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ESPN loses over 3 million subscribers over the past year
- Thread starter Kinsella
- Start date
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old
Member
A year? Ha! Are you European?
Basic cable packages in my area are $60-$80 depending on provider. Then internet on top of that. Then after taxes and set top box rental, it's usually around $120-$150 a month depending on provider. Usually a barebones package (networks plus QVC and C-Span type channels) with 10 Mbps for around $100 a month.
Or I can get a decent internet-only plan for $35 a month.
CharlieDigital
Banned
Yup, this is about right.
Each of those boxes is like $12/mo. If you have an HD+DVR box, that's closer to $16-20/mo.
You're looking at $30-40/mo. just in boxes if you have two TV's. Add the fees and taxes and that's easily $50, 55. Leaving about $90 for the base cost of the plan for Internet and TV.
This is why I cancelled cable this year and my mom as well. I realized that we simply didn't watch $150 worth of TV/mo.
Sample bill from last year:
These people aren't dropping their internet.
shadowstar
Member
I can't stand ESPN. Their analysis sucks and they just ride the same teams, same stories, and gossip all the time. They use ridiculous arguments like "heart," "will to win," or "this team just wanted it more" far too often because they hire idiot ex-athletes as commentators.
Also, anyone who would give Skip Bayless a job must have zero integrity.
Also, anyone who would give Skip Bayless a job must have zero integrity.
Don't they also hold the records for lowest watched football games in history?
Jay Shadow
Member
I won't believe this until Chris Broussard's sources confirm it
CharlieDigital
Banned
After dropping cable:
Ok?
Yup, this is about right.
Each of those boxes is like $12/mo. If you have an HD+DVR box, that's closer to $16-20/mo.
You're looking at $30-40/mo. just in boxes if you have two TV's. Add the fees and taxes and that's easily $50, 55. Leaving about $90 for the base cost of the plan for Internet and TV.
This is why I cancelled cable this year and my mom as well. I realized that we simply didn't watch $150 worth of TV/mo.
Sample bill from last year:
Ah ok, I thought that was just referring to the price of ESPN per month. Yes, getting rid of cable TV all together will save you that.
$150/month sounds about right unless you got some kind deal. They charge you for the hd-pvr which is like $20 a month. So if you have two or three boxes that like $40- $60 before taxes and after it would probably be around $60-$80. That all before you pick a package so you can get to $150/month quite easily.
CharlieDigital
Banned
You were overpaying quite a bit. I have Preferred (Prime renamed) and 25/25 for $79.99/mo. After taxes and fees it's $112 (with 1 HD DVR). Still too much for my liking. I signed another contract in October before DirecTV had WatchESPN that I could bum off my parents, or Sling even existed.
Definitely not signing again.
In the US; everyone is kidding themselves if they think this will end. Because the main reason people can cord cut is because they stream stuff online / use internet instead. But...the vast majority of internet is run by the cable companies. The cable companies will just start charging insane prices for internet as people cord cut; and the bandwidth caps should be coming soon.
CharlieDigital
Banned
Maybe you're not from the US, but you can't just get rid of ESPN. It's usually in a package with a lot of other stuff that you would want.
I was out of the promotional period and calling Verizon threatening to go to Comcast wasn't working (who am I kidding, I love my sweet, sweet fiber). Reps on the phone are pretty much like "OK, I triple dog dare you".
Exactly. The cable companies already have in terms of service agreement that they have bandwidth caps in place. They are just not enforcing them yet at less cox cable isn't I know for sure. I get email from them saying that I am either getting close to the cap limit or over but they don't do anything else. One day they will start and the shit will hit the fan.
Comcast has been unable to because of the NBC deal (gov't stopped them from doing so for a few years as part of the terms) - but they're getting ready to do it now.
Yeah, I got my rate online a month or so before the contract was up. I've seen online that where they used to do everything to keep you, now they take that triple dog dare attitude. Honestly, I'm looking forward to Frontier taking over the service in Texas. They prefer you just have internet without TV (much cheaper than Verizon). Only question is how reliable their network will be.
