Can ESPN Survive?

[ramblin' wagon]

I would think that the first thing to go would be SEC Network. No one that isn't an SEC fan will watch that channel unless their team is playing on it. Hardly anyone will watch it from December to August. So why would anyone want to pay for it all year?

 

[cyptomcat]

I would think that the first thing to go would be SEC Network. No one that isn't an SEC fan will watch that channel unless their team is playing on it. Hardly anyone will watch it from December to August. So why would anyone want to pay for it all year?

I doubt they spend too much money on producing that content, and they probably have the payment through splitting the profits with the SEC so if subscriptions go down, ESPN's payout to SEC goes down as well.

 

[Akinji07]

I would think that the first thing to go would be SEC Network. No one that isn't an SEC fan will watch that channel unless their team is playing on it. Hardly anyone will watch it from December to August. So why would anyone want to pay for it all year?

Because it will be packaged with Big Ten or ACC Network or whatever else they got. And it will be an annual subscription or nothing.

 

[ramblin' wagon]

Because it will be packaged with Big Ten or ACC Network or whatever else they got. And it will be an annual subscription or nothing.

Isn't that the reason that people are cutting the cord and therefore the reason ESPN is losing subscriptions, because people don't want to pay for a channel that they will never or hardly watch?

 

[ThomsonJacket]

I put this here so I could blow it up to read.
Carry on.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.businessinsider.com/espn-revenue-subscriber-fees-2015-11


Beestorm's Garage

 

[rghoae]

I would think that the first thing to go would be SEC Network. No one that isn't an SEC fan will watch that channel unless their team is playing on it. Hardly anyone will watch it from December to August. So why would anyone want to pay for it all year?

I highly doubt it. I don't have a cable package, but do have an internet one. I can watch ACCN games for free, simply based on my internet package, but the SECN requires a cable package.

Implies that ESPN is able to get subscription revenues from it that they are unable to from the ACCN.

 

[Flywheel]

ESPN turned into Politisports, and the NFL network cut out the middle man. They ded.

 

[18in32]

ESPN turned into Politisports, and the NFL network cut out the middle man. They ded.

ESPN has been pretty aggressive promoting political perspectives I don't share. How they don't understand that is alienating to their audience as well diluting their product, I don't understand.

 

[TampaBayJacket]

ESPN has been pretty aggressive promoting political perspectives I don't share. How they don't understand that is alienating to their audience as well diluting their product, I don't understand.

Well not everyone is a fat, white, middle aged conservative.

 

[18in32]

Well not everyone is a fat, white, middle aged conservative.

No but sports audiences are disproportionately so. (Oh, and 'Zing!' by the way.)

 

[gt2690b]

Also hate how they put mnc on ESPN.. Put the shit on ABC you assholes

 

[TampaBayJacket]

ESPN is setting records with streaming content as they lose cable subscribers. As soon as Nielsen begins publishing streaming numbers (called digital viewing) with its ratings data next year, its expected ESPN will be able to properly monetize this growing viewership and be okay.

 

[olgoldandwhite]

I would drop them if I could. Only watch on rare occasions.

 

[MEwreck02]

Thanks Obama

 

[zippyGT]

ESPN's business model - even with hiding/tax-evading the losses for those non-revenue adds - cannot be sustaining.

ESPN will stop bidding against itself for content and prices will come down. If ESPN can't afford a conference contract, neither can anyone else.

 

[GTCrew]

Well not everyone is a fat, white, middle aged conservative.

Everyone paying the bills is. Unless the Millenial in the basement wants to buy his own cable.

 

[GTCrew]

I would drop them if I could. Only watch on rare occasions.

Then you can.

Take the hundreds in savings and go to a sportsbar "on rare occasions".

Win-win

 

[GBurdell]

espn is pretty much the reason we have the shit show that is the cfp and an ncaa that turns a blind eye to violations at schools that bring in the cash

f**k espn

 

[EastboundJacket]

You have to remember that when you talk about ESPN you're not just talking about ESPN. You're talking about ABC, talking about Disney. DISNEY. It's much bigger than just ESPN, and they can afford to do just about anything they want (and they have) to grab as much of the sports market as they possibly can.

You also likely have no idea just how many people use their streaming services. With more and more people cutting cable, you can still watch nearly everything on WatchESPN. I think that from a monetary standpoint, ESPN is ahead of the curve and they've anticipated the cord-cutting very well.

Do I like ESPN? No. It's not what it used to be and no matter which side you're on politically, it's annoying to have a sports network push a particular agenda. But they're not dumb business people.

 

[coit]

You also likely have no idea just how many people use their streaming services. With more and more people cutting cable, you can still watch nearly everything on WatchESPN. I think that from a monetary standpoint, ESPN is ahead of the curve and they've anticipated the cord-cutting very well.

You have to have a subscription to something to use WatchESPN. They do not derive additional revenue out of anyone that uses it. I guess at some point they may sell a standalone subscription to it, but at what monthly price?