The Bill Simmons Podcast The 2020 Streaming Wars, Cheating Astros, Cheap-Ass Red Sox, and Rudderless Democrats With Ben Thompson and JackO | The Bill Simmons Podcast
Feb 14, 2020
Ben Thompson, a savvy business and tech analyst known for his Stratechery insights, joins regular contributor JackO, a sports analysis aficionado. They dive into the complexities of monetizing digital media, from the rise of paid newsletters to the impact of streaming wars on viewing habits. The duo also faces the drama of the cheating Astros scandal and Mookie Betts’ controversial trade to L.A. Lastly, they tackle the current state of the Democratic primary, blending sports and politics with humor and keen observations.
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ESPN+ and Niche Sports
- ESPN+ benefits from unlimited bandwidth, allowing them to show niche sports.
- It allows for a shift from maximizing viewership to catering to intensely interested, paying subscribers.
ESPN's Shift to Streaming
- Bob Iger suggests that ESPN's traditional model will decline, giving way to direct-to-consumer streaming.
- ESPN+ has shown that its main draw is live games and events, not traditional shows.
Return to Broadcast TV
- The success of NBC Sunday Night Football and Fox Thursday Night Football demonstrates a valuable blueprint.
- More sports content, including the NBA and potentially Monday Night Football, may move to broadcast TV like ABC to reach wider audiences.