The LightShed Podcast

[0:00] Cannonball.

[1:35] A breakthrough case in the LightShed family.

[4:45] We argue over whether we will ever be truly back to “normal”.

[10:00] Disney takes a page out of the concert world in more efficiently pricing the house.

[14:12] Roblox improves its communication capabilities through Guilded acquisition.

[16:12] Roblox usage is now following a more seasonal pattern.

[18:10] Bad week for T-Mobile with hacking and dispute with Dish.

[20:55] A theatrical-only release is just not the best way to maximize value during covid.

[25:09] Facebook is not a monopoly.

[29:30] WWE has fully pivoted into a content company that monetizes itself anyway it can.

[30:21] Spotify continues to lean into exclusivity.

[32:54] Will Verizon and AT&T deployment of C-Band be delayed to the benefit T-Mobile?

[34:25] Comcast and Charter signal commitment to MVNO model by sitting out upcoming FCC auction

[36:15] Is QoS or price more important when choosing a broadband service?

[40:36] If you won’t be truly global, why not just be a content arms dealer?

[42:40] 40-50 million vMVPD subs is a real stretch based on the declining quality of linear content.

[49:40] What is Topps without baseball cards?

[51:00] Fanatics is an under-the-radar powerhouse.

[52:05] OnlyFans makes the pivot of all pivots as they move towards going public.

[53:58] Summer of ’69.

[0:00] Hello Operator.

[2:45] Delta delta delta, can I help ya help ya help ya?

[8:55] We’d like to see LYV follow AEG’s vax requirements (if even possible).

[8:55] LYV strongly recommending vaccinations and AEG requiring them.

[11:45] Why does Disneyland Paris have stronger covid precautions than Disney World?

[16:17] Is fear of a lawsuit holding Disney back from releasing Shang-Chi on Disney+?

[22:11] AMC failed to mention that many Warner Bros. films are still going direct-to-HBO Max.

[23:53] No shot that Dish is bringing back SBGI’s RSNs but expect a deal for the broadcast stations.

[26:43] Can T-Mobile's fiber broadband trial and other fiber builds impact Comcast and Charter?

[35:25] Google is finally getting more aggressive in the tvOS space.

[40:36] AEW can out rate Raw this fall in key demo with or without MNF impact.

[43:20] Telesat "funding secured!" for new LEO network.

[46:37] NY state likely forced to accept strategic application from super group of sportsbooks.

[49:35] Sportsbooks continue to expand their owned customer lists.

[52:49] Verizon is making it easier and easier to cut the cord.

[54:37] Wall Street is only rewarding DTC subs, not ARPU/revenue (for now).

[56:31] HBO is taking pain in the near-term and betting on their programming.

[1:00:01] Yet another Blizzard departure.

[1:00:47] Reddit’s IPO is coming fast.

[1:02:37] FB says they are a metaverse company but Snap is showing it.

[1:04:50] ViacomCBS will reevaluate a sale in 2023.

[1:07:33] Football is back.

[1:07:40] Mustang Sally.

[0:00] Wipe Out!

[2:20] No one got covid at Rich’s party.

[3:27] Mark’s (allegedly) stolen wallet and phone.

[7:48] Cogent’s results show lack of return to office.

[9:25] Will studios start pushing Q4 films into 2022?

[14:38] Unsurprising that even secular winners have seen hits to engagement.

[18:31] Match’s sudden confidence on App Store fees.

[20:37] Take time this weekend to read the Match lawsuit.

[22:40] Infrastructure Bill opens door for wireless broadband.

[24:00] Where is Biden’s FCC pick?

[26:33] Gaming is less opium for the mind than other forms of entertainment.

[32:03] Is IDFA actually a big deal or is Zynga just having problems?

[38:11] Getting Blizzard right is the unlock for ATVI.

[41:41] theScore seems expensive but we are strategically intrigued.

[45:00] What Rack-uh-ten’s acquisition of Altiostar means for Open-Ran, Nokia and Dish.

[48:59] Do not treat Hello Sunshine deal as a takeout.

[53:05] Spotify’s thriving ads biz may be making labels more comfortable with ad-supported offerings.

[59:53] Pluto has incredible growth but what about Miami Vice?

[57:55] Instacart now has the talent to become a major ad player in the next 3-5 years.

[59:21] Metaverse misuse of the quarter award goes to Sinclair.

[1:01:35] What will the MVPDs do if Sinclair actually launches an RSN DTC product?

[1:03:55] Wipe Out!

[0:00] Remember 6.

[1:51] Follow the science.

[5:45] Digital advertising has been the star of Q2 earnings.

