I signed up for online Sunday Ticket for $100/yr when my wife was in graduate school, and DirectTv would autorenew at the student discount even after she graduated. I'm probably the only person sad to see it go to Google.
I had absolutely no idea that there were two different versions of RedZone. My mind is blown.This seems be mean the Directv version of Red Zone will be no more. I have enjoyed Andrew Siciliano.
I finally was able to get on the student plan this season with my daughter's college ID after years of being blacked out due to a weird quirk in DirecTV having me listed in their coverage area but lacking line of sight to the satellite. Moving to YouTube will cost a hell of a lot more next season.I signed up for online Sunday Ticket for $100/yr when my wife was in graduate school, and DirectTv would autorenew at the student discount even after she graduated. I'm probably the only person sad to see it go to Google.
And this is why the NFL is absolutely lapping MLB in terms of subscribers and streaming and viewers.From the WSJ:
“The deal with YouTube and the league’s agreement with Amazon’s Prime Video for Thursday night games are part of a strategy to attract younger fans, Mr. Goodell said. “It is a site where a lot of `Gen Z’ goes to get content,” he said, adding the NFL wants to “fish where the fish are.””
I love this quote. “The kids these days—they all use a series of tubes to access their entertainment needs….”
Bro, I can’t even get YES on YouTube tv in the region.And this is why the NFL is absolutely lapping MLB in terms of subscribers and streaming and viewers.
NFL is looking to make the game more accessible to more fans, meanwhile MLB can’t get rid of blackouts and have lost the advantage of having a good streaming product.
Its not MLB thats preventing Blackouts from going away, its the RSN's that would go nuclear if they did,And this is why the NFL is absolutely lapping MLB in terms of subscribers and streaming and viewers.
NFL is looking to make the game more accessible to more fans, meanwhile MLB can’t get rid of blackouts and have lost the advantage of having a good streaming product.
In a profile written by ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr last month, the MLB Commissioner said that eliminating blackouts were a “top priority” for him. While many rejoiced at the news, others wonder why it hadn’t happened yet, as if Manfred could just snap his fingers and end all blackouts with zero consequences (I’m sure MLB’s local TV partners would love that).
Prior to Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles, Manfred spoke to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times about a variety of issues, including blackouts.
While Manfred didn’t go deep into details, he said the league office was spending the most time on eliminating blackouts out of any project on the docket, and yes, it is as complicated as it seems.
My understanding was non-Directv viewers could watch a different Red Zone on the NFL network. I never saw it.I had absolutely no idea that there were two different versions of RedZone. My mind is blown.
I know what the problem is. The issue is that MLB can’t come to some sort of profit sharing agreement with the RSNs in order to stop the blackouts and make all of the streams available.Its not MLB thats preventing Blackouts from going away, its the RSN's that would go nuclear if they did,
https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/rob-manfred-blackouts-mlb-tv-rights.html
While this is true, this is one game per market, and that game is on local television and you can watch it with any TV with either basic cable or an antenna. So you aren’t restricted from the game, you just have to switch inputs on your TV. Far from the case with MLB.Sunday Ticket has blackouts as well. You can't watch local games or the games on NBC, ESPN, NFL Network, and Amazon.
MLB has games on Apple+ for free and gives away their version of Sunday Ticket through phone carriers like Tmobile. MLB's problem with GenZ isn't access, it's that they don't want to watch baseball. Somewhat true for the NBA as well.
Good point. They even simulcast the local MNF and Amazon games on OTA channels.While this is true, this is one game per market, and that game is on local television and you can watch it with any TV with either basic cable or an antenna. So you aren’t restricted from the game, you just have to switch inputs on your TV. Far from the case with MLB.
I've been watching the non-DirecTV one for years (ever since I got rid of DTV). I'd always wondered why they fired Andrew Siciliano. Turns out they didn't.My understanding was non-Directv viewers could watch a different Red Zone on the NFL network. I never saw it.
Again though you make it sound simpler than it is, as the above article states, there are a minimum of 30 contracts that would need to be re-worked, and thats not counting Fox/TBS, etc (Even apple) to account for this massive change... Legacy TV is dying and these RSN's are not going to roll over just becauseI know what the problem is. The issue is that MLB can’t come to some sort of profit sharing agreement with the RSNs in order to stop the blackouts and make all of the streams available.
I know the NFL is structured differently from a broadcast perspective, but again, they’re killing baseball, and MLB’s streaming platform is actually quite good. Better than DirecTV’s by a mile.
