Bell Media exploring sale of TSN

[rojac]

If you're in Eastern Ontario, pay for TSN and Sportsnet's streaming services.

If you're in another part of Ontario pay for the Sportsnet+ streaming service.

I know that's a very long and difficult process to understand but maybe you'll figure it out.

To b accurate, the basic Sportsnet steaming package is Sportsnet+, while he package that includes the NHL out-of-market package is Sportsnet+ Premium.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Nearly a monopoly at what?

Communications. (TV, cell phones, internet, radio, ect)

 

[Masked]

Communications. (TV, cell phones, internet, radio, ect)

They do not have anything resembling a monopoly for any of those things..

 

[Fourier]

Bell needs to clean up its balance sheet. Their stock has taken a major dive over the last 6 months. That said the company is denying this rumour.

 

[varsaku]

https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/12/media/warner-bros-discovery-restructuring/index.html

Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s corporate parent, announced Thursday it is establishing a new corporate structure that splits off its cable networks from its growing streaming business.

The restructuring is not a spinoff of cable assets in the way that Comcast recently announced, but it may ultimately have the same effect.

Looks like another major company trying to get rid of its cable networks. Cable's downturn is speeding up now.

 

[Golden_Jet]

https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/12/media/warner-bros-discovery-restructuring/index.html

Looks like another major company trying to get rid of its cable networks. Cable's downturn is speeding up now.

Probably couple of more decades to go yet.

 

[93LEAFS]

I can see why Bell might get rid of TSN. Without national NHL, and likely losing all Leafs and Raptors games, on top of not having the Jays already for years they have very few properties. As of now, the only truly big properties they have are the Habs and MNF. MNF they can just put on CTV. Winnipeg and Ottawa local rights are the two of the smallest in the league.

 

[rojac]

I can see why Bell might get rid of TSN. Without national NHL, and likely losing all Leafs and Raptors games, on top of not having the Jays already for years they have very few properties. As of now, the only truly big properties they have are the Habs and MNF. MNF they can just put on CTV. Winnipeg and Ottawa local rights are the two of the smallest in the league.

The Rogers deal to buy out Bell's share of MLSE includes a 20 year rights deal for Bell to retain their current share of Raptors and Leafs games.

Bell has all the Canadian TV rights fr the NFL, even the games that are on Amazon, Netflix, and Peacock in the US air on TSN/CTV/CTV2 in Canada.

 

[Brodie]

I don't know what is going to happen to pro sports when cable money finally dries up but it's a very concerning inevitability at this point

 

[Masked]

I don't know what is going to happen to pro sports when cable money finally dries up but it's a very concerning inevitability at this point

There's nothing to be concerned about. It'll be steaming service money instead of cable money. Pro sports rights are very valuable regardless of who is buying them.

 

[Golden_Jet]

The Rogers deal to buy out Bell's share of MLSE includes a 20 year rights deal for Bell to retain their current share of Raptors and Leafs games.

Bell has all the Canadian TV rights fr the NFL, even the games that are on Amazon, Netflix, and Peacock in the US air on TSN/CTV/CTV2 in Canada.

Surprised a leaf fan doesn’t know the leafs/raptors deal.

There's nothing to be concerned about. It'll be steaming service money instead of cable money. Pro sports rights are very valuable regardless of who is buying them.

Yep, you’ll just need to subscribe to more services than in the past, has already happened in the US.

 

[Masked]

Surprised a leaf fan doesn’t know the leafs/raptors deal.

Not surprising. Same leaf fan thinks the Senators have one of the small broadcast regions in the league.

 

[jetsmooseice]

Yep, you’ll just need to subscribe to more services than in the past, has already happened in the US.

It's going to be a winner take all scenario. I'd wager that most people will pay for one or two services to watch the teams/leagues that matter most to them. But they aren't going to have five or more streaming services to watch sports they might only have a marginal interest in.

For example, there's a decent amount of stuff on TSN that I watch casually from time to time, just because it's there, but I'd never actually pay specifically for it. The NBA is my example, but I'm sure we all have our own version of that.

 

[Golden_Jet]

It's going to be a winner take all scenario. I'd wager that most people will pay for one or two services to watch the teams/leagues that matter most to them. But they aren't going to have five or more streaming services to watch sports they might only have a marginal interest in.

For example, there's a decent amount of stuff on TSN that I watch casually from time to time, just because it's there, but I'd never actually pay specifically for it. The NBA is my example, but I'm sure we all have our own version of that.

Definitely not a winner take all. The States has gone from about 2 services to watch every NHL game in a season, to about 5 or 6. Streaming is making it worse at the moment, for needing more services

 

[Masked]

It's going to be a winner take all scenario. I'd wager that most people will pay for one or two services to watch the teams/leagues that matter most to them. But they aren't going to have five or more streaming services to watch sports they might only have a marginal interest in.

In the pre-streaming days people would complain about being forced to pay for a package of channels instead of just the ones they wanted.

Now that people can literally pick and choose which services they want, it's not enough. They just want to pay for one or two?

