Menu
Media

New OTT Service Philo Testing Whether Consumers Can Live Without Sports Content

New OTT service Philo launches today without sports content, and if it "does well, it may undermine the value the industry places on expensive sports rights," but if it "doesn’t, it may strengthen the value of sports networks like ESPN and leagues like the NFL," according to Peter Kafka of RECODE. Philo "shows programming from some three dozen cable TV networks" and the fact that none of the programmers contributing channels "pay big fees for sports means that Philo costs much less than other web TV services." A base package "will cost $16 a month, compared with $35 a month for YouTube TV, or $40 a month for Hulu’s live TV option." But Philo users also "have to live without Disney-owned channels like ABC or the Disney Channel, or Fox-owned channels like Fox News or FX." Also not included -- "anything owned by CBS or NBCUniversal" (RECODE.net, 11/14). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Cara Lombardo writes Philo is "offering a bundle of 37 channels, including Comedy Central, TLC, Food Network, AMC and A&E." Basic level subscribers "get access to a slate of channels" owned by Discovery Communications, Viacom, Scripps Networks Interactive, A+E Networks and AMC Networks. Among the other nets included are Nickelodeon, Animal Planet, History, HGTV and MTV. The five companies supplying programming are also Philo’s "primary financial backers," together investing a total of $25M. Disney Chair & CEO Bob Iger "dismissed the idea of a product like Philo on an earnings call earlier this year when asked about the feasibility of lower-cost packages that exclude sports" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 11/14).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2017/11/14/Media/Philo-OTT.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2017/11/14/Media/Philo-OTT.aspx

CLOSE