Anyway, in addition to the number of parties involved making this situation difficult, varying contract lengths between teams and RSNs and the RSNs and their various distributors also play not-insignificant roles. Throw in cord cutting, carriers and RSNs both cutting costs, the growth of streaming, and MLB’s national TV deals, and you’ve got quite a sticky situation to unwind. MLB probably also wants to get this done all at once – imagine telling one fanbase that their team is now blackout-free, while other teams still have to deal with those same blackouts. It probably wouldn’t go over well in those blackout markets!
At $300 a pop, you would need over 8 million subscribers just to breakeven on the fees. I have no idea what a realistic subscriber count is but if you are going to lose a bunch of money on this, what's the business purpose.From one of the articles I read, apple withdrew from the deal as they saw no sense in this add on.
From one source:
What MLB must fix is the "extended" blackouts. Blackouts should only apply when the game is available in a local channel in your area, so if you are in NESN's area you don not get the Red Sox.While this is true, this is one game per market, and that game is on local television and you can watch it with any TV with either basic cable or an antenna. So you aren’t restricted from the game, you just have to switch inputs on your TV. Far from the case with MLB.
They do benefit from people ditching DirecTV which is sure to happen. Everyone I know that has it got it just for NFL (sure, it's a bias group but there's got to be lots of people in that boat)At $300 a pop, you would need over 8 million subscribers just to breakeven on the fees. I have no idea what a realistic subscriber count is but if you are going to lose a bunch of money on this, what's the business purpose.
I can’t get NESN. Sucks.Bro, I can’t even get YES on YouTube tv in the region.
Okay, it's 82.3% unimportant since they've played 14 of 17 games. As long as the players know when the selection is, I don't see it as an issue. Is there some player negotiating a contract and when someone proposes a bonus for making the Pro Bowl says "Wait! It's picked after 14 games? What if I go nuts in the last 3?"But it isn’t “wholly” unimportant.
First, some players have bonuses or escalators in their contracts for making the pro bowl.
Second, players do make a little extra money for being a pro bowler.
Third, when evaluating a players HOF chances, numbers of pro bowls are factored into the equation, at least in the minds of some HOF voters.
I'm just saying...why not wait until the year is actually over? What possible harm is there in it?Okay, it's 82.3% unimportant since they've played 14 of 17 games. As long as the players know when the selection is, I don't see it as an issue. Is there some player negotiating a contract and when someone proposes a bonus for making the Pro Bowl says "Wait! It's picked after 14 games? What if I go nuts in the last 3?"
NFL still selects their teams later than the other major sports.
Honestly, probably planning purposes.I'm just saying...why not wait until the year is actually over? What possible harm is there in it?
I could buy that when they had an actual Pro Bowl, but since they no longer even have it, there's literally no harm in waiting to the end of the year. Obviously I'm just complaining, and you can't do anything about it, haha. Just me thinking that it's stupid is all. Carry on.Honestly, probably planning purposes.
NBA League Pass does this, it’s $89 for 1 team vs $129.I've never understood the all-or-nothing approach to premium sports league packages. If I live in Chicago, I have to shell out hundreds of dollars just to watch the Pats games that I could watch for free if I lived in Cranston. I don't give a shit about being able to watch Cardinals or Seahawks games. I would pay a smaller fee for just Patriots games.
I get why the leagues don't want a pay-per-view model, but I think there's a third way.
Is there a team only option on the NFL Game Pass?I've never understood the all-or-nothing approach to premium sports league packages. If I live in Chicago, I have to shell out hundreds of dollars just to watch the Pats games that I could watch for free if I lived in Cranston. I don't give a shit about being able to watch Cardinals or Seahawks games. I would pay a smaller fee for just Patriots games.
I get why the leagues don't want a pay-per-view model, but I think there's a third way.
There used to be one, but I think it's gone.Is there a team only option on the NFL Game Pass?
Get people to subscribe to and not churn from YouTubeTV and get better at targeted selling ads to these folks. And prove to other leagues that it can do it. It’ll be a loss leader / retention model for a while before it becomes a profit driver, if ever.At $300 a pop, you would need over 8 million subscribers just to breakeven on the fees. I have no idea what a realistic subscriber count is but if you are going to lose a bunch of money on this, what's the business purpose.
