companies band together to set a price for the market and then use that as leverage against other companies, that's not going to end well. The justice dept will come down hard. whether it is traditional tv, streaming tv, or boxes of peanuts - the concept is the same

 

[prushing]

This is wrong. a monopoly is a monopoly and price fixing is price fixing. when multiple companies band together to set a price for the market and then use that as leverage against other companies, that's not going to end well. The justice dept will come down hard. whether it is traditional tv, streaming tv, or boxes of peanuts - the concept is the same

And yet they haven't for all the other examples and even have made laws to allow it.

The laws aren't the same for traditional tv and streaming. The content creators/providers can also enter into exclusive streaming deals, which is why the consolidations happened. Now you have the creators and providers being the same entity, so they can control it. They are allowed to enter into an exclusive deal with 1 streaming service if they want.

The streaming creators/providers are already monopolies per your wording and the justice department has done nothing. Paramount, Peacock, Disney, Netflix, AppleTv could not have exclusive content only available on their service if the concept applied.

 

[osu1991]

View: https://x.com/kaplansportsbiz/status/1823082395589075013?s=61&t=7bFnMbZ-sCI7vzOC4iG94w


Launching Aug 23 per Fubo attorneys in court

 

[Yespage]

This is wrong. a monopoly is a monopoly and price fixing is price fixing. when multiple companies band together to set a price for the market and then use that as leverage against other companies, that's not going to end well. The justice dept will come down hard. whether it is traditional tv, streaming tv, or boxes of peanuts - the concept is the same

I don't think that is the issue. Disney et al have the issue of cable / sat, much like Sunday Ticket price is impacted by the CBS / Fox contracts. They can't have the streaming price too low because the content costs a good deal of money, there will be seasonal churn, and cable/sat systems might sue because they have rates based on a certain status quo on access to the programming.

 

[NashGuy]

Yes I did, you asked why there are 24/7 fees, I answered why.

It is the only way a service like this can work, if it was just sports content, how do you determine what Warner gets for their sports content, Fox, ABC?

This way, Warner will get what they charge Television Providers, say a $2 per sub fee for TNT, Disney will get the $9 per sub fee for ESPN, Fox gets their $1.50 for Fox Sports 1, etc, etc.

There's no reason why Disney couldn't have offered Venu a national-only feed of ABC (i.e. no local content, with maybe ABC News Live playing on the feed when local affiliates air their stuff). Same holds true for Fox. That's what I'm talking about. But instead, both companies are trying to get the 24/7 local feeds of all their affiliates around the nation on Venu, and of course the majority of those affiliates are owned by other companies, e.g. Nexstar, Sinclair, Gray, Scripps, etc. Doing so necessarily inflates the subscription cost of Venu because it's not just Disney, Fox and WBD who are getting paid, it's also all of those local station groups (and keep in mind that the majority of their local news content streams for free in one app or another such as Zeam, NewsOn, etc.)

 

[Bruce]

There's no reason why Disney couldn't have offered Venu a national-only feed of ABC (i.e. no local content, with maybe ABC News Live playing on the feed when local affiliates air their stuff). Same holds true for Fox.

They are trying to keep the affiliates happy.

But instead, both companies are trying to get the 24/7 local feeds of all their affiliates around the nation on Venu,

A lot of people care about their local stations still.

I do not care, have not really became used to the Orlando Local News since moving here 4 years ago.

And if there was a show on ABC, I would watch it on Hulu ( only one show, none on Fox).

and of course the majority of those affiliates are owned by other companies, e.g. Nexstar, Sinclair, Gray, Scripps, etc. Doing so necessarily inflates the subscription cost of Venu because it's not just Disney, Fox and WBD who are getting paid, it's also all of those local station groups

Remember, ABC sets the price for Local Stations on streaming services, so they do not have to deal with each Station Owner/Group regarding the per sub fee, so if it is $5, they all get five dollars (CBS, NBC, FOX do the same).

(and keep in mind that the majority of their local news content streams for free in one app or another such as Zeam, NewsOn, etc.)

Some do not like those services, I do not mind, but have only used them every once in a while to see what is going on back home (Detroit).

 

[NashGuy]

They are trying to keep the affiliates happy.


A lot of people care about their local stations still.

I do not care, have not really became used to the Orlando Local News since moving here 4 years ago.

And if there was a show on ABC, I would watch it on Hulu ( only one show, none on Fox).

Remember, ABC sets the price for Local Stations on streaming services, so they do not have to deal with each Station Owner/Group regarding the per sub fee, so if it is $5, they all get five dollars (CBS, NBC, FOX do the same).

Some do not like those services, I do not mind, but have only used them every once in a while to see what is going on back home (Detroit).

Weak responses. People will sign up for Venu Sports because they care about sports, not local news. And frankly, by not including 24/7 local feeds of ABC and Fox, Venu might have avoided some of the legal/regulatory scrutiny they are receiving now, because they would be a bit less of a direct competitor to the traditional cable bundle than will be the case with local network channels included.

 

[Bruce]

Weak responses. People will sign up for Venu Sports because they care about sports, not local news. And frankly, by not including 24/7 local feeds of ABC and Fox, Venu might have avoided some of the legal/regulatory scrutiny they are receiving now, because they would be a bit less of a direct competitor to the traditional cable bundle than will be the case with local network channels included.

I agree with everything you posted, I care nothing about the local channels, would prefer a National Fee.

But the Networks need to keep the affiliates happy, who are getting smacked around right now, with the loss of per sub fees and advertising revenue basically cratering.

