XFL announcement TV exclusive with Disney

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Re: XFL announcement TV exclusive with Disney

Post by herns »

4th&long wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:31 pm
herns wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:10 pm Definitely a good deal, only big surprise is that games are gonna be on FX. I think it’s solid and depending on what/if they’re getting paid I could move it into the category of great if they’re getting g solid money
Actually, we don't really know what the deal is as yet. We know its exclusive and will be on ABC/ESPN properties (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNNEWS?, ESPN+) and FX. But we do not know the $$$. We don't know the streaming vs TV content.

This almost sounds like FOX/NBC/USA/Peacock deal. Devil in details

Certainly ESPN is the king of sports but we need more details. The fact it is for 5 years implies ??? If its exclusive that means USFL isn't going away? Lots of good questions to chew on.

Not Sure- we need MM and others to get the details.
Ya I didn’t think fox/nbc was a very realistic option since USFL is Fox’s league and nbc has it got a few more years
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Re: XFL announcement TV exclusive with Disney

Post by MGB01 »

Tank55 wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:13 pm FOX was an outstanding partner to XFL 2.0, and (imo) did a better job than ESPN/ABC. It's too bad that they aren't part of the XFL 3.0 package.

But if you have to choose, ESPN is where you want to be. For better or worse, so much of the national sports conversation is still driven by The Worldwide Leader. ESPN alone can keep the league visible for casual sports fans in a way that FOX alone just cannot.

The devil is in the details, but this is encouraging news.
What hurts FOX is FS1 just isn't there. They moved the bulk of their MLB coverage, some NASCAR events, basically created a new Big East, went out for Colin Cowherd and Skip Bayless, it was instrumental in FOX getting the Big Ten. All that and it's still not much more of a competitor to ESPN than it was when it debuted.

Now because of its portfolio it won't go the way of NBCSN, who was pretty much reduced to nothing besides the NHL, then when that left it was a pretty easy call, but there's some little hints (more MLB games on FOX, Pac 12 champ game was on FOX not FS1)

Plus I mentioned a couple years back the possibility of some inter-sport doubleheaders, this might be a good way to work it in with at least NHL on say Saturday (XFL @ noon, NHL @ 3:00)
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Re: XFL announcement TV exclusive with Disney

Post by SamTheRam28 »

4th&long wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:31 pm
herns wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:10 pm Definitely a good deal, only big surprise is that games are gonna be on FX. I think it’s solid and depending on what/if they’re getting paid I could move it into the category of great if they’re getting g solid money
Actually, we don't really know what the deal is as yet. We know its exclusive and will be on ABC/ESPN properties (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNNEWS?, ESPN+) and FX. But we do not know the $$$. We don't know the streaming vs TV content.

This almost sounds like FOX/NBC/USA/Peacock deal. Devil in details

Certainly ESPN is the king of sports but we need more details. The fact it is for 5 years implies ??? If its exclusive that means USFL isn't going away? Lots of good questions to chew on.

Not Sure- we need MM and others to get the details.
Great point there. FOX starting the USFL clearly means they like and want spring football. I thought if the XFL signed a 2 year deal that FOX could fold the USFL if XFL dominates the ratings and just get in for year 3 of the XFL. With the XFL signing for 5 years, that really makes me think FOX is gonna put a lot behind the USFL to keep it alive and make sure they have spring football to air.
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herns
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Re: XFL announcement TV exclusive with Disney

Post by herns »

SamTheRam28 wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:55 pm
4th&long wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:31 pm
herns wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:10 pm Definitely a good deal, only big surprise is that games are gonna be on FX. I think it’s solid and depending on what/if they’re getting paid I could move it into the category of great if they’re getting g solid money
Actually, we don't really know what the deal is as yet. We know its exclusive and will be on ABC/ESPN properties (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNNEWS?, ESPN+) and FX. But we do not know the $$$. We don't know the streaming vs TV content.

This almost sounds like FOX/NBC/USA/Peacock deal. Devil in details

Certainly ESPN is the king of sports but we need more details. The fact it is for 5 years implies ??? If its exclusive that means USFL isn't going away? Lots of good questions to chew on.

