The Baltimore Orioles are hot right now, winning their last six games. But if you want to watch them play on Sunday, you won’t find the game on a national network — or even with your MLB.TV subscription. That’s because Sunday’s game is exclusive to Peacock premium subscribers.

The pros and cons of sports streaming

Having more competition for media rights has been a boon for sports leagues. Media providers are paying top dollar for streaming sports. For instance, Amazon bid $100 million a year to stream F1, but lost out to ESPN.

On one hand, having more providers is also a win for sports enthusiasts. MLS fans complained for years about the lack of coverage. Now, with Apple TV+, they’ll be able to watch every match. US-based cricket fans are likely to see more IPL matches through Times Internet and Willow TV. But some leagues are slicing and dicing their media rights to the point where viewers are paying more, while having a harder time accessing games.

MLB now has granted exclusive coverage to both Peacock and Apple TV+. While MLB’s Friday Night games are free — for now — on Apple TV+, MLB’s current demographic hasn’t had the easiest time accessing newer sports streaming providers. According to a 2017 Sports Business Journal survey, the average age of MLB viewers is 57 years old. That’s older than for most major league sports.

MLB may hope that offering more streaming options will bring in younger viewers, but possibly at the cost of its most loyal fans. Tweets like these are common.

The weekly reminder, @MLB, you are screwing over baseball fans with your Sunday morning pay-per-view game. Dad's been watching the Mets for 60 years, pays $250/month for cable, and had to pay $5 to watch the game, plus help signing up. No one in the family has the premium.

— BBK8_e (@BBK8_e) June 26, 2022

The NFL is also carving up its media rights. In a recent CNBC interview, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the NFL Sunday Ticket will be going to a sports streaming service in 2023. Amazon, Apple and Disney (ESPN) are all in the running. The price tag for fans could run in the $300/year range.

Meanwhile, the regional media players are starting to weigh in. NESN is offering a Boston-centric streaming service for $30/month. Bally Sports (Sinclair Broadcast Group) is soft launching a streaming service covering Milwaukee, Detroit, Tampa, Miami, and Kansas City for $20/month.

Leagues are counting on sports bettors to foot the bill

If you’re a sports bettor with skin in the game, it may get pricey for the coverage you want and need. But that’s what the leagues and media providers are counting on, according to Sinclair’s CEO Chris Ripley.

“Numerous focus groups and studies have shown that folks who like to wager on games are more engaged and watch more hours,” Ripley said. “And the DTC [direct to consumer streaming] product will allow more ‘personalization’ to each fan. But let’s be clear. No wagers will be taken on Bally Sports +. Folks who want to place a bet will be directed to our licensed sports betting partners.”

The leagues know that sports betting is now a big part of their strategy. That’s one reason why the Las Vegas Raiders just hired Sandra Douglas Morgan as president. Morgan was most recently the chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and an attorney for MGM Mirage. In fact, the NFL just hired David Highill as the league’s first executive dedicated to sports betting.

So, the number and the expense of sports streaming solutions may lose some boomers and middle-class fans. But the leagues and media providers are gambling on sports betting to figure it out and pay the price.

The post Streaming Sports is Getting More Expensive and More Complicated appeared first on nrxhb.shop | OG News.

There are some obvious advantages for both MLS punters and fans. Starting in 2023, there will be a single provider for every match. There will be no local blackouts. Likewise, viewers won’t have to hunt around in the current patchwork of media providers, searching — sometimes in vain — for the match they want to watch. But that convenience may come at a price.

Apple Adds MLS to Growing Sports Portfolio

Apple is a relative newcomer to sports media. But the tech juggernaut is determined. In March, Apple scored its first sports media deal, landing MLB’s Friday Night package. According to some sources, Apple is already negotiating for NLF’s Sunday Ticket.

Meanwhile, the NFL is considering its own stand-alone streaming service. And if Apple is successful with its MLS offering, the NFL might consider a similar Apple joint venture.

