🏈 ESPN losing subscribers.

[planomateo]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>ESPN lost 918K subscribers between July 2012 and July 2013. Is <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cordcutting&amp;src=hash">#cordcutting</a> having an impact in Bristol? <a href="http://t.co/uHndq5d7yq">http://t.co/uHndq5d7yq</a></p>&mdash; WhatYouPayForSports (@whatupay4sports) <a href="https://twitter.com/whatupay4sports/statuses/368077748440268801">August 15, 2013</a></blockquote>
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I ran across http://www.whatyoupayforsports.com a while ago. I initially found it as I was looking up some data on TV channel costs in reference to some of the sports contracts that were being signed. According to this site, ESPN cost ~$35 a month per subscriber per the site...anyone surprised.

That being said, the reason I posted this tweet is due to the potential impact ESPN's loss of subscribers will have to some of the conference contracts. I've read some things that suggest that being able to get TV channels on an a la carte basis, but who knows if it will come to fruition. I'd support this concept if the price was right, I hate paying for channels I don't use, especially if I can reduce my TV bill. This article speaks to customers being tired of high monthly cable bills and are cutting the cords. Losing roughly 1% of subscribers in a year doesn't sound bad, but I have to wonder how this could impact things in the future.

The overall numbers for ESPN, however, are even worse than that. According to Sports Business Daily, ESPN’s flagship channel lost 918,000 subscribers between July 2012 and July 2013, while ESPN2 lost 871,100 homes. SBD estimates that ESPN is now in 97,985,000 homes and ESPN2 in 97,935,000 homes, their lowest levels since October of 2008.

I want to say ESPN had some layoffs recently of about 400 or so.

Just kinda interesting to me, thought some of you mind have some insight or different opinions.

 

[TerryP]

A lot of things play into this but cord-cutting isn't one at this point.

Watching a live ball game online is better than not watching at all but the quality just isn't available as of yet.

Just as a FWIW, last year was the first year in history the cable industry, as a whole, lost subscribers.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

Cord cutting may be part of it, just not people who cared about ESPN anyway. I know quite a few people who no longer have cable and generally they were not sports enthusiasts. I personally would get rid of cable if not for sports.

 

[JoshB]

Gonna be interesting to see what impact, if any, Fox Sports 1 will have on ESPN... but I got a feeling SEC Network is gonna be huge for ESPN. I already told my cable company that if they dont make sure they get it, Im dumpin em flat out.

 

[TheChief]

I want to see SEC football and select Major League Baseball. I watch ESPN in those instances only. Otherwise, I'm tired of watching ESPN's programming, and Sports Center seems to talk money and contracts and NFL football more than anything. The MLB Network provides all I need for baseball news, so I go long stretches without even watching SC.

 

[planomateo]

Yeah, FS1 will have an impact - I'm really curious to see how they move in the golf world, HUGE opportunity to be a game changer in this space.

 

[JoshB]

I want to see SEC football and select Major League Baseball. I watch ESPN in those instances only. Otherwise, I'm tired of watching ESPN's programming, and Sports Center seems to talk money and contracts and NFL football more than anything. The MLB Network provides all I need for baseball news, so I go long stretches without even watching SC.

ESPN has some good shows and really good analysts College Football Blitz, College Football Live, and First Take are def. my favorites to watch... when I'm cookin or something around the house it automatically goes to ESPN whether Sportscenter or College Football Live. Def. gonna give FS1 a chance with their programming too tho now.

 

[bamaraider]

Anyone know if Fox Sports 1 will pick up College Basketball?

 

[planomateo]

Anyone know if Fox Sports 1 will pick up College Basketball?

check out page 2

http://static.foxsports.com/content/fscom/binary/2013/08/15/FS1_LAUNCH_FINAL1376573555481.pdf

COLLEGE BASKETBALL – Dozens of exclusive prime time games on Monday and Thursday nights, plus Saturday and Sunday coverage of the BIG EAST, Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA.

 

[JoshB]

It is, Big XII, Pac 12, and C-USA same with football.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

The cord cutting trend has more to do w/ just ESPN, however, they simply overcharge. I've been off cable for 6 years & I bought a HD attenna ($70 off amazon) which gives a better signal than cable anyway.

I certainly u/s the issue w/ the games on TV, such as the BCSNCG, but I either go to a friends house for the game or a sports bar as needed. Besides, how many 'Bama games where on CBS over the last 3 years? My guess is at least half. I have certainly learned to get around it to save $100 a month & I have no regrets whatsoever.

 

[Swamptick]

I cut my cords because I'm tired of the media shoving a radical agenda down my throat at every turn. I'm sick of ESPNs love affair with Obama. I'm sick of every show and every commercial making white Christians (especially men) look like fucking idiots. I'm not going to pay for that shit anymore. It's subtle (if you are a moron) and its utterly pervasive. Shut the hell up and show me a damn football game or television show. Stop it with the white man is the devil shit.

 

[tidentrue]

Chill out swamp ....trying to be family friendly here

 

[RollTideinGA]

Sports is the only reason we still have cable. My goal this year is to find alternatives to watching it through our cable and may hopefully cut it in the winter. I can do with out 250 channels I dont need just to have the networks and sports channels.