 

[ncted]

Weak responses. People will sign up for Venu Sports because they care about sports, not local news. And frankly, by not including 24/7 local feeds of ABC and Fox, Venu might have avoided some of the legal/regulatory scrutiny they are receiving now, because they would be a bit less of a direct competitor to the traditional cable bundle than will be the case with local network channels included.

I disagree with this. Sports fans care about local news coverage of local teams, especially including local college and prep sports. Additionally, people who care about sports also care about other local issues. Yeah, they could just download the app for the local station and watch that, but I suspect most people living in this cable-esque context are going to prefer to stay in that context for linear TV as much as possible. (Especially if they are using a dog-slow streaming stick or Smart TV, like so many do)

 

[osu1991]

Locals barely mention local sports anymore until football season. Its a 60 second segment and is pretty much non existent except for Thunder scores or big events like the World Series or a US Open or something for golf.

Once the football regular season starts then they have an extended newscast with a dedicated 20min segment on Friday nights after the news/weather to show all the scores and highlights from a half dozen games around the metro. Then a 10 min segment on Saturdays for the local college games.

 

[Bruce]

Locals barely mention local sports anymore until football season. It’s a 60 second segment and is pretty much non existent except for Thunder scores or big events like the World Series or a US Open or something for golf.

While that might be true for the state you live in, Oklahoma, in other areas that have 4 or more major sports teams, MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL and then College, it is a lot different.

Imagine what it is like for New York or even here in Florida, where we have two MLB teams playing right now.

 

[osu1991]

While that might be true for the state you live in, Oklahoma, in other areas that have 4 or more major sports teams, MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL and then College, it is a lot different.

Imagine what it is like for New York or even here in Florida, where we have two MLB teams playing right now.

Oklahoma is a huge sports State. We used to have half the newscast dedicated to sports.

We used to get lots of OU/OSU/TU/Arkansas sports year round. Cowboys and Chiefs football all year along with some Bronco's news during the preseason. Cardinals, Rangers and Royals baseball during the summer along with NBA highlights when Bird, Magic and Jordan were nightly highlight reels.

Now it's all commercials, 10 mins of weather sensationalist fear mongering and a couple of mins of local news and a 60 sec segment of national news and 1-2 mins of sports. With Sinclair's nationalization of everything we barely get anything local on that station. Its all national or OKC oriented now since they fired most of the Tulsa staff and moved engineering to OKC.

Just spent 2 weeks in Florida around Pensacola and Orlando. News seemed about as crappy as it is here. Had a 2nd home in Las Vegas for 12 years. Was the same there at the time, a little bit of Knights hockey highlights and not much else. Maybe it's different now with the Raiders in town.

 

[ncted]

Locals barely mention local sports anymore until football season. Its a 60 second segment and is pretty much non existent except for Thunder scores or big events like the World Series or a US Open or something for golf.

Once the football regular season starts then they have an extended newscast with a dedicated 20min segment on Friday nights after the news/weather to show all the scores and highlights from a half dozen games around the metro. Then a 10 min segment on Saturdays for the local college games.

My wife would prefer what you have to the "50% Sports" that she thinks out local news stations show. It is probably more like 20-25%, but she hates it, so it feels like a lot more. The station we watch covers a ton of prep sports from August-June, a LOT of college sports, not just Football, plus the expected Panthers, Hornets, Charlotte FC, and Hurricanes pro sports. We also have three MiLB baseball teams in the area that all get coverage.

I did notice that my parents' local stations didn't do much sports coverage in central NY when I recently visited, but I assumed it was just because it was summer.

 

[Mr Tony]

There's no reason why Disney couldn't have offered Venu a national-only feed of ABC (i.e. no local content, with maybe ABC News Live playing on the feed when local affiliates air their stuff).

When I had YTTV thats what they did for the ABC here since we do not have one licensed to the Mankato, MN area. This is from a post I made back when I had YTTV a couple years ago

One thing that is interesting. My market does not have an ABC affiliate. My market only has KEYC CBS, KEYC FOX, KMNF NBC and KMNF CW. Cable and satellite import KSTP from Minneapolis for ABC. ON YTTV they give us a hybrid national feed. Looking at the weekday schedule its interesting
6-8 Good Morning America (normally its on from 7-9 Central)
8-10 ABC News Live
10-11 View
11-12 GMA3
12-1 GMA3
1-2 General Hospital
2-3 General Hospital
3-4 GMA3
4-5 View
5-5:30 GMA3 (half hour?)
5:30-6 ABC Nat'l News
6-6:30 ABC Nat'l News
6:30-7 simulcast from ABC News Live channel
7-10 Prime Time
10-10:35 simulcast from ABC News Live channel
10:35-12:07 Kimmel and Nightline
overnight its national ABC programming (ABC news)

Noticed on the weekend its alot of simulcast from ABC News Live as I see "What would you do?" and "Covid: 24 months that changed the world" on Saturday. I did not go past that in the guide.

So if you don't have an ABC licensed in your DMA you get a national ABC with some weird "off time" programming.

 

[glrush]

Venu temporarily blocked due to anti-trust concerns:

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/16/judge-temporarily-blocks-sports-streaming-service-venu-ruling-in-favor-of-fubo-tv-on-antitrust-concerns.html

 

[glrush]

From the decision:

"Because Fubo is likely to be successful in providing its claims that [Venu] will violate this country’s antitrust claims, because Fubo and American consumers will face irreparable harm in the absence of an injunction and because the equities and the public interest weigh in favor of preserving the status quo pending full and fair adjudication of all issues in this matter, the Motion is HEREBY GRANTED.”