SBJ Media: ACC Net Distribution Comes Into Focus

It’ll be a scorcher on the East Coast this weekend (a low of 86 in D.C. on Saturday night?!?!). I expect that will translate into good British Open ratings, regardless of whether Tiger plays well. I'll be watching.

COMCAST, DISH, COX SLOW MOVING ON ACC NETWORK DISTRIBUTION

• The question I hear most frequently about the ACC Network is whether people will be able to see it. Several industry sources tell me that it looks unlikely that Comcast, Cox and Dish Network will have deals in place by the channel’s Aug. 22 launch. The reason? Their affiliate deals for all Disney networks don’t expire for several years, and it is unlikely they will cut a deal for ACC Net on a standalone basis. Sources tell me that Disney’s deal with Cox ends in 2020; the deal with Comcast ends at the end of 2021; and a deal with Dish ends in 2022. The cable operators' stance could change if enough subscribers leave for other providers that will carry ACC Net -- national systems like DirecTV, Hulu and PlayStation Vue. Comcast has a big presence in large parts of the Southeast -- like Miami and Atlanta -- then continues up the East Coast with markets like D.C., Pittsburgh and Boston. Cox has a few smaller markets in the Southeast and suburban D.C.
  
  
• While Charter/Spectrum does not have a deal right now, it’s likely that it will have one by next month. Charter currently is negotiating a new deal with Disney, which is expected to include ACC Net. Disney already has set a template for these types of deals with providers like Altice, AT&T, Verizon and Google Fiber. A deal with Charter would help cover key markets like Charlotte, Raleigh, Louisville and large swaths of the Carolinas (think Clemson).
  
  
• Despite some of these distribution challenges, there was a celebratory mood at the ACC Kickoff event today in Charlotte, per my colleague, Michael Smith. “To say it’s an exciting time in the ACC is an understatement,” said the always understated Commissioner John Swofford. The ACC has always planned for the channel to be fully distributed by its third year, Swofford said, based on conversations and research from media advisor Dean Jordan at Wasserman and feedback from ESPN. A fully distributed ACC Net will eventually be in more than 50 million households. “At launch, we expect to be right where we projected, internally,” Swofford said, “If not ahead.”
  
  
• The SEC Network was almost fully distributed by the time it launched in 2014, making it the most successful cable channel launch in history. The ACC has told its schools not to expect a repeat of that.
  
  
  
  

"MY WISH" HAS EVOLVED INTO POWERFUL ANNUAL PROGRAMMING

As part of the "My Wish" series, WWE's Stephanie McMahon met up with 17-year-old Rhianna Sammut

• I look forward to ESPN’s annual “My Wish” series, which wraps up tomorrow with 17-year-old Sam Grayston, who was born with cystic fibrosis and visits with Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado. Hosted by Chris Connelly, "My Wish" represents the best of ESPN storytelling. But they also represent something of an anomaly -- topics and stories that typically aren’t broached on “SportsCenter” episodes. “Disney is a company that prides itself for being big on volunteering,” said the series' producer, Lydelle King. "Disney has made it their mission to be involved with volunteerism."
  
  
• ESPN started producing these stories in 2006 essentially as a way to fill time between the Home Run Derby and the start of coverage around college football and NFL. Now, it has taken on a life of its own. Created through a partnership with ESPN, Disney and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, these stories aim to shed a light on the work the Make-A-Wish Foundation does. “Our ultimate goal is to have an impact,” King said. To me, these vignettes demonstrate why so many are in the sports business -- sports has such a powerful platform to provide joy and healing to kids who are battling every day. It’s really heartwarming to see the lengths these sports organizations go to bring such happy, lifetime memories.
  
  
• King has been part of this series for eight years. Planning for the five vignettes -- typically around seven minutes long -- starts in November when ESPN, Disney and Make-A-Wish identify the children and the athletes who would fit best with the program. Once everyone has bought in, the pieces take around six to eight weeks to produce.
  
  
• King pointed to the story that ran yesterday, when 17-year-old Rhianna Sammut, who has systemic mastocytosis, wanted to have a business meeting with WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon. In the last minute of the story, Sammut and McMahon are sitting at a conference table having a poignant, heart-warming talk. “That one alone made it worthwhile for us to be involved,” King said.

MOVERS & SHAKERS IN THE MEDIA SPACE

• DAZN has brought on John Entz as a consultant for boxing and baseball programming. He'll also help develop new programming for the streaming service. Entz, who was most recently at Fox Sports, left in January after a seven-year stint at the network, most recently as president of production. Entz, who started Monday, was hired by DAZN Exec VP/Content Jamie Horowitz, who also worked at Fox. I’m told that the two had lunch at Craft in L.A. shortly after Entz left Fox, and they put together a deal shortly afterward.
  
  
• Congrats to Mike Mulvihill, who was promoted to exec VP and head of strategy & analytics at Fox Sports, reporting to President of National Networks Mark Silverman. “Mike’s new role includes key strategic oversight as we continue to evolve the Fox Sports brand into new areas, including our recently announced sports gaming partnerships with Fox Bet and NYRA,” Silverman said in an internal memo sent out this week. Fox’s Billy Wanger also took on a new role -- taking over as exec VP and head of programming & scheduling. He'll also report to Silverman and will take on oversight of Fox Deportes.

SPEED READS

• The time zone differences for the British Open always make for creative scheduling. This morning,host Damon Hack came off the air on Golf Channel at noon ET after doing studio work (5:00pm locally in Northern Ireland). He has to be awake by 9:00pm ET (2:00am local) for "Midnight Drive" leading into the first tee shot (5:00am local). Did I mention that Hack is sharing his hotel room with his wife and triplet 8-year-old boys? Their options for distraction were limited by pouring rain in the area today. Hack will cover the featured group on Golf Channel tomorrow morning after the studio show.
  
  
• Something to keep an eye on in the streaming space -- Netflix reported its quarterly results after the market closed today, and the company said it lost subscribers in the U.S. for the first time since 2011 -- dropping 130,000 subs in Q2. As Recode’s Peter Kafka tweeted (with tongue in cheek): “Netflix says it absolutely, positively won’t have ads. No ads. At all. Zero ads. None. Zilch.”
  
  
• Rugby promoter United World Sports denied rumors that the group was running out of money, saying that it had to temporarily lay off five of its 26 employees. “We hope to have them back within a month,” said UWS President Jonathan First. He added that late summer is a particularly slow time, and the group’s next event is not until next June. In April, UWS sued USA Rugby, accusing it of trying to steal the Las Vegas Invitational held every spring.
  
  
• Cable royalty -- with a more than 120 years of combined experience -- got together last night for a dinner at Porter House New York on Columbus Circle to trade war stories about the business. As Discovery’s David Zaslav wrote on Facebook: “30 years of wars and celebrations and challenges ... together we were there when the cable biz started and we are NOT done yet.” Pictured below (l-r) are Lindsay Gardner, who worked for Cox and Fox Cable Networks; Zaslav, who worked for NBC and Discovery; Andy Heller, who worked for Turner; and Bill Goodwyn, who worked for Discovery. Looking good, boys!

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