When did I question it was a significant savings? The point of discussion was the supposed $150/month savings by dropping cable TV (or at least a package with ESPN). The poster I quoted included the price of Internet, which isn't appropriate since, yes, all of these "cord cutters" are likely keeping their internet. Although even if they did cut out Internet, that wouldn't have to do with ESPN.
I also question that anyone in America is paying close to $150/month just for cable TV that doesn't include some insane number of premium channels.
I am paying $240 a month with premium channels. It is ridiculous.
Basically, same as it ever was?
For just cable TV? Even if so, you are also paying for premiums, which is a separate thing from ESPN.
If you are paying that for just TV I don't know how you put up with it.
ViperVisor
Member
It is nearly impossible to dumb things down for the mass audience and not annoy your base support.
NFL Sunday morning shows are ground zero. Those have ballooned to marathons and they are a jamboree of crap. They please or offend nobody. ESPN splinters substance on football Betting, Fantasy, and Game performance analysis off onto other parts of the network.
ESPN + NBA is a match made in Hell.
2 months and 2 weeks matter all year. They somehow stretch that to 9 months of coverage.
Kobe Bryant has scored less points in 2 years than Anthony Tolliver. Robbie Hummel has played more minutes. But he is well known so hammer the buzz words "Kobe" and "Lakers" despite complete irrelevance.
NFL Sunday morning shows are ground zero. Those have ballooned to marathons and they are a jamboree of crap. They please or offend nobody. ESPN splinters substance on football Betting, Fantasy, and Game performance analysis off onto other parts of the network.
ESPN + NBA is a match made in Hell.
2 months and 2 weeks matter all year. They somehow stretch that to 9 months of coverage.
Kobe Bryant has scored less points in 2 years than Anthony Tolliver. Robbie Hummel has played more minutes. But he is well known so hammer the buzz words "Kobe" and "Lakers" despite complete irrelevance.
McHuj
Member
Maybe cost of cable wouldn't be so bad if I were (and I'm not for over a year) allowed to buy my own equipment instead of renting it. For internet they let me buy my own cable modem instead of renting theirs. It was around $75 and it's already paid off versus renting theirs.
They keep calling me now with a "great deal" that just for $20 more I could get TV. I just hang up.
They keep calling me now with a "great deal" that just for $20 more I could get TV. I just hang up.
This for premier tv package with internet (preferred internet not premium internet or ultimate internet) and premium channels from cox cable.
Right. But you can't include the Internet fee as savings for cutting a package with ESPN (or cutting TV entirely). That was my point. And the $150 seems awfully high for just TV unless, like you, you have a top shelf package. In which case, you can't really single out ESPN for the cost of your bill as much.
I was thinking about Sling this fall, too. Thought it would be an affordable complement to my Netflix subscription and the antenna mounted on top of my garage. Now I'm worried. =\ ESPN is one of the main reasons I wanted Sling college football games, MNF and the occasional SportsCenter would be nice.
Correct but I think someone said that disney forces you have include other channels which has their own added cost when you get ESPN. But like you said it would not account to such high cost still.
megarockexe
Member
Yeah. I think this infographic is still relevant.
http://www.businessinsider.com/these-6-corporations-control-90-of-the-media-in-america-2012-6
Vigilant Walrus
Member
I think ESPN owes E-Sport an apology. Those anchors sounded really dumb when they shat on it.
jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
There's a lot of factors at play here.
A. your cable company is screwing you when you lease gear from them. Buy your gear (modem, DVR) and you'll save a ton monthly and in the long run.
Once that's out of the way, the cable bill itself isn't horrific considering the amount of content you get, but it's not cheap either:
HBO and ESPN are apples to oranges, HBO was always a premium channel you added on for 15 bucks to your existing cable. Anyone who had it was paying a specific amount for that set of channels and generally wanted it.
ESPN has zero reason to do this. They already get 6 bucks a month from every person who subscribes to a cable package including them. And that's still 90 million plus. Any eventual a la carte streaming ESPN package will be starting at 20-30 dollars per month for access.
Basically this, the cable companies need to keep live sports intact, and live sports need the cable companies. So they'll work together. ESPN has a terrific streaming option, they could easily sell passwords to it, but it'd destroy their primary business driver.
