Bally Sports Possibly Declaring Bankruptcy - Latest (Amazon's Pending Streaming Impact)

[Samurai Bucky]

7 hours ago, adambr2 said:

Sorry if this has been answered already-- is it known whether all these games will be included for Amazon Prime subscribers, or if it will require purchasing some sort of an additional add-on to the existing base Prime membership?

I think it is still up in the air...

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharyfolk/2024/01/17/bally-sports-coming-to-amazon-prime-video-in-proposed-deal-what-to-know/?sh=c163a8d7d302

[nate82]

7 hours ago, adambr2 said:

Sorry if this has been answered already-- is it known whether all these games will be included for Amazon Prime subscribers, or if it will require purchasing some sort of an additional add-on to the existing base Prime membership?

Unknown but it will probably be a premium channel.  So you would have to pay to access.

[nate82]

Fox, ESPN and Warner Bros. tag team on some streaming for some sports. 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/disney-doubles-down-on-sports-streaming-with-warner-bros-discovery-fox-partnership-225631053.html

Also ESPN will be launching their own streaming platform in the fall of 2025.  I think we are getting close to where ESPN won't be on cable or you will have to pay an even higher amount to get ESPN on cable.  Which means the cable companies will definitely drop ESPN at some point. 

Fox teaming up with ESPN is interesting.  You may have to watch MLB playoffs on a streaming platform at some point.  I think MLB needs to get the regional sports issues situated and soon.  They need to get the streaming rights back from the teams that sold them stupidly. 

The Brewers were dumb in selling their streaming rights.  They didn't even get much for it.  Hopefully MLB can get this back and Amazon doesn't get it as I think MLB will want to negotiate as a whole all teams instead of only having a few teams to sell to the streaming providers.  If MLB can't get all of the teams streaming rights we will just be back where we were with the regional tv contracts.  Teams like the Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs and others will be able to get a larger cut of the pie while the smaller market teams will get the scraps left over.  MLB needs to get the rights back if you want to see a more even playing field. 

Yes this means you won't be able to just flip to the channel and you will have to subscribe to a service.  With the new cable boxes this won't be a problem as the new cable boxes already coming with Netflix, Amazon, YouTube and other services applications. 

[CheezWizHed]

3 hours ago, nate82 said:

Also ESPN will be launching their own streaming platform in the fall of 2025. 

Wha??? Next thing you will tell me is that MTV is going to launch a streaming service to show music videos!

[Axman59]

13 hours ago, nate82 said:

Also ESPN will be launching their own streaming platform in the fall of 2025. 

 

Isn't that what ESPN+ is that is available right now? ESPN content in a streaming format?

[homer]

16 minutes ago, Axman59 said:

Isn't that what ESPN+ is that is available right now? ESPN content in a streaming format?

It's gonna be ESPN + Fox + Warner Bros + Discovery

Quote

Subscribers will have access to linear sports networks including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPNEWS, ABC, FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS, truTV and ESPN+. It can also be bundled with Disney+, Hulu and/or Max.

 

[igor67]

If the price is similar to other streaming services I might pick that up. I get a lot of over the air stuff in my current location, but some days I just can't get in ABC and Fox, so that as a back-up combined with getting a good selection of sports channels has an appeal at a certain price point.

[eddiemathews]

On 1/25/2023 at 2:31 PM, Brock Beauchamp said:

Oh, for sure. If this really goes down, the short-term could be quite ugly for a bunch of franchises across three sports.

If MLB wants to maintain competetive balance (ha!) it should pay the affected teams the amounts owed yearly. It could certainly be done, but would the unaffected teams block it?

[nate82]

7 hours ago, Axman59 said:

Isn't that what ESPN+ is that is available right now? ESPN content in a streaming format?

Yes but also no.  The new streaming will have more which will include MNF which ESPN+ doesn't currently offer. 

 

58 minutes ago, igor67 said:

If the price is similar to other streaming services I might pick that up.

It will probably cost about $50 which is about what you would be paying for if you had cable. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

16 hours ago, eddiemathews said:

If MLB wants to maintain competetive balance (ha!) it should pay the affected teams the amounts owed yearly. It could certainly be done, but would the unaffected teams block it?

Almost surely yes, they would.

[jerichoholicninja]

20 hours ago, eddiemathews said:

If MLB wants to maintain competetive balance (ha!) it should pay the affected teams the amounts owed yearly. It could certainly be done, but would the unaffected teams block it?

No one who matters cares about competitive balance. The league doesn't. The owners don't and the players certainly don't.

[eddiemathews]

15 minutes ago, jerichoholicninja said:

No one who matters cares about competitive balance. The league doesn't. The owners don't and the players certainly don't.

It's possible that I do. And perhaps other fans.

[jerichoholicninja]

40 minutes ago, eddiemathews said:

It's possible that I do. And perhaps other fans.

That's why I said no one who matters. The people who make decisions don't care about the fans.

