Guy Harding’s Post

✍️ 'Everyone you talk to within the media and entertainment industry is facing the same battle: to capture the attention of audiences who now have access to more content than ever before.' Ampere Analysis' Minal Modha, outlines three strategies that can help sports rights holders and broadcasters stand out in an era when consumers have more choice than ever.   #SportsBiz #SportsMedia #broadcastmedia #Sports

✅🖥️ THR (3/1): “The untitled streaming platform, unveiled Feb. 6 and scheduled to launch this fall, will offer live linear channels like ESPN, Fox, ABC, TNT, and TBS, as well as games and other sports rights from all three companies on a nonexclusive basis. It will be offered directly to consumers but also as a bundle with WBD’s Max, Disney’s ESPN+, and Hulu. FuboTV during a morning analyst call didn’t hold back when responding to questions about the impact of the lawsuit and upcoming competition from the rival sports streamer. “This is a duel to the death. It has been when we started the company. We are fighting for consumers. We are fighting for our customers. We are fighting for the tens of billions of dollars that are wasted annually by consumers paying for the same content multiple times,” he told analysts. The FuboTV lawsuit claims the partners in the proposed rival sports streamer call for licensing rates 30% to 50% higher than other distributors like Hulu and YouTube as those streamers receive rebates that lower their content rates. FuboTV’s global revenue rose 28% to $410.2MM, up from a year-earlier $319.3MM, with $401.8MM of that coming from North America. The sports and entertainment streamer hit 1.61MM subscribers in North America during the fourth quarter, up 12% year-on-year. Subscription revenue came to $370.0MM, against a year-earlier $284.6MM, while advertising revenue edged up to $40.0MM, compared to $33.8MM last year ⬇️ 🏀🏈⚾️⚽️🏒🏄♂️ #streamingtv #ctvadvertising #cordcutting

⚽📱𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 I came across this interesting article and piece of content the other day, which made me realise how quickly the 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 is evolving worldwide, with 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞. The recent Netflix-NFL partnership highlights the strategic importance of sports content in the digital age. 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞. Streaming giants invest in exclusive sports rights to stand out and grow their audience, including in the diverse African market (see #Showmax and their #EPL offering). 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬. Partnerships with streaming services help 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘨𝘰 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭, 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘯-𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴. The same applies to the African market, although, in my view, we still have a considerable long way to go (mainly because of the rights holders!) Sports' rise in streaming reflects broader media trends, with 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭. Sports in streaming attract a wide audience, 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘺. Exclusive sports content helps platforms differentiate and lead in digital entertainment. Sports is playing a crucial role in streaming success globally, captivating audiences in a crowded media landscape. 𝘈𝘤𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. The changing landscape of content consumption is already underway in Africa, driven by the youth market and the rise of social media platforms featuring sports-specific content and user-generated materials. In my opinion, there is untapped potential in the African market that has not been fully utilised or leveraged by anyone so far. What are your thoughts in this regard? #DigitalEntertainment #SportsBiz #Innovation #Africa #Streaming #marketing #sports #broadcasting #livesports #broadcastrights #sportstech https://lnkd.in/ddMgfzhK

WBD Fox, Disney sports deal - growing pains? When I posted about this last week I did highlight a few caveats that this deal may not go through, I was thinking whether senior execs from three huge competing companies could agree on how to proceed on the new platform. However, it seems I underestimated the upset it caused outside the three sports streamers. It wanted to bring the end user a unified offering, and therefore consolidate sports. But, it didn't include some of the big sports players like Amazon Prime, Comcast, Paramount or Apple TV+ other key sports rights holders in the US. Now, action is being taken against them by Fubo. The NFL is reportedly furious that they weren't consulted and are looking at their contracts as to whether there are rights to allow this, and #paytv operators are annoyed that this is bypassing them and creating a skinny bundle. "The motion filed in a New York Federal Court alleges Fubo is being forced to several dozen expensive, non-sports channels as a condition of licensing sports rights from the companies as part of a scheme to stifle competition. The complaint alleges that the autumn launch of the joint venture “steals Fubo’s playbook” and is only the latest example of the campaign." Consolidation is seemingly inevitable in such a fragmented marketplace, but how that's done is going to be the next big test. Some companies will merge, some companies will be acquired, alliances will emerge. One of the issues I see here is that it's not a wholistic offering, and therefore the excluded members of the offering will feel antagonised. Will Fubo be joined by some of the other big sports rights players? Is this just a temporary blocker or is this case going to be a major spanner in the works? #sportsmedia #sportsbusiness #livesports #television #streamingmedia #streamingservices #streamingplatforms #ottplatforms #tvindustry #consolidation https://lnkd.in/eGZ_EJpQ

