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Mike Reynolds
ESPN, proffering cable-exclusive packages, is stepping up its efforts in the pay-per-view arena.
Coinciding with its 20th anniversary Sept. 7, the company launched a pair of digital PPV networks, ESPN Extra, featuring live and niche sports programming, and ESPN Now, a barker channel listing and promoting top athletic action across the TV landscape, on a sports transponder. These services complement its dedicated out-of-market packages under the ESPN GamePlan (college football), ESPN Full Court (college basketball) and MLS/ESPN Shootout (pro soccer) monikers.
"We applaud Viewer's Choice for its recent deals with the NBA and NHL because it helps cable stand and compete with DBS," said Sean Bratches, SVP ffiliate sales and marketing. "Operators talk about exclusivity, ESPN Extra and ESPN Now are offered only to cable. These services are more about asset preservation for our cable affiliates than cash flow at this point. Clearly, these are long-term plays." Skip Desjardin, director of sales and marketing at ESPN, extolled the virtues of bandwidth efficiency. "Cable affiliates can get all three of the out-of-market packages, plus the two new channels on a single transponder," he said.
Although they declined to specify the base levels, the ESPN officials reported that all three of its league-based PPV packages are growing.
"GamePlan (cable has not yet reported) will grow about 30% in DBS this season," said Desjardin. "And that comes on top of a strong season with Full Court. MLS/ESPN Shootout is also increasing its sub base."
Bratches dismissed estimates of PPV sales in the DBS world (see chart) from Carmel Group as "quite silly." Added Desjardin, "Some are outrageously high, others outrageously low."
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