beIN SPORT 1 CANADA - speculation thread (Canada specific info ONLY)

Discussion in 'TV, Satellite & Radio' started by huhe888, Jul 12, 2012.

  1. Canadasoccertv

    Jul 10, 2012
    Ontario,Canada
    Good news!

    French Ligue 1 is back on TV5 at least there is a channel to watch the game even though it's in French which i don't mind at all.

    PSG v Lorient starts the 2012/2013 coverage at 2.55pm ET - 11.55am PT on Saturday August 11th
     
  2. frostdude1

    frostdude1 Member

    Aug 2, 2004
    Canada
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Excellent information all around but I'm just a little confused. Who has the rights to La Liga and Serie A this upcoming season in Canada??
     
  3. huhe888

    huhe888 Red Card

    Oct 3, 2007
    beIN SPORT LLC has the rights to La Liga and Serie A for the next 3 seasons in Canada. beIN SPORT LLC will need to partner with a Canadian media company in order to launch beIN SPORT 1 Canada. The odd-on favourite is TeleLatino Network, which has a channel named EuroWorld Sport (EWS) that has no event programming whatsoever as of August 5 at 10pm Eastern Time (24/7 loop of FOX Soccer Report.)
     
  4. Canadasoccertv

    Jul 10, 2012
    Ontario,Canada
    I thought Ligue 1 was included in that deal as well??
     
  5. huhe888

    huhe888 Red Card

    Oct 3, 2007
    Yes, rights in Canada in English to Ligue 1 are also included.

    Note that TV5 Quebec/Canada has licensed rights to Ligue 1 in French, with 1 game each Saturday.
     
  6. Canadasoccertv

    Jul 10, 2012
    Ontario,Canada
    I know just like the other years. Nothing new with TV5 even i mentioned it on this page about PSG-Lorient first game on the channel to start the season.
     
  7. frostdude1

    frostdude1 Member

    Aug 2, 2004
    Canada
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Thank you ... you've done a great job throughout this process with your information, keep it up!

    How did BeIN Sport get the rights to Serie A and La Liga without even having a channel launched yet? Don't those leagues need some assurance that their games will be shown or do they just care about the $$?

    and, does BeIN Sport Canada have a website or contact information yet? Thanks
     
  8. huhe888

    huhe888 Red Card

    Oct 3, 2007
    beIN SPORT LLC bid at least 4x what the incumbents (Score Media for Serie A, MLSE/GOLTV Canada for La Liga) for the Canadian rights. The international rights brokers (MP & Silva for Serie A, MEDIAPRO for La Liga) took the money and ran.

    I expect beIN SPORT 1 Canada's website to be tlntv.com by no later than September 1 if a deal can be done to convert EuroWorld Sport into beIN SPORT 1 Canada.1

    --

    On the other hand, the FAPL is much more careful will selling international TV rights to EPL after getting burned in China with Guangdong TV's WinTV service in 2007-2009 (less than 30000 subscriptions sold after 2 seasons.)

    In Canada, I continue to expect TeleLatino Network to blow away Rogers Media as the new rightsholder for EPL in August 2013-May 2016 assuming that TeleLatino were able to successfully negotiate a sale of 19.9% of itself to beIN SPORT LLC, with the cash to be used to blow Rogers Media away at the EPL rights auction on or around October 5.

    You can do the math to convince yourself.

    Rogers' EPL-centric subscription channel Sportsnet World currently charges $17/month.

    Assuming that Sportsnet World were able to raise its monthly fee to $20/month (and split the fee 50/50 with the pay TV operator) and were able to sell an average of 50000 subscriptions (a very aggressive estimate given that a typical EPL match on Sportsnet or Sportnet ONE can draw up to 70,000 viewers), and assume that most subscribers will not keep Sportsnet World in June or July, then:

    $10/month/sub x 10 months/year x 50,000 subs = $5 million in subscriber fees

    Multiply by 3 years to get $15 million in subscriber fees total for Sportsnet World if it were able to keep EPL on Sundays, Mondays, and weekdays (with Saturday matches airing on Sportsnet and Sportsnet ONE.)

    The "threshold of pain" for Rogers Sportsnet, as viewed by beIN SPORT LLC owner Sheik Hamad Al-Thani (the Emir of Qatar), would be around $15 million.

    Rogers currently pays around $6 million (or $2 million/season) for Canadian rights to EPL, with the assistance of two sublicensees, Bell Media Sports (TSN/RDS) which is 33% owned by ESPN Inc., and Quebecor Media (TVA Sports).

    Neither Bell Media nor Quebecor are obligated to stay with Rogers and can shop around before deciding whether they will back the bid by Rogers Media or by TeleLatino.

    Rogers Media knows that any bid of less than $30 million (or $10 million/season) would have no chance. Rogers also knows that a bid of $30 million will guarantee that Rogers will lose money.