Apple eased into the sports arena through original programming. Its EPL-based series, Ted Lasso, has been a huge hit. Apple Original Films recently won a bidding war for an F1-based movie starring Brad Pitt. Apple is also going big time into sports documentaries.

Apple has four new sports docuseries planned, including the NBA-themed programs They Call Me Magic and The Long Game. Make or Break will follow the World Surf League Championship. Meanwhile, Greatness Code will examine the tipping points for athletic stardom.

But Apple will have to do more than air a few documentaries to land an NLF streaming deal.  Apple needs to prove it hasn’t bitten off more than it can chew with its exclusive global MLS partnership.

Apple’s Model Offers Upside Reward for Leagues

Apple is taking on a lot for MLS. It will stream every MLS match, including those that were previously part of national TV packages or controlled by individual clubs. That includes MLS Leagues Cup and select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS Next matches. It will stream in both English and Spanish — and even French for matches involving Canadian teams.

Apple will also host a weekly MLS show, much like the NLF Red Zone. The show will feature highlights of ongoing matches. But what the MLS may like — above and beyond Apple’s content — is its willingness to share subscription fees.

“What’s different here is traditionally media companies pay rights fees, and you sell ads. This is a partnership,’ said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “And that partnership’s core is a subscription business. The, we go over those guarantees, we’ll have the opportunity to make more money, which is really unique in sports media.”

But what is an upside for leagues may be a downside for viewers. Apple notes that some matches will stream for free. MLS season ticket holders may be eligible for free content. But Apple is likely to charge an additional fee on top of its existing Apple TV Plus subscription for the complete MLS package. At this point, Apple has not revealed its MLS subscription price points.

Also, the iPhone maker still does not have an Apple TV app for android phones and tablets. Android users may be forced to access MLS games through a browser.

The post Pros and Cons of the Exclusive Apple MLS Streaming Deal appeared first on nrxhb.shop | OG News.

India’s popular cricket league drew 600 million viewers last year. In fact, without cricket, Disney would have lost money during the pandemic. So, it was no surprise that IPL’s media auctions drew more money and more bidders for the 2023 – 2027 contract period. Still, the stunning $6+ billion result rivals leagues like the EPL and NFL

More sports media, more money

Streaming companies are becoming more of a force in sports broadcasting. For instance, Amazon will be the exclusive media provider of the NFL’s Thursday Night Football starting this year. Amazon is reportedly forking over $1 billion per year for the privilege. Meanwhile, Apple TV+ is now streaming two MLB games each Friday night.

Google and Facebook were among those bidding for the rights to the IPL in the last go around. And, it was rumored that Google and Amazon would be vying for IPL media rights this time. But Google never ponied up and Amazon decided to pull out of the auction at the last minute.

It’s likely that Amazon didn’t want to get into a bidding war with Reliance’s Viacom 18. Reliance’s owner, billionaire Mukesh Ambani, seemed hellbent on securing the IPL streaming rights. And he did — and more — for roughly $3 billion. Of course, Reliance Industries had some skin in the game, even prior to the rights auction. Reliance owns the Mumbai Indians, the first IPL franchise to cross the $100 million valuation mark.

IPL media rights valued more than EPL and MLB

Disney won the television rights to the IPL in India, paying about $3 billion. Viacom 18 won the auction for the IPL digital rights in India, and both the television and digital rights in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and South Africa. IPL media rights for the US and the Middle East went to Times Internet for approximately $135 million.

Overall, the 2023 – 2027 IPL media rights are nearly three times more expensive than the previous five-year contract period. On a per match basis, IPL should generate roughly $15 million per game. That puts the league ahead of the EPL, the NBA, and MLB. The NFL, generating more than $17 million per game via its media rights, still reigns supreme.

The post Cricket’s IPL Media Rights Fetch More Than $6 Billion appeared first on nrxhb.shop | OG News.

Here’s a look at some recent teams that silenced naysayers with unexpected and profitable victories in the NBA Finals.

