FreeCast Inc’s Post

From the NYT: Warner Bros. Discovery has the contractual right to match third-party offers. It is likely to try to match Amazon’s offer, according to a person familiar with the company’s thinking. But the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s lawyers are still trying to determine how the contract defines Warner Bros. Discovery’s matching rights, according to two people familiar with the negotiations, given that the company would want to show many of the games on TNT and Amazon would stream them on Prime Video. It is an issue complicated by the fact that when these contracts were written in 2014, the #streaming of #sports was in its infancy. Losing the N.B.A. would sting for Warner Bros. Discovery because much of TNT’s advertising revenue and a large portion of its viewership are driven by N.B.A. games. But it would save over $2 billion annually, money it could use to purchase other sports rights. In recent years it has added rights to the National Hockey League (NHL), NASCAR, the United States men’s and women’s soccer teams, All Elite Wrestling, and the college football playoffs. Warner Bros. Discovery is trying to keep enough high-quality programming on its cable channels to earn large distribution fees and #advertising dollars, while also shifting exclusive programming to streaming to build its HBO Max service. “The streaming industry is in the middle of an evolution,” said Frank Albarella, a #media and telecommunications executive at the accounting firm KPMG. “Everybody’s trying to differentiate themselves. All the old norms are being challenged. I do think this move to live sports can be a game changer for the sector and the industry.” For the N.B.A., cable channels like TNT have lost their luster. Broadcast channels like NBCUniversal and ABC — which reach more households than cable channels — are back in vogue, and streaming has the potential to reach larger audiences around the world than television ever could. NBC would also use its streaming platform, Peacock, to show N.B.A. games. Silver said during a news conference on June 6, before Game 1 of the N.B.A. finals, that streaming “allows for tremendous additional functionality when it comes to watching games, personalization, customization of games, multiple feeds, multiple dialects, multiple languages, different camera angles. It really gives the #fan enormous additional choice that you don’t have through traditional #television.”

The sports media industry is at a critical inflection point. Major players like Fox, Disney, and Warner Bros. Discovery are attempting to simplify fan experiences with a new streaming service. Some say “it’s genius.” Other’s say “it’s dead on arrival.” We’ll continue to see market disruptions and an urgent need for streamlined, cost-effective viewing solutions. Entrepreneurs can capitalize on the fragmentation of sports media by offering all-in-one platforms that reduce complexity and cost for consumers. As traditional models falter and consumer frustrations grow, there's a ripe opportunity for startups to disrupt the market with agile, integrated streaming services. There’s big opportunity in leveraging advanced tech to create intuitive and comprehensive sports media platforms. By aligning with consumer demand for simplicity and affordability, founders can position their ventures at the forefront of the sports media evolution. #SportsInnovation #SportsMedia #DigitalPlatforms #DigitalMedia https://lnkd.in/gRR4CDwR

Some could argue that giving a certain individual the captaincy of an IPL Franchise over another one, was a D*** Move. So, taking the flavor of the season to a new level, someone at Comcast SportsNet(CSN) decided to use Television as a medium to show what he was like below his belt!! S9: Area: PR & Social Media Controversy Team: Chicago Cubs(MLB) What's the story: Being a Sports team in USA comes with a lot of responsibility, like biology lessons for children!! And when you have Cubs in your team name, you better not di(c*)sappoint. So, the year is 2014, and the Chicago Subs marketing team is working hard to engage in a deeper way with their teen fan base, and a mascot is unveiled. Clark the Bear, pants-less and backward hat wearing, received a lot of criticism for being gimmicky, immature, and unprofessional, shortly after the announcement. But a dude called Tom Ley, who is the Co-Owner & Editor in Chief of a media publication, was so upset, that he started a contest asking people to get creative, and do horrible things to the Mascot!!(Come on man, he was already pants-less). A Sports News publication called Deadspin decided to add some Extra Equipment, and the Bear's Anatomy looked like Jonny Sins about to start a work day. Coming to Comcast SportsNet, like every responsible media outlet, they did a thorough check before broadcasting. While the anchor was running a piece on how Clark the Bear was receiving flak, someone responsible for the visuals knowingly, or unknowingly, took the Deadspin version, which was live on TV for about 10 seconds. To be fair to the Cubs, they were the innocent party in this, and who knows, maybe deep down, this is what Clark wanted. Moral of the story: Let's be gen(i)tle with our views on Mascots!! #sports #mlb #clarkthebear #sportsmarketing #sportsPR #contentmarketing

