Collapse of Regional Sports Networks (Diamond Sports Group files bankruptcy, Warner-Discovery looking to leave business, Xfinity drops Bally)

[Headshot77]

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Apparently Sinclair is going to miss a $140 million dollar debt interest payment this February and they owe a total of $55 billion for sports media rights. It doesn't help that they botched the rollout of their app (this is conjecture on my part).

If I were the NHL I'd purchase their sports division for pennies on the dollar and finally make the first big stride in creating a streaming app that can play all games without blackouts.

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[Fenway]

This is how bad it has gotten

The major TV truck companies are now demanding cash upfront from Sinclair for trucks to be dispatched to venues and freelancers to be paid.

 

[Kane One]

The NHL is already in talks with the MLB on creating a blackout-free streaming service.

 

[patnyrnyg]

The NHL is already in talks with the MLB on creating a blackout-free streaming service.

I wonder what kind of money they would have to pay to Dolan or any other team that owns the network that holds the broadcast rights. MSG Networks carry Rangers, Isles, and Devils in this area.

 

[Kane One]

I wonder what kind of money they would have to pay to Dolan or any other team that owns the network that holds the broadcast rights. MSG Networks carry Rangers, Isles, and Devils in this area.

The argument that the MLB was threatening Bally’s with was that Bally’s owns the TV rights, not streaming rights, and that the streaming rights are all owned by the MLB.

Whatever the case is, it will be better for all sides (NHL, MLB, and Dolan) to come up with a package for all sports. MSG+ will only have the sports covered by MSG, but I don’t give a shit about basketball and would really only need the hockey teams + Mets. I’m not paying like $25 a month for just hockey and useless Knicks games.

 

[patnyrnyg]

The argument that the MLB was threatening Bally’s with was that Bally’s owns the TV rights, not streaming rights, and that the streaming rights are all owned by the MLB.

Whatever the case is, it will be better for all sides (NHL, MLB, and Dolan) to come up with a package for all sports. MSG+ will only have the sports covered by MSG, but I don’t give a shit about basketball and would really only need the hockey teams + Mets. I’m not paying like $25 a month for just hockey and useless Knicks games.

Is MSG+ available as a standalone WITH the games when in the NYC metro area? I get included with my Spectrum subscription, so honestly do not know.

 

[nickp91]

is the time for MLB to end its crazy blackout restrictions and give the people what they want

 

[varsaku]

The NHL is already in talks with the MLB on creating a blackout-free streaming service.

RSNs honestly created a bubble. The revenue of a league wide streaming service would never be able to match the amount all team brings in from their local TV deals. RSNs are propping up the revenue right now until ultimately cable dies and revenue falls with it. Unless they just pass it on to the fans, which I think will ultimately happen.

 

[joelef]

RSNs honestly created a bubble. The revenue of a league wide streaming service would never be able to match the amount all team brings in from their local TV deals. RSNs are propping up the revenue right now until ultimately cable dies and revenue falls with it. Unless they just pass it on to the fans, which I think will ultimately happen.N

RSNs honestly created a bubble. The revenue of a league wide streaming service would never be able to match the amount all team brings in from their local TV deals. RSNs are propping up the revenue right now until ultimately cable dies and revenue falls with it. Unless they just pass it on to the fans, which I think will ultimately happen.

Nothing is free

 

[patnyrnyg]

is the time for MLB to end its crazy blackout restrictions and give the people what they want

If they eventually do end the blackout rules on games available with your RSN, I think the package will be a lot more expensive than most people think. Last time I had center-ice for example it was $150 (now get it with ESPN+). Would probably be easily $350 if they didn't include blackouts of the Rangers, Isles,Devils. More if it didn't include national games.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

The NHL is already in talks with the MLB on creating a blackout-free streaming service.

This is going to be one hell of a fight, between the leagues and the vast majority of teams, and the heavy hitters (NYY/YES, BOS/NESN, CHC/Marquee, etc.)

 

[rsteen]

So what implications does this have on the cap? I saw somewhere that the average RSN deal is 25M and apparently 12 teams have Bally as their RSN? 300M would be 4.7M off the midpoint if the midpoint was currently tied to HRR, but it isn't. I'd assume if Bally continues as a financial entity they would be paying something, if not the original value of the contracts...not versed in bankruptcy law.

 

[Headshot77]

RSNs honestly created a bubble. The revenue of a league wide streaming service would never be able to match the amount all team brings in from their local TV deals. RSNs are propping up the revenue right now until ultimately cable dies and revenue falls with it. Unless they just pass it on to the fans, which I think will ultimately happen.

I don't really see why they can't be just as profitable with a digital streaming service.

$10/mo to watch any nationally televised game (entry level for new fans)

$30/mo to watch all of your home teams games, no exceptions. And follow the local teams ancillary content like documentaries, replays, etc

$10/mo to have no ads whatsoever.

Make this an a la carte structure where you can buy what you want.

