May 18, 2024

Episode 96: "Special Sports Episode"; The Impact on the Netflix and NFL Deal, Venue Sports Expected Offering and the Frustration Fan Experience

38 minutes

With all the recent sports streaming news, co-host Mark Donnigan and I did a special “Sports Streaming Podcast Episode” this week. We discuss the upcoming Venu Sports offering (Disney/WBD/FOX sports JV) and the limitations we expect the service to have when it launches. We weigh in on some of the tech behind the scenes and consider whether a 'beta' label could soften the blow for fans expecting a fully polished service from day one.

We also cover Netflix’s deal with the NFL, including its importance as the first global licensing deal with no blackout restrictions and how the agreement is structured. Finally, we highlight the NFL's 2024 fragmented distribution strategy across broadcast and streaming, which is great for the NFL's revenue but terrible for fans. (Correction: I say on the podcast the games will be on seven broadcast networks and platforms, but it's ten or eleven, depending on if you separate ESPN from ABC and add in YouTube TV.)

Also briefly discussed are Roku's deal with MLB for Sunday morning baseball games, Sky Sports+ launching this August, and how, months later, Max's Bleacher Report (B/R) Sports Add package is still free for users.

Podcast produced by Security Halt Media

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