ESPN Opts-out of MLB Deal

[DaBadGuy7]

 

[varsaku]

ESPN going to broadcast over the summer? MLS in exile on Apple MLB leaving World Cup on Fox

Its a doubled edged sword going to full streaming. As a fan it is now so easy to tune into MLS games, since it is all in one place with now blackouts. The consistent scheduling also makes it easy to know when to expect games to be on. However, this puts all games behind a pay wall that would deter casual fans and slow down any growth.

Surprised MLB on ESPN lasted this long. ESPN does nothing for marketing anything other than NBA and NFL. I think one of the the streaming channels like Netflix or Amazon steps in with a huge contract.

They focus on those two sports the most because they result in the most viewers. They are a for profit company that is looking to maximize the number of viewers and improve the bottom line. They will follow where the money is.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

They focus on those two sports the most because they result in the most viewers. They are a for profit company that is looking to maximize the number of viewers and improve the bottom line. They will follow where the money is.

True on the viewership numbers, but why spend $billions and barely market the sport? For a for-profit company, that seems odd to me

 

[StreetHawk]

It would help, seeing as Game 7 last year was like four days before the draft and a week before free agency. More breathing room would help teams.

ESPN doesn't want the NHL/NBA finals at the same time. So, one of them has to end before the other begins.
MLB gives ESPN summer programming (mid June to the start of college FB), but if the numbers don't make sense, then ESPN moves on without it.

 

[DaveG]

Not a good move by MLB. As hockey fans we know how bad it is going away from the mothership. No matter how many channels there are now or streaming services ESPN is still the zeigeist of sports in America.

yep, if MLB thinks coverage is bad now just wait until they're actively being shut out the way ESPN did to the NHL for ~15 years. As much as I hate it ESPN still is the force that drives sports discussion.

Its a doubled edged sword going to full streaming. As a fan it is now so easy to tune into MLS games, since it is all in one place with now blackouts. The consistent scheduling also makes it easy to know when to expect games to be on. However, this puts all games behind a pay wall that would deter casual fans and slow down any growth.

They focus on those two sports the most because they result in the most viewers. They are a for profit company that is looking to maximize the number of viewers and improve the bottom line. They will follow where the money is.

I mean yes and no there. In a lot of ways they drive the viewers because that's what ESPN chooses to talk about. The NFL, sure, that's been the 500lb gorilla in the room as far as sports go for basically my entire life. But even remembering back to the 90s for college football things were all over the map (literally) for high end programs until ESPN started talking about the SEC like it was the end all be all of CFB turning things into a self-fulfilling prophecy as far as that goes.

 

[S E P H]

Not a good move by MLB. As hockey fans we know how bad it is going away from the mothership. No matter how many channels there are now or streaming services ESPN is still the zeigeist of sports in America.

I am very interested in what the NBC deal will do to the NBA. People were complaining of not finding NHL games when it was on NBC, I wonder if the NBA will suffer from the same? NBC never ever really promotes or markets its product.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

ESPN doesn't want the NHL/NBA finals at the same time. So, one of them has to end before the other begins.
MLB gives ESPN summer programming (mid June to the start of college FB), but if the numbers don't make sense, then ESPN moves on without it.

Well that's just not true. The NBA Finals started on 6/6 and the SCF on 6/8, and the NBA's game 7 would've been the night before the NHL's.

 

[aqib]

Its a doubled edged sword going to full streaming. As a fan it is now so easy to tune into MLS games, since it is all in one place with now blackouts. The consistent scheduling also makes it easy to know when to expect games to be on. However, this puts all games behind a pay wall that would deter casual fans and slow down any growth.

They focus on those two sports the most because they result in the most viewers. They are a for profit company that is looking to maximize the number of viewers and improve the bottom line. They will follow where the money is.

How many games are on free tv these days? It seems like other than the national game of the week everything is on cable. So its a paywall either way.

Brodie Brazil breaks down the issues with the math on streaming:

 

[John Price]

ESPN would rather inform yinz about the NBA, LeBron,the Dallas cowboys or Caitlin Clark rather than baseball.

it's summer. nothing else is going on. TALK BASEBALL

 

[jkrdevil]

I am very interested in what the NBC deal will do to the NBA. People were complaining of not finding NHL games when it was on NBC, I wonder if the NBA will suffer from the same? NBC never ever really promotes or markets its product.

The NBA will be fine on NBC. The complaints about not finding the NHL were about games on NBCSN not the games on NBC proper. Most of the NBA telecasts are going to be on NBC proper with some on Peacock. But I believe even then most of the Peacock games are going to be a reverse mirror where you get one game on NBC that is regionalized and the other will be on Peacock.

And NBC promoted the NHL a lot when it had the rights. The Wednesday night games were promoted weekly on SNF for instance. It’s just NBC didn’t have a lot of other sports that people on this board watched at the time. It was EPL soccer and auto racing outside the SNF and ND.

 

[Terrier]

ESPN would rather inform yinz about the NBA, LeBron,the Dallas cowboys or Caitlin Clark rather than baseball.

it's summer. nothing else is going on. TALK BASEBALL

I follow all things hockey, year round(I'm attending a women's college playoff game in Boston tonight), but hockey aside, when it comes to baseball, I revered it in the 70's, played Little League, played pick-up ball, etc., but in my current sports fandom, admittedly it's been supplanted by soccer.

 

[S E P H]

The NBA will be fine on NBC. The complaints about not finding the NHL were about games on NBCSN not the games on NBC proper. Most of the NBA telecasts are going to be on NBCSN not proper with some on Peacock. But I believe even then most of the Peacock games are going to be a reverse mirror where you get one game on NBC that is regionalized and the other will be on Peacock.

And NBC promoted the NHL a lot when it had the rights. The Wednesday night games were promoted weekly on SNF for instance. It’s just NBC didn’t have a lot of other sports that people on this board watched at the time. It was EPL soccer and auto racing outside the SNF and ND.

Yes, but ESPN marketed the HELL out of the 4 Nations. It probably was the most marketed event I have ever seen involving hockey, more so than the Olympics (which naturally draws bigger crowds overall).

 

[jkrdevil]

Yes, but ESPN marketed the HELL out of the 4 Nations. It probably was the most marketed event I have ever seen involving hockey, more so than the Olympics (which naturally draws bigger crowds overall).

Fair, but they only really marketed it once the first two games pulled in good numbers. There wasn’t much pre-tournament marketing outside the league’s ads on NHL games.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

The NBA will be fine on NBC. The complaints about not finding the NHL were about games on NBCSN not the games on NBC proper. Most of the NBA telecasts are going to be on NBCSN not proper with some on Peacock. But I believe even then most of the Peacock games are going to be a reverse mirror where you get one game on NBC that is regionalized and the other will be on Peacock.

Wait, what? NBCSN doesn't exist anymore.

And they will no doubt have Peacock exclusives. Probably all their weeknight inventory will be there.

 

[jkrdevil]

Wait, what? NBCSN doesn't exist anymore.

And they will no doubt have Peacock exclusives. Probably all their weeknight inventory will be there.

I meant NBC proper. Phone autocorrect. Thanks for the catch.

The deal calls for their Tuesday slate to be two games one at 8pm eastern and one at 8pm pacific. If you are in the East you get the early game on NBC and the late game on Peacock. If you are in the west you get the late game on NBC and the early game on Peacock.