SBD: NBCU Favorite to Win U.S. Rights to EPL, starting in 2013-14

[stationless listener]

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Closing-Bell/2012/10/26/EPL.aspx

Sources say NBC's bid would pay the EPL around $83M per year, an amount that would more than triple the $23M per year that Fox currently pays. Sources say Fox and ESPN have been told that their joint bid was not accepted. It is not clear if the Al Jazeera network, BeIN Sport, still is in the running. The emergence of NBC Universal as the clear front-runner in this bidding process comes as a surprise. In the weeks leading up to the bidding process, NBC sources downplayed the company's interest.

Big, huge news if this thing goes as expected. This also coming at the heels of the Big East's decision not to accept a deal with ESpiN during its exclusive negotiating window with them and go to the open market starting next month.

All of a sudden, with the Formula 1 deal, the possible move of the Dan Patrick Show to NBCSN starting next week, the EPL and possibly some part of the Big East deal going ahead, some day we may no longer view NBCSN as a complete joke of a sports network. Don't get me wrong, with all those things they still have a way to go to threaten ESpiN's dominance but once other sports leagues see that they have other options then things will get more interesting. And this is what ESpiN is deathly afraid of.

One organization that should be watching closely is MLS. If Fox Soccer loses the EPL long-term then Fox will be forced to compete for properties that they may not have shown interest in before, like the Big East and MLS. Fox Soccer might get re-branded but "Fox Sports One" will still need content to fill out hours in certain months and this is where college basketball and domestic soccer could help out.

[PTBoardOp94]

Don't get me wrong, with all those things they still have a way to go to threaten ESpiN's dominance but once other sports leagues see that they have other options then things will get more interesting. And this is what ESpiN is deathly afraid of.

This is partly why most of ESPN's content deals recently have been for five or more years.  ESPN is trying to hedge its bets by holding onto properties like Monday Night Football through 2021.

[radiojomo]

While not as an amazing grab as MLB rights, this will definitely add hours and hours of must watch programming to both NBC Sports Network's schedule and possibly NBC's schedule. I don't know about you guys, but it seems that EPL is getting more popular in the United States and this is the right move for NBC. Also a good move adding Dan Patrick in the mornings, it would be a great compliment to The Lights. NBC should also think about adding Nick and Artie on late nights.

[Fenway1912]

NBCSN still needs a major sport (sorry NHL) so they can in turn charge cable operators more.

NBA expires in 2016 and they have to try and outbid Turner.

[Nate Wesley]

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Closing-Bell/2012/10/26/EPL.aspx

Sources say NBC's bid would pay the EPL around $83M per year, an amount that would more than triple the $23M per year that Fox currently pays. Sources say Fox and ESPN have been told that their joint bid was not accepted. It is not clear if the Al Jazeera network, BeIN Sport, still is in the running. The emergence of NBC Universal as the clear front-runner in this bidding process comes as a surprise. In the weeks leading up to the bidding process, NBC sources downplayed the company's interest.

Big, huge news if this thing goes as expected. This also coming at the heels of the Big East's decision not to accept a deal with ESpiN during its exclusive negotiating window with them and go to the open market starting next month.

All of a sudden, with the Formula 1 deal, the possible move of the Dan Patrick Show to NBCSN starting next week, the EPL and possibly some part of the Big East deal going ahead, some day we may no longer view NBCSN as a complete joke of a sports network. Don't get me wrong, with all those things they still have a way to go to threaten ESpiN's dominance but once other sports leagues see that they have other options then things will get more interesting. And this is what ESpiN is deathly afraid of.

One organization that should be watching closely is MLS. If Fox Soccer loses the EPL long-term then Fox will be forced to compete for properties that they may not have shown interest in before, like the Big East and MLS. Fox Soccer might get re-branded but "Fox Sports One" will still need content to fill out hours in certain months and this is where college basketball and domestic soccer could help out.

So which Big East team do you root for, and how long have you been a poster at BigEastBBS?   

[ixnay]

I'll miss Ian Darke.

ixnay

[mgsports]

NFL on Saturday's Afternoon's in December. They have MLS. Bring the other Radio Shows on NBC Sports Radio Channel to the TV and also do Sports America to complete against Sportscenter.
Know ESPN can fill big East space with other College Basketball Games and NBCU can pick up the Big East Games and also Jay Bilis from ESPN to call them.
CBS would get the NBA before NBC gets it back.

[landtuna]

While not as an amazing grab as MLB rights, this will definitely add hours and hours of must watch programming to both NBC Sports Network's schedule and possibly NBC's schedule. I don't know about you guys, but it seems that EPL is getting more popular in the United States and this is the right move for NBC. Also a good move adding Dan Patrick in the mornings, it would be a great compliment to The Lights. NBC should also think about adding Nick and Artie on late nights.

If anything, soccer is even more boring to watch than baseball and golf.  What is growing in the USA at present is the Mexican-based teams and their fans who also watch MLS games.  Whether any interest exists for EPL is still a question.  As yet it certainly isn't a national interest.

[PTBoardOp94]

I don't know about "national interest" but the ratings for European soccer on American TV have been decent.  Coverage of the EPL on ESPN is less popular than primetime baseball, but not by much.  The best rated soccer matches have exceeded the worst rated baseball, but on average baseball wins by 2:1.

[stationless listener]

So which Big East team do you root for, and how long have you been a poster at BigEastBBS?   

I'll admit that I've read it, even though I'm not partial towards any of the Big East's teams. However, Big East basketball is still somewhat of a big deal to the red-letter network and this would be one of the few ways to hurt their egos. It's always about the same 3 or 4 sports to them (or overhyping certain athletes who play in those sports). Sportscenter will never hype up hockey, association football or a few other so-called minor sports unless they have to.

Admittedly, there are more options to watch what I like than even 5 years ago but I still can't deny the power "the machine" has. I would blame that more on the idiots who can't see beyond four letters than anything else.