The National Football League (NFL) continues to set the standard for global fan engagement and as their official data partner, Genius Sports is bringing several breakthrough innovations to life. Last night, we announced alongside NBC Sports and EA SPORTS the launch of the groundbreaking 'Madden NFL Cast', airing on Peacock on December 21. By blending video game elements with the live action, this first-of-its-kind immersive broadcast will help to attract and engage a new generation of NFL fans. This is another incredible example of GeniusIQ's AI-driven capabilities, combining live tracking metrics with fully branded animations to create a completely new viewing experience. Find out more here: https://bit.ly/3Vdb2UY

Warner Bros. Discovery's NBA Contract Loss: A significant and high-profile failure. The forfeiture reflects a possible overestimation of Warner Bros. Discovery's bargaining power and strategy. That being said, and as the article states, the timing for all of this has been terrible. What raises the questions in this article is that Zaslav's team initially conveyed that they did not need the NBA, only to make an unsuccessful last-ditch effort. This miscalculation- if they were serious about signing a deal, resulted in a significant blow to the company's sports broadcasting portfolio and perhaps another post "Deprecate HBO" hit to WB Discovery's brand prestige, a factor that cannot be overlooked in the competitive media and entertainment industry. Despite this setback, Warner Bros. Discovery will most likely use these redirected funds to develop more profitable types of (unscripted) content. #streaming #sports

The future of entertainment is diverse and inclusive. 🍿 Fandom's Stephanie Fried, PlayStation's Jaap O. Tuinman, and Audible's Susan Jurevics discussed representation in entertainment. Key insights include the necessity of diverse representation in gaming, using taxonomy to deepen fan engagement, and how storytelling can drive societal change. Watch it here: https://lnkd.in/geA2D3b5 _ #GroupMCannes

SiriusXM has just rolled out a new game plan that's all about sharpening their focus and boosting growth. They're doubling down on their bread-and-butter automotive subscribers while also beefing up their streaming options. 📻 🎶 What's on the agenda? They're cooking up top-notch content, making the most of their advertising muscle across the board, and trimming the fat to save some serious cash. In fact, they're aiming to pocket an extra $200 million in savings each year by the end of 2025. 💰 The name of the game here is keeping those profit margins healthy and the cash flowing. By 2025, SiriusXM is shooting for $8.5 billion in total revenue, $2.6 billion in adjusted EBITDA, and $1.15 billion in free cash flow. And they're not stopping there - they're gunning for $1.5 billion in free cash flow by 2027. To top it all off, they've brought in Wayne T. as the new Executive VP and COO. With this fresh and new strategy, SiriusXM is gearing up for a new chapter of growth and efficiency. 📈 It's clear they're not just sitting back - they're rolling with the punches in today's ever-changing media world.

At this point, the NBA has selected its preferred broadcast partners, and they’re not Warner Bros. Discovery/Turner. Disney/ESPN gets the A package for $2.8 billion a year, Comcast/NBC secures the B package for about $2.5 billion—a significant increase from the $1.2 billion that Turner is paying for far fewer games—and Amazon Prime Video lands a new C package for just under $2 billion. This totals about $7 billion a year for the NBA, a substantial increase from the current $2.6 billion deals, allowing the league to move away from cable TV towards more broadcast options, with the favorable demographics of streaming and the financial strength of Amazon. However, David Zaslav won’t let it go. He recently suggested in a CNBC story that Warner Bros. Discovery might try to match not the package it’s losing but Amazon’s—a position previewed on Sunday by Bill Cohan. Once the three deals are presented to Warner Bros. Discovery (the NBA still needs clarity on All-Star Weekend and a couple of international and local issues), Zaslav and his team will have five days to match—but it’s unclear what that even means. The awarded packages and offered platforms are very different from the current deals, and the “matching rights” language is outdated.

🇺🇸PENN Entertainment, Inc, a leading US gaming entertainment giant, is ready to launch ESPN Bet in Washington DC after the company has secured access in the US capital via a new partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE). This long-term deal is effective immediately and will enable ESPN Bet to join the ranks of several other online operators that are legally approved to operate in DC, including leading brands such as 𝐂𝐚𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐬, 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐃𝐮𝐞𝐥, 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐌𝐆𝐌, 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬. 🚀 🎙️Aaron LaBerge, 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝: "This deal expands our footprint in the region. It further connects ESPN Bet with one of America’s most passionate sports communities. Our presence alongside the Capitals, Wizards and Mystics positions ESPN Bet at the centre of the action where sports, technology and fan experience converge." 🎙️James Van Stone, 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐒𝐄, 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝: "This partnership furthers our collective commitment to offering fans unique, cutting-edge experiences that reflect the future of sports entertainment, with ESPN Bet’s innovative platform adding a new layer of engagement for our fans, both inside and outside the arena." Read more by following this link: https://lnkd.in/dDj9k9nx #igaming #dc #espn #mse #penn

Zynga sells Chartboost to AI-driven advertising company LoopMe | News-in-brief Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, Zynga initially acquired the monetisation platform in 2021 for $250m