As soon as it was announced that Directv would lose sunday ticket, I was excited because I can't wait to cancel directv.They do benefit from people ditching DirecTV which is sure to happen. Everyone I know that has it got it just for NFL (sure, it's a bias group but there's got to be lots of people in that boat)
Come on man. Some of this is true but the claim, "it's easier to use illegal streams," doesn't comply with reality.I don't reflexively hate the idea of the local blackout - "hey, watch this game on the network that paid for the rights to it" is an outdated concept, but it makes some degree of sense to consumers. However - if consumers are to play along with that, you have to make it easier for them to comply. It's not the fact that you have to watch a different broadcast partner sometimes, it's the hassle in figuring out where to go or switching back and forth between different platforms and properties that causes the friction. This is why shady streams are popular - it's every game and RZ in a single place. No thinking. MLS and Apple are banking on the utility of this kind of a deal. It's putting the fans before the broadcasters, with the idea that the pie grows when things are frictionless for the users.
A while back there was some agreement stuck and now all the networks publicize games on the other networks. CBS will show a graphic that has the NBC, ESPN and Fox logos along with game times. It must kill some old-fashioned execs to tell people to watch a rival network, but that was a fan friendly move in the best interests of the NFL. Nobody cares what network the game is on, they just want it to be easy. If the NFL can realize that even this minor step is a useful thing for everybody, there must be a way to get to figure out the rest.
I didn’t say (and don’t think) that using streams is easier, just that they are a popular option for many. Lots of stuff makes that option less attractive, no doubt - but confusion isn’t one of the issues.Come on man. Some of this is true but the claim, "it's easier to use illegal streams," doesn't comply with reality.
If pops has trouble finding what network the Sunday night game is on, (something that would take maybe 12 seconds in total to Google) how do you think he's going to do with trying to find an illegal stream and actually get it to play?
"It should be easier," he says while scouring the internet's dark corners to find illegal streams. That just seems like a justification.
The streams are more of a rounding error than anything else. The number of people who even know they exist isn't that high and they kind of suck relative to a TV.I didn’t say (and don’t think) that using streams is easier, just that they are a popular option for many. Lots of stuff makes that option less attractive, no doubt - but confusion isn’t one of the issues.
I agree 100%. I’d just like to see league rights evolve towards what MLS is about to do on AppleTV - one stop shopping. Those parties are in a position to try that; the NFL is not.The streams are more of a rounding error than anything else. The number of people who even know they exist isn't that high and they kind of suck relative to a TV.
Even pirated TV shows and movies are more of an issue because a digital copy of a show or movie replicates the original. A stream doesn't replicate the picture or the sound. And it can always drop out of nowhere. The stream life is a tough one to live by.
Participate must mean making a football move. The move Parker was making used to be called the Berbick.I guess Parker falling into a heap at the LoS when the ball was snapped would qualify as not participating in the next play for NFL purposes.
Commercial rights aren't part of the deal. Someone else will handle the streaming service for bars.I’d hate to be a sports bar manager on a Sunday trying to stream 10 games in HD on 100 tvs on YouTubeTV
Statement from Miles Austin's attorney: “The NFL suspended Miles Austin for wagering from a legal mobile account on table games and non-NFL professional sports. Miles did not wager on any NFL game in violation of the Gambling Policy for NFL Personnel."
If he had announced this 3 weeks ago the Patriots could have gifted him a commemorative varsity jacket.
He did have an episode of A-Fib this year(and his first kid), so that might have accelerated any thoughts about retirement. He'd also likely have his choice of TV gigs if he's at all interested.Watt is one of my favorite non-Patriot players of all time. At his peak, he was one of the very best defensive players to ever play the game. A complete, destructive force. In 2012, he had 39 tackles for loss, the most of any player ever since the stat has been tracked in 2001. The next best season is 29 (done twice by Watt, in 2014 and 2015, respectively). He had four seasons of at least 43 QB hits, including seasons with 51 and 50 QB hits. For comparison, Aaron Donald, Von Miller, Chandler Jones, Cameron Jordan, Justin Houston, Khalil Mack and TJ Watt never did that once. They've only had it as a stat since 2006, but to my knowledge Watt owns the four biggest seasons in terms of QB hits in NFL history, (Nick Bosa has 42 this year).
Injuries slowed him down over the years, but he is having his best season in a while and has stayed healthy, so him retiring this year is surprising a bit.
He also seems like a really cool guy, was funny when he hosted SNL, helped raise $37 million in aid following Hurricane Harvey, and has paid for the funerals of dozens of mass shooting victims.
I've always thought he might be someone who goes into politicsHe did have an episode of A-Fib this year(and his first kid), so that might have accelerated any thoughts about retirement. He'd also likely have his choice of TV gigs if he's at all interested.
I only saw him live once and he spent a lot of time pre-game playing catch with the crowd and I thought that was pretty coolI'll really miss pre-game video of a defensive end warming up with the Juggs machine.
That never made any sense to me whatsoever. The dude had 2 career interceptions. What was he trying to accomplish by warming up that way?