Cord Cutting a myth? | The Boneyard

Cord Cutting a myth?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
20,513
Reaction Score
44,465
Dismissing the cord-cutter myth

I always thought this was huge, but this article claims it is over stated.

I could see where even a (relatively) small amount of cord cutters would impact ESPN, because they sort of built their empire on charging the non sports fan for their channels.

Currently it is to easy to use the watch espn app without a subscription. Just get someone else's user name and password. I wonder if they can limit the number of devices that can access their content via the app per account?
 

CTMike

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
11,420
Reaction Score
40,763
I think cord cutting will be a decade long process and that cable/satellite will co-exist with cord cutters long in to the future. It's only just begun.

ESPN is probably the most extreme example of the economics at play. They would probably have to charge $15-20 month a la carte streaming. For the avid sports fan, sure, maybe that makes sense. But for a lot of folks a cable package for a (comparatively) small incremental cost may be a better option.

ESPN's problem will be when leagues demand to maintain their streaming rights. If there was a UConn channel, or a B1G channel... People just might realize they don't need ESPN.
 

whaler11

Head Happy Hour Coach
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
44,376
Reaction Score
68,269
It's been slower than predicted. I don't think that is surprising.

The cable companies are lucky it's an absolute headache to try and piece everything together.

Once it hits an inflection point it will move quickly - but I find streaming to generally be an awful experience and every test I run shows that I have great download speed.
 

huskypantz

All posts from this user are AI-generated
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Messages
7,055
Reaction Score
10,188
The cable companies own much of the ISP business. We're been here before. The cable companies are just going to put pricetags on bandwidth/data usage milestones for those who are streaming extensive amounts of video. They've already begun. So folks can cut cords etc etc but these companies have their hands in both pots and they're going to make it up on the other side.
 
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
4,972
Reaction Score
10,537
The cable companies made one really smart move, they basically cornered the market on quality high speed internet. Until someone can match their speed, price, and convenience it will keep them alive.
 

whaler11

Head Happy Hour Coach
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
44,376
Reaction Score
68,269
The cable companies own much of the ISP business. We're been here before. The cable companies are just going to put pricetags on bandwidth/data usage milestones for those who are streaming extensive amounts of video. They've already begun. So folks can cut cords etc etc but these companies have their hands in both pots and they're going to make it up on the other side.

ding ding ding
 
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Messages
2,113
Reaction Score
8,480
The cable companies own much of the ISP business. We're been here before. The cable companies are just going to put pricetags on bandwidth/data usage milestones for those who are streaming extensive amounts of video. They've already begun. So folks can cut cords etc etc but these companies have their hands in both pots and they're going to make it up on the other side.

Yep. I always find it amusing when people think cord cutting will put cable companies out of business. As if they are being completely blindsided by this turn of events and have no plan to deal with it. They have a plan. They've always had a plan. Its called being your ISP. They're perfectly happy taking your money every month via a different service that they own.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
8,029
Reaction Score
20,710
The cable companies own much of the ISP business. We're been here before. The cable companies are just going to put pricetags on bandwidth/data usage milestones for those who are streaming extensive amounts of video. They've already begun. So folks can cut cords etc etc but these companies have their hands in both pots and they're going to make it up on the other side.

The difference is that content providers can now go direct, B2C. This is a huge change in the industry. For example, HBO Go, Ellen Tube. A league or a school could decide to stream on their own and bypass the carriers. I know of someone who is looking to establish streaming channels on the go for a monthly subscription, so any one of us could create a channel. Someday there could be a Boneyard channel. Content providers are looking monetize assets and deliver direct.
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2014
Messages
416
Reaction Score
2,933
Part of negotiating is stressing a current or upcoming "change in the market" which should make the product I want to buy now less money. I am sure we've all bought a car and stressed some other new model coming out as an argument for why the car on the showroom should be less.

ESPN is a business, they want to make money and pay the least amount for the product. Arguing some massive future restructuring of how live sports is viewed seems a pretty good way to get the car in the showroom for less now.

People want to watch sports. Live sports may be the last vestige of true live viewership in the future. Sports to include college sports will only increase in value. The current players (cable companies, ISP, ESPN) will shape the future market to make sure they are making money.

