Sinclair(Bally's Sport) nearing a deal for NBA streaming rights for direct to consumer offering

[howeda7]

Also interesting that DirecTV is "separated" from AT&T. When I log into my DirecTV account, I still end up on AT&T.

 

[Iceland12]

Because people in the city who don't like the local cable company can go to...DirecTV or Dishnetwork. There's no monopoly there.

Currently, if you don't have cable access or broadband internet, your only options are DirecTV or Dish Network. Allowing them to merge leaves you with literally only one choice.

Think that Hughes Net and Viasat offer that too.

Either way, looking at the 38m subscribers Dish and DirecTV in 2017 down to the 23m now, it's hard to make the argument that they are going be viable competitors if things continue as is. Particularly if the FCC takes a serious look at what the content providers are doing.

That's were the monopoly currently sits.

 

[Iceland12]

Also interesting that DirecTV is "separated" from AT&T. When I log into my DirecTV account, I still end up on AT&T.

AT&T has finalized its deal to sell DirecTV

AT&T and TPG Capital have officially closed their transaction and established a new company named DirecTV. | AT&T and TPG Capital have officially closed their transaction and established a new company named DirecTV.

www.fiercevideo.com

 

[howeda7]

AT&T has finalized its deal to sell DirecTV

AT&T and TPG Capital have officially closed their transaction and established a new company named DirecTV. | AT&T and TPG Capital have officially closed their transaction and established a new company named DirecTV.

www.fiercevideo.com

They're sure taking their time getting things fully separated then...It's the same dumb loop login it's been for years.

 

[howeda7]

Think that Hughes Net and Viasat offer that too.

I'm not sure I follow? What do they offer? Hughesnet and Viasat both suck. They're expensive and barely have speeds capable of supporting Hulu/YouTube.

Either way, looking at the 38m subscribers Dish and DirecTV in 2017 down to the 23m now, it's hard to make the argument that they are going be viable competitors if things continue as is. Particularly if the FCC takes a serious look at what the content providers are doing.

That's were the monopoly currently sits.

We're probably 2-3 years away from having nearly universal broadband coverage. I'd hold them off until then.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Lot of good points.

I think rural folks would voluntarily choose a Direc/Dish monopoly over a defunct company.

But yeah, fiber to the home should be the same thing as getting electricity to everyone's home. It's fairly near the same level of necessity in this day and age, if you want to be competitive on the job marketplace working from home and so on.

 

[Iceland12]

I'm not sure I follow? What do they offer? Hughesnet and Viasat both suck. They're expensive and barely have speeds capable of supporting Hulu/YouTube.


We're probably 2-3 years away from having nearly universal broadband coverage. I'd hold them off until then.

Because people in the city who don't like the local cable company can go to...DirecTV or Dishnetwork. There's no monopoly there.

Currently, if you don't have cable access or broadband internet, your only options are DirecTV or Dish Network. Allowing them to merge leaves you with literally only one choice.

No you don't follow. You should run that by a guy named.. howeda7.

Back in Post #30 he said that Dish and DirecTV were the only options. They aren't.

 

[howeda7]

No you don't follow. You should run that by a guy named.. howeda7.

Back in Post #30 he said that Dish and DirecTV were the only options. They aren't.

They're the only options for people without high speed internet. Satellite internet doesn't qualify as high speed internet IMO.

 

[Iceland12]

Tampa Bay Rays joins the Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Miami Marlins and Detroit Tigers as the 5 teams that have signed-up up for Sinclair/Bally's direct to customer system.

"All of this, of course, presumes that an MLB season will eventually be played this year. At this point in the process, betting on a complete cancellation would seem foolish, but it does feel like a reduction in game inventory is likely coming."

The Rays are the latest team to sign up for Sinclair's direct streaming package

The Rays are the fifth team to sign on as part of Sinclair's direct-to-consumer streaming product soft launch, assuming MLB's lockout ends.

awfulannouncing.com

 

[BleedGopher]

Tampa Bay Rays joins the Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Miami Marlins and Detroit Tigers as the 5 teams that have signed-up up for Sinclair/Bally's direct to customer system.

"All of this, of course, presumes that an MLB season will eventually be played this year. At this point in the process, betting on a complete cancellation would seem foolish, but it does feel like a reduction in game inventory is likely coming."

The Rays are the latest team to sign up for Sinclair's direct streaming package

The Rays are the fifth team to sign on as part of Sinclair's direct-to-consumer streaming product soft launch, assuming MLB's lockout ends.

awfulannouncing.com

How many Tampa and Miami fans will sign up for this? I attended opening day at Miami once and the crowd was a quarter full; I also attended a Tampa game the night after they clinched a division (so they were a good team having a good season) and the crowd was maybe 35% full.

Win Twins!!

