OneSoccer

[dyslexic nam]

Once again I find myself annoyed at OS. I had an old Apple TV (gen 2) but always hated tying up my phone airplaying (casting) the game over the old version of Apple TV. 

OS’s website says Apple TV 3 is supported and you can use the app (screenshot below).   So I bought one.  And then I find out that you can’t load the OS app onto Apple TV 3.  Grrrr.  

[Unnamed Trialist]

https://deadline.com/2020/03/mediapro-steady-253m-ebitda-2019-90m-investment-year-1202875973/

That is a summary of their 2019 finances. Their revenue dropped slightly, but it should be recalled it rose 20% in 2018. The ebitda was actually up. 

I think that the Chinese are not going to pull out of a way to enter into tv and film entertainment markets, which is probably their weakest international presence. They have their international news channels, but their documentaries and entertainment are poor quality. I was speaking with a friend who is a documentary filmmaker last week and he was mentioning where he has distribution (including Amazon US), and one was HispanTV, which is a Latin American channel under Iranian control (he has a film on Guatemala). This is a direction a lot of nations are moving, but of course either you buy content or produce it yourself, or more likely your model has both. And Mediapro gives China a way to be involved in producing entertainment content for a variety of Western outlets.

Edited October 15, 2020 by Unnamed Trialist

[Unnamed Trialist]

Villa Boas has laid into Mediapro for their proposal to delay their 1st payment to the league.

https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-marseille-france-ea06aa44db70f6303db6deb2f7961f33

What I find odd is that his own players and probably he himself have had salary cuts, which they accepted, without making the same argument about their employer. And he's sat silent as modest club workers have been laid off. I don't get how you think it is fine for your company to slash right left and centre, but it's a scandal when another company does it. 

Mediapro could argue, for example, that French pro leagues have not fulfilled their part of the deal in terms of scheduling, delaying the season, altering fixtures. Isn't that a breach as well?

I admit I am being a bit on Mediapro's side, but that could also be because some of the arguments being made are plain silly.

[Ansem]

1 hour ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Villa Boas has laid into Mediapro for their proposal to delay their 1st payment to the league.

https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-marseille-france-ea06aa44db70f6303db6deb2f7961f33

What I find odd is that his own players and probably he himself have had salary cuts, which they accepted, without making the same argument about their employer. And he's sat silent as modest club workers have been laid off. I don't get how you think it is fine for your company to slash right left and centre, but it's a scandal when another company does it. 

Mediapro could argue, for example, that French pro leagues have not fulfilled their part of the deal in terms of scheduling, delaying the season, altering fixtures. Isn't that a breach as well?

I admit I am being a bit on Mediapro's side, but that could also be because some of the arguments being made are plain silly.

LFP ready to rip up Mediapro TV rights contract

https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/lfp-france-mediapro-tv-rights-contract-payments-ligue-1-canal-bein#.X4moQch5vtc.twitter

MedioPro main argument is this :

• Jaume Roures, Mediapro’s chief executive, told L’Equipe that the company was looking to renegotiate its broadcast partnership with the LFP, claiming that the value of the deal is being adversely impacted by Covid-19.

They aren't entirely wrong - Sure LFP can seek another broadcaster but they'll never get what was agreed with MediaPro - they'll most likely get much less.

Renegotiation sucks but would it be worst then the other broadcasters most likely low-balling you because now you're desperate? Personally, renegotiation might make the most sense but egos might lead to them cancelling with MediaPro to make a point while collecting less from BeIN and Canal + who have ZERO incentive to be generous here.

It's purely business and MediaPro are playing the game.

[Ruffian]

I just hope the deal doesn't blow up on a Friday. I want to watch Lille on Sunday!

[scooterlawrence5]

Sunday October 18
Lille v Lens
French Ligue 1

[Unnamed Trialist]

3 hours ago, Ansem said:

LFP ready to rip up Mediapro TV rights contract

https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/lfp-france-mediapro-tv-rights-contract-payments-ligue-1-canal-bein#.X4moQch5vtc.twitter

MedioPro main argument is this :

• Jaume Roures, Mediapro’s chief executive, told L’Equipe that the company was looking to renegotiate its broadcast partnership with the LFP, claiming that the value of the deal is being adversely impacted by Covid-19.

They aren't entirely wrong - Sure LFP can seek another broadcaster but they'll never get what was agreed with MediaPro - they'll most likely get much less.

Renegotiation sucks but would it be worst then the other broadcasters most likely low-balling you because now you're desperate? Personally, renegotiation might make the most sense but egos might lead to them cancelling with MediaPro to make a point while collecting less from BeIN and Canal + who have ZERO incentive to be generous here.

It's purely business and MediaPro are playing the game.

Technically Mediapro could argue they are rescheduling.

