SVG Summit: As Fox Deal Looms, ESPN President John Skipper Hits on Sports Media's Hot-Button Issues In Keynote Conversation, Skipper also touched on ESPN Plus, ballooning sports rights, Total Audience ratings By SVG Staff
Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - 5:51 pm
Print This Story
Story Highlights
As reports of Disney's rumored $60 billion acquisition in 20th Century Fox engulf the M&E industry this week, ESPN President/Disney Media Networks Co-Chairman John Skipper took the stage to close out the 12th-annual SVG Summit. Though declining to comment on any reports related to the deal, he used the Summit's Closing Keynote Conversation as an opportunity to address a wide range of topics, including the upcoming launch of its ESPN Plus direct-to-consumer OTT service, the ballooning costs of sports rights, the network's shift to Nielsen's Total Audience measurement, its soon-to-launch new studio at NYC's South Street Seaport, and the current state of sports journalism.
Here are some highlights from the conversation with SVG Executive Director, Editorial, Ken Kerschbaumer:
On Disney's upcoming launch of the ESPN+ direct-to-consumer OTT service:
It's pretty clear that the technology of distributing video is going over the top, and that's where we're going with this. We bought in BAMTech, the world's greatest video-platform service for streaming live events, and we're going to launch a direct-to-consumer over-the-top service sometime this spring. We're going launch a new version of the [free, authenticated] ESPN app this spring, which is going to be the best way to consume the totality of ESPN in the future.
In addition, we are launching a complimentary product called ESPN Plus, and it is the way to take all the stuff you love about ESPN and add more to it. Within the first year, we will have an aggregation of 10,000 new live events on ESPN Plus. That means we will distribute more than 25,000 events next year. It will also have a large collection of video on demand. You think of it in two buckets: a bunch more games, [including] e niche sports, and a Netflix-like aggregation of multi-part docuseries and behind-the-scenes [content].
What we're really doing is preparing to thrive in the future however the business models, the way people consume content evolves. So, however the world evolves, we can adapt; we can move our content around if necessary. Make no mistake, we want to take the most value out of the current system as possible but be prepared with optionality if we need to move into a different world.
We will certainly be charging a monthly fee, with a yearly price that's a partial discount. We have not decided on the price. What's most important to us is to get the product and the technology right, to get the app improved and downloaded by more people, and to begin to aggregate subscribers with their credit-card information.
On the impact of digital MVPDs and cord-cutting:
What we have begun to see - and we believe that we will continue to see this trend - is that the digital over-the-top MVPDs are beginning to have a significant offset for the traditional sub losses.
We can't see the future, but we think we can see what the options are going to be in the future, and we want to build a leading platform. I do believe that you're going to need to have over-the-top services. We do continue to drive dramatic value from the traditional pay-television system, and we have supplemented that with being the first mover, which we did with Dish when we launched Sling, in launching an over-the-top service. In these universes, we have 100% penetration. Which means that, if DirecTV Now has a million subscribers, we have a million subscribers.
ESPN adopting the Nielsen's Total Audience metric:
We think the single most important thing to measure is what our total audience is for our linear presentations. And we've been working with Nielsen for years to get what they now call Total Live Audience, which came out eight weeks ago. It takes the traditional Nielsen homes, puts the digital MVPDs with it, puts out-of-home with it, and puts ESPN streaming with it. I'm proud that we're the first customer. We've worked with them to develop it because we judged that we would be the greatest beneficiary of this. We don't have less people watching ESPN than last year; we have more. It just turns out they're watching in different ways. You add all those together, and our audience is bigger than ever. And importantly, 46% of the people watching on those new ways are millennials.
So the dialogue that millennials aren't watching video, aren't watching television, is not accurate; they're simply watching it in a different way than we did. And this is a very important new measurement that we believe is going to help us. We're going to sell against this. Because Nielsen measures it, it has credibility and relevance to the agencies and advertisers, and we expect to see some dramatic benefit.