 

[howeda7]

Tampa Bay Rays joins the Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Miami Marlins and Detroit Tigers as the 5 teams that have signed-up up for Sinclair/Bally's direct to customer system.

"All of this, of course, presumes that an MLB season will eventually be played this year. At this point in the process, betting on a complete cancellation would seem foolish, but it does feel like a reduction in game inventory is likely coming."

The Rays are the latest team to sign up for Sinclair's direct streaming package

The Rays are the fifth team to sign on as part of Sinclair's direct-to-consumer streaming product soft launch, assuming MLB's lockout ends.

awfulannouncing.com

If a lockout will bankrupt Sinclaire, it might be worth it....

 

[howeda7]

How many Tampa and Miami fans will sign up for this? I attended opening day at Miami once and the crowd was a quarter full; I also attended a Tampa game the night after they clinched a division (so they were a good team having a good season) and the crowd was maybe 35% full.

Win Twins!!

Maybe 20-30% of those who watch on regular TV? It's a foolish decision for the Rays/Marlins to go in on this. Would be for the Twins too. A lot less fans will come to your games if they never watch them on TV.

 

[Iceland12]

How many Tampa and Miami fans will sign up for this? I attended opening day at Miami once and the crowd was a quarter full; I also attended a Tampa game the night after they clinched a division (so they were a good team having a good season) and the crowd was maybe 35% full.

Win Twins!!

Yeah, they're both near the bottom of MLB attendance. Have no idea what the terms are, but if Sinclair has the contract might be a something is better than nothing situation for the teams.Can't imagine that anybody is happy about it.

2024 MLB Attendance - Major League Baseball - ESPN

Check out this 2024 report of MLB attendance sortable by both baseball stadium and team.

www.espn.com

 

[GophersInIowa]

Tampa Bay Rays joins the Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Miami Marlins and Detroit Tigers as the 5 teams that have signed-up up for Sinclair/Bally's direct to customer system.

"All of this, of course, presumes that an MLB season will eventually be played this year. At this point in the process, betting on a complete cancellation would seem foolish, but it does feel like a reduction in game inventory is likely coming."

The Rays are the latest team to sign up for Sinclair's direct streaming package

The Rays are the fifth team to sign on as part of Sinclair's direct-to-consumer streaming product soft launch, assuming MLB's lockout ends.

awfulannouncing.com

Does this mean their games will not be on the Bally sports channel and the only way to watch these games is through the app? Or is this just an alternate way of watching the games if you don't get the Bally sports channel?

 

[Iceland12]

Does this mean their games will not be on the Bally sports channel and the only way to watch these games is through the app? Or is this just an alternate way of watching the games if you don't get the Bally sports channel?

Don't know.Though Sinclair/Bally have been quoted as saying that eventually they want to move all viewers to a direct to consumers channel.

Not sure what the leagues want either.

 

[howeda7]

Does this mean their games will not be on the Bally sports channel and the only way to watch these games is through the app? Or is this just an alternate way of watching the games if you don't get the Bally sports channel?

It doesn't. But it does mean that whenever your TV provider's next deal with Bally is up, they will play even more hardball increasing the chances they drop the channel and force you to the app.

I don't see how this works for Bally in the end. If they're pushing to go all app, there's no reason the Twins or MLB can't do it themselves and cut out the middle man. If I'm the Twins there's zero chance I'm re-upping with Bally unless they vastly overpay.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

It all comes down to price.

MLB will make the deal that provides them with the most revenue.

after that, it's all about the cost of the streaming package. I consider myself a die-hard Twins fan, but if I have to pay $25 a month just to watch the Twins, I might say bleep it.

Now, if it's $25 a month and I can also watch the Wolves, Wild and Loons along with the Twins, that is a different story.

My other question is whether a streaming app would be subject to a local blackout on ESPN+.
At the current time, if there's a game being shown on BSN or BSN+ (their 2nd channel), that game is blacked out on ESPN+.

So, if the game is only available on a separate streaming app, would it still be blacked out on ESPN+?

 

[howeda7]

It all comes down to price.

MLB will make the deal that provides them with the most revenue.

after that, it's all about the cost of the streaming package. I consider myself a die-hard Twins fan, but if I have to pay $25 a month just to watch the Twins, I might say bleep it.

Now, if it's $25 a month and I can also watch the Wolves, Wild and Loons along with the Twins, that is a different story.

My other question is whether a streaming app would be subject to a local blackout on ESPN+.
At the current time, if there's a game being shown on BSN or BSN+ (their 2nd channel), that game is blacked out on ESPN+.

So, if the game is only available on a separate streaming app, would it still be blacked out on ESPN+?

