SMW: Disney, Fox and WB-D to launch Sports Streaming Service

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BOOM!!

WOW this is BIG! 

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/0 ... this-year/

>> ESPN, Fox Sports and Warner Bros. Discovery announced Tuesday plans to launch a joint streaming service this fall that will include all of the companies’ sports properties and networks.
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The announcement Tuesday is one of the more surprising developments in recent sports media history. The decline of cable — and the inability of direct-to-subscriber streaming to adequately replicate its convenience and reach — has been a dominant storyline for several years. <<

Wow just wow.  I've written about Cable vs Streaming alot and how Cable has advantages that while costlywill help keep it alive, but This is just a bypass of cable with 3 of the 5 major networks!  Noticably absent was the one network that is a mega cable company too... NBC/Comcast, and of course CBS too (the weakest).  Will this even have anti-trust implications as it by-passes not only cable but local TV broadcasters?  Cable HATE paying networks "carriage" fees - But by making a multi-network streaming service Nets will need to make that $$ up.

The bundling of streamers has begun.  The king is dead (cable bundle) long live the king (streaming bundle)!!  Well not yet but with YahooTV, Hulu + Live TV and now this its another option... a whole lot of disruption for nuttin.

And will this include ONLY the sports  programming on these networks or other programing as well. 
Will this force cable to finally offer ala cart prcing?
Will cable lobby that streamers should get the same regulations that Cable operators have and whose costs are a large part of a cable bill?

Lots of questions - inlcuding what impact this will have on live sports including the UFL.

Here's more details from CNBC:
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/06/espn-fo ... -year.html

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More insight from Hollywood Reporter:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/busin ... 235818152/

>> The benefits of a sports streaming bundle are clear to the analyst. “For many, aggregation is the holy grail, and it is evident that we are returning to the big bundle being offered via the internet. This has the noted benefit of being a far simpler model for the consumer to understand,” he explained. “Consumers have had enough of signing up for multiple services, paying for different subscriptions, and downloading a slew of apps. This is especially true in sports, which is one of the few genres driving sign-ups.”  <<

I think Fox is targeting those with out antenna or cable and just looking to fill the gap.
WBD  with no Broadcast, needs to supplement cord cutters
All are looking to stave off Big Tech/NF

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As predicted...

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/0 ... antitrust/

>> The first legal challenge to the ESPN-WBD-Fox joint venture is from streaming MVPD Fubo.Fubo filed an antitrust suit against ESPN, Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox Sports Tuesday seeking to block those companies’ planned joint venture streaming service, which is set to launch later this year. In the lawsuit, which the company announced in a press release, Fubo accused the three of anti-competitive practices for bundling “dozens of expensive non-sports channels that Fubo’s customers do not want as a condition of licensing the Defendants’ sports channels,” thus preventing it from offering its own sports-centric skinny bundle. The Wall Street Journal previously reported details of the suit. <<

Also DOJ looking at the deal:

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/0 ... afee-more/

>> DOJ to scrutinize Disney-FOX-WBD joint ventureFollowing an announcement of a joint sports streaming service earlier this month, Disney, FOX, and Warner Bros Discovery will reportedly face scrutiny from regulators, according to Bloomberg. <<