It raised our total-day audience 14% and primetime audience 3%. We'll go into the market and sell off this new currency, because it is going to be accepted by marketers. And we do believe ESPN is the best remaining live aggregation of audiences on sports. Last year, among the top-100 rating shows on television, 93 of them were sports. Last year, sports won the night 216 days out of 365, and ESPN won it 80 days of those 216. We think that trend will continue and it will be among the very last places you can get a large aggregated live audience to run your movie ads on Thursday night for a Friday opening.
On ESPN's massive NBA-rights deal:
It is a ridiculous notion that we misunderstood the market for the NBA, that we miscalculated what would be appropriate pay for the NBA, or that the world was changing i
North America Stories
23/04/2024
IN ADDITION TO FICTION AND DOCUMENTARY FEATURES, THE SELECTION INCLUDES:
PRO...
23/04/2024
LONDON IBC is now accepting nominations for its IBC2024 Innovation Awards, which honor achievements in technological innovation and social impact media & entert...
23/04/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. In response to the introduction of the Broadcast VOICES Act that seeks to encourage more diversity in the ownership of TV and radio stations, t...
23/04/2024
MIAMI, Fla. As part of a push to expand its FAST channel and streaming operations, Hemisphere Media Group has launched its free ad supported television (FAST) c...
23/04/2024
LOS ANGELES DirecTV is adding seven new channels to its rapidly expanding streaming lineup through new licensing agreements with Cineverse Corp. and Scripps Net...
23/04/2024
IBC is preparing to honour the highest achievements in technological innovation and social impact with the launch of its prestigious IBC2024 Innovation Awards, ...
23/04/2024
BREA, Calif. Bolin Technology is integrating Network Device Interface (NDI) across its product line, bringing support for the latest NDI technologies to its PTZ...
23/04/2024
WYOMISSING, Pa. PENN Entertainment has announced that longtime Disney and ESPN executive Aaron LaBerge has been named chief technology officer effective July 1,...
23/04/2024
In response to an FCC ruling in March proposing a $1.2 million fine against Nexstar and a ruling that Mission Broadcasting sell WPIX, Nexstar has filled a respo...
23/04/2024
Sony has announced new details about how the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is using Sony's Ci Media Cloud platform to streamline its workflows and spe...
23/04/2024
Esports' rapid rise to popularity can be attributed to many factors, from technological advancements that have enhanced the quality of modern gaming experie...
23/04/2024
OpenDrives, Inc., the global provider of software-defined media workflow solutions and data management capabilities, has been selected as a winner in the 2024 N...
23/04/2024
BCNEXXT is pleased to announce that Vpe has won the 2024 NAB Show Product of the Year Award in the Asset Management, Automation and Playout category. The offici...
23/04/2024
Gravity Media, a world leading global provider of complex live creative production and media services, today outlined the broadcast technology and television pr...
23/04/2024
Scality, a global leader in cyber-resilient storage for the AI era, today announced the appointment of Peter Brennan as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Scality...
23/04/2024
Blackmagic Design today announced ATEM 1 M/E Constellation 4K and ATEM 2 M/E Constellation 4K switchers, two new Ultra HD models of the ATEM Constellation famil...
23/04/2024
Blackmagic Design today announced Blackmagic Videohub 120x120 12G, the newest model in the Videohub 12G router family. The massive Blackmagic Videohub 120x120 1...
23/04/2024
Blackmagic Design today announced new lower prices for Blackmagic Video Assist 3G and 12G models. Customers can save US$200 on all models. These lower prices ma...
23/04/2024
Adder Technology continues to shine brightly, with its groundbreaking product, the ADDERLink INFINITY 3000 (ALIF3000), once again taking center stage. Hot on t...
23/04/2024
Pliant Technologies' CRP-C12 Compact Radio Pack is an Audio Production, Processing and Networking category winner in the 2024 NAB Show Product of the Year A...
23/04/2024
SipRadius, the specialists in live media transport and transcoding, will showcase their world-leading implementation of AV1 and JPEG-XS over transport streams a...
23/04/2024
Composer Rafael Krux has added a Prism Sound Dream ADA-128 modular conversion system to his production studio where he creates music for commercials, trailers, ...