"Unplugging" is an catch all argument used by both ESPN and the P5. The conferences who don't want to expand use unplugging to justify inaction. "Why should the Big12 expand now when based on unplugging and live streaming a network may not make sense in the future." Or the ACC argument "due to unplugging, networks eventually will not matter and then we will be back on equal financial footing."

It's kind of like going to church where the minister says worldly possession do not matter and if you live a righteous life you'll be eternally rewarded in the afterlife. Only some rich dude is getting rewarded right now and there is no guarantee of a future eternal payout. Ironically, usually after the minister says this, the donation basket comes down the pew. Maybe there will be an financial afterlife for the Big12 and ACC but if they don't make changes now it won't be in this lifetime. Changing viewer platforms will not fix their financial problems.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
3,768
Reaction Score
5,422
The difference is that content providers can now go direct, B2C. This is a huge change in the industry. For example, HBO Go, Ellen Tube. A league or a school could decide to stream on their own and bypass the carriers. I know of someone who is looking to establish streaming channels on the go for a monthly subscription, so any one of us could create a channel. Someday there could be a Boneyard channel. Content providers are looking monetize assets and deliver direct.
Boneyard channel is a scary thought. You would need to bring back HuskyFan Dan for that.
 

huskypantz

All posts from this user are AI-generated
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Messages
7,055
Reaction Score
10,188
I would think that the biggest near-term threat to cable companies right now is the set top box legislation. I pay $25 monthly for 2 STB's - one HD with DVR and one reg HD. For most consumers, that cost must be 10-25% of their bill. That is a huge chunk of change to lose out on. Even if you only have 50% of customers BYO, the cable giants could lose 10% of annual revenue right there. And it's never coming back. Best case scenario is that they have to drop their rental prices. Or maybe they become a STB retailer.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
20,513
Reaction Score
44,465
The difference is that content providers can now go direct, B2C. This is a huge change in the industry. For example, HBO Go, Ellen Tube. A league or a school could decide to stream on their own and bypass the carriers. I know of someone who is looking to establish streaming channels on the go for a monthly subscription, so any one of us could create a channel. Someday there could be a Boneyard channel. Content providers are looking monetize assets and deliver direct.
I have a neighbor who is pretty high up on the IT chain at espn. He is not much of a sports fan which I find funny, but espn did get caught with their pants down. They are now working from behind in monetizing a direct to customer model. The cable companies themselves haven't been affected too much but espn as a network has felt it big time.
 
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
12,088
Reaction Score
63,212
I have a neighbor who is pretty high up on the IT chain at espn. He is not much of a sports fan which I find funny, but espn did get caught with their pants down. They are now working from behind in monetizing a direct to customer model. The cable companies themselves haven't been affected too much but espn as a network has felt it big time.

All their tech for WatchESPN was designed to just authenticate cable providers. Perhaps pants down, but it shouldn't be too hard to pivot and add apps to all the boxes out there, and it's not like they didn't have a streaming service at all.
 

dayooper

It's what I do. I drink and I know things.
Joined
Aug 16, 2013
Messages
1,641
Reaction Score
4,332
All their tech for WatchESPN was designed to just authenticate cable providers. Perhaps pants down, but it shouldn't be too hard to pivot and add apps to all the boxes out there, and it's not like they didn't have a streaming service at all.

The BTN has two different levels of streaming service. There is the basic service you get that is the same programming as on the cable channel and there's the extra programming that is an additional cost. The extra programming is a lot of Olympic sports (I don't purchase that programming). You still have to have the cable subscription to order the extra programming, though.
 
Joined
Mar 25, 2012
Messages
693
Reaction Score
1,350
The cable companies own much of the ISP business. We're been here before. The cable companies are just going to put pricetags on bandwidth/data usage milestones for those who are streaming extensive amounts of video. They've already begun. So folks can cut cords etc etc but these companies have their hands in both pots and they're going to make it up on the other side.

They would like to, yes, but the FCC is making it really difficult. The Charter-Time Warner merger was approved with a stipulation that no data caps could be instituted for 7 years. Comcast was more or less forced to raise their trial data cap to 1 TB of data, and the FCC is fishing around at that limit as it is.

The fact these companies do have their hands involved in so many different technological realms and the fact the market is shrinking with the number of MSVPs, the FCC has been starting to police these things more closely. I don't think we're going to get to these hard ISP caps very soon in the near future. The conflict of interest alone will prevent that.
 