I would assume the blackout remain the same. They're based on territory, not method of delivery.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Bump --

according to an article on the streamable.com, Sinclair is getting closer to a roll-out of its proposed "Bally's Sports" streaming service. Looks like initial price will be $19.99 a month.

A few excerpts:

On Wednesday, the Sinclair Broadcasting Group revealed its earnings report for the first quarter of 2022. It was an eventful three months for the broadcasting giant as they continued to slowly inch toward the long-awaited launch of their Bally Sports direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service.

The company announced that the plan was still to have a soft launch of the streamer this quarter and that it will cost $189.99 annually or $19.99 per month. Later during the company’s earnings call, CEO Chris Ripley referred to the upcoming service as “Bally Sports+.”

Currently, Bally Sports RSNs are only available to stream on DIRECTV STREAM as part of their $89.99 Choice Plan. Over the last two years, the channels were dropped by YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu, and fuboTV.

The closest comparisons to other sports-specific streamers are likely to be the individual league’s out-of-market packages. MLB.TV costs $24.99 per month, while NBA League Pass Premium costs $29.99 per month. In another stratosphere, NFL Sunday Ticket currently costs $74 per month, while NHL.TV is now part of ESPN+ on the $6.99 per month plan.

One of the concerns about the launch of “Bally Sports+” is the relatively limited number of teams’ streaming rights, especially in the volume-heavy world of Major League baseball, in comparison to the league-specific options. In total, Sinclair currently owns the broadcast rights to 38 MLB, NBA, and NHL franchises already available on the company’s stations. They currently have streaming rights for all NBA and NHL teams, as well as five MLB teams.

On their earnings call, Sinclair execs mentioned that the company was having “constructive dialogue” with other teams and leagues to bolster their rights package. However, due to the plan to have a soft launch in Q2 2022 and a wide launch in the fall, there is not necessarily an immediate time crunch to add more teams.

 

[Gophers_4life]

If you really care about Twins, Wolves, Wild, and Loons, I can $20/mo as being worth it.

That's probably near the exactly maximal price a lot are willing to pay, and thus why selected.



I won't be paying that, myself. I care about football, far more than those others. That's just me, though.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Wait so, $20/mo gets you access to the games of all those teams in each league? Or just your local teams?

If you get not only Minnesota pro sports, but also the non-NFL pro sports in a bunch of other markets, that could make it a lot more worth it. (if you watch a ton of games per week, I guess)

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Wait so, $20/mo gets you access to the games of all those teams in each league? Or just your local teams?

If you get not only Minnesota pro sports, but also the non-NFL pro sports in a bunch of other markets, that could make it a lot more worth it. (if you watch a ton of games per week, I guess)

I can’t believe it would get all the RSN’s as that would cut into the various league passes that are sold. If it does it’s the greatest streaming service ever.

 

[GophersInIowa]

I can’t believe it would get all the RSN’s as that would cut into the various league passes that are sold. If it does it’s the greatest streaming service ever.

Correct. You’ll only get what’s available in your market.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

as I read that, Bally's (or Sinclair) has the streaming rights to the teams they cover - so in theory, they can stream the Twins but may not have the rights to stream, say, the Yankees. That could severely limit the number of games they could carry on a streaming service if they don't have the rights for both teams. the article said they only have streaming rights for 5 MLB teams at the current time.

as far as the cost, well, the proposed 'annual' fee works out to just under $16 a month. If that was the only way to get the Twins, Wolves, Wild and Loons, I would consider that. Shoot, I pay more than that a year to get online access to the Minneapolis Star/Tribune.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Hopefully they fail. It would be wonderful.

 

[Gophers_4life]

as I read that, Bally's (or Sinclair) has the streaming rights to the teams they cover - so in theory, they can stream the Twins but may not have the rights to stream, say, the Yankees. That could severely limit the number of games they could carry on a streaming service if they don't have the rights for both teams. the article said they only have streaming rights for 5 MLB teams at the current time.

as far as the cost, well, the proposed 'annual' fee works out to just under $16 a month. If that was the only way to get the Twins, Wolves, Wild and Loons, I would consider that. Shoot, I pay more than that a year to get online access to the Minneapolis Star/Tribune.

Ah, now I get it.

So you for sure get all Twins home games. But if the Twins are on the road at the Yankees ... SOL. You don't get that included with your $20/mo. And so on.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Hopefully they fail. It would be wonderful.

You're saying that mainly because of the gambling aspect, correct?

A lot of people are probably open to the idea of DTC live sports, so long as the price is reasonable.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

 

[howeda7]

Ah, now I get it.

So you for sure get all Twins home games. But if the Twins are on the road at the Yankees ... SOL. You don't get that included with your $20/mo. And so on.

That's not correct

 

[Gophers_4life]

That's not correct

How can it not be. They don't own the streaming rights to the Yankees.