Finally $100/mo to watch all of the NHL, all teams, all ancillary content, no ads.

 

[Masked]

If I were the NHL I'd purchase their sports division for pennies on the dollar and finally make the first big stride in creating a streaming app that can play all games without blackouts.

Why would they need to buy this outdated network to create a streaming service? And the blackouts are based upon the agreements from the NHL franchise owners. Buying it would just be throwing money away. Cable tv is going the way of Blockbuster.

Assen na yo!

 

[rsteen]

$30/mo to watch all of your home teams games, no exceptions. And follow the local teams ancillary content like documentaries, replays, etc

NESN 360 does this for 29.99 for both Bruins and Red Sox AFAIK. The question is whether that price is being subsidised by everyone who still has cable and has NESN but never watches it.

 

[Headshot77]

Why would they need to buy this outdated network to create a streaming service? And the blackouts are based upon the agreements from the NHL franchise owners. Buying it would just be throwing money away. Cable tv is going the way of Blockbuster.

Assen na yo!

Not an expert on these things, but I would assume they would need it for the streaming and cable rights.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

I don't really see why they can't be just as profitable with a digital streaming service.

$10/mo to watch any nationally televised game (entry level for new fans)

$30/mo to watch all of your home teams games, no exceptions. And follow the local teams ancillary content like documentaries, replays, etc

$10/mo to have no ads whatsoever.

Make this an a la carte structure where you can buy what you want.

Finally $100/mo to watch all of the NHL, all teams, all ancillary content, no ads.

$100/month is nuts! ESPN+ is like $10 for the majority of games. Including the local team should bring that to $40 at most.

And who cares about ads? The TV timeouts aren't going away. It's not like getting Hulu without ads for non-live programming.

 

[Headshot77]

$100/month is nuts! ESPN+ is like $10 for the majority of games. Including the local team should bring that to $40 at most.

And who cares about ads? The TV timeouts aren't going away. It's not like getting Hulu without ads for non-live programming.

I care about ads. I think it would be cool to have an option to have the digital board ads turned off. Also, isn't the AHL's streaming service like stupidly expensive for what is essentially the same thing I'm talking about?

 

[IU Hawks fan]

I care about ads. I think it would be cool to have an option to have the digital board ads turned off. Also, isn't the AHL's streaming service like stupidly expensive for what is essentially the same thing I'm talking about?

I couldn't tell you, I've never watched an AHL game on the internet.

If you want to include a high price tier without ads, fine, but most people would prefer to pay much less and have commercials, since those breaks are built into the game anyway.

 

[Masked]

Not an expert on these things, but I would assume they would need it for the streaming and cable rights.

If the networks die, the contracts are null and the franchises are free to do whatever they want with the broadcast rights.

Assen na yo!

 

[Lt Dan]

This is how bad it has gotten

The major TV truck companies are now demanding cash upfront from Sinclair for trucks to be dispatched to venues and freelancers to be paid

oh man that is scary. I have a feeling this will not end well.

Ballys' really didn't help their case with botching all of their TV deals and overpricing a bad app and stream

 

[mouser]

If the networks die, the contracts are null and the franchises are free to do whatever they want with the broadcast rights.

Assen na yo!

Will the networks die though? If the RSNs are operationally profitable it’s far more likely the assets will be sold off or reorganized (reducing debt) without terminating the broadcast rights deals.

Are the RSNs operationally profitable after excluding debt payments? Don’t know the answer to that question.

 

[jkrdevil]

I don't really see why they can't be just as profitable with a digital streaming service.

$10/mo to watch any nationally televised game (entry level for new fans)

$30/mo to watch all of your home teams games, no exceptions. And follow the local teams ancillary content like documentaries, replays, etc

$10/mo to have no ads whatsoever.

Make this an a la carte structure where you can buy what you want.

Finally $100/mo to watch all of the NHL, all teams, all ancillary content, no ads.

And right now is the problem. At those price points you listed, teams are probably looks at taking in about half the revenue they on average pull from selling the rights to the RSNs.

 

[DougKnowsBest]

If they eventually do end the blackout rules on games available with your RSN, I think the package will be a lot more expensive than most people think. Last time I had center-ice for example it was $150 (now get it with ESPN+). Would probably be easily $350 if they didn't include blackouts of the Rangers, Isles,Devils. More if it didn't include national games.

What if I was just able to buy games for my team or division or conference?

 

[beedee]

The argument that the MLB was threatening Bally’s with was that Bally’s owns the TV rights, not streaming rights, and that the streaming rights are all owned by the MLB.

Whatever the case is, it will be better for all sides (NHL, MLB, and Dolan) to come up with a package for all sports. MSG+ will only have the sports covered by MSG, but I don’t give a shit about basketball and would really only need the hockey teams + Mets. I’m not paying like $25 a month for just hockey and useless Knicks games.

Similar boat here, except its the LA Kings and LA Angels of Anaheim.