OT (sort of): ESPN, FOX, WBD partnering on new streaming package
https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/warner-fox-espn-streaming-spots-joint-venture-1235900161/
Package specifically targeting sports fans. You'd be able, for instance, to get ESPN, ESPN2, OTA ABC, OTA FOX, FS1, BTN and FS2 together in one package: most of your college football watching all in one.
February 6th, 2024 at 5:12 PM ^
Let's speculate on the cost of that service: Over/Under a $50/month price tag.
February 6th, 2024 at 5:13 PM ^
Far over. They're all going to want $50/mo each for their sports.
I would love to buy college football and Red Wings and turn off everything else. But that's a pipe dream.
February 6th, 2024 at 8:17 PM ^
This is the issue, dude.
Soon, each show/channel/series you watch will have its own fucking app that is exclusive to the media conglomerate it's produced out of. You think you have too many apps now, just wait.
You like watching Arizona State Football, just subscribe to the Devil's Zone app. You're a fan of American Idol, you say? Please start your 7 day free trial of Idol Vision. Shoot, you're into watching squirrels humping each other? Scan this QR code to sign up for the Getting Squirrelly With It streaming service.
F this, I'm going to 'Nam.
February 6th, 2024 at 5:16 PM ^
I'm relatively close to the industry (I work for one of those 3 companies above, though not specifically on the streaming side): my semi-educated guess would be this gets priced at $30/month.
May still be too high. But maybe not. This strikes me as a possible TRUE game changer as regards how sports are consumed.
February 6th, 2024 at 5:38 PM ^
I don't know why, but for some reason I thought you were an actuary. 🤷♂️
February 6th, 2024 at 5:53 PM ^
I took and passed a few actuarial exams back in the day!
(1) Actuary, (2) college football numbers guru (like Brian Fremeau or Bill Connelly), (3) business analytics/modeller with a focus on the Marketing side.
In the end: 3 different jobs, but the same fundamental skill-set. I know we both appreciate the people who do #2, and play around with the numbers ourselves. :-)
February 6th, 2024 at 6:17 PM ^
Is that you Connor?
February 6th, 2024 at 8:15 PM ^
I can't say for certain, but based on the past few months I'd guess Connor is incapable of passing any courses/tests regarding probability, statistics and financial mathematics.
February 6th, 2024 at 10:12 PM ^
Agree if it's that price. North of 40 and tv streams start getting competitive.
The price is really the difference-maker, but this is a huuuuuuge move. We're talking about a conglomeration of extremely intense competitors cooperating to get their product to consumers in a form consumers want, have even been desperate for.
February 6th, 2024 at 5:20 PM ^
It'll start out at a lower price to bring people in, then jack up the prices once people are hooked.
Just like YouTube TV. What was it, $35/month when it started? Now it's over $70/month.
February 6th, 2024 at 8:06 PM ^
I hate to ask but is there a reason I can't get most of these channels on YTTV because if I'm getting this right, they're asking me to pay for things I've received as part of my current subscription.
While I appreciate the capitalistic approach to rebranding a bottle of water as "more water-y than typical water", I'm less enthused that many will line up cash in hand to subscribe.
If you're wondering why the casual sports fan hates watching sports, I present you Exhibit A.
February 7th, 2024 at 10:36 AM ^
You can get those on YTTV...today. Don't be surprised if you can't next time their contracts are up.
But if they stay on YTTV (doubt it!) then the explanation would be this new service will be, say, $50/mo instead of $70/mo.
February 6th, 2024 at 5:12 PM ^
The pessimist in me says it will be an over priced shit show that you can't turn on and off when you want and it will be even worse than what we have.
I don't see an upside.
February 6th, 2024 at 5:14 PM ^
obligatory: fuck espn
February 6th, 2024 at 5:17 PM ^
I own a boutique ad agency geared to local businesses...so I'd consider myself to be pretty "up" on the current trends in media.
There is some evidence that people are beginning to "uncut" the cord...as they discover the costs and hassles involved with maintaining multiple accounts with multiple streaming services.
I, for one, don't mind overpaying a bit to be able to turn on my TV and have everything I want to watch at my fingertips.
#imcomcastic
February 6th, 2024 at 5:25 PM ^
I, for one, don't mind overpaying a bit to be able to turn on my TV and have everything I want to watch at my fingertips.
I used to be you until Google Fiber became available. GF with YOU-TUBE TV add 4K if you have a QLED TV is game changing. Cuts bill in half from Direct TV/AT&T with twice the internet speed.
Without Google Fiber I would hesitate.
February 6th, 2024 at 5:28 PM ^
people are beginning to "uncut" the cord...
So duct tape the cord? Splice the cord?
February 6th, 2024 at 5:40 PM ^
Reverse vasectomy?
February 6th, 2024 at 5:23 PM ^
Fuck that noise. Especially if they get exclusives.
February 6th, 2024 at 5:23 PM ^
All it has to be is be cheaper than YoutubeTV and I am in. I do not watch anything other than sports on it.
February 6th, 2024 at 5:41 PM ^
I'd bet that if this comes to be: in fairly short order, ESPN, FS1, TBS, TNT (et cetera) get yanked off YouTube TV.
Most of media in 2024 boils down to this: "if I create and/or own content, why the heck have some middle-man distribute my product if all a consumer really needs is a connection to the internet?"
February 6th, 2024 at 6:04 PM ^
the thing is I still need to get Daniel Tiger and Jeopardy (i have old people and young people in my house)
February 6th, 2024 at 6:09 PM ^
Also, if they don't get NBC and CBS in on it, they are losing a lot of NFL...They defintiely need to price themselves under YTTV, and be careful with pissing off their partner and ratings-dominant league NFL who just put a lot into YTTV getting Sunday Ticket.
February 6th, 2024 at 5:27 PM ^
Password sharing and Illegal streams for the win!
February 6th, 2024 at 5:27 PM ^
For me, in addition to looking at the price, it is always about the quality of the image. Seems that while there is a fair amount of 4K content available on various networks, when you compare what we get streaming to the 4K content on a 4k Blu-ray, it is night and day.
I like YTTV and would have subscribed some time ago but the quality is not great. Quality images (and sound) take more bandwidth and that seems to be in short supply.
February 6th, 2024 at 5:35 PM ^
Capitalism baby.
I'm too embarrassed to say how much I spend on my TV subscription. And it very much revolves around sports. As much as I spend they are like - "we can get you to spend more". Not happenin.
The biggest beneficiary of all this bullshit is gonna be your local pub.
February 6th, 2024 at 6:42 PM ^
Will we be able to watch Michigan hockey with this package?
February 7th, 2024 at 10:30 AM ^
BTN+ notably absent.
February 7th, 2024 at 12:24 AM ^
I already don't watch most sports events live because of the advertising. I far prefer to watch the action and fast forward through the ads on my schedule in my spare time. If you make it much more expensive, I will just stop watching altogether, and find something more productive to do with my spare time.
February 7th, 2024 at 8:14 AM ^
v2.sportsurge.net
February 7th, 2024 at 10:29 AM ^
I predict this will just serve to further fragment things. Can't wait for those networks to price themselves out of the YTTV package, which, incidentally, is the only streamer with good a user interface.