23/04/2024
PMC proudly provides the ultimate large-scale Dolby Atmos audio system for the legendary musician Steven Wilson at the High End, Munich. He will share his exten...
23/04/2024
Particles emitting from a 3D rotating shape's edge
Graham Quince April 22, 2024
0 Comments
In Fixin' FX, people send me their problematic proj...
23/04/2024
Hollyland Technology Announces a New Line of Video Transmitters: Introducing the...
23/04/2024
Charlotte Deleste, anchor at WISC Madison, Wisconsin, is leaving the station. Her final day on the air is April 24. Deleste has spent 18 years there....
23/04/2024
Top WNBA draft choice Caitlin Clark will appear on local broadcast for 17 games next season in a deal between Tegna and the Indiana Fever....
23/04/2024
Soccer's Appeal to Younger Audiences: Inside the Gamification of European Fo...
23/04/2024
With NBA and NHL Playoffs in Full Swing, Never a Dull Moment for TNT Sports Prod...
23/04/2024
NAB 2024: AT&T Business's Scott Beckett Details Transmission Firepower With ...
23/04/2024
NAB 2024: Manufacturers focus on cinematic look for live productions By George Bevir
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 - 10:40
Print This Story
With live sports pro...
23/04/2024
Save the Date: SVG Sports Content Management Forum Returns to NYC on July 24 By SVG Staff
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 - 4:05 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
...
23/04/2024
Back to All News
Who's In for Something Really Fun ? The Curtain Rises on ...
23/04/2024
Back to All News
Celebrating World Book Day: How Netflix Adaptations Are Driving Bestseller Lists
Entertainment
23 April 2024
Global
Link copied to clipboa...
23/04/2024
Back to All News
Top 10 Week of Apr. 15: Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver&...
23/04/2024
Submissions for the 2024 HPA Engineering Excellence Awards are now being accepted. This renowned accolade recognizes and celebrates innovation and outstanding t...
23/04/2024
Haivision video wall, ISR, and DoDIN APL-certified video distribution solutions enable real-time awareness for decision making in defense environments
MONTREAL...
22/04/2024
The Nexstar Media Group has decided not to renew affiliation agreements for The CW broadcast network with stations owned by Scripps in seven markets....
22/04/2024
INDIANAPOLIS and Tysons, Va. In the wake of record viewing levels for the NCAA Women's Championship games, Tegna has announced that it has signed an agreeme...
22/04/2024
Digital Domain Unveils Masquerade3 : Revolutionary Markerless Facial Motion Cap...
22/04/2024
Pixotope brings the power of Unreal Engine to automated and news broadcast graph...
22/04/2024
Brand New Color Slice tool in DaVinci Resolve 19!
Kasia Jarco April 22, 2024
0 Comments
In this video i would like to show you the newest Color Slice ...
22/04/2024
Apple Motion's Best-Kept Secret
Simon Ubsdell April 22, 2024
0 Comments
A seriously useful technique that I have employed in many of my tutorials ...
22/04/2024
After Thursday night's sneak peek, the National Academy of Television Arts a...
22/04/2024
Nexstar Media Group said it does not intend to renew the affiliations of The CW stations owned by the E.W. Scripps Co. in seven markets....
22/04/2024
WRAL-TV Anchor/Reporter Brian Shrader made a big announcement on Friday, April 19, 2024. After 16 years as morning traffic anchor, Shrader will be moving to ...
22/04/2024
Prime Video has ordered a second season of Fallout. The show, based on a videogame and set 200 years after the apocalypse, comes from Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Jo...
22/04/2024
CBS News and Stations debuts a multi-part investigation called Anything For Love: Inside the Romance Scam Epidemic Sunday, April 21. Airing across CBS News and ...
22/04/2024
Fremantle said it hired Jeff Boone as VP of scripted development, a new post at the company....
SVG Summit: As Fox Deal Looms, ESPN President John Skipper Hits on Sports Media's Hot-Button Issues In Keynote Conversation, Skipper also touched on ESPN Plus, ballooning sports rights, Total Audience ratings By SVG Staff 
