http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/21766966/disney-fox-deal-add-22-regional-sports-networks-espn
I am not quite sure I understand what Disney and ESPN are trying to do here....
"The deal is worth $52.4 billion in stock, plus another $13.7 billion in net debt that Disney is assuming.
The sports networks include the YES Network in New York, Prime Ticket and Fox Sports West in Los Angeles, and networks that carry 44 professional teams in Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL.
...
As part of the deal, 21st Century Fox retained the Fox television network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Channel, FS1, FS2 and the Big Ten Network. They will be part of a newly listed company after the close of the deal."
ESPN is already in trouble financially, they are shedding their talent, and now they pick up more debt? I could see this if they were getting great channels in return, but it seems to me that they have picked up regional interests rather than national programing, which in many markets ebbs and flows with the wins and losses.
I could be all wrong here, and there are better minds at work in this than mine I am sure, but it seems that Disney/ESPN is grasping for something... and that they have just made FOX's position stronger while not helping themselves out all that much. Why do I care? Because of the SEC Network and all the Mizzou games that are on ESPN. I don't want to see more cutbacks in talent, or the temptation to not show Mizzou games outside of the regional market become a reality.
Any thoughts? Or is this just much ado about nothing?
I am not quite sure I understand what Disney and ESPN are trying to do here....
"The deal is worth $52.4 billion in stock, plus another $13.7 billion in net debt that Disney is assuming.
The sports networks include the YES Network in New York, Prime Ticket and Fox Sports West in Los Angeles, and networks that carry 44 professional teams in Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL.
...
As part of the deal, 21st Century Fox retained the Fox television network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Channel, FS1, FS2 and the Big Ten Network. They will be part of a newly listed company after the close of the deal."
ESPN is already in trouble financially, they are shedding their talent, and now they pick up more debt? I could see this if they were getting great channels in return, but it seems to me that they have picked up regional interests rather than national programing, which in many markets ebbs and flows with the wins and losses.
I could be all wrong here, and there are better minds at work in this than mine I am sure, but it seems that Disney/ESPN is grasping for something... and that they have just made FOX's position stronger while not helping themselves out all that much. Why do I care? Because of the SEC Network and all the Mizzou games that are on ESPN. I don't want to see more cutbacks in talent, or the temptation to not show Mizzou games outside of the regional market become a reality.
Any thoughts? Or is this just much ado about nothing?