    Knowing how Sheik Al-Thani will operate, I expect beIN SPORT LLC to instruct its Canadian partner, most likely TeleLatino Network, to bid $39-45 million in order to win the Canadian rights to EPL comfortably.
     
  9. Kayed

    Kayed New Member

    Dec 22, 2008
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Why do you seem so sure of a partnership between TeleLatino and beIN SPORT LLC? Do you have any inside information that isn't available to the rest of us? If you don't, then why do you present your own speculation as news?
     
  10. huhe888

    huhe888 Red Card

    Oct 3, 2007
    Because the alternative options will take several months, if not over a year, to come to fruition.

    Both TeleLatino (which must find live event programming for EuroWorld Sport after September 1 or risk losing its CRTC licence for a soccer-centric digital TV network), and beIN SPORT LLC (which must launch beIN SPORT 1 Canada prior to October 5 in order to bid for Canadian rights to EPL) are under pressure to cut a deal before August 31.
     
  11. Hellas04

    Hellas04 Guest

    How can it have a website when it doesn't even exist?! So far its all just a bunch of speculation, nothing more. TV5 has the French league once again this year so one piece of the puzzle is in place. The next piece is GolTV Canada announcing that they will be showing La Liga again this season, which leaves EuroWorld Sport with the other leagues (Ligue 1 & Serie A)- if they can afford them?!

    He has nothing better to do with his time, that's why. :D
     
  12. Don C

    Don C New Member

    Jul 30, 2012
    Club:
    AC Milan
    Hey Hellas don’t u think GolTV would have announced they have the rights already. Were less than two weeks and nothing is announced. My friend works at TLN, I’m going to ask him what’s going on but it sounds like Bein Sport will not sub-license any of their leagues.
     
  13. huhe888

    huhe888 Red Card

    Oct 3, 2007
    beIN SPORT LLC can either take the easiest way into Canada by paying TeleLatino what it is asking for a 20% stake of the company if it wants to launch beIN SPORT 1 Canada by September 1 (using the EuroWorld Sport CRTC licence), or...

    ...beIN SPORT LLC can do things the hard way by finding another media company in Canada as partner and apply for a CRTC licence to launch a completely new network from scratch. That will take at least 6-9 months while the CRTC considers the new licence application. Everyone and his brother and sister in Canada will file interventions with the CRTC in an attempt to stop beIN SPORT LLC if beIN SPORT LLC were to take that route.

    GOLTV, Inc. does NOT want to sell its 19.9% stake in GOLTV Canada to beIN SPORT LLC.
     
  14. Hellas04

    Hellas04 Guest

    They haven't announced anything because they haven't reached a deal yet. It appears that bein is asking for too much or GolTV Canada & EuroWorld Sport are only willing to pay so much for the rights and this has resulted in a stalemate between the two sides. I hope now that the start of the season is upon us that they will lower their asking price so the two sides can reach a deal and viewers can start watching soccer again?!

    That could be a possibility as well, they may want to air the content on their own channel instead of sub-licensing it out to existing channels?! My sense is that they have not been able to come to terms with TLN to launch a Canadian version of their bein channel which is why no announcement has been made. I think they should just sub-license out their content to existing channels and forget about bein Canada.

    Canada has a very regulated media industry, this means that bein can't just do what they want and that the existing Canadian broadcasters have the upper hand because they have the CRTC behind them.
     
  15. huhe888

    huhe888 Red Card

    Oct 3, 2007
    It should be apparent to everyone by now that beIN SPORT LLC wants to launch beIN SPORT 1 Canada instead of sublicensing its content out to either TLN/EWS, GOLTV Canada, or Sportsnet World.

    beIN SPORT LLC went through the expense of auditioning not one, but TWO, Canadian female talent in early July and ended up hiring one of the two to be the face of beIN SPORT 1 USA.

    Knowing that the cost of a nightly soccer-centric news program can be amortized if beIN SPORT 1 Canada were operational (using mostly beIN SPORT 1 USA content with the exception of news, which should originate from Toronto given the availability of affordable Canadian female talent with experience anchoring soccer news), I would be more surprised if beIN SPORT 1 Canada does not launch.

    (Let's see: both Michelles may be available come August 2013. So will Kara Lang if the new FOX Soccer Report to be produced by Rogers Sportsnet does not last more than a year. That's 3 Canadian female anchors already. Hiring a 4th Canadian female, i.e. the female sports anchor who backed up Michelle Sturino at Sportsnet World, would account for the entire cast of beIN SPORT Tonight assuming that the EP were to employ the bold "Every Night is Ladies Night" strategy. If push comes to shove, then the weekend studio show for beIN SPORT 1 USA can be shifted from Miami to Toronto so that the Canadian female host of beIN SPORT 1 USA can also be used to anchor beIN SPORT Tonight to achieve maximum efficiency.)

