Weekly Wrap: Take Me Out to the Ballgame
Kirby Grines
Founder, 43Twenty & The Streaming Wars | Anti-Thought Leader Thought Leader | Builder
I’m Kirby, founder of 43Twenty and The Streaming Wars. Every week, I handpick the best news, insights, and analysis from our FAST-paced industry (yes, pun intended). My mission? To make all this industry chaos easy to consume, no fluff, no filler. If this was forwarded, you can grab the newsletter here.
In today’s edition:
TSW SPOTLIGHT
The Streaming Wars goes live – Our first live webinar tackled the future of bundling, the rise of live events on FAST, and the headache of tracking churn across aggregators. Experts also broke down hybrid monetization, subscription flexibility, and what’s next for streaming’s consumer experience. Watch now for exclusive insights. The Streaming Wars
MLB & ESPN call it quits - After 2025, MLB and ESPN will part ways, with MLB eyeing new partners—including Amazon and Netflix. ?The move highlights a broader shift in sports media as leagues prioritize visibility and flexibility over traditional long-term TV contracts. The Streaming Wars
Streaming goes all-in on live sports – Streaming platforms will spend a record $12.5B on live sports rights in 2025, up from $10B in 2024. DAZN leads the charge, with Amazon, YouTube TV, and Netflix ramping up their sports play. Expect more subscriber surges tied to major sporting events. The Streaming Wars
From the Archives: Justin.tv - Launched in 2007 as a 24/7 lifecasting experiment, Justin.tv became a hub for live streaming before its gaming category—Twitch—took over. By 2014, Justin.tv shut down, and Amazon swooped in to buy Twitch for $970M. Its legacy? Pioneering the live-streaming boom that dominates today’s internet.. The Streaming Wars
FROM THE FRONTLINES
ViX wins again – TelevisaUnivision’s ViX pulled off its second straight profitable quarter, proving Spanish-language streaming can be a moneymaker. U.S. revenue hit $835.5M in Q4 2024, with $70M from political ads. Annual revenue topped $1B, fueled by subscriptions, ads, and a deep Spanish-language catalog. With major bets on Copa América, the Olympics, and the Super Bowl, ViX is doubling down on live sports. The Streaming Wars
YouTube Premium Lite is coming – YouTube is launching a cheaper ad-free tier in the U.S., Germany, Australia, and Thailand. It won’t include YouTube Music, downloads, or background play, but it could cost about half of the $13.99/month Premium price. The goal? Grow subscriptions without killing ad revenue, which hit $10.47B in Q4 2024. The Streaming Wars
Netflix bets big on Mexico – Netflix is pouring $1B into original movies and TV in Mexico over the next four years, reinforcing its push for local content. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos announced the plan, which includes a $2M upgrade to Churubusco Studios, aiming to fuel Mexico’s $3B film industry. The Streaming Wars
Elizabeth Warren vs. Disney - Warren wants the DOJ to investigate Disney’s plan to buy 70% of Fubo, arguing it would crush competition in the virtual MVPD market. If approved, Disney would control both Fubo and Hulu + Live TV, holding a 35% market share. Antitrust fight incoming. Link
SNY launches in-market Mets streaming – SNY is the first third-party RSN to offer in-market Mets games via the MLB App. The service costs $24.99/month or $124.99 for the season, using MLB’s streaming tech instead of building its own platform. A big step for local sports streaming. The Streaming Wars
Netflix on backend deals? Not really – Netflix’s Chief Content Officer says the company is open to backend deals for talent, but most prefer upfront pay. The streamer made an exception for Ben Affleck’s RIP, but revenue-sharing remains rare in the Netflix ecosystem. Link
ESPN bails on Formula 1 rights – ESPN is reportedly out of the running for F1’s U.S. media rights after 2025. NBC Sports and Netflix are now in talks, with Netflix’s Drive to Survive boosting F1’s U.S. popularity. But with viewership at 1.1M per race, bidding won’t come cheap. Link
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
It’s not Netflix for gaming - ?Microsoft’s dream of a subscription-based gaming revolution hasn’t panned out. Despite big acquisitions and cloud gaming, Xbox remains a distant third behind PlayStation and Nintendo. Traditional game purchases still dominate, raising doubts about whether Game Pass will ever reshape the industry. Link
Who’s spending the most on content? – NBCUniversal leads the 2025 content budget race with $27.1B, followed by Disney ($23.4B), and Warner Bros. Discovery ($19.5B). Netflix ($18.6B) remains efficient thanks to its direct-to-consumer model. Paramount is cutting back to $15.2B as it eyes a Skydance merger, while Amazon ($9.1B) and Apple ($7.5B) continue to treat streaming as a side hustle. Link
Netflix vs. Tving in South Korea – Netflix held 35% of South Korea’s streaming market in 2024, but Tving surged to 34%, thanks to local partnerships and an ad-supported tier. The battle underscores the power of local content and the shift toward ad-driven streaming in Korea’s $2B market. The Streaming Wars
Amazon Prime Video breaks records with UCL match – Real Madrid’s comeback win over Man City set a new streaming record for Prime Video in the UK, pulling over 4M viewers. It’s a big win for Amazon’s first year streaming the Champions League. Link
PARTNERSHIPS
NWSL teams up with Overtime – The National Women’s Soccer League is partnering with Overtime to bring highlights, behind-the-scenes content, and player stories to social media. It’s part of a growing trend where sports leagues use digital-first media brands to reach younger fans. The Streaming Wars
Saudi Arabia buys into DAZN – Saudi Arabia’s SURJ Sports Investment is dropping $1B for a minority stake in DAZN, forming DAZN MENA to expand sports broadcasting in the Middle East. It’s part of Saudi Arabia’s bigger play to dominate global sports ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The Streaming Wars
Roku reels in Bassmaster fishing rights – Roku has exclusive streaming rights to Bassmaster tournaments, adding another live sports franchise to The Roku Channel. A dedicated Bassmaster FAST channel is also on the way, joining Roku’s lineup of MLB, X-Games, and Formula E. The Streaming Wars
Paramount+ expands UEFA reach with EverPass – Paramount+ struck a deal with EverPass to stream UEFA Champions League matches in U.S. bars, restaurants, and hotels starting February 2025. It’s the first time CBS Sports’ Champions League coverage will be available for commercial venues. Link
ICYMI
Disney’s shareholder lawsuit moves forward - A lawsuit accusing Bob Chapek and Disney execs of misleading investors about Disney+ losses is advancing in court. Claims include inflating subscriber counts with promos, hiding costs, and shifting expenses—all leading to a 55% stock drop from 2020 to 2023. Link
AMC Networks takes a hit – AMC Networks reported a nearly $400M impairment charge, mostly from its shrinking linear TV business. Streaming revenue grew 7% to $603M, with 12.4M DTC subscribers—but much of that comes from bundling AMC+ with cable. The company is betting on FAST channels and licensing premium content, but with ad revenue down 11% and licensing revenue down 19%, AMC is stuck between a dying cable model and a streaming strategy that’s still unproven. The Streaming Wars
Paramount and YouTube TV make up – Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Paramount and YouTube TV settled their carriage dispute, keeping CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, and more on the platform. The multi-year deal also secures Paramount+ with Showtime and BET+ on YouTube Primetime Channels, with Google getting the option to offer Paramount’s ad-supported tier. But beneath the handshake, the fight over bundling, pricing, and the future of live TV rages on. The Streaming Wars
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