2019
Toronto Raptors (Season opening odds: +1850) vs Golden State Warriors

The Toronto Raptors were one of the most successful regular season teams of the 2010s. The club tallied an average of 53.5 regular season wins during a six-season stretch that featured five Atlantic Division title wins. However, playoff success proved fleeting, with the club reaching the Eastern Conference Finals just once over a crucial five-year stretch.

Yet another series loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018 sparked an offseason shakeup that brought Kawhi Leonard north of the border, followed by a 58-win campaign in 2018/2019. The Raptors also captured the imagination of Canadian basketball fans with an epic run to the Finals that featured stunning series wins over the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks.

With the Golden State Warriors returning to the Finals in search of a third straight title, the Raptors were given little chance of victory by oddsmakers and by media pundits enamored with the Warriors dream team lineup. However, as he had done in the team’s victories over the 76ers and Bucks, Leonard took charge.

“The “Fun Guy�?piled up 30 points per game, highlighted by a series-defining 36-point, 12-rebound performance on the road in Game 4. Toronto would go on to win the series in six games, bringing the NBA title to Canada for the first time and earning Leonard a second career NBA Finals MVP award.

2015
Golden State Warriors (+2800) vs Cleveland Cavaliers

While the Golden State Warriors were the feared dynasty when they faced the Toronto Raptors in 2019, just four years earlier they were a long-time doormat looking to rewrite a lengthy history of futility as they prepared to face LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

They had failed to advance past the second round of the playoffs over the previous 40 years. And while the club approached the Chicago Bulls’ regular season win record with a sparkling 67-15 record, they were expected to be outclassed by King James, who was making his fifth straight trip to the Finals.

Cavs backers had plenty of reason to be confident after Cleveland jumped out to a 2-1 series lead. However, with Steph Curry spearheading the charge, the Warriors rebounded to tally three straight wins by an average margin of 14 points per game to hand LeBron his second straight loss in the Finals and claim their first title since 1975.

2011
Dallas Mavericks (+2000) vs Miami Heat

The Dallas Mavericks emerged as one of the most-successful teams of the 2000s, winning 50 or more regular season games in each of the first 11 seasons of the 21st century. However, they proved to be a massive playoff disappointment, reaching the NBA Finals just once between 2000 and 2010, and exiting the postseason in the first two rounds on eight occasions. Entering the 2010-2011 NBA season, they were trailing the favorites as a distant +2000 bet to win their first NBA title.

However, a sensational performance in that year’s NBA Playoffs by Dirk Nowitzki flipped the script on both the Mavs’ track record of futility and the perception of European players in the NBA. Among the league’s top scorers during the regular season, Nowitzki came out on top in crucial head-to-head matchups with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder while leading the Mavericks to an NBA Finals clash with LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

With James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade now leading the charge in Miami, the Heat were favored to dispose of Dallas in the Finals in as few as six games.. However, Nowitzki had other ideas. The “Dunking Deutschman�?ensured he would never pay for another drink in the city of Dallas by compiling 32.2 points per game and topping 40 points twice during the NBA Finals on the way to a series victory in six games over the stunned Heat.

The post Biggest Underdogs to Ever Win in the NBA Finals appeared first on nrxhb.shop | OG News.

There were rumors that Apple was in the hunt for live sports programming. In January, the New York Post reported ongoing negotiations between Apple and MLB for a possible weekday package.

Apple MLB deal could be first of many

Apple’s entrance into live sports makes sense. It has a cash hoard available to spend on programing. Meanwhile, more sports are gravitating to streaming providers. For instance, Amazon has a deal to stream English Premier League soccer games and has picked up the media rights for the NFL’s Thursday Night Football games.

Earlier this year, an analyst at Wedbush Securities sized up Apple’s upcoming opportunities in sports.