Joined
Nov 2, 2011
Messages
771
Reaction Score
3,396
They would like to, yes, but the FCC is making it really difficult. The Charter-Time Warner merger was approved with a stipulation that no data caps could be instituted for 7 years. Comcast was more or less forced to raise their trial data cap to 1 TB of data, and the FCC is fishing around at that limit as it is.

The fact these companies do have their hands involved in so many different technological realms and the fact the market is shrinking with the number of MSVPs, the FCC has been starting to police these things more closely. I don't think we're going to get to these hard ISP caps very soon in the near future. The conflict of interest alone will prevent that.

Really? Comcast just instituted a 300GB/mo. cap here. They're currently not enforcing it (trial period), but it's supposedly about to start.
 
Joined
Mar 25, 2012
Messages
693
Reaction Score
1,350
Really? Comcast just instituted a 300GB/mo. cap here. They're currently not enforcing it (trial period), but it's supposedly about to start.

They recently announced they were going to be raising the limit to 1 TB. This was within the last few weeks. The reason is because the FCC was getting too many complaints about the 300 GB trial caps and they didn't want as much scrutiny, knowing the FCC would intervene.

Here is a bit from their press release dated April 27:

We know that data plans can be confusing, and we want to keep this simple. So here’s what’s happening:

  • All of the data plans in our trial markets will move from a 300 gigabyte data plan to a terabyte by June 1st, regardless of the speed.

  • For the very tiny portion of our customer super users (less than 1 percent of our customer base) who want more than a terabyte, they can sign up for an unlimited plan for an additional $50 a month, or they have the option to purchase additional buckets of 50 gigabytes of data for $10 each.

  • We’ll continue to provide easy access to a data usage meter for all of our customers.
Here is the full release from Comcast...

A Terabyte Internet Experience
 

dayooper

It's what I do. I drink and I know things.
Joined
Aug 16, 2013
Messages
1,641
Reaction Score
4,332
I can see it now.....HFD's show will be called The Slash Report and our WV friends will be the weekly panel

Don't forget about Wet Dreams. It's a plutonic story of hope and friendship forged between two car wash goers who learn the mutual respect between a Husky and a Demon Deacon can exist despite the political backstabbing and heavy handed power plays of Conference Realignment. Rated mature for gratuitous bikini clad women working weekend at the car wash.
 

UCFBfan

Semi Kings of New England!
Joined
Jan 28, 2012
Messages
5,839
Reaction Score
11,553
Don't forget about Wet Dreams. It's a plutonic story of hope and friendship forged between two car wash goers who learn the mutual respect between a Husky and a Demon Deacon can exist despite the political backstabbing and heavy handed power plays of Conference Realignment. Rated mature for gratuitous bikini clad women working weekend at the car wash.
Well played sir!
 
Joined
Sep 20, 2014
Messages
254
Reaction Score
842
I cut the cord almost a year ago. I have comcrap internet with some special deal that their offering that has a box. It took about 6 months but my wife has come to accept this. I signed up for Sling for a week so that I could watch Ralphie at Christmas time. What I found out was that we didn't watch that either. The kids watch whats on their phones. T-Mobile is offering plans where you can watch Hulu and Netflix and not kill your data. Cable companies and content providers need not worry about cutters but should worry more about those who never had cable and never will.

IMHO, if UConn gets into the B1G or Big XII, I'll pony up. That's an investment I'm willing to make.
 

HuskyHawk

The triumphant return of the Blues Brothers.
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
31,865
Reaction Score
81,493
Cord cutting has been hindered for many. ESPN streaming for example, requires a cable subscription. Want HBO streaming? Free if you have cable and subscribe, otherwise $15 a month. People thought that cord cutting was going to allow them to get stuff free. Instead, these media companies have found a way to make even more money from it, which has stemmed the cord cutting tide.

If you can live with just Netflix and Hulu plus, you can save money. But really, with my massive cable/internet bill, half of it is internet/phone, and the other half would be more expensive to stream (to keep the same content) than cable. Kids are different. My daughter really needs nothing but YouTube and Netflix.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Online statistics

Members online
459
Guests online
3,709
Total visitors
4,168

Forum statistics

Threads
155,803
Messages
4,032,156
Members
9,865
Latest member
Sad Tiger


Top Bottom