Not Sure- we need MM and others to get the details.
Great point there. FOX starting the USFL clearly means they like and want spring football. I thought if the XFL signed a 2 year deal that FOX could fold the USFL if XFL dominates the ratings and just get in for year 3 of the XFL. With the XFL signing for 5 years, that really makes me think FOX is gonna put a lot behind the USFL to keep it alive and make sure they have spring football to air.
All the reports I’ve heard is fox thinks they have the best formula we’ve seen to make spring football work and is all in. I hope it’saccurate that one of these leagues figured out the recipe. I’m really hoping this is a situation where competition makes both better instead of forcing them to go beyond budget
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Re: XFL announcement TV exclusive with Disney

Post by GregParks »

It had to be ABC/ESPN. Anything less, quite frankly, would've been a huge disappointment.

I also don't think ABC/ESPN put on this big dog-and-pony show bringing The Rock and Dany Garcia to their upfront presentation if a lot of the games were going to be on ESPN+. Some may, sure, but I wouldn't be worried about the majority of them or anything like that.

As for the concern over the years, there could be an option deal in play here, which is why the XFL is calling it five years and ESPN has been mum on it (and I haven't read a ton on it yet, just taking the word of those posting in this thread). For instance, It could be three years with an option for two more, making it a maximum five-year deal. Kinda the same thing agents do when they sign "10-year" contracts for players that are really like a series of three-year deals with opt-outs.

If it IS indeed a full five-year pact, I'd have to believe the XFL is getting some kind of money (I hesitate to even float the word "significant" here, but it could be). If the XFL's intent was to get a paying TV deal and they had to sign with ESPN/ABC for no money, it would be to their advantage to do a short-term deal in hopes of getting bidders after that time if successful. Locking themselves into a five-year deal, getting no money, makes zero sense for any start-up league, let alone one that was reportedly not interested in paying their own way.
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Re: XFL announcement TV exclusive with Disney

Post by MGB01 »

I'd think when ABC finally has the Super Bowl again they'd love to have the XFL to push, after all worked very well for FOX (even if ABC had the first game).
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Re: XFL announcement TV exclusive with Disney

Post by 4th&long »

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/xfl-mult ... ey-network

>> The XFL is returning in 2023 and is now set to broadcast its regular season exclusively through ESPN and across the family of Walt Disney Company networks.

"Beginning in February 2023 and continuing through the spring, 40 regular-season XFL games, two playoff semifinals and a title game will appear on ESPN, ABC and FX," ESPN relayed on Tuesday. <<

Well Fox is at least reporting it.
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Re: XFL announcement TV exclusive with Disney

Post by Tank55 »

GregParks wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 10:13 pm As for the concern over the years, there could be an option deal in play here, which is why the XFL is calling it five years and ESPN has been mum on it (and I haven't read a ton on it yet, just taking the word of those posting in this thread).
That's also my suspicion. I wouldn't say I'm concerned per se -- without knowing the full terms it's sort of impossible to form any sort of judgement -- but it did stand out to me.
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Re: XFL announcement TV exclusive with Disney

Post by johnnyangryfuzzball »

Two thoughts:

1. Remember, the Fox deal was largely because a) Fox had Thursday Night Football at the time and the Thursday night time slot was easier to fill with more football, and that's moved off Fox to Amazon, and b) it was also likely a synergy between Fox and Vince McMahon because Fox also has SmackDown from WWE. Neither factor is true anymore.

2. Even if Disney has the exclusive deal right now, they could also do what they do with some of their college football properties and sub-license it to other networks.
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Re: XFL announcement Disney Official Press Rel

Post by 4th&long »

https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-rele ... agreement/

Wanted to post the link here for finding it later. here's one Tidbit

>> This is a definitive moment for the XFL and the beginning of an incredible, long-term partnership for the league, building on my longstanding, very successful legacy relationship I’ve had with Disney throughout my career. <<

I'm waiting to see a movie deal for Rock. Disney is always looking at the big picture. Also they may want a hedge against FOX's USFL. (they destroyed the StarWars movie biz so they are looking) What happens if USFL takes off? Disney doesn't want to be left out of the spring FB mix. They have - as I repeatedly state - thousands of hours of programming to fill, now more than ever with the duplicitous Streaming services.

>> XFL matchups will be featured on a combination of ABC, ESPN networks and FX. Additionally, the agreement includes exclusive content rights across TWDC/ESPN’s digital, social and direct-to-consumer outlets such as ESPN+. Specific details on scheduling dates, times and platforms will be determined and announced on a later date. Global rights for TWDC/ESPN are also included in the agreement. <<

The issue here is that in 2020 ABC did not have the NHL deal. So they do have competing sports internally for air time and they are paying $400mm a year for NHL.

So what is this deal worth? What guarantees did Disney get from XFL ie funding, and vice versa?
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