MLS Signs 8-year deals with ESPN, Fox, and Univision worth $90 million / year

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/05/12/Media/MLS-TV.aspx

With new media deals, league heads into future with big revenue increase, consistent schedule

By John Ourand & Christopher Botta, Staff Writers

Published May 12, 2014, Page 1

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A watershed moment in Major League Soccer’s 18-year history will occur this week, as the league is poised to announce new media rights deals that will bring in far more revenue and lead to a consistent, streamlined television schedule.

The eight-year deals with ESPN, Fox and Univision are priced five times higher than the average annual value of the league’s current media deals. 

Super Bowl, Cable Nets Drive Growth for 21st Century Fox

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Fox's results are helped by the Super Bowl. Above, the company's sign outside its Los Angeles studio.REUTERS

21st Century Fox Inc. FOXA -0.89% posted solid operating profit growth for the March quarter, driven by its cable networks business and advertising revenue from the Fox broadcast network's airing of the Super Bowl.  

FOX Sports North’s 10th Annual Kids in the City Event Raises Over $120,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs

FOX SPORTS SUPPORTS THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS

FOX Sports North has embraced the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities as one of their key charity partners for over 10 years.

Since 2005, FOX Sports North has maintained and promoted the "All-Star Program" at eight different Clubs throughout the Twin Cities.  Each month, one youth ages 8 – 13 years old, from each Club is honored as a FOX Sports North All-Star. (selected based on participation and success in one or more of the 3 priority outcome areas—Academic Success, Good Character & Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles)

At the end of the year, all of the FOX Sports North Youth All-Stars earn the opportunity to attend “Kids in the City” –an event designed to reward the kids and serve as a major fundraiser for the organization.  

The event has helped raise nearly a million dollars over the past 10 years.

• WATCH FEATURE: http://youtu.be/z4XxynMEmg 

New Clippers owner would face local TV talks

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/05/05/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Clippers-TV.aspx

By John Ourand, Staff Writer 

The Los Angeles Clippers’ local TV deal with Prime Ticket runs for another two seasons, putting negotiations for a new deal atop the to-do list of any new owner of the franchise. 

Social's growing stature in sports media ad sales

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/05/05/In-Depth/Media-Upfront.aspx

Network ad execs say social media deals, though small, are now vital to advertisers

By John Ourand, Staff Writer 

As ESPN ad sales executive Eric Johnson drove home from the Super Bowl to his suburban New York home in February, he looked to the New York City skyline and breathed a sigh of relief.

The Empire State Building was lit up in Seattle Seahawks colors, just as ESPN’s viewers had predicted a few days earlier as part of ESPN’s most popular Twitter-based ad sales campaign to date. Through a deal with Verizon, ESPN encouraged its viewers to use the social media platform to vote on the colors that would be used to light up the Empire State Building — either the Seahawks’ blue and green or the Broncos’ blue and orange.  

In Fox deal, USC finds strength in going solo

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/05/05/Colleges/USC-Fox.aspx

By Michael Smith, Staff Writer

IMG College and Learfield Sports, the two most dominant multimedia rights holders in college sports, have spent the better part of three years trying to outdo each other. Fox Sports, meanwhile, owns the rights at one school — the University of Southern California — and the sports media giant is perfectly happy with that. 

AT&T Has Approached DirecTV About Possible Acquisition

April 30, 2014 11:05 p.m. ET
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An AT&T and DirectTV deal would likely be worth at least $40 billion. Getty Images

AT&T T +0.79% has approached DirecTV DTV +1.32% about a possible acquisition of the satellite TV firm, say people familiar with the situation, the latest sign of a possible shakeup in the television industry.

A combination of AT&T with satellite TV firm DirecTV would create a pay television giant close in size to where Comcast Corp. CMCSA +0.41% will be if it completes its pending acquisition of Time Warner Cable. TWC +0.09%