Happy new year! Is there anything better to wake up to than the SportsClicker newsletter?
Keep it a little shorter than usual in case it's late at night.
So without further ado, here are the top 5 stories we are looking forward to in 2024.
1. Tom Brady calls NFL games for Fox Sports
Brady, the $375 million man, will appear as the No. 1 analyst behind the Fox Sports broadcast booth. Kevin Burkhardt. This will be a weekly treat as players considered to be the greatest of all time break down the action. Adding to the intrigue, Fox will end next season with the Super Bowl in February 2025.
We've been discussing the Brady Meter™ for a year now. The question is whether Brady will replace Greg Olsen. Currently, Meter™ is 79% in favor of him being in the game. That's always subject to change, but given his growing critical presence on social media and (according to sources) researching broadcasts, in September It's looking more and more likely that he'll be in the booth and be the center of attention.
2. NBA TV Sale
The NBA plans to finalize a new television deal by the end of 2024. Amazon Prime Video is the current leader in digital packages, although incumbents ESPN/ABC and TNT are preferred to keep their packages. NBC is also someone the NBA would like to have back on the team.
The NBA wants to increase the current $2.6 billion annual contract, but feels that would require the involvement of four organizations at this point, although ideally three would be preferable. .
Apple has always been a chasing horse, but for now, the momentum is towards not being involved much, if at all, although this may change. Fox and CBS have already announced their withdrawal. Google YouTube and Netflix are two that may also be involved.
Today's prediction is that it will be a combination of ABC/ESPN, WBD/TNT, Comcast/NBC, and Amazon. While both will have a streaming component, ABC and NBC will offer broadcast NBA coverage, and Amazon will have a broader digital footprint than League Pass, the NBA app and other services.
3. ESPN DTC and new partners
This year will likely end with clarity on ESPN's strategic future. Although not in a hurry, ESPN is hoping to add two new partners who will buy about 10 percent of the company. It is also likely that the timing for making all products available directly to consumers has been determined.In an ideal world for them, they would partner with one of the biggest digital players (Apple, Amazon, etc.) and one of the major leagues, but Disney's CEO Bob Iger It is not necessarily necessary to have a partner.
ESPN's full direct-to-consumer product is expected to arrive by 2025, but as mentioned earlier, there is an outside possibility that it could arrive in late 2024. In any case, it should become clear by the end of the calendar year. The cost of DTC services currently ranges from $25 to $30 per month.
4. RSN issues
The decline of regional sports networks could have a major impact on leagues. Sinclair and its Diamond Sports Group, which has the most local MLB, NBA and NHL rights of any provider, is in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings. While major market networks such as YES and SNY are doing well for now, many small and medium market teams are facing financial uncertainty due to declining cable subscriber numbers. Last season, the Padres and Diamondbacks were forced into a direct-to-consumer model after Diamond Sports rejected their contract.
5. Media merger
Will this be the year we see consolidation between companies that had streaming plans? There have already been reports that WBD (owner of Max) and Paramount (owner of Paramount+) have held preliminary talks. There will be further talks and business planning in the backdrop of the presidential election, but ultimately they will have the final say on what does or does not happen.
