Episode 79: Peacock's NFL Gamble; Why Sports Streaming Doesn't Work Financially; A WBD and Paramount Merger Isn't Practical

This week, I reviewed Peacock's exclusive NFL game stream, noting that some users had a poor-quality video experience and detailed why I think Peacock's strategy failed with its ad-free fourth quarter. I also break down the viewership numbers reported by NBC Sports and highlight how sports is a costly and unproven part of Peacock's subscriber acquisition strategy, with no ability to scale sports content globally.I discuss, with numbers, why the rumors of Warner Bros. Discovery buying Paramount would not make sense from a financial standpoint, since the deal would likely be stock-for-stock and the combined company would have about $60 billion in debt. I also detail how, from a regulatory standpoint, it would involve merging two of the five remaining major movie studios and two major television studios, resulting in a very high concentration of linear network ownership and significant consolidation of major sports rights. Finally, I highlight the changes I would like to see in the streaming media industry in 2024, including greater innovation in the pricing and packaging of streaming content and greater professionalism within the industry.Podcast produced by Security Halt Media