    (The studio show and the commentators don't have to sit in the same building. ESPN Deportes Futbol Center originates from Tlalnepantla, Mexico even though the announcers can be in Bristol, Connecticut, USA or Buenos Aires, Argentina. FOX Deportes' studio show originates from Los Angeles even though its announcers for UEFA Champions League matches are usually in Mexico City. With two redundant fibre-optic transmission links, beIN SPORT 1 USA can have its studio show in Toronto while Phil and Ray continue to call matches from Miami.)

    --

    The only issue would be TeleLatino, which asked for too much money when GOLTV Inc. was shopping for a Canadian partner 6 years ago. Will Aldo Di Felice get too greedy yet again and blow this deal, which seemed like it was his to lose only a few weeks ago?

    MLSE is waiting if TeleLatino were to ask for too much money. GOLTV Inc.'s 19.9% stake in GOLTV Canada will be sold if the money were right even though I understand that GOLTV Inc. really doesn't want to sell its stake in GOLTV Canada.
     
  16. ottawasportsfan

    Mar 18, 2005
    I hope your right about Euro Sport that would make the most sense i also think them running the soccer report is a hint something is in the works.
     
  17. huhe888

    huhe888 Red Card

    Oct 3, 2007
    I have NO DOUBT that talks have taken place.

    I floated a little "trial balloon" about 4 weeks after the executive producer of beIN SPORT LLC (USA), with whom I have conducted business since 1995,asked me to contact two Canadian female talent candidates.

    [I was not fully aware of plans to launch beIN SPORT 1 Canada until 17 days later, the same day the first of the two Canadian candidates interviewed (I found out about beIN SPORT 1 Canada though my own industry sources, not from her.)]

    The "trial balloon" had two possible outcomes:

    1. If the potential Canadian partner did NOT contact me, then I would know that talks had already taken place. Complete silence is a TELL.

    2. If the potential Canadian partner did contact me, then I would also know that either talks have already taken place, or that talks would take place within 72 hours after I communicated with the potential Canadian partner.

    In either case, the two possible outcome would lead to the same conclusion: beIN SPORT LLC (read: Youssef al-Obaidly) would have talked with TeleLatino Network by now.

    --

    If TeleLatino were to play its cards correctly, then the balance of power in Canadian soccer television will change, from Rogers Sportsnet to TeleLatino Network.

    Otherwise, either Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment (soon to become a Rogers-Bell joint venture pending regulartory approval), or Rogers on its own, or perhaps Bell Media on its own (keep in mind that ESPN, Inc. owns 33% of Bell Media Sports), can move in to "steal" the deal away from TeleLatino Network.

    Welcome to "high stakes poker", Canadian sports media style.

    Where is Daniel Negreanu when we need him? :D
     
  18. huhe888

    huhe888 Red Card

    Oct 3, 2007
    I need to recalculate the absolute highest "threshold of pain" for Rogers Media with regards to EPL rights in Canada.

    Instead of using 50,000 as the absolute highest number of subscriptions to Sportsnet World that Rogers can sell, I need to use 100,000 as the ultra aggressive estimate now that Sportsnet and Sportsnet ONE can draw over 100,000 viewers to EPL matches on Saturdays (instead of 70000.)

    Also, I need to account for the fact that any Rogers Cable customer who subscribe to Sportsnet World would pay his entire monthly fee to Rogers Communications, Inc.: 50% to Rogers Sportsnet, 50% to Rogers Cable. I am assuming that as many as 30% of Sportsnet World subscribers are Rogers Cable customers.

    I will continue to make the aggressive assumption that Rogers will be able to raise the monthly subscription fee of Sportsnet World from $17/month to $20/month starting August 2013 if Rogers Media were able to keep EPL away from TeleLatino (or MLSE, or some other Canadian partner that beIN SPORT LLC will choose.)

    $10/month/sub x 10 months/year x 70,000 non-Rogers subs = $7 million/year in subscriber fees from non-Rogers Cable subscriberss

    $20/month/sub x 10 months/year x 30000 Rogers subs = $6 million/year in subscriber fees from Rogers subscribers

    So Rogers Communications, Inc. can earn up to $13 million/year in subscriber fees from Sportsnet World in a very aggressive scenario.

    Multiply that by 3 years to get $39 million as the absolute highest possible threshold of pain for Rogers Media that Sheik Hamad Al-Thani will have to consider before he instructs the Canadian partner of beIN SPORT LLC on what amount to bid.

    Going from $6 million to $39 million for the video rights in Canada to EPL in the next contract cycle (August 2013-May 2016) will be a substantial increase of 550%, but Rogers Media really has no choice but to bid 100% of what Rogers Communications, Inc. can earn in subscriber fees from Sportsnet World if Rogers Media really wants to keep EPL.

