NewsCorp CEO Rupert Murdoch is realizing his vision of a global satellite empire with the $6.6B purchase of a controlling interest in DirectTV with its 11 million US satellite tv subscribers. NewsCorp is the parent company of the Fox Sports World cable channel which will now be showing weekly MLS matches and a wrapup show. NewsCorp is also the parent company of BSkyB, which I believe is the dominant satellite service in the UK. I believe BSkyB also has a large interest in Manchester United. What effects with this purchase have on the ability of American soccer fans to watch soccer on tv and what effect might it have on the growth of soccer in this country? I have digital cable solely for the purpose of getting Fox Sports World, and that was just for the EPL and international coverage. Now that FSW will have MLS coverage, it is even more valuable to American soccer fans. I am guessing that DirectTV already had FoxSportsWorld channel. I wonder if it is part of the basic lineup, or part of a sports package, and if that would change now. I know that Comcast Cable does not carry FSW, would this purchase be likely to increase or decrease the chances of that happening? DirectTV is a competitor to Comcast which would seem to make it less likely.
DirecTV has a "Sports Pack" which gives you FSW, plus all of the FOX Regional Sports Nets, plus a few other channels like OLN and YES. If FSW moves to the Total Choice package, I'll probably drop the Sports Pack.
Not quite accurate, as I now have Comcast thanks to the merger, and I still get FSW. The one hazard Murdoch's takeover of DirectTV poses was mentioned on NPR this morning: he might try to create customers for DirectTV by raising the prices of certain Fox networks (FSW, various FSNs, Fox, Fox News) so high that cable companies won't carry some or all of them, leaving people who want access to these channels no choice but a dish. But that's down the road, as the merger still has to be approved.
I'm currently a Dish Network subscriber because they carry RTPi (a Portuguese channel). Hopefully this move helps bring more international programming to Direct Tv, including RTPi. Direct TV seems so much better than Dish. If that happens, I will switch over to them. Plus, more international channels means more soccer for fans to watch.
Re: Re: Effects of NewsCorp (Fox) buying DirectTV on soccer in US I heard the show this morning, and it sounded like a weak argument made by someone spinning for the cable industry, which wants even less competition. It's weak because Murdoch can only raise his price if he's selling something that's worth the higher price. Personally, I think it's a better situation than Echostar buying DirecTV, which would have been disastrous. Now, we'll have two strong satellite companies competing against each other as well as the cable industry. And for us soccer lovers, maybe Murdoch starts bringing over some of his soccer product from other parts of the world. I would love to get the Sky satellite service offered in Mexico.
Re: Re: Effects of NewsCorp (Fox) buying DirectTV on soccer in US As would a lot of people, which is why they won't do that.
Re: Re: Re: Effects of NewsCorp (Fox) buying DirectTV on soccer in US See as reference: The YES Network in NYC. I have two friends (Yankee fans, yet still friends. Imagine) who own a dish because they can't get Yankee games on cable in the New York area. I realize that's not an exact parallel to the Murdoch situation, but Stein and Dolan obviously have differing views on the value of the Yankees on cable TV in the NY area.
Re: Re: Re: Effects of NewsCorp (Fox) buying DirectTV on soccer in US I know. My wife would probably be pissed (as OLN shows lots of equestrian - show jumping, specifically - events), but I don't really have the Sports Pack for any other reason.