And make no mistake, it's not the studio shows and Sportscenter that let's ESPN charge what they do, it's the NBA games, the College Football schedule and playoffs, the Monday Night Football. All of that makes ESPN a must-have channel for sport fans.
I won't ditch cable due to live sporting events, and there are millions more out there like that.
A. your cable company is screwing you when you lease gear from them. Buy your gear (modem, DVR) and you'll save a ton monthly and in the long run.
Once that's out of the way, the cable bill itself isn't horrific considering the amount of content you get, but it's not cheap either:
HBO and ESPN are apples to oranges, HBO was always a premium channel you added on for 15 bucks to your existing cable. Anyone who had it was paying a specific amount for that set of channels and generally wanted it.
ESPN has zero reason to do this. They already get 6 bucks a month from every person who subscribes to a cable package including them. And that's still 90 million plus. Any eventual a la carte streaming ESPN package will be starting at 20-30 dollars per month for access.
Basically this, the cable companies need to keep live sports intact, and live sports need the cable companies. So they'll work together. ESPN has a terrific streaming option, they could easily sell passwords to it, but it'd destroy their primary business driver.
And make no mistake, it's not the studio shows and Sportscenter that let's ESPN charge what they do, it's the NBA games, the College Football schedule and playoffs, the Monday Night Football. All of that makes ESPN a must-have channel for sport fans.
I won't ditch cable due to live sporting events, and there are millions more out there like that.
But right now they have 90+ million subscribers at $6+ a month
twinturbo2
butthurt Heat fan
I checked, Sling TV doesn't have Fox Sports 1 or NBC Sports Network. Hopefully that'll change soon.
This and their force feeding of sports nobody in America cares about is a horrible business model.
Also the new "shows" are awful, they cover Nfl too much during baseball season. They need to show more games, stop trying to cater to women, stop showing what athletes tweeted today.
MultiJhonny
Banned
I just can't stand ESPN anymore. its just stupid shit thrown at you the same way over and over. For cable sports stuff I just watch the dedicated sports channels in season like MLBN or NBATV unless sadly there are live events that I want to watch on ESPN like the 2016 Euros, or any interesting baseball, basketball etc. game on
EatinOlives
Member
This. Their biggest problem is that a lot of these shows are just plain old boring. I don't know about everyone here but I'd love to turn on the TV and up comes an obscure but interesting sport I've rarely followed and just getting caught up into something new. There's no sense of discovery with the channel anymore. I already know they're going to be talking about off-season NFL in the middle of summer for no goddamn reason before I even turn on the channel.
outunderthestars
Banned
How else do you fill a 24 hours sports channel when there isn't football or basketball?
benjipwns
Banned
I get their magazine for the Insider access, and I read maybe 10-25% of the magazine itself.
I got a two-year subscription for like $4 a few years back, and there's always like $1-2 renewal offers it seems. Just have to remember to turn off auto-renewal.
Like Game Informer they borderline give it away to keep the circulation rates up.
So I don't mind that side of their business model.
I got a two-year subscription for like $4 a few years back, and there's always like $1-2 renewal offers it seems. Just have to remember to turn off auto-renewal.
Like Game Informer they borderline give it away to keep the circulation rates up.
So I don't mind that side of their business model.
Knew this was going to be the first reply or first page.
That was what I was going to mention: Most sports fans seem like they'd go to the arena for live games or go to the bar instead of watching it on ESPN if they can help it for the "social experience." That'd cut into the ESPN's bottom line a small bit if a majority of these social people stop paying for a sub since they can mooch on a bar/businesses sub.
Now ESPN has no choice but to embrace the competitive gaming ("e-sports") market.
They've actually been trying to when they showed Heroes of the Storm on ESPN. A lot of people freaked out over it, though.
Fox Sports has basically said that they'll go OTT when hell freezes over. You can get both on Playstation Vue if you live in one of 3 cities and think $50 is a good deal.
After dropping cable:
Are you proud of this, because this is terrible.
I pay $89 and get digital premire and hbo
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