Bally Sports RSNs Are Reportedly Preparing For Bankruptcy

[comfortably_numb]

Because you criticize

The "blog" link posted had numerous spelling and grammar errors. It was worthy of criticism.

 

[Yespage]

Funny how Ergan was first to this party of shoving the RSNs off as a must carry.

I think THIS has more to do with the Chiefs than the Royals, as if 1 get one, the other will expect it too.

I don't see it happening, but read that the Chiefs May look elsewhere to build, as in leave KC.

Browns owner wants a new stadium, and want $1 billion or so in public dollars. The Haslam's have effectively doomed the long-term future of the team with a short-term gamble with Watson, that hasn't paid off well (even winning one Super Bowl would be hard to justify this gamble). I'd say to heck with them and let's try for an NHL team, it'll cost the city a lot less money, and we already have a stadium. I'm tired of funding stadiums that aren't bringing enough money to the region. It isn't like the stadium is hosting other large scale events. World Cup isn't coming to Cleveland.

Imagine what $1 billion would do for the lakeshore. Cleveland has probably the absolutely worst managed access to the lakeshore in the country.

 

[AZ.]

Funny how Ergan was first to this party of shoving the RSNs off as a must carry.

Browns owner wants a new stadium, and want $1 billion or so in public dollars. The Haslam's have effectively doomed the long-term future of the team with a short-term gamble with Watson, that hasn't paid off well (even winning one Super Bowl would be hard to justify this gamble). I'd say to heck with them and let's try for an NHL team, it'll cost the city a lot less money, and we already have a stadium. I'm tired of funding stadiums that aren't bringing enough money to the region. It isn't like the stadium is hosting other large scale events. World Cup isn't coming to Cleveland.

Imagine what $1 billion would do for the lakeshore. Cleveland has probably the absolutely worst managed access to the lakeshore in the country.

Now this was over 20 years ago, went down to the Flats? They were turning around Cleveland at that time. Has it changed?

 

[Yespage]

Now this was over 20 years ago, went down to the Flats? They were turning around Cleveland at that time. Has it changed?

Not like Pittsburgh has. But some portions have changed notably. The Flats are nicer, for certain. I was in the Tremont area and it was redeveloped housing wise in the few years since I was there, I hardly recognized that I had been there. Other areas have been getting redeveloped for housing, former industrial areas. It is getting nicer, but when I was out in Pittsburgh for a project and the improvements they've done to downtown with the Stadiums, it isn't remotely close in Cleveland. Cleveland isn't a dump, it is a nice small city, but politics in Columbus are starving the cities and keeping them from getting better and more competitive.

 

[Bruce]

More info-

One of the major sticking points in the dispute was Comcast’s desire to move the RSNs to its Ultimate TV tier. That tier is more expensive and contains more channels. The Bally RSNs were previously on its mid-range Popular TV tier.

That tier will also have a lot less subscribers, which is bad for Diamond also.

But Comcast is playing the long game if it does not come to a deal, they know Diamond cannot be profitable without those per sub fees, then cannot emerge from Chapter 11 this month, then it will be a Chapter 7 and out of business.

Games then will be available a different way, either like San Diego/Arizona or on a OTA Station Comcast already has available and under contract.

 

[Bruce]

And…….
….. just heard Diamond has to submit a new plan quite quickly, because all objections have to be in by May 22.

The old plan to exit Bankruptcy was assuming that Comcast was still paying the per sub fees as before.

The new plan cannot include those fees and extremely doubtful they can be profitable without them, it is said they are talking to the sports leagues again for new concessions to get the rights fees down.

The final court hearing was set for June 18, to exit bankruptcy, unless Comcast makes a deal, it will possibly turn into Chapter 7 then.

 

[comfortably_numb]

will possibly turn into Chapter 7 then

Isn't Chapter 7 only for individuals?

 

[navychop]

“… To qualify for relief under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code, the debtor may be an individual, a partnership, or a corporation or other business entity. 11 U.S.C. §§ 101(41), 109(b). …”

 

[savarese04]

Isn't Chapter 7 only for individuals?

nah. the difference is that Chapter 7 is just straight up liquidation. with Chapter 11, you're trying to hold the creditors at bay and reorg, presumably with less debt, by various strategies. the end goal is to stay in business. Chapter 7 is very much tapping out. straight to liquidation, assets start getting sold off to pay the creditors in order of their liquidation "preference". preference being determined by contractual agreements and such.

 

[Wobble]

Maybe Bally will be bought by someone. I would hate losing the Brewers and the Bucks, with our DTV package. DTV Satellite has all the channel coverage we need. We do not have to sacrifice anything.

 

[Yespage]

But Comcast is playing the long game if it does not come to a deal, they know Diamond cannot be profitable without those per sub fees, then cannot emerge from Chapter 11 this month, then it will be a Chapter 7 and out of business.

Games then will be available a different way, either like San Diego/Arizona or on a OTA Station Comcast already has available and under contract.

The games don't exist via magic for broadcast. If Bally isn't producing the game coverage, the game coverage would need to be produced by others.

 

[Bruce]

The games don't exist via magic for broadcast.

By the way, thought you had Dish, why the concern?

If Bally isn't producing the game coverage, the game coverage would need to be produced by others.