It seems like it's the first of many payments to be made over the year, and they seem to be tight on the cash flow. But of course all the clubs are tight too and have just laid out big for signings, don't have stadium revenues, and need to square things up quick. 

I do not rule out that Mediapro is overextended, that they've bid beyond their means and getting hit. That is what happens when you bid for a new contract for football rights over the last 20 years or so, it tends to look and feel high at the start, then a few years in it seems reasonable. So bidders tend to go overboard just to get the deal. 

As Serie A broke with Mediapro, there's a precedent. So I guess that is an option for Ligue 1 and 2, but it would also mean seeing nothing until a new bid went through due process and was accepted.

[Watchmen]

9 hours ago, Ansem said:

LFP ready to rip up Mediapro TV rights contract

https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/lfp-france-mediapro-tv-rights-contract-payments-ligue-1-canal-bein#.X4moQch5vtc.twitter

MedioPro main argument is this :

• Jaume Roures, Mediapro’s chief executive, told L’Equipe that the company was looking to renegotiate its broadcast partnership with the LFP, claiming that the value of the deal is being adversely impacted by Covid-19.

They aren't entirely wrong - Sure LFP can seek another broadcaster but they'll never get what was agreed with MediaPro - they'll most likely get much less.

Renegotiation sucks but would it be worst then the other broadcasters most likely low-balling you because now you're desperate? Personally, renegotiation might make the most sense but egos might lead to them cancelling with MediaPro to make a point while collecting less from BeIN and Canal + who have ZERO incentive to be generous here.

It's purely business and MediaPro are playing the game.

BeIN and Canal + don't have to be generous, they just have to offer more than MediaPro is offering now.  Maybe they offer similar to their initial offer, but have additional years tacked on.  Who knows?  But Im willing to bet that if they've already got a stronger subscription base (don't know about BeIN but Canal+ does) then they're not as worried about cash flow as MediaPro is.

MediaPro can keep claiming that it's impacted by Covid-19, and while that's not false I'll keep going back to them having 270k subscribers when they needed 3.5 million to breakeven.  That's not "we just missed" or covid related.  That's them completely misjudging the situation/value/ability to convert subscribers.

[Watchmen]

7 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

That is what happens when you bid for a new contract for football rights over the last 20 years or so, it tends to look and feel high at the start, then a few years in it seems reasonable. So bidders tend to go overboard just to get the deal. 

Hard to say how it is in other sports, but it's not always the case that it looks reasonable later.  Really interesting book called Hockey Fight In Canada, about how Sportsnet won the NHL rights away from CBC and TSN.  They overpaid badly, but assumed they'd be able to make up for it with all sorts of other revenue streams, such as increased subscription rates.  But they hit market saturation, people started cutting cords, and the Canadian teams all suddenly started missing the playoffs.  And the deal was structured in such a way that payments to the NHl kept increasing each year.  If you've wondered why Sportnset has mostly dropped soccer, cut bigger name personalities from their line up, and thrown on more and more cheap reruns of last nights broadcasts/plays of the year/misplays of the month, this is why.  The deals don't always work out.

[fil]

New CRTC rules for streaming incoming....

https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/feds-propose-changes-to-broadcasting-act-that-may-raise-800-million-from-streamers-1.5172751

Might be a plus for CPL.

 

 

Also on another note, Asa Rahman leaves onesoccer 

https://northerntribune.ca/onesoccer-asa-rehman-departure/

[toontownman]

3 hours ago, fil said:

New CRTC rules for streaming incoming....

https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/feds-propose-changes-to-broadcasting-act-that-may-raise-800-million-from-streamers-1.5172751

Might be a plus for CPL.

 

 

Also on another note, Asa Rahman leaves onesoccer 

https://northerntribune.ca/onesoccer-asa-rehman-departure/

Shame with Rehman, article and his statement alludes to it being a OneSoccer move. I sometimes felt he just a little on edge hosting. Bit like he was the stressed chairman at a board meeting frantically trying to keep a meeting on track, ready to jump in whenever he could and move things along. He looked like he was thinking two moves ahead not really listening at times, just monotonously agreeing to keep things short and move on. He is hilarious and great in the pre-recorded stuff so maybe they just used him wrong.   

 

[Cheeta]

Like Rehman, knows the sport, he'll land on his feet and be back in the business before he knows it.  And you know why?  Because he's just not that lucky. 

For a OneSoccer that was/is a work in progress it felt like he did a ton of work for them.  Thought he was good on-air, maybe too professional but thats a tricky business getting the right personalities and styles working together in the same place.  Informative, fun and provocating all at once.  Very tricky business.

Thanks Asa.  Good luck.    

[Kent]

He was OK but honestly if I had to get rid of one person it probably would have been him. He had some amount of soccer knowledge but sometimes you get the feeling he is trying to just stay afloat in the conversation. Best of luck to him though.

[narduch]

One Soccer isn't showing the Lille match live.