[7:30] Supply chain issues not going away.

[9:47] TV landscape radically different since 2016 Olympics.

[12:10] 2021: the Facebook will be like Snow Crash.

[13:50] FB has a role in the future of the metaverse but the pivot is not obvious.

[18:16] Snap has the most tangible metaverse building block of any mobile platform.

[20:15] T-Mobile’s actions speak louder than their words.

[26:12] Competition, Competition, Competition.

[26:35] Brilliant move by WarnerMedia to create a marketing funnel to Dish’s customers.

[33:40] Properly compensating talent is part of going all in on streaming.

[42:33] CinemaCon snub the latest example of division between theater industry and Disney.

[45:00] AEW’s competitive threat may be exactly what WWE’s creativity needs.

[50:41] Should more content companies look to buy niche sports leagues?

[52:47] Disney’s Big 12 power move is on.

[54:00] Big tech and Disney could ultimately be the only bidders for sports rights.

[57:54] Conversion of advertising and commerce is a natural fit for Twitter.

[59:46] Disney/Comcast Hulu partnership has outlived its usefulness and must be cleaned up.

[1:03:04] Siri adding to its bundle.

[1:05:21] We finally found synergy between ESPN and the rest of Disney.

[1:06:26] Runnin’ With The Devil.

[0:00] Bezos I.

[2:00] The TV advertising shift to mobile is happening.

[6:43] Dish dumps T-Mobile for AT&T. Does Verizon also have a shot at Dish?

[13:30] AT&T clarification about Microsoft means Dish is still unique.

[14:57] NFL uses financial/competitive means to push vaccination.

[18:52] The average consumer is just not excited to sit in an indoor movie theater.

[22:13] HBO needs to look at their sub growth and realize the day-and-date strategy must stay.

[24:22] Apple is here to win in content.

[26:11] Netflix is massively underpriced on a global basis and has become a Q4 story.

[32:25] Altice is taking a leadership position in streaming.

[34:15] Mobile games allows Netflix to experiment + drive time spent on underused device.

[42:45] Netflix is developing the muscle for the hybridization of VOD and the interactive world.

[46:37] Don’t sleep on Snap’s potential role in the future of the metaverse.

[50:05] Sketchfab shows Tim Sweeney’s vision for an open metaverse.

[53:505] T&T's network investments pay off, while Verizon pivots from small cells.

[55:22] T-Mobile needs to grow q/q revenue by $140 million.

[55:47] TikTok wants to take a leadership role in the live shopping trend.

[1:01:37] Return of fans/stars helps but WWE’s content still must get better.

[1:03:54] Legacy media assets are truly encumbered and don’t allow you to lean into the future.

[1:06:05] Do not read too much into LYV’s $20 promotion.

[1:08:10] Phish can teach legacy media companies how to go DTC.

[1:10:32] Peacock.

0:00] Blinding Lights.

[1:32] TikTok is driving the music industry.

[3:22] Rich makes Ape Weekly.

[6:58] What do 20% vacancy rates in NYC mean for Cogent?

[13:38] Gaming time spent continues to grow even as reopening accelerates.

[17:08] Why are the rules for social media different than for linear TV?

[22:02] Concert bookings accelerating even with breakthrough COVID cases.

[24:42] Is Black Widow’s PVOD success a week 1 phenomenon?

[32:04] Netflix is moving into gaming faster than we anticipated.

[35:55] Genvid is playing a strong role in the new forms of media being invented.

[37:47] Twitter’s attempts to win more consumer time.

[44:14] McGregor hurts UFC but Endeavor levered.

[48:15] How much less innovative will Amazon be producing TNF through NBC?

[53:20] Can Facebook Pay be successful?

[57:41] Universal having their cake and eating it too in streaming.

[1:00:23] Is this the top for buying studio content?

[1:02:10] Pittsburgh sponsorship deal + NY RFP = great news for MSGE.

[1:05:04] EA upset FIFA fans but will other publishers follow with high price points for next gen games?

[1:07:57] The Simpsons as Space Nostradamus.

[1:10:58] Book your tickets for Ape Festival 2022.

[1:11:20] Cities.

[0:00] November Rain.

[1:09] Happy Anniversary Walt!

[6:02] LYV is thriving but the Olympics will be a problem for advertisers

[9:20] Ugly sports ratings.

[10:38] Return of live fans won’t be panacea for WWE ratings - content remains problem.

[13:45] More media consolidation will come but Warner Bros. Discovery faces a long integration.

[17:25] Diller is wrong on SVOD impact on film biz.

[22:16] Biden wants Net Neutrality but hasn’t proposed a 5th FCC commissioner.