Realistically, unless the Canadian government can mandate only Canadian services can acquire the rights to pro sports, in the long run it'll likely be big global streaming services crowding TSN and Sportsnet out of the market. Rogers ownership of MLSE might save Sportsnet but they'll be pressured by shareholders and the leagues to surrender at some point.

 

[jetsmooseice]

Definitely not a winner take all. The States has gone from about 2 services to watch every NHL game in a season, to about 5 or 6. Streaming is making it worse at the moment, for needing more services

Sure there are lots of services but few people are going to bother with more than their favourite one or two, maybe three or more if they're a superfan (tiny percentage of the population).

So in the US, that means most sports fans will get the NFL. In Canada most sports fans will get the NHL. Maybe people will get one more on top of that, but if you are only a casual fan you aren't going to pony up for a service you might only watch a few times a year.

So a lot of other sports that are on TSN/SN are going to be screwed when people don't subscribe to their streaming services and revenues plummet.

In the pre-streaming days people would complain about being forced to pay for a package of channels instead of just the ones they wanted.

Now that people can literally pick and choose which services they want, it's not enough. They just want to pay for one or two?

Picking and choosing is great, but most people will only pick and choose so many when it's $20 or $30 a month per service.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Picking and choosing is great, but most people will only pick and choose so many when it's $20 or $30 a month per service.

So you agree it’s getting worse then. It’s a couple of decades away before cable is gone.
I will continue to subscribe to fibre cable , get all NHL games, and stay with the more reliable and better quality on cable for the time being.
Also get 4K sports channels on cable, so I won’t be switching yet.

 

[Takuto Maruki]

I can see why Bell might get rid of TSN. Without national NHL, and likely losing all Leafs and Raptors games, on top of not having the Jays already for years they have very few properties.

...except, you know, the ones that actually matter if you looked further then surface level, like the World Cup and the *entirety* of the NFL which, even up here, beats the pants off of the NHL ratings even on slow nights like Monday and Thursday.

 

[Golden_Jet]

...except, you know, the ones that actually matter if you looked further then surface level, like the World Cup and the *entirety* of the NFL which, even up here, beats the pants off of the NHL ratings even on slow nights like Monday and Thursday.

Ya it’s up there with curling and F1 Probably.

 

[varsaku]

So you agree it’s getting worse then. It’s a couple of decades away before cable is gone.
I will continue to subscribe to fibre cable , get all NHL games, and stay with the more reliable and better quality on cable for the time being.
Also get 4K sports channels on cable, so I won’t be switching yet.

I wouldn't bet on NHL being on cable long term. Streaming services are now putting a lot of money on the table to out bid cable networks for rights. Even if being on cable makes the most sense, they will go where the money is.

 

[Takuto Maruki]

Like, I know this is a forum where hockey is going to be the main focus, but to say that TSN has 'very few' properties when in reality they have the two that ultimately matter in the long run, alongside everything else sub-licensed from ESPN (so free programming, effectively) is ridiculous, and really shows a myopic and close-minded view of the sports business world.

 

[Golden_Jet]

I wouldn't bet on NHL being on cable long term. Streaming services are now putting a lot of money on the table to out bid cable networks for rights. Even if being on cable makes the most sense, they will go where the money is.

Ya that’s why I’m saying a couple of decades away, for solely current streaming of NHL,
Streaming still lacks the quality and reliability of cable.
NHL is not giving purely streaming exclusive rights, that would be a HUGE mistake on their part at this juncture in time.

 

[Yukon Joe]

So you agree it’s getting worse then. It’s a couple of decades away before cable is gone.
I will continue to subscribe to fibre cable , get all NHL games, and stay with the more reliable and better quality on cable for the time being.
Also get 4K sports channels on cable, so I won’t be switching yet.

Cable isn't going to go away, but it's clearly dying. Streaming is just the easier way to view content.

They're like newspapers. Newspapers still exist, and will for awhile. But they're only a faint shadow of what they used to be - again because of digital distribution.

Cable might not die for 20 years or more - but I don't think anyone thinks it's a long-term successful industry to be in.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Cable isn't going to go away, but it's clearly dying. Streaming is just the easier way to view content.

They're like newspapers. Newspapers still exist, and will for awhile. But they're only a faint shadow of what they used to be - again because of digital distribution.

Cable might not die for 20 years or more - but I don't think anyone thinks it's a long-term successful industry to be in.

Agree that’s why I said a couple of decades away.
Currently quality and reliability is still in cable’s favour.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Agree that’s why I said a couple of decades away.
Currently quality and reliability is still in cable’s favour.

Not sure I agree - but accessibility is hugely in streaming's favour.

On cable - you're stuck with what each channel currently has on. If your have your DVR set up you might be able to go back to the start of a show - but you're still stuck.

If you want to watch, I dunno, Seinfeld - you have to find a channel Seinfeld is on, then watch that particular episode. On Netflix you can watch any episode of Seinfeld you want at any time. (and I don't even like Seinfeld - just to pick a popular show)

Cable is surviving because of old people who don't like change (same as newspapers), plus because of live programming like sports and news. As streaming starts to swallow more and more news and sports it will be the final end of cable.