Their schedule says it will be at 3pm ET 

[Watchmen]

We already knew about the renegotiation, but MediaPro has now failed to make a payment.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

There's a deep dive in the Financial Times on Mediapro's rather aggressive tactics in France.  Turns out they're owned by a Private Equity group from China.  They're using dubious covid legal protections to prevent Ligue 1 from being able to hold them to the terms of the contract.  This has forced Ligue 1 to go through mediation where Mediapro is making the case that the value of the rights are impaired regardless of whether the games have returned because the lack of fans hurts the product.  Sounds more like buyer's remorse after overpaying.  Ligue 1 describes Mediapro as "Pirates"

Also mentions Mediapro engaging in hardline negotiations with French telcos (sound familiar?)

You can get around the FT paywall by searching for the article in Google

https://www.ft.com/content/6494e014-3ae1-4352-a7dd-0e0e5b816729

[nfitz]

I was just checking out the subscription rates - as my one-year subscription lapsed during the Island Games, and they weren't offering anything similar - and half the games I was interested in were on CBC or CHCH.

Looks like they are back to the old subscription pattern?  $75 for "one year soccer" ... is that actually until November 2021, or just until the end of December 2020?

[Cheeta]

Kept my seasons for 2020, which were defered to 2021 of course, and as I understand it now the OneSoccer subscription which came along with the seasons was also derered to 2021.  So I'm good for next year already.

Also notice the Lille matches coming up next week are still on the OneSoccer schedule.  Could change between now and Sunday but so far the renegotiating tactics with Ligue 1 haven't reached the point where padlocks are being applied.  

[Unnamed Trialist]

More of their historical dirty business they are struggling to clean up.

https://tv6.news/mediapro-admits-to-paying-bribes-to-fifa-for-broadcasting-rights/

[CDNFootballer]

15 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

More of their historical dirty business they are struggling to clean up.

https://tv6.news/mediapro-admits-to-paying-bribes-to-fifa-for-broadcasting-rights/

Not surprising for an international company, bribes are just part of business dealings in many 3rd world countries. They wouldn't be so blatant in first world countries though if they're smart.

[Unnamed Trialist]

15 hours ago, CDNFootballer said:

Not surprising for an international company, bribes are just part of business dealings in many 3rd world countries. They wouldn't be so blatant in first world countries though if they're smart.

Actually that is less true than most imagine. The Salt Lake City Olympics were won by major bribery and corruption, and that was not recent. 

As for Canada, basically the entire colonial experience, from railroads to town locations to logging and mining licenses to straight out stealing indigenous land was done to favour oligarchies, existing money interests and political cronies. There was no due process and even now the courts uphold weak interpretations of it in too many cases.

[Watchmen]

16 hours ago, CDNFootballer said:

They wouldn't be so blatant in first world countries though if they're smart.

They're currently trying to renegotiate a terrible tv deal they signed and failing to pay that league what's owed, while blaming it on covid and not their inability to sign people up for their service.

[Unnamed Trialist]

19 hours ago, Watchmen said:

They're currently trying to renegotiate a terrible tv deal they signed and failing to pay that league what's owed, while blaming it on covid and not their inability to sign people up for their service.

Because Covid has had no effect on the current economic situation. 

Come on, every French team has laid off masses of regular staff, stadium workers, concessions, admins, and no one is saying they should keep them on full salary at the club's cost plain ignoring the exceptionality of the year.

[Watchmen]

On 10/9/2020 at 10:49 AM, Ansem said:

Found another link in English

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/french-football-league-stares-down-152833254.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABkCBZmZONN2_TzHTauUljrYdpC4FhjCQCmWBlQgT0gRFUU98MeNCneXBf3S9bhrPqnpJi2EXdUJ6ACvvfy5yInj4WoDJp6ajtRyZ5U0z-BlF8LUvET4Tx2WfpAKgzR4suXUigzI37HjpALpJT2lulQwATxgtF_B4VSXCdoiQ5dY

1. To be profitable, Téléfoot must have 3.5M subscribers at 30 € / month or 7M at 15 €. They now have about 278,000 subscribers

 

3 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Because Covid has had no effect on the current economic situation. 

Come on, every French team has laid off masses of regular staff, stadium workers, concessions, admins, and no one is saying they should keep them on full salary at the club's cost plain ignoring the exceptionality of the year.

Going back to the original article that started it all. Those numbers are attrocious, and it's not all covid related.  That's just the excuse Mediapro is now using to try to get out of a bad contract.

[Unnamed Trialist]

5 hours ago, Watchmen said:

 

Going back to the original article that started it all. Those numbers are attrocious, and it's not all covid related.  That's just the excuse Mediapro is now using to try to get out of a bad contract.

You are aware that Mediapro grossly overbid for the CPL as well then? I think, just to be consistent, that you should look at their subscription numbers in Canada and ask whether we are worth it.