No idea how this will shake out - Fox Sports must be sold in Disney Acquisition

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Disney can buy Fox if it sells 22 regional sports networks, Justice Dept. says:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...r-sale-22-regional-sports-networks/738440002/

The Walt Disney Co. is nearing the red zone with its $71 billion bid for a collection of Twenty-First Century Fox’s assets.

The Justice Department Wednesday approved the deal after Disney agreed to sell Fox's 22 regional sports networks included in the deal.

Disney and Fox initially entered into a $52.4 billion deal in December 2017 for Fox's television and film studios, cable channels such as FX and National Geographic, and other assets including Fox's 30 percent share of streaming service Hulu and a 39 percent stake in U.K.-based pay-TV and broadband provider Sky.

But the DOJ said allowing Disney, which also owns ESPN and its family of sports networks, to also acquire Fox's 22 regional sports networks, "would likely result in higher prices for cable sports programming" licensed to pay-TV operators where those local markets serve. That in turn could lead to higher prices for consumers.

“American consumers have benefitted [sic] from head-to-head competition between Disney and Fox’s cable sports programming that ultimately has prevented cable television subscription prices from rising even higher,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim in a statement. “Today’s settlement will ensure that sports programming competition is preserved in the local markets where Disney and Fox compete for cable and satellite distribution.”
 


No doubt my Comcast bill will go up...

True...at the same time if it continues to soar, people are going to get fed up and simply say no and make other arrangements. After all enough is enough.
 

I didn't see it in the article, doesn't Fox Sports own like 49% of BTN?? Significance/impact as part of this?
 



Money talks. We know the rest. Ultimately, the fans will pay. The only reason that I am hanging on to Comcast is because the Mrs. doesn't want to drop it for all her favorite channels plus for me it is the BTN and other sports channels.
 

I hope Amazon or Netflix buys them but not sure they want to get into the regional programming game.
 

I didn't see it in the article, doesn't Fox Sports own like 49% of BTN?? Significance/impact as part of this?

Fox took a majority stake a few years ago, hence all the Fox talking heads on BTN and vice versa (Joel Klatt is tremendous).

Since BTN and the FS1s aren’t part of the deal it seems like the remaining Fox properties will probably be renamed and BTN will keep chugging along under their umbrella as before. No idea what happens to NFL on Fox.

Since Disney owned ESPN competes with Fox for rights to the Big Ten games it seems like it’s a very good thing they didn’t get swallowed up. No competition, lower tv contracts, lower payouts and all of a sudden Coyle and PJ are working for half off (along with everybody else).

NOTE: I’m talking out of my behind. Somebody clued in should speak up.
 





The hope, from my friends at FSN, is that FOX buys them back. The last thing they want is to be consumed by Comcast. They know their days would be numbered if that were the case. Other options will show up, but Comcast already has enough boots on the ground here to end their positions quickly. If a smaller buyer emerges, they believe that it will take some time for them to move in from each coast before they are eliminated. Not a happy place to work right now. They are hoping that it can exist for a couple of years.
 

The hope, from my friends at FSN, is that FOX buys them back. The last thing they want is to be consumed by Comcast. They know their days would be numbered if that were the case. Other options will show up, but Comcast already has enough boots on the ground here to end their positions quickly. If a smaller buyer emerges, they believe that it will take some time for them to move in from each coast before they are eliminated. Not a happy place to work right now. They are hoping that it can exist for a couple of years.

Why don't they just go to the bank and buy themselves? If they're that worried about it, and believe they have a profitable business model, then now would be the time to make that move.

Seems like there's more money floating around then people know what to do with these days.

Form a shell company, get financing, make purchase, and pay down debt. Get to be your own boss and nobody can buy you unless you want to be sold.

Could always go the PE or IPO route but then you're virtually guaranteed to get acquired unless you just issue preferred shares.
People are stupid enough to buy those though so even that might work.

Another option is going to Berkshire. They're sitting on a war-chest full of cash and have no idea what to do with it.
 

True...at the same time if it continues to soar, people are going to get fed up and simply say no and make other arrangements. After all enough is enough.

I really hope internet companies can finally get in in on some sports.... or sports companies offer cheaper / better packages ... that would be a pretty big break in the whole thing.

However with the mega ATT and Comcasts and etc... I fear everything will be artificially held back.
 






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