“We note that upcoming sports packages potentially for bid over the next four years that Apple can be involved with (in some capacity/semi-exclusive) are: NFL (Sunday Night Ticket), Big Ten, Pac 12, Big East, Big 12, other NCAA sports packages (2024 timing), NASCAR, and the NBA/WNBA.” — Dan Ives, Wedbush Securities

Apple isn’t the only new player in MLB media rights. NBC Sports signed a $30 million, two-year, deal with MLB for a package of Monday and Wednesday night games, primarily to stream on Peacock. As a result, there will be more MLB games available on streaming services — and fewer games on ESPN.

Is ESPN losing its mojo?

It wasn’t that long ago when ESPN was the disrupter in sports programing. Networks had a stranglehold on sports. They never viewed a cable channel as a threat. But in March 1980, ESPN aired the early rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament — effectively giving birth to “March Madness.”

Soon, cable companies were paying top dollar to feature ESPN in their bundle lineup. In 1996, Disney acquired 80% of ESPN and for years it was a cash cow. But as more and more customers “cut the cord” with cable providers, ESPN struggled. As a result, ESPN has become more cost sensitive, giving streaming services an opening.

Initially, Apple will offer its Friday MLB games for free. At some point, however, games may require an Apple TV Plus subscription.

The post Apple Scores First Sports Deal with $85 Million Friday Night MLB Package appeared first on nrxhb.shop | OG News.

The investment comes after Spain’s LaLiga sold its domestic broadcasting rights to Movistar and DAZN for $5.62 billion over five years.

The media company also said its biggest shareholder Access Industries, founded and chaired by Blavatnik, subscribed for another $250 million of its new shares. The company, which also hosts coverage of the Bundesliga in Germany and is home to more than 700 live and on-demand sports rights around the globe, said the recapitalization by Access has left the group without any borrowings at the end of 2021.

DAZN held talks to take over BT Sports, which would have given it access to the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League broadcasting rights. According to Reuters, the move did not materialize after DAZN walked away from the deal.

DAZN claims to be “the world’s leading sports destination”. The platform has streamed for over 956 million hours in 2021, totaling more than 27k sports events. Sir Leonard Blavatnik topped the latest Sunday Times Rich List and was named the wealthiest person in the UK. He is worth an estimated $31.3 billion.

The post Billionaire Blavatnik’s Firm Injects $4.3 Billion into Sports Media Group DAZN appeared first on nrxhb.shop | OG News.

The Los Angeles Rams pulled out a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, scoring the winning touchdown in the final minute and a half of play. Although, the Rams weren’t the only winners. NBC and its advertisers scored a decisive ratings win, with the most viewers since 2015.

Super Bowl sets streaming ratings record

Telemundo, NBC’s Spanish language broadcaster, helped boost Super Bowl ratings. This was Telemundo’s first year airing the Super Bowl, drawing 1.9 million viewers. Roughly 99.2 million viewers watched the game live on NBC. Meanwhile, 11.2 million streamed the game, setting a new streaming record. That’s almost double last year’s 5.7 million streaming viewers.

This year’s halftime show drew 103.4 million viewers, up from the 96.7 million who watched it last year. The show featured legendary hip-hop performers, including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige.

The NFL used to be a staunch opponent of sports betting. But like all leagues, it now recognizes that sports betting facilitates fan engagement. People tend to watch sporting events when they have skin in the game. So, ratings may have been helped by, what will undoubtedly be, a record year for Super Bowl sports betting.

There is little doubt that Super Bowl 56 will beat sports betting records. There are 30 states with legal sportsbooks, many coming online in the past year. But even legacy sports betting states such as Nevada and New Jersey broke Super Bowl betting records.

Nevada, New Jersey break betting records

The Nevada Gaming Control Board reported that $179.8 million was wagered on this year’s Super Bowl, up from $136.1 million last year. Nevada’s 179 sportsbooks broke the previous record set in 2018. That year, $158.6 million was wagered on the matchup between New England and Philadelphia.

According to Michael Lawton, analyst for the Nevada Gaming Control Board, this year’s spread made a difference.

“The catalysts for this year’s record was that (Sunday’s) game had two very distinct betting options for customers due to the spread being at – 4½ and the money line wagers, which attracted healthy action on both sides,” Lawton said.