FuboTV sues Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery over sports streaming service FuboTV, a sports streaming platform, is taking a stand against Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery's new sports streaming service by filing an antitrust lawsuit, alleging that the joint venture is designed to monopolize the market, eliminate competition, and inflate prices for consumers. The lawsuit comes as the streaming wars are headed to the courtroom, with FuboTV accusing the media giants of engaging in anticompetitive practices that aim to monopolize the market, stifle competition, and cheat consumers from deserved choice. The collaboration between the media giants, set to launch this fall, is seen as a move to consolidate their sports assets, including the NFL, NBA, and FIFA, into a single streaming service. While the companies involved hail this as a significant win for sports fans, many are questioning the impact of mega corporations buying up and squeezing out their competitors, raising concerns about monopoly power and its effects on consumer choice and pricing. What are your thoughts? Difficult words: sues - Initiates legal action against (someone), typically for damages or compensation. taking a stand - Asserting one's position or opinion in a strong or forceful manner. filing an lawsuit - Submitting a formal complaint to a court or legal authority joint venture - A business arrangement in which two or more parties agree to pool resources and share risks and rewards to undertake a specific project or task. inflate prices - To artificially raise or increase prices, often to a level that is higher than what would be considered fair or reasonable. the streaming wars - A metaphorical term used to describe the fierce competition between streaming service providers, particularly in terms of content, pricing, and market share. headed to the courtroom - The legal process of bringing a dispute or issue before a court of law to be resolved. stifle competition - To suppress or hinder the ability of competitors to compete freely in a market, often through anticompetitive practices. cheat - To act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage or deceive others. set to launch this fall - Scheduled or planned to be introduced or made available to the public in the autumn. sports assets - Valuable resources, such as broadcasting rights or sports-related content, that are owned or controlled by a company in the sports industry. hail this as a win - o publicly praise or celebrate something as a significant achievement or victory. buying up - Acquiring or purchasing a large number of something, often with the intent to control or dominate a market or industry. squeezing out - Forcing or pressuring competitors out of a market or industry, often by using unfair or anticompetitive tactics.

To Recoup Billions in Sports Rights Fees, Peacock Needs To Participate in Fandom There is a fascinating subsection within The Wall Street Journal’s “NBA Nears $76 Billion TV Deal, a Defining Moment for Media and Sports” that the potential NBA deal "has created some tensions between the units overseen by Mark Lazarus, chairman of the NBCUniversal Media Group, which is leading the NBA charge, and Donna Langley, who oversees movie and television entertainment in her role as chairman of NBCUniversal Studio Group and chief content officer.” At the root of these tensions are significant budget cuts in the entertainment division: “NBC won’t need as much prime-time entertainment content, with the NBA taking that real estate a few days a week, and Peacock’s original content budget will likely be reduced significantly.” The underlying business logic of the bid seems obvious: NBCUniversal sees more upside in sports as a core value proposition that will help to scale Peacock. Entertainment is increasingly less important to scaling the subscription business model or reducing churn. But, in practice the economic rationale of the bid is questionable. There is not much market evidence to support the strategy that sports will deliver subscription growth and low churn where legacy media's “big IP” and prime-time entertainment have failed. The rationale also flies in the face of Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos’s argument that the “economic models [of big sports] are built around the economics of pay television and [are] different on streaming.” Sarandos contradicted that statement recently with a recent deal for NFL games on Christmas over the next three years. Netflix is reportedly paying $75 million per game for two games in 2024, whereas NBC will be paying $25 million per game to the NBA for 100 games per season, or $2.5 billion per year. Given Comcast owns NBCUniversal, perhaps the question we should be asking is whether Peacock's pivot to sports solves problems for Comcast that NBCUniversal’s Entertainment division is increasingly less equipped to solve. [click on the comment below to read the full essay] ✳️Key Takeaway✳️ NBCUniversal is pivoting Peacock towards sports with over $5 billion in pay-TV economics. It needs Peacock subscribers addicted to watching their own local and favorite sports teams. The problem is, Peacock is currently not that product nor is it on a five-to-ten year path to becoming that.

From the Super Bowl to the Olympics, streaming is reshaping the way sports fans watch and engage with sports—meaning advertisers need to recalibrate how to connect with fans. Check out our recent blog post with The Drum on what brands should be considering when advertising as people's favorite athletes take the screen. 📊🏅 👉One key tip: the 30-second ad spot isn’t the only option. Brands can enhance sports fan experiences by advertising directly on the Home Screen and including a countdown clock or QR code to order food for the game! 🍕📲 Read it here: https://hubs.ly/Q02zxx-P0

Breaking down the Sports Media Evolution 🎥   The realm of sports media stands at a crossroads. As new players, including tech giants, vie for live sports rights and traditional media entities re-evaluate their role in the ecosystem, we have witnessed shifting dynamics in the landscape. In recent years, stakeholders - from rights holders to media and tech companies - have grappled with modern-day dilemmas:   🎯 How can we effectively target specific audiences? ✍ Which strategies can redefine or strengthen our position in the ecosystem?   💰 What is the ideal value proposition ensuring a mutually beneficial media rights agreement? To unravel these pressing questions and gather insights, our own industry expert, Leander Monbaliu, previously Director of Media Rights at Pro League, engaged in a conversation with the stakeholders themselves! We would like to thank Sébastien Audoux, independent consultant and sports media expert; Leonard Soler Batet, Head of International Media Rights at LALIGA; Tom Evens, Associate Professor at UGent; and Hans Gabbe, Senior Vice President of sports Rights and Commercialisation at Sky Deutschland GmbH for generously sharing their invaluable perspectives and shedding light on the intricacies of the sports media landscape. 💥 Read the entire piece here - https://lnkd.in/e59-BD4i #sportsmedia #football #europeansports #apple #leagues

Breaking down the Sports Media Evolution 🎥 At LaSource we are serious about bringing stakeholders together and move forward in this changing industry. That's why it was great to discuss these various expert perspectives on the sports media industry. 🙏Leonard Soler Batet Hans Gabbe Tom Evens and Sébastien Audoux 📖 read the full interview on our website 👇 ☕ want to discuss media strategies? ✉️ #sportsmedia #mediarights