Sports Media

andyb 2024-01-17 14:28:29 UTC #642

Not sure this changes things much outside the Diamond RSN markets, but clearly Amazon wants to be a player in local sports rights like they do with some Yankees games.

andyb 2024-01-19 17:59:39 UTC #643

Looks like it is finally dead (even though its been effectively dead for a few years).

zambonir 2024-01-19 18:17:12 UTC #644

The magazine has actually still been pretty good, along with a handful of the names who stuck around, but still not much point to it. Even the deep dives they were doing probably had more readers online, the rest of the web stuff obviously embarassing, and there's not really advertisers to support it in the same a GQ (fashion) or Bon Appetit (food) might still have. But this was always coming (and was always a terrible deal. Time and Fortune, with rich guy owners, still in better shape by comparison, as are the mags that stayed with Meredith and are now owned by IAC).

andyb 2024-02-07 17:48:06 UTC #645

Interesting new venture from ESPN, Warner, and Fox:

Looks to be a skinny sports streaming bundle that could compete with services like Youtube TV. This is not the standalone ESPN streaming service though I am intrigued if this sets it up where we might be able to get other network sports on that service too. Note this does not include NBC or CBS, so one would need their streaming services plus this new sports bundle to get close to the whole cable/YTTV package. As the article posits, this is more like a tentative first step into sports bundling rather than the final product.

zambonir 2024-02-07 18:10:09 UTC #646

That pretty much covers quite a bit of college football and all of MLB, NHL and NBA though no? You can also get quite a bit of NBC and CBS just OTA (at least for NFL and March Madness). And even if NBC got on board would it include local RSNs? Comcast just finished unloading its share of Hulu and seems committed to Peacock for now.

I'm just never gonna be in the market for this because I care about more than sports. If I cancelled my YTTV to have something like this I would still need Hulu and Max and Apple and Netflix (none of which I technicallly pay for right now though, except Hulu in the Disney bundle).

andyb 2024-02-07 18:15:53 UTC #647

It does say it could be bundled with the Disney bundle and/or Max. I have both of those already, so if the addition of this would get me most sports I might be interested. I want both the news and sports side of my streaming service, but if this is priced right (like $30 or less when bundled) then I could afford Peacock and Paramount as needed.

I really just want the 20-30 sports and news channels bundled together. I watch entertainment on demand (i.e. Hulu, Netflix, etc.) already.

schillingfan 2024-02-09 00:21:16 UTC #648

That’s why I got YouTube TV.. The amount of overlap with the network streaming s annoying, though.

zambonir 2024-02-09 01:23:38 UTC #649

That's one of the things I like about it, just easier than relying on antenna. Plus I am often watching on computer or travelling (and when you travel you get local network instead of home network which means I'm out of luck if the Phillies are on Channel 10 but came in handy this past weekend when I was in LA for the floods).

And I still go to Hulu if I want to watch an FX or ABC show rather than using my YouTube DVR (though i'm not currently paying for no commercials on Hulu).

It was once unthinkable that Disney and Fox would merge (and while their sports operations remain separate they are also partnering on stuff now, including this) and Warner is still freaking mess. Hard to imagine Peacock, Paramount, Hulu/Disney+ and MAX all exist completely independently in the long run.

bkox 2024-02-09 13:58:32 UTC #650

andyb 2024-02-14 17:49:52 UTC #651

MLB.TV pricing. $149/$129 single team. Looks like they have added a few features. Multi-view (up to 4 games at once) on more devices. I am intrigued by the catch-up feature. It looks like you can watch highlights of a game in progress up to the point where you join live. Last year one could only watch the highlights after the game.

zambonir 2024-02-14 18:10:50 UTC #652

I no longer need it now that I live in Philadelphia but will probably end up getting it for free from either the Phillies or T Mobile.

BaseballCat 2024-02-14 21:15:45 UTC #653

I had it through T-Mobile last year. Do I have to cancel and resign up or do I just wait for the T-Mobile offer to become active? Thought someone here might know. Thanks

andyb 2024-02-14 21:25:42 UTC #654

T-Mobile offer is always during the last week of Spring Training. I think I have cancelled in the past and then signed up again with the new code though not 100% sure if you actually have to cancel.

MLS code is due next week also for more T-Mobile free sports.

bkox 2024-02-14 21:28:42 UTC #655

Ive never had to cancel first

Tmobile code probably a bit earlier this year because of the 2 games in Korea to open the season on March 20-21

zambonir 2024-02-14 21:31:27 UTC #656

I got an email saying my MLS had expired, wasn't sure if it was gonna be offered again. So glad to hear that. Definitely a big part of the appeal for me (free Apple+, free Netlifx and now free Hulu too though the latter two are only with commercials and Hulu's pretty cheap in the bundle already).

The two games in Korea probably aren't on MLB TV anyway.

andyb 2024-02-14 21:37:47 UTC #657

ESPN has the 2 Korea games. Interestingly our London games are split with one on Fox and one on ESPN.

Not 100% sure about the MLS code but the reddit boards did allude to it being renewed. I think it needs to be canceled by the 24th to avoid paying, so next week's Tuesday offers would still be in time.

bkox 2024-02-14 22:01:59 UTC #658

yeah im an idiot to forget they would be national games

zambonir 2024-02-15 00:14:54 UTC #659

They might still be on the app though? I think it's only the playoffs where the national networks lock you out (or require a provider log-in in additon to MLB.TV sub).

zambonir 2024-02-17 01:49:40 UTC #660

Well that was fast

zambonir 2024-02-20 14:46:17 UTC #661

John Ourand from SBJ now here. Paywalled.