Retrans Revenue Expected to Reach $6 Billion by 2018

By Robin Flynn

We have updated our industry retransmission fees projections, and now expect that TV station owners retrans fee revenues could reach $6 billion by 2018 versus the $2.36 billion projected this year. 

As of 2015, we are projecting that retrans revenues could reach $4.28 billion versus the $3.9 billion in our November 2011 forecast, indicating an increase in the projected numbers versus our last forecast. By 2015, that $4.28 billion approaches 10% of the total $43.0 billion that multichannel operators are projected to pay in affiliate fees to basic cable and regional sports networks.

Industry Insiders Discuss Low Awareness of TV Everywhere

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

By Deana Myers

TV Everywhere is still a long way from extensive content availability and widespread adoption. In the meantime, industry executives speaking at the CTAM Summit held Oct. 14-16 in Orlando, Fla., agree that upping usage among those who already have the service is vital.

FSN to Stop Distributing "Dan Patrick Show" This Week

By John Ourand, Staff Writer

Fox Sports Networks said it will not distribute "The Dan Patrick Show" after tomorrow. The two sides failed to reach an agreement that would have FSN continue to distribute the show to more than two dozen affiliates. Fox Sports VP/Communications Chris Bellitti said, "We thought we were a good fit for the show considering our broad distribution across the country, but unfortunately, we couldn't agree on terms for a new deal. Instead, we view this as an opportunity to develop a consistent block of collegiate programming featuring the best games from the prior weekend." 

DirecTV produces the show, but it has relied on FSN to distribute it to RSNs across the country. A source says the show still is in talks with other potential distributors, including NBC Sports Group, but nothing is finalized. In August, NBC Sports Group dropped all FSN programming, including "The Dan Patrick Show" from its Comcast SportsNet RSN.

QR Code Returns to the FOX Sports North TV Screen

Last winter, FOX Sports North delivered a new and never-before-seen interactive experience for college hockey fans.  The network posted a QR code on the televison screen during the WCHA Final Five Tournament,  resulting in thousands of scans/views. View previous Spotlight

• A merging of Phizzle and SnappyTV, the QR code brings fans instant highlights from a live telecast.
• The structure works on all platforms to match the diverse technology used by viewers (iPhones, iPads, Android and Blackberry).

FOX Sports North integrated the QR code into a new season of college hockey, posting the QR code during University of Minnesota Gopher Hockey telecasts Oct. 12 and Oct. 13.

• Total Number of Clips:20
• Total Number of Views: 3,294
• Highest Viewed Clip: 1,008 WATCH

FOX Sports North will continue to promote the QR codes on screen during Gopher Hockey telecasts this season and will also explore in-arena marketing/PR opportunities to reach fans watching the game live.

Learn more about QR Codes: 

ESPN focuses on BCS, Big East media rights

By Michael Smith & John Ourand, Staff Writers

Published October 15, 2012, Page 3

Font Size   Resize SmallResize NormalResize Large  |  Print  |  Share  |   

Get ready for more changes in the college sports media landscape. The BCS, Big East and SEC are in the middle of negotiations that have the potential to reshape the marketplace yet again.

NASCAR Set to Announce New Rights Deal with Fox

By Tripp Mickle & John Ourand, Staff Writers

Page 1

Font Size   Resize SmallResize NormalResize Large  |  Print  |  Share  |   

Fox and NASCAR have finalized an eight-year extension of their TV rights agreement, ensuring that Fox will continue to air the Daytona 500 and first half of the NASCAR season through 2022.

ESPN.com Tops ComScore Rankings; NBC Sports Plummets

By Eric Fisher, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

ESPN.com returned to the top of the monthly comScore reach rankings for just the second time since '08, heading the list in September with a total of 47.07 million unique visitors. Yahoo Sports fell to second with 42.98 million uniques. The latest totals repeated a dynamic seen last September when ESPN broke Yahoo's hold of 41 consecutive months leading the chart. Turner Sports Digital rose from 11th in August to seventh last month, as its total of 18.93 million uniques included for the first time the traffic of Bleacher Report,which Turner purchased over the summer. NBC Sports, without the sizable traffic bump from the Summer Olympics, fell from fourth in August to ninth last month with a total of 14.63 million uniques, less than half its total from the prior month. The NFL Internet Group continued its ascent with the arrival of football season, rising from 12th in July and sixth in August to fourth last month. In addition to the reach win, ESPN.com retained its usual large lead in consumption with an average of 95.7 minutes per visitor.

TOP SPORTS SITES FOR SEPTEMBER RANKED BY UNIQUE VISITORS
RANK	SITE(S)	UNIQUES (000)
1	ESPN.com	47,072
2	Yahoo Sports*	42,978
3	FoxSports.com on MSN	36,492
4	NFL Internet Group	28,028
5	USA Today Sports Media Group**	24,036
6	CBSSports.com	23,306
7	Turner Sports Digital***	18,862
8	MLB	13,606
9	NBC Sports^	12,430
10	SB Nation	10,113
11	Sports Illustrated sites	10,026
12	Sporting News on AOL	8,630
13	Active.com sites	6,350
14	Jump TV/NeuLion	5,195
15	Big Lead Sports by FSV	5,093

End of SBD article.

Misc. highlights, courtesy of Pam Kelly, FOX Sports Programming & Research

FOXSports.com on MSN Year-over-Year (YoY) Highlights:

• FOXSports.com on MSN saw 36.5 million unique visitors in September 2012, up 6% over last year (but down 19%  from August’s Olympics-boosted record 45 million unique visitors.)  

• FOX Sports’ digital network fared better than NBC Sports who took a -61% post-Olympics dive to 12.4 million unique visitors and dropped 5 positions to #9 in the sports category. 

• Yardbarker attracted 21.6MM unique visitors in September 2012, increasing 17% over last  year. 

• FOX Soccer saw the largest percentage gain, growing 161% to 3.1 MM unique visitors and outperforming ESPN FC at 2.6 MM.