Meanwhile, many wondered if New York’s introduction of mobile sports betting would cut into New Jersey’s Super Bowl betting totals. Even with the added competition, however, New Jersey reported $143.7 million in Super Bowl wagers, well above last year’s total of $117.4 million.

Montana reported $700 million in Super Bowl wagers, while Mississippi posted a $6.4 million handle. Most states have yet to report their Super Bowl handles, but the American Gaming Association is projecting Americans bet $7.6 billion on the game.

New Hampshire and Connecticut should do well, as Massachusetts residents scurried across the state’s border once again to place their Super Bowl bets. This might be the last year for the “Mass. exodus,” however, as the Bay State takes another run at passing sports betting legislation.

The post Super Bowl Ratings Rebound Amid Record Sports Betting appeared first on nrxhb.shop | OG News.

The NYT’s sports coverage has always been thin. Meanwhile, the paper has been looking for ways to expand its digital subscription base. Buying The Athletic addresses both those needs. The fact that sports betting companies now have huge advertising budgets should make this union a slam dunk.

The New York Times reverse pillages The Athletic

The Athletic launched in 2016 by taking on the Chicago sports scene. City by city, the digital subscription company scooped up experienced sports journalists from struggling print newspapers.

Its growth and ability to steal journalistic talent didn’t escape notice. In 2017, the New York Times profiled the upstart sports media company in an article entitled “Why The Athletic Wants to Pillage Newspapers.” One of The Athletic’s co-founders cheerfully acknowledged its larcenous business strategy.

“We will wait every local paper out and let them continuously bleed until we are the last ones standing,�?said Alex Mather.

The Athletic, however, wasn’t the first media company to attempt an online subscription model. A number of online media startups tried and failed. That lead Kevin Draper, the author of The New York Times article to write, “But the question everybody in sports media is asking is, ‘What happens in three, five, seven years? Will The Athletic’s business model allow it to survive that long?'”

Ultimately, The New York Times answered its own question.

Can sports betting save legacy newspapers?

Print newspapers are struggling in the internet era. Between 2008 and 2018, newspaper ad revenue dropped from $37.8 billion to $14.3 billion. But a new source of ad revenue could save legacy newspapers, providing they have the right assets.

In 2018, the US Supreme Court lifted the ban on sports betting. As a result, states have adopted legalized sports betting as fast as their legislators will allow. In a race to new attract customers, sportsbooks are advertising anywhere and everywhere.

Predictably, sports media benefits from sports betting ads. That helps explain why sports media companies have become hot properties. For instance, in 2020, Barstool Sports was acquired by Penn National Gaming. That same year, Spotify picked up The Ringer.

There may be few examples of old print buying new, online sports outlets, but now that The New York Times has scooped up The Athletic, we may see more of them soon.

The post The New York Times to Buy The Athletic for $550 Million appeared first on nrxhb.shop | OG News.

The eight-year agreement with the New York Racing Association gives FOX Sports not just the Belmont Stakes, but the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the weekend slate of races that includes such prestigious Grade 1 events as the Met Mile, the Ogden Phipps, and the Manhattan Stakes. As a result, Belmont Saturday is one of the best racing days of the year for fans and horseplayers.

As part of the deal, NYRA Bets will take over title sponsorship of the Belmont Stakes. That makes NYRA Bets, the association’s advance deposit wagering platform, the first gaming brand to become a title sponsor of an A-list American sporting event. FOX owns a 25% interest in NYRA Bets.

The organizations signed a media rights agreement in March of 2021 that gave FOX the television rights for NYRA races through 2030. It also expanded the network’s exclusivity of Belmont Park and Saratoga races, including Saratoga’s crown jewel, the Travers Stakes.