[eddiemathews]

39 minutes ago, jerichoholicninja said:

That's why I said no one who matters. The people who make decisions don't care about the fans.

I'd say they'd be wise to pay some attention to this. It would be risky to alienate fans any further.

[stalton]

5 hours ago, jerichoholicninja said:

That's why I said no one who matters. The people who make decisions don't care about the fans.

Fans can speak with their wallet but it doesn't feel like many fans do, at least in any meaningful way.

[patrickgpe]

Ballys announced the Brewers spring training schedule today and it seems to indicate no changes are where the games will be broadcasted in 24 

https://www.ballysports.com/article/clsj3ugtd000nl5ubn2hx25ux?fbclid=IwAR0GMQUlA0j3-9wrH5z3_RxIfsWeXzbZdZ_YhXWSmiHGpaLqu5pvf7m0dwc

[jerichoholicninja]

On 2/11/2024 at 8:09 PM, stalton said:

Fans can speak with their wallet but it doesn't feel like many fans do, at least in any meaningful way.

Remember all the furor about kneeling during the anthem in the NFL? Lots of people said they would boycott the league. I'm sure plenty did but no one noticed. When it comes down to it people aren't going to change their habits in any impactful way.

[Fear The Chorizo]

2 hours ago, jerichoholicninja said:

Remember all the furor about kneeling during the anthem in the NFL? Lots of people said they would boycott the league. I'm sure plenty did but no one noticed. When it comes down to it people aren't going to change their habits in any impactful way.

There was a noticeable dip in viewership, and the NFL skirted the issue by changing their policy to not require people who didn't want to stand for the anthem to be on the field during it.  Revenues were still increasing due to tv contracts, but the nfl got a ton of pressure from networks and corporate advertisers to put a stop to the visibility of it because viewership did decline, particularly on a per capita basis.

 

Had the NFL not changed course after a bunch of scmucks changed the channel, the current avalanch of tv $ wouldn't be nearly as lucrative.  

 

I hate comparing anything nfl to mlb in terms of tv revenue - just two completely different season models. 

[Fear The Chorizo]

2 hours ago, jerichoholicninja said:

Remember all the furor about kneeling during the anthem in the NFL? Lots of people said they would boycott the league. I'm sure plenty did but no one noticed. When it comes down to it people aren't going to change their habits in any impactful way.

There was a noticeable dip in viewership, and the NFL skirted the issue by changing their policy to not require people who didn't want to stand for the anthem to be on the field during it.  Revenues were still increasing due to tv contracts, but the nfl got a ton of pressure from networks and corporate advertisers to put a stop to the visibility of it because viewership did decline, particularly on a per capita basis.

 

Had the NFL not changed course after a bunch of scmucks changed the channel, the current avalanch of tv $ wouldn't be nearly as lucrative.  

 

I hate comparing anything nfl to mlb in terms of tv revenue - just two completely different season models. 

[MrTPlush]

On 2/11/2024 at 2:50 PM, eddiemathews said:

I'd say they'd be wise to pay some attention to this. It would be risky to alienate fans any further.

They put a NFL football game on a streaming service most people didn't have and despite the masses being upset (many of which refused to subscribe) the thing was a raging financial success. The reality is:

#1 For every 10 people that claim they are going to be mad and not watch, probably only 1 actually follows through.

#2 The increased price probably could afford for 2 of those people to stop watching...thus, they are making out with more money in the end. 

Is the lack of access to watching on TV going to greatly change people's willingness to go out to the ballpark? Probably not. Either they are the super committed type that subscribe to watch on their TV or the casual type that go just to go...probably never watch the Brewers on TV in the first place.

 

[NOMAAM]

Will Amazon streaming start Opening Day?  Not seeing anything listed for TV on brewers team site schedule.

[MrTPlush]

53 minutes ago, NOMAAM said:

Will Amazon streaming start Opening Day?  Not seeing anything listed for TV on brewers team site schedule.

I believe it is possible it will still be under the Bally name all year...probably not enough time to figure out the Amazon.com logistics etc.

[TURBO]

Wait, so Bally will still carry the Brewers this season?

[TURBO]

On 2/13/2024 at 9:44 PM, Fear The Chorizo said:

Had the NFL not changed course after a bunch of scmucks changed the channel, the current avalanch of tv $ wouldn't be nearly as lucrative.  

 

 

I was one of those schmucks, I tuned out for 2 full seasons (guess what, I didn't miss it....AT ALL!  In fact, it was pretty damn fun to spend Sundays and the other random nights not glued to the TV), until Brady signed with the Bucs, and that brought me back.

[Samurai Bucky]

1 hour ago, TURBO said:

Wait, so Bally will still carry the Brewers this season?

Sounds like it is still up in the air a little.

https://www.brewcrewball.com/2024/2/15/24071612/bally-sports-wisconsin-will-air-eight-of-the-brewers-spring-training-games