Ugh.
I refuse to subscribe to yet another streaming service on principle alone.
Although Apple+ seems to be the cheapest, but I hear you. I have the Hulu (no commercial)/Disney/ESPN+ bundle for like $20 which my credit gives something like $7 back, Amazon Prime (more for the 2 day [I mean 5 now]) delivery and doesnāt have much good content after the Expanse was done, still using a family membersā Netflix but that will stop soon when they crack down. Waiting for Ted Lasso S.3 to get back on Apple+ but this cutting the wire now is just a la carte adding up to what it was before (holding off on HBOMax, Paramount, etc.)
HBO Max comes with my AT&T Wireless plan.
I have Prime solely for the free shipping (and Legend of Vox Machina is awesome). I sub to Netflix for me and Disney+ for the kids (and my occasional Star Wars fix).
At this point, I barely watch any of them. Too much TV, too little time.
Yep. And agree on Vox. That was a good one as well. Content is all right on Prime, but less. Wouldnāt mind if some games ended up there.
Please make this happen! Apple TV has had consistently good programming, both TV and films, so we donāt mind the relatively small subscription price (annual subscription is an even better deal). This would be the first time I would have access to the P-12 Sports programming at home. Hereās a āyesā vote.
If this were to happen I would more than offset the Apple TV cost by dropping down a level in Dish and then, after my commitment is done that I signed up for when I moved, I could drop them altogether.
Iām none too thrilled with the idea of Apple TV. Rather use other streaming services, a la Prime. Not even sure I can get Apple TV to stream via my android stuff.
Yāall acting like Apple+ doesnāt have some of the best programming. I think this would be a homerun to what the P12 currently has.
I forgot about MLS going there:
You can. I have. Itās so easy a hayseed in Kentucky can do it.
Are you using: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apple.atve.androidtv.appletv&gl=US&pli=1
It doesnāt exactly instill confidence based upon reviews.
I did for one thing I had that was android. I do have mainly apple products though so itās rare I use the android.
Whereas we have zero Apple products. I suppose Iāll worry about it more, when and if the PAC uses Apple TV+. In the meantime thereāre are other things to spend time on and with.
I have a ton of iPads and iPhones around my family. That said, broadcasting sports is different from streaming movies and TV shows. Prime smoked some local ISPās when TNF started streaming this fall.
I may want to see how the MLS streaming works out before deciding. That said, my personal preference wouldāve been Amazon only because they had TNF to work out the kinks. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view) Their retail unit and AWS have taken a pretty big hit lately, so additional startups for CFB may not be in the cards for now.
I have heard so many different rumors about the PAC tv deal that I officially wonāt believe ANYTHING until it gets officially announced.
And Iāll also say that I donāt know how much I love this notion, even if it resulted in similar pay to what the big12 is getting - all of that remains to be seen. BUT, I have said the streaming service that solves the live sports problem will win the war.
All that being said, of course the world of social media and obnoxious friends who text you at 1am trying to get you riled up and my guilty pleasure of cougarboard entertainment has brought up some interesting stats.
First off, BYU fans think this is the funniest idea ever, claiming it is worse than the MWC āthe mountainā deal and all that nonsense. That literally no one has Apple TV+ etc. We wonāt mention that large swaths of CB posting is to discuss Ted Lasso. But they are convinced the Apple TV users are non-existent.
Maybe so but the stats are that as of last year there are 50M+ US and Canadian users with about 25M paid users. The distinction between those two numbers is basically the smaller number is those who go and have chosen outright to pay for it and the larger number includes those who get it for free - like I do through T-Mobile and other promotions. That 50+ number has jumped 25M+ since 2019.
That doesnāt sound like a lot - but what about ESPN? How many people still have cable or streaming that includes ESPN? Well that number is currently 74M and has dropped 10M in the past two years and is bleeding money badly. ESPN is of course owned by Disney and that whole world is experiencing a shake up and likely will with Bob Igerās return. One thing is certain though, cable tv subscribership isnāt going up, nor is ESPNs.
I cut the cord way earlier than most, I havenāt had cable TV in 13 years. I havenāt missed it at all, nor the outrageous prices it costs to have it. Streaming services have come a looooong way in that time - and my opinion is that currently FUBOTV is a superior experience to the cable tv experience - not to mention it is completely portable with you (cable is catching up on this - sort of).
My kids ranging in age from 12 to 19 canāt even comprehend non on demand entertainment. Waiting for a show to come on, waiting through commercials is Gen Z kryptonite. That means streaming services will have overrun everything in short order and traditional cable TV will be non existent.
Frankly Iām a little surprised that my idea from 10 years ago hasnāt taken hold yet, but it will. Basically streaming services opens up a whole new world of advertising opportunities that didnāt exist before. Targeted ads in tv like you get online? Local and target spots that are affordable to small business that could never access tv before? Synchronizing advertising between tv viewership and device usage etc?
There is an advertising and promotion gold mine completely untapped right now in streaming services. Use YouTube to understand what Iām talking about.
Point being, I donāt think it is an ideal solution if it is an Apple TV only deal for the PAC. But, one of these potential conference deals is with a service that is growing and the other is with one that is shrinking quickly. If trajectories hold true ESPN and Apple TV viewership numbers will likely cross by 2026-2027.
Amazon is another story - with 151M members. However, even though one of the perks of Amazon Prime is its streaming service, I wonder how many are actually watching. I have it for delivery, but really almost never use the streaming service. But with the NFL on there I think itāll become more of a sports destination.
In a perfect world Kliakoff would broker a deal with a mix of ESPN, Amazon and Apple TV. And that streaming mix might actually be genius in the long run. Those three may not like playing ball together, uh so to speak.
But even if it does end up being an Apple TV only deal it is far from end of the world when it comes to exposure, potentially, and we donāt even know how much money that represents.
My not so bold prediction though is that as more money goes into NIL that the less lucrative these conference contracts are going to become out of necessity. Thatās another factor nobody is talking about when it comes to the tv deals, grant of rights and conference realignment predictions. But schools also arenāt going to have to build state of the art facilities and super dooper uniforms and custom barbershops and stuff to impress athletes like they used to - as solid NIL deals will cover some cracked paint better than new paint ever could.
Not to mention the idea of Disney being sold to Apple has been floated for the past 5-8 years. So who knows. I cut later than you. I cut in 2017 with the launch of YoutubeTV and thatās who I currently use for OTA tv and I subscribe to a bunch of the services. I keep hearing āIt cost as much as cable.ā Personally, Streaming has made programming better due to a need to compete for eyeballs and I actually still pay less than I was with Time Warner/Spectrum locally.
Iām hopeful this deal goes through because I never had an option for Pac 12 Network.
There is no doubt, streaming is the future of entertainment. That said, the future isnāt here yet as the infrastructure serving the worldwide web still has so much of this country that is on inferior service/no service. It is the only reason the rights deal will have a multi-platform service agreement.
Disney and Apple already have a number of partnerships so this easily could be a reality.
Yeah and I wonder how they would package those sports contracts with a merger.
The Big XII will feature a number of their football/basketball games on ESPN+. I hate to break it to them but that is a streaming service.
Iāll echo what Rocker said earlier. Anyone age 30 or younger likely doesnt have cable and never will.
That you have to purchase ON TOP of your cable subscription I believe.