Future Of Local TV Sports: Non-Exclusive And Sharing Rights?
· Yahoo Sports
Although sports on TV continues to be a big deal for TV networks and streaming services, local sports teams TV/media rights are still an uncertain proposition.
This comes as the next chapter for the biggest regional sports network cable TV group takes another major step: Main Street Sports finally ending operations after a bankruptcy filing, and a number of years trying to find new operating solutions.
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With the former Fox Sports, Bally and FanDuel Sports operations stopping, the business now asks more questions about what happens now.
Where will local Major League Baseball, NHL, and NBA teams make deals -- streaming, over-the-air broadcast, or cable?
There is some thought that perhaps much of the new business structure could focus on a "non-exclusive" basis across a number of platforms -- cable, over-the-air broadcast, and streaming.
All that would lower media rights fees and give media outlets a better future for profit margins.
It also will give them access to much-needed premium live audiences that brands/advertisers want. Even on a non-exclusive basis, media buyers will pay decent cost-per-thousand prices for that viewership.
Here's some evidence that the parties involved might be headed in that direction -- especially any combination of a streamer, cable network and a broadcast TV station deal-making.
-- "My sense is, that's where it's going," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said at a recent CNBC event. " I would love it to be a combination with local broadcast as well, because local broadcast still has that reach that some of the streaming services don't have, although that's changing too."
-- "We believe ESPN is the front door. We're Switzerland," says Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN, who added that the network does not require exclusive rights.
-- "If you look at the last four years, it's been a tough slog for everybody," says David Proper, chief media officer and senior executive vice president of the NHL.
It looks like the sports TV business -- at least on the local level -- believes it will take true teamwork.