By the team, league or if some OTA Station picks up the rights at a greatly reduced rate.

I am old enough to remember when there were no RSNs, like when the Tigers were on all weekend and sometimes a game or two during the week, I assume the Broadcaster handled all that back then.

I see a lot of these posts here and elsewhere, that believe the end of the RSNs means the end of games on TV.

Games will still be available, just on different formats, what that will be is the questions.

But, no matter what, the math shows that RSNs, as they currently exist, cannot survive, the three biggest providers (Comcast, Charter and DirecTV)that carry them, are the ones who are losing the most subscribers, not just in numbers, but percentages also.

Just this Quarter, those three will lose 1.5 Million subs, that means a possibility of 6 Million lost this year for just 3 providers, then you have the losses from the little companies, Cox has about 2.8 million subs currently, Altice 2 Million, Fubo 1.5 Million ( and just lost 150,000 this quarter).

You are looking at RSNs ( all of them) losing 6-8 Million per sub fees in total this year, then the #4 Provider, YTTV has over 8 Million subs, #5 Dish has over 6 Million, Sling has 2 Million, Hulu Live has 4 Million, that is 20 Million that do not carry RSNs, plus the fact not everyone has a package that includes them, like Entertainment with DirecTV.

So by the end of 2024, looking at under 30 million that pay the per sub fee, Nationwide.

By the end of 2025, roughly in the lower 20 Million, the money they take in from per sub fees will definitely not be enough to cover rights and production then.

Math does not lie.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Comcast axed Bally Sports North last week. How are Twins fans adjusting?​

Minnesota Twins fans on life without Bally Sports

We asked Twins fans who used to have Comcast how they are handling the cable carrier's decision to drop Bally Sports channels last week. The answers varied from creative solutions to apathy to anger.

www.startribune.com

People are pissed, and rightfully so IMO.

 

[Yespage]

Yes, but the game coverage will still need to be produced. If it isn't Bally, it can be someone else, but there would need to be a someone else.

 

[savarese04]

Yes, but the game coverage will still need to be produced. If it isn't Bally, it can be someone else, but there would need to be a someone else.

you're absolutely right, but IMO, worrying about who produces the game coverage is the least of the problems in this entire situation. For the team-operated RSNs, they are already producing the content themselves.

I will say that this isn't 1985 anymore. The stadiums and arenas today are built with TV in mind. By that, I mean that everything is already wired up to the point that you just plug your cameras in, plug your truck in, and go live. Gone are the days when you had to string miles of wires pre-game to get things going. Thanks to these infrastructure improvements, production cost is super cheap now to the point that the most expensive part of all of this is the pre and post game shows back at the "home studio."

All that is to say that teams/the league taking over production is 1) not expensive and 2) not the hard part. The hard part is figuring how how to DELIVER this end content to viewers.

 

[comfortably_numb]

The hard part is figuring how how to DELIVER this end content to viewers.

I don't think it's hard. Once they reach the realization that "per sub fees" are going away, they can focus on putting the games back on OTA.

Or maybe I'm just dreaming.

 

[savarese04]

Comcast axed Bally Sports North last week. How are Twins fans adjusting?​

Minnesota Twins fans on life without Bally Sports

We asked Twins fans who used to have Comcast how they are handling the cable carrier's decision to drop Bally Sports channels last week. The answers varied from creative solutions to apathy to anger.

www.startribune.com

People are pissed, and rightfully so IMO.

I found this quote telling "MN sports on Bally is the primary reason I haven't cut the cord and still get cable."

I don't want to dabble in completely random speculation, but is it possible Comcast wants to get out of the cable game sooner rather than later? They are in the RSN game too, so they have to have some inkling that a lot of users out there are in this boat. They're also bidding heavily for NBA rights and so clearly know the value of sports.

My thinking is they know the end is coming and, unlike Charter/Spectrum/DirecTV, they have other revenue sources and ways to deliver content, so taking premature hits to be ahead of the curve is better than taking a huge hit down the road?

 

[comfortably_numb]

Good commments here. Good to see that most people understand the issue here is Bally's, not Comcast.


View: https://www.reddit.com/r/cordcutters/comments/1choj4i/cancelling_bally_sports_comcast_is_the_one_about/

 

[Yespage]

you're absolutely right, but IMO, worrying about who produces the game coverage is the least of the problems in this entire situation. For the team-operated RSNs, they are already producing the content themselves.

I'm not trying to imply it is a Great Wall, Bruce was however making it sound like it'd be just flipping a switch.

I do think it is a bigger deal that others consider. This will involve a transition to "how things will be done". The leagues could do it on their own, might need to, or they can lease out things locally. This isn't a small resolution.

All that is to say that teams/the league taking over production is 1) not expensive and 2) not the hard part. The hard part is figuring how how to DELIVER this end content to viewers.

I think each of those provide their own headache, but there is aspirin.

 

[Bruce]

I'm not trying to imply it is a Great Wall, Bruce was however making it sound like it'd be just flipping a switch.

I did not post that at all, just they will figure it out.

When the RSNs are gone, games will still be on TV via some other distribution methods.

San Diego, Arizona and Colorado are three examples that shows they will still be on Television.