A casual summer partnership grew over time

“From Secretariat to American Pharoah, the Belmont Stakes has been racing’s greatest test of the champion and we couldn’t be prouder to bring it to FOX Sports,�?said Michael Mulvihill, the network’s executive vice president and head of strategy of analytics. “The Belmont enhances FOX’s status as the industry leader in live events and is an important step in our evolution as a media and gaming brand.�?/p>

FOX Sports and NYRA joined forces in 2016, when the network began covering the Saratoga summer meet. Its “Saratoga Live�?show quickly gained a following with such personalities as handicappers Andy Serling and Jonathan Kinchen, and trainer Tom Amoss. In 2019, FOX Sports took over national TV coverage at Belmont Park and aired Belmont Park’s races nearly every day.

That same year, FOX aired the Travers Stakes for the first time on its broadcast network. In 2020, FOX Sports aired more than 700 hours of racing coverage.

NBC’s near-monopoly is over

“FOX Sports has quickly become the year-round home of the finest Thoroughbred racing in the country,�?NYRA president and CEO Dave O’Rourke said. “Their commitment to presenting innovative and informative coverage has had an enormous impact on reaching new fans and enhancing overall interest in the sport. That’s why NYRA is so pleased to expand our partnership to now include the Belmont Stakes on FOX for many years to come.�?/p>

Conversely, this takes the Belmont Stakes away from NBC for the first time since 2010. The network had become synonymous with elite American racing events, such as the Triple Crown races and Breeders’ Cup. It broadcast all three Triple Crown events from 1999 to 2005 when NYRA pulled the Belmont Stakes rights over a dispute over profits. ABC/ESPN aired the Belmont from 2006 to 2010 before NBC reacquired the rights.

The post FOX Sports Signs Eight-Year Agreement to Broadcast Belmont Stakes appeared first on nrxhb.shop | OG News.

According to the Wall Street Journal, ESPN has been in talks with a number of major sportsbooks to explore possible licensing deals. Sources estimate the deals could be worth more than $3 billion. It;s not known whether Disney would collect standalone licensing fees, or whether licensing would be made in exchange for advertising on its networks.

How Anti-Gambling Disney Ended Up Owning a Sportsbook

Even after the US Supreme Court lifted the ban on sports-betting, ESPN was slow to embrace sports-betting’s changing landscape. Many blamed ESPN’s inertia on the conservative culture found at its parent company, Walt Disney. Then CEO Bob Iger was explicit about the company’s anti-gambling stance during an earnings call in Feb. 2019.

“I don’t see The Walt Disney Company, certainly in the near term, getting involved in the business of gambling, in effect, by facilitating gambling in any way,�?Iger said.

But just one month later,  Disney made a huge move into sports betting  — as almost an afterthought.

When Disney acquired the assets of 21st Century Fox in March 2019, it got more than just film and television studios. Disney also acquired 18 million shares of DraftKings, making it the largest owner of the sports-betting operator. It was like the flip of a switch. That same month, ESPN launched “Daily Wager,” its first sports-betting themed program. And ESPN never looked back.

Likely ESPN Sports-Betting Partners

The two likeliest targets for ESPN sports-betting licenses are Caesars Entertainment and DraftKings. Last September, ESPN signed separate, co-exclusive, deals with Caesars and DraftKings, Per those agreements, Caesars became ESPN’s exclusive odds provider while DraftKings became ESPN’s exclusive fantasy sports provider. But those deals were just the start.

During Disney’s Investor Day in Dec. 2020, Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content made it clear that ESPN — and Disney — were now ready to “lean into” sports betting.

“Sports betting also continues to be an important area of growth for us. Our all-new ESPN studio in Las Vegas debuted in August, and, in September, we announced market-leading partnerships with both Caesars and DraftKings. We’ll continue to lean into sports betting, as it represents a key opportunity to better serve our most passionate fans and appeal to a younger audience.”

Both Caesars and DraftKings are anxious to build out their sportsbooks as states continue to legalize sports betting. They already have existing relationships with ESPN. And both are good prospects for a license-for-advertising structured deal.

The post Disney’s ESPN Sports-Betting Deals Could Net $3 Billion appeared first on nrxhb.shop | OG News.