With all the Cord cutting

[DanDority]

I hear ESPN is bleeding pretty hard, what are the chances they go out of business and or file bankruptcy and not have to pay out for the SEC Network contract? I know some here will think this is crazy but it is something I've heard.

[thf24]

I think they'll survive. Cord cutting is eventually going to force paid TV as a whole to go a la carte, and ESPN should be one of the more popular selections of returning cord cutters.

[SignalToNoise]

Sounds pretty farfetched to me. Think I read on Bloomberg that they are set to lay off a few hundred employees. Certainly a bad sign but you have to think they are a long ways off from declaring bankruptcy. There are bound to be creditors out there that will keep things going while ESPN plans their response to all the cord cutting.

[DanDority]

Yes, I do realize that they are probably a long way off from bankruptcy, however, as you stated laying off employees is not a good sign. Do you think they may in fact try to renegotiate their contracts. Or is that something that can't be done without two party consent?

[TUSK]

Yes, I do realize that they are probably a long way off from bankruptcy, however, as you stated laying off employees is not a good sign. Do you think they may in fact try to renegotiate their contracts. Or is that something that can't be done without two party consent?

I'd think ESPN would want to keep the current contract "as is".... the price is only gonna go up for them, IMO...

[Dawgpile]

We will all get a good read on the health of ESPN/ABC when the B1G's TV contract comes due in the spring of 2017.

[Coach007]

I hear ESPN is bleeding pretty hard, what are the chances they go out of business and or file bankruptcy and not have to pay out for the SEC Network contract? I know some here will think this is crazy but it is something I've heard.

Well, when comes down to it, tech is changing. I have not had cable or sat in 5 years. Everything I do is internet based and it's been great! There is no need in cable charging me $200 per month for TV. I put up an antenna for the basics, got SlingTV for $20, added the ESPN networks that include the SEC for $5 more!

So let's add it up... $200 or $25?

Your next battle..... Internet fees. Cable companies are going to survive due to internet. My internet started at 29plus tax and fees. It moved to 35, 49, and now sits at 80 for the EXACT same service I had 5 years ago. Now they are starting an overage if you go past a certain gig.

[DancingRabbit]

Well, when comes down to it, tech is changing. I have not had cable or sat in 5 years. Everything I do is internet based and it's been great! There is no need in cable charging me $200 per month for TV. I put up an antenna for the basics, got SlingTV for $20, added the ESPN networks that include the SEC for $5 more!

So let's add it up... $200 or $25?

Your next battle..... Internet fees. Cable companies are going to survive due to internet. My internet started at 29plus tax and fees. It moved to 35, 49, and now sits at 80 for the EXACT same service I had 5 years ago. Now they are starting an overage if you go past a certain gig.

So an ESPN bundle is an option on SlingTV?

[War Machine Dawg]

Sounds pretty farfetched to me. Think I read on Bloomberg that they are set to lay off a few hundred employees. Certainly a bad sign but you have to think they are a long ways off from declaring bankruptcy. There are bound to be creditors out there that will keep things going while ESPN plans their response to all the cord cutting.

They're going to lay off approximately 300. I'd imagine that isn't a huge number for them. Gotta help them that they're no longer paying guys like Whitlock and Cowherd.

[Liverpooldawg]

Chord cutters are cutting all our throats in the long run. Wait and see.

[sandwolf]

So an ESPN bundle is an option on SlingTV?

Yes.

[PassInterference]

I think they'll survive. Cord cutting is eventually going to force paid TV as a whole to go a la carte, and ESPN should be one of the more popular selections of returning cord cutters.

If ESPN went ala carte and everybody who watches ESPN now paid the ala carte fee, it would be about $50/month for ESPN to maintain current revenue.

College football TV money is clearly a bubble. Growth has outpaced every justifiable metric out there.

This will end badly.

[Coach007]

So an ESPN bundle is an option on SlingTV?

Yes. You can add a lot of different packages... HBO etc. Your slingtv login also works with watchespn.

[Coach007]

If ESPN went ala carte and everybody who watches ESPN now paid the ala carte fee, it would be about $50/month for ESPN to maintain current revenue.

College football TV money is clearly a bubble. Growth has outpaced every justifiable metric out there.

This will end badly.

Charging me more isn't the answer. Their issue is their product. They have lost subscribers and fox sports has gained 73% in the same time. Fox sports has passed espn2 and is closing in on ESPN.

The other issue is the fees they have to pay. E new NBA contract went from 458 million per year to 1.47 billion. Just to air it. Who is going to pay that cost? You and me?

No



And that's evident due to the 3.2 million subscriptions lost in the first quarter this year while fox sport 1 increase 73%.