[24:04] Can non-competes be terminated?

[27:24] Biden wants to end non-existent ETF’s. What about competition?

[28:44] What deals can the new DOJ unravel?

[30:35] NBCU does not think that Peacock is an actual Netflix competitor.

[35:15] Time and attention is time and attention no matter where you reach the consumer.

[38:19] Tik Tok’s getting longer, the Douyin/YouTube playbook, driving Instagram pivot

[40:42] FB loses yet another key senior executive.

[42:14] Music will continue to be very core to Roblox’s strategy.

[44:14] We don’t believe that Sinclair can actually buy the NBC RSNs.

[46:38] Everyone in media is looking for more high-profile content.

[49:14] Would not be surprising to see Disney Premiere Access make its way to US parks.

[51:46] Fubo has lost two CFOs in two years.

[53:25] Apes care about dilution after all.

[54:36] Is $100M for Black Widow a success?

[59:50] Sunday Ticket is a perfect fit for Apple.

[1:01:28] Starman.

[0:00] Born in the USA.

[2:19] Happy Bobby Bonilla Day.

[4:35] Investors should pay attention to Instagram’s red flag.

[11:18] Apple TV+ is not failing, it is growing in importance.

[16:00] Last weekend’s “exciting” box office was down ~35% from 2019 and more movies are coming to streaming.

[20:38] Amazon wants to build out the entire podcast stack, not just content.

[23:40] The Ringer + Greenroom is the best of live audio as a feature.

[26:10] Why does Disney+ have to discount to drive subs?

[31:20] NBA Top Shot is most interesting as an NFT educational tool, not a standalone product.

[34:20] We expect Anschutz to redeploy Lakers funds into new venues, not ticketing.

[37:08] AT&T deal with Microsoft validates Dish network strategy.

[44:12] Regulatory risk is not the main driver of take rate decisions.

[47:18] NBCU is taking Peacock much more seriously than initially expected.

[49:38] Where is Rich’s Peacock TikTok?

[51:20] Pro sports are leveraging influencers to help appeal to younger demos.

[54:35] Barstool is expertly using their platform post-NIL ruling.

[56:50] Dating apps need to leverage their core competencies to drive the next leg of growth.

[1:00:18] Masa Son #1.

[1:01:56] Living in America.

[0:00] Rock and Roll Part II.

[1:25] Ready for Game 7.

[3:55] How do we pronounce Lupin?

[8:38] Comcast is not going to buy ViacomCBS or Roku.

[14:24] Convoluted ViacomCBS restructuring is legacy media in a nutshell.

[15:51] A sports book should invest directly into NFL RedZone.

[22:13] Google’s delay of cookies was unexpected but unsurprising.

[27:03] Altice cuts uplink speeds below what Starlink delivers.

[29:18] Who’s taking TV in Verizon’s move to mix-and-match.

[33:15] EA makes another mobile acquisition.

[37:45] Expect brands and media properties to push even harder into Roblox.

[42:23] LYV + TMUS partnership = increased customer satisfaction, lower churn, and differentiation.

[46:31] Diamond Sports’ DTC product will only accelerate their bankruptcy path.

[49:41] Univision SVOD programming strategy is a surprisingly novel idea.

[51:42] Snap takes a page out of TikTok’s book and attempts to grow through music.

[54:24] All social platforms do is copy each other.

[57:31] Tinder continues to evolve into more engaging platform that fits Gen Z habits.

[1:00:04] F1 the latest sport to use shoulder programming to grow the funnel and drive engagement.

[1:04:15] Apes would have loved late 90's Yahoo Finance chat boards.

[1:06:45] Right Now.

[0:00] Boooooooooo!

[4:40] Ignore uplink at your own risk.

[9:16] When will ad dollars collapse with linear TV?

[10:38] Streaming could be 30% of time spent by end of 2021.

[14:40] All SVODs have runway but Netflix has a content advantage.

[17:20] HBO Max is expanding their demo even if total viewership disappoints.

[20:45] The future of live audio.

[26:54] Spotify following Netflix model of exclusivity.

[30:08] As sports are made available outside of bundle, why pay retrans?

[34:33] The rise of tvOS over dongles and what Apple should do next.

[41:57] TikTok cranks up its brand ad budget.

[44:14] WWE’s next big initiative is driving sponsorship dollars.

[46:46] Is advertising the right model for Oculus content?

[50:22] When will US sports rights market mirror Europe’s decline?

[52:40] NFT collectibles/speculation are an onramp to overall understanding of the blockchain.

[55:56] Binge it, episodic, or both?

[1:02:34] Where It’s At.