    However, a bid of $39 million from Rogers Media for Canadian rights to EPL for August 2013-May 2016 will probably NOT be enough to win because of the way Sheik Al-Thani bids for rights to international soccer: take the absolute threshold of pain of its opponent and tack on at least 20-25% extra.

    In a high-stakes poker game, the players are always trying to out-think each other. In other words, because I know that you know what I am about to do, so I will adjust accordingly knowing that you know that I will adjust, so I will adjust some more. You can go on and on in circles if you think too much.

    That means if Sheik Al-Thani really, really wants to make sure that beIN SPORT LLC blows Rogers Media away, beIN SPORT LLC will need to instruct its Canadian partner (presumably TeleLatino Network) to bid at least $45 million for the Canadian rights to EPL, if not closer to $50 million.

    In any case, I expect Rogers Sportsnet to lose because Bell Media Sports (TSN & RDS, which are 33% owned by ESPN, Inc.) will survey the entire landscape of bidders (Rogers and whichever Canadian company will partner with beIN SPORT LLC) before throwing its support as a sublicensee behind whichever company Bell Media Sports believes will be the winning bidder.

    As a sublicensee, Bell Media Sports will never have to go down with a sinking ship, as it will have all available information before deciding which primary bidder it will back. In other words, Bell Media Sports in 2012 will be in the same position Setanta Sports North America was in 2009 when the rights to the UEFA Champions League were auctioned off. Setanta abandoned both ESPN, Inc. in the U.S. and TSN/RDS in Canada to back FOX Sports Media Group and Rogers Media respectively.

    The only guaranteed winner of EPL rights in Canada will be Bell Media Sports because it will be a sublicensee instead of a primary bidder.

    One sentence executive summary to the above analysis for the consumption of Rogers Media executives:

    Gerry Dobson will be calling Water Polo more often than soccer starting August 2013. :D
     
  19. ottawasportsfan

    Mar 18, 2005
    Many think Rogers is going to push hard for the Nhl rights which would be well over $100 million now if its clear next summer Bell's offer will be far to much for Rogers it would not shock me if Rogers sets its eyes on the Epl and offer a huge sum of cash thats my guess.
     
  20. huhe888

    huhe888 Red Card

    Oct 3, 2007
    How much money does Rogers Media want to lose in order to keep EPL?

    If Sheik Al-Thani thinks that Rogers is crazy enough to bid $50 million, then Sheik Al-Thani will instruct the Canadian partner to bid $60 million.

    If Rogers were to go really crazy and bid $60 million, then the Sheik will bid $70-75 million.

    Rogers Media, in particular the Sportsnet division and especially soccer (read: Gerry Dobson) has made too many enemies in Canada with its take-no-prisoner approach over the years. Rogers Media is about to get a taste of its own medicine.

    Sheik Al-Thani wants to put Sportsnet World out of business (or severely cripple it, i.e. 10,000 subscribers instead of 100,000.)

    Remember that Sheik Al-Thani can earn $5-10 billion/year in passive investments (interest, dividends) while he is asleep, so an extra $10-20 million here and there is just monopoly money for him.

    Rogers has NO CHANCE to win the rights to EPL against whichever company beIN SPORT LLC were to invest for a 20% stake.

    The only way Rogers can snatch victory from the jaws of defeat is for TeleLatino to blow the deal (by asking for too much money) so that beIN SPORT LLC will have to talk to Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment instead.
     
  21. ottawasportsfan

    Mar 18, 2005
    As for how much they want to lose well if they get the Epl rights and use Sportsnet World as its main channel it may be worth it for them Maple Leafs Sports soon will be under control of Bell/Rogers the other thing is maybe Bell buys into Sportsnet World.
     
  22. huhe888

    huhe888 Red Card

    Oct 3, 2007
    Forget the old September 1 deadline.

    The new deadline for TeleLatino to get its deal done with beIN SPORT LLC is now August 16.

    More info later...
     
  23. ottawasportsfan

    Mar 18, 2005
    What reason would there be to move the deadline?
     
  24. huhe888

    huhe888 Red Card

    Oct 3, 2007
    I now understand that EuroWorld Sport will have rights to no programming whatsoever (no live or taped soccer events, no soccer news, etc.) after August 16 (instead of August 31) unless TeleLatino can wrap up a deal with beIN SPORT LLC to launch beIN SPORT 1 Canada on August 17.

    The last episode of FOX Soccer Report to be produced in Winnipeg will be on Thursday August 16 (instead of Friday August 31.)

    More info on this later, perhaps on Monday.
     
  25. Don C

    Don C New Member

    Jul 30, 2012
    Club:
    AC Milan
    I talked to my friend who works at TLN, he didnt give me much details but told me that EuroWorld Sport will be in exisitance past August 31st. Im suspecting they have several options in case thier number 1 option according to Oliver (beIN SPORT) does not come true.
     

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