September 5, 2023

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Disputes between networks and carriers typically follow a time-honored script of back-and-forth public messaging — but the Disney-Charter dispute feels dramatically different, as the traditional cable bundle is being dealt another punishing blow.

Meanwhile, the Messi Mania milestones continue to pile up with Apple and sportsbooks particularly benefiting mightily from the Argentinian superstar, and tennis’ two top tours have again revived talks for a much-discussed merger.

– Eric Fisher [[link removed]]

Charter, ESPN Carriage Battle Intensifies For Football Season [[link removed]]

Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

Neither ESPN parent Disney nor Charter Spectrum blinked over the sports-filled Labor Day weekend — escalating a distribution dispute with serious ramifications on the long-term health of the traditional cable TV bundle.

Five days after 19 Disney channels — including ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU — went dark [[link removed]] on the country’s second-largest cable carrier, there has been no significant movement toward a new carriage deal, despite ongoing talks involving top executives at both companies.

That has led ESPN to raise its promotional offensive and increasingly encourage affected subscribers to seek alternate video providers.

No less than Stephen A. Smith — one of ESPN’s leading on-air personalities with 5.8 million subscribers on X, formerly known as Twitter — posted [[link removed]] on the issue Tuesday, telling consumers that “YOU HAVE CHOICES!!!” including streaming services such as YouTube TV, Sling, and Fubo.

ESPN and Disney have also ramped up their broader [[link removed]] promotion [[link removed]] of Hulu + Live TV, a tier of the Disney-owned streaming service including ESPN+.

Charter, however, remains firm on forging an entirely different paradigm for the traditional bundle, which for decades has relied in part on consumers paying for sports channels whether or not they watch them.

“Charter seems genuinely willing to walk away from Disney, and even the entire linear video model, if necessary,” said media research firm MoffettNathanson. “The collateral damage could be wide-ranging.”

The companies’ actions continue to be closely watched as ESPN’s first “Monday Night Football” game of the season on Sept. 11 approaches.

Charter has 14.7 million subscribers across 41 states — including many in key media markets such as New York and Los Angeles — and trails only Comcast among cable subscribers.

Can MLS Keep Messi Mania Alive Amid Packed Schedule? [[link removed]]

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

You’ve heard it before: another day, another Messi milestone.

This time, new numbers [[link removed]] show Apple TV gained more than 100,000 subscribers to MLS Season Pass on the day of Lionel Messi’s first game with Inter Miami last month. Those figures climb even higher when factoring in the weeks surrounding the superstar’s arrival in the U.S.

Now, the league, Apple, and Inter Miami are all hoping to keep the momentum going — even as Messi’s availability is spread increasingly thin.

Despite a 4% probability [[link removed]] of making the playoffs, Inter Miami is among the favorites to win the MLS Cup at most sportsbooks. But the club — currently 14th in the Eastern Conference and five spots out of the postseason — will have to continue its push without Messi, who will miss Saturday’s game against Sporting KC while on duty for Argentina.

Messi could miss [[link removed]] two more games this fall while playing for his home nation. Not only does his absence hurt Miami on the field, but it also jeopardizes the subscriber gains Apple has seen as well as rising general interest in MLS.

On Sunday, Inter Miami beat championship contenders LAFC, currently third place in the Western Conference, but the club will likely need to win a majority of its final nine MLS games to qualify for the postseason.

Messi’s time at Inter Miami has already been full of must-win games, with the club lifting the inaugural Leagues Cup and reaching the U.S. Open Cup final. Another run of can’t-lose matches would no doubt be content gold for Apple and MLS — but only if Messi is on the pitch.

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“It’s remarkable that we can input all our live video and data, and WSC then automatically generates the highlight packs we need from every match. Whether it’s the 1, 3, 7, even 15-minute packs, it’s all there.” – Chris Schlosser, MLS in a recent interview [[link removed]] with Front Office Sports.

WSC Sports [[link removed]] automates the instant creation and distribution of video highlights by giving you access to sport-specific AI technology for over 20+ sports with robust editing capabilities.

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You can’t provide the best experience without automation. Your most creative people need time to craft stories for fans. Stay ahead of the curve and click here [[link removed]] to learn more.

Tennis Tours Contemplate Merger As Landscape Evolves [[link removed]]

Syndication: Desert Sun

Professional tennis may soon get a makeover: The ATP and WTA tours are set to discuss a merger later this month.

While the top men’s and women’s players in the world often compete on the same courts throughout the year at Grand Slams and other top events, the tours are two separate entities with their own budgets, media rights deals, and overall revenue streams.

Now, Andrea Gaudenzi and Steve Simon — the respective CEOs of the ATP and WTA — and other top executives from both tours are planning to convene in London to explore aligning their competitions and pooling their assets, according [[link removed]] to The Telegraph.

The idea of an ATP-WTA merger is not new — Roger Federer called [[link removed]] for such three years ago — but there has not been any significant progress towards an official deal.

Earlier this summer, John McEnroe said [[link removed]] he believed a merger was going to happen “at some point soon.” Top American player Taylor Fritz told Front Office Sports, “I think that we could come together and sell the package of WTA, ATP tennis together.”

Prize money has been a focus for the WTA, which already announced plans to achieve equal pay with the ATP by 2033. A merger would likely help advance that initiative even sooner.

In 2023, the ATP is shelling out a record $217.9 million in prize money, about 75% more than the WTA. The four Grand Slams — which are operated independently from the ATP and WTA — offer equal prize money for the men’s and women’s draws.

Conversation Starters After Duke beat No. 9 Clemson — its first win over a top-10 opponent in over 30 years — Blue Devils QB Riley Leonard asked [[link removed]] his professors for a homework extension. Real Madrid unveiled [[link removed]] $1 billion in futuristic upgrades to the iconic Santiago Bernabéu ahead of the first home game in the newly renovated stadium. Florida State-LSU scored [[link removed]] 9.1 million viewers on ABC — making it the second-most watched Sunday opener on record. The game peaked at 10.3M viewers.

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My Other Passion: J.K. Dobbins

[[link removed]]

As one of football’s best young running backs, J.K. Dobbins is mostly known for his work on the field. But like many professional athletes – J.K has his own passions off the field.

In our new series, My Other Passion, presented by Chevrolet, we hit the outdoors [[link removed]] with some of the most recognizable athletes in sports to explore their interests outside the arena.

Learn how J.K. Dobbins grew up fishing in Texas, how it helps him practice patience on and off the field, the importance of family, his thoughts on the upcoming season and more.

Watch episode one [[link removed]] now.

Editor's Picks Colorado Has Sold $430,000 In Tickets Since TCU Upset [[link removed]]by Andrew Cohen [[link removed]]Colorado's home-opener is more expensive than all NFL Week 1 games. Messi’s Miami Debut Drove 110,000 New MLS Season Pass Subscribers [[link removed]]by Andrew Cohen [[link removed]]July was a record month for Apple's MLS Season Pass. ESPN’s Original NFL Insider Chris Mortensen Retires [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]] and Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]The insider has worked for the network since 1991. Your Chance to Win in Winner-Takes-All

Front Office Sports is partnering with Splash Sports to bring you a Season Long NFL Survivor Contest [[link removed]].

This contest follows a winner-takes-all format, meaning only one participant will be declared the winner and receive the entire prize of up to $2,250. In the event of multiple winners, the prize will be divided equally among all the winners. The grand prize is dependent on the number of entries. Deadline to sign up is September 10, 2023.

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