 

[JoshB]

I cut my cords because I'm tired of the media shoving a radical agenda down my throat at every turn. I'm sick of ESPNs love affair with Obama. I'm sick of every show and every commercial making white Christians (especially men) look like fucking idiots. I'm not going to pay for that shit anymore. It's subtle (if you are a moron) and its utterly pervasive. Shut the hell up and show me a damn football game or television show. Stop it with the white man is the devil shit.

The dumbest thing I've ever seen in my life...

 

[TerryP]

Gonna be interesting to see what impact, if any, Fox Sports 1 will have on ESPN... but I got a feeling SEC Network is gonna be huge for ESPN. I already told my cable company that if they dont make sure they get it, Im dumpin em flat out.

Yeah, FS1 will have an impact - I'm really curious to see how they move in the golf world, HUGE opportunity to be a game changer in this space.

It is, Big XII, Pac 12, and C-USA same with football.

If it works out nationwide as it has worked out here...

FS1 is taking the place of Speed on my cable tier. Speed was on the basic tier (just like ESPN & ESPN2) so if channels lineups remain the same there won't be a "cost difference" if you want FS1.

Does that mean it'll grab viewers in the daytime, specifically, weekdays? In the beginning yes. In a month? Not so much in the eastern viewership area with a certain demographic—SEC, ACC, and B1G football fans.

Bird hit it with his small observation there. Outside of a few games a year how much attention is that network going to get this fall when it comes to college football fans?

I can't help but think back about Fox launching their news network.

I recall seeing a broadcaster making light of the network with the statement, "that's not a new station." My immediate reaction was thinking how he stood there making a network a news item by stating they aren't a news station...ON THE NEWS.

Matt. I wouldn't call the PGA, the LPGA, or other tours the demographic FSN1 is going to be shooting for. Heck, have they EVER broadcast tennis?

 

[planomateo]

Agree, but they gotta start somewhere. Landing the USGA @ $1B over 12 years is a good start, considering several other networks already have their hooks into the other big golf events.

 

[JoshB]

If it works out nationwide as it has worked out here...

FS1 is taking the place of Speed on my cable tier. Speed was on the basic tier (just like ESPN & ESPN2) so if channels lineups remain the same there won't be a "cost difference" if you want FS1.

Does that mean it'll grab viewers in the daytime, specifically, weekdays? In the beginning yes. In a month? Not so much in the eastern viewership area with a certain demographic—SEC, ACC, and B1G football fans.

Bird hit it with his small observation there. Outside of a few games a year how much attention is that network going to get this fall when it comes to college football fans?

I can't help but think back about Fox launching their news network.

I recall seeing a broadcaster making light of the network with the statement, "that's not a new station." My immediate reaction was thinking how he stood there making a network a news item by stating they aren't a news station...ON THE NEWS.

Matt. I wouldn't call the PGA, the LPGA, or other tours the demographic FSN1 is going to be shooting for. Heck, have they EVER broadcast tennis?

It's taking over Speed here too, that's a channel I didn't even realize I had haha

FS1 will do well on the west coast and midwest with Big XII & Pac 12 fans obviously, and if Gus Johnson is doing commentary I will at the very least be DVR'ing his game every week myself.

The slate of shows FS1 is gonna have is kinda weird. I understand ESPN bringing Keith Olbermann back is a little weird but is anything more weird than Regis getting his own sports talk show?

 

[TerryP]

Agree, but they gotta start somewhere. Landing the USGA @ $1B over 12 years is a good start, considering several other networks already have their hooks into the other big golf events.

The "and other events" clause in the contract caught my eye.

Right now, that really gives FSN one guaranteed draw with the U.S. Open, and depending on who is playing/competition it's filler material on slow weekends with the other two.

I don't see amateur events bringing in that much.

Here's part of my thinking.

I was at the USGA Women's Amateur championship a few times last week and there were around 200 SEC fans with other golf fans sprinkled here and there. I saw part of the same tourney at the house and there wasn't any crowd involvement that carried over to the television audience.

As a wild analogy, it's about like what would be a stupid sitcom without its laughtrak. With it, it'll at least pass the time.

As much "dead air" that comes with major events in the sport of golf, how well (or how much draw) to you see amateur events pulling?

Just as a side note...

US Open was a CBS event last year if I recall correctly. So, ESPN doesn't lose much there.
Senior Open, 99.9% sure that was CBS. Other option would have been NBC...which, coincidentally, owns the Golf Channel.

The Golf Channel, which has been carrying a lot of the amateur events over the years.

So, in the end, if we do see a dip in ESPN subscribers would it be from an agreement with the USGA?

 

[TerryP]

The slate of shows FS1 is gonna have is kinda weird. I understand ESPN bringing Keith Olbermann back is a little weird but is anything more weird than Regis getting his own sports talk show?

The thing with Regis is the overwhelming feeling any thing he touches that falls in line with a host/guest format will do well.

I've heard him talk football quite a few times and he seems to know what he's talking about outside of reading a teleprompter. His only drawback was the unabashed love for the Domers.