[外絮] 太陽成為NBA第1支不在地方電視獨佔轉播的隊伍

消息來源: Brian Windhorst(對 我知道他不太好 但他同事都有轉發應該OK)
http://psce.pw/4vm3rs

In a move that is perhaps both game-changer and tipping point, the Phoenix
Suns and Phoenix Mercury have struck a deal that removes their long-held
television rights from cable.

Starting with their next seasons, the teams' games will be broadcast for freeover-the-air and streamed online on a new direct-to-consumer service.

The teams' contract with Bally Sports Arizona, where their games have been
shown on cable since 2003, has expired and will not be renewed. The games
instead will be available on local Arizona television stations in Phoenix,
Tucson and Yuma and streaming firm Kiswe on a new platform.

The shift could cost the Suns tens of millions in guaranteed money per year
in the short term, but it will boost the number of households the games are
available in from around 800,000 to more than 2.8 million, according to the
team.

鳳凰城太陽與水星做出了可能是改變生態的一個重大決定--他們拋棄了過往長期的有線電視轉播權利。

在下個賽季開始，這兩支隊伍的轉播將只會透過OTA的免費轉播平台並經營全新直面消費者的串流服務。

這兩支隊伍與Bally Sports Arizona於2003年簽下的合約已經過期且將不會再續約。這些比賽轉播平台取而代之的是一些亞利桑那(鳳凰城、土桑、尤馬)的地方電視台以及與串流公司Kiswe合作的新平台。

太陽隊表示雖然這個轉變短時間內將造成太陽每年上千萬美元的損失，但這舉動也可以將可以看到球隊比賽的用戶數從80萬增長至280萬。

"We're not focusing on money. We're focusing on winning, success and taking
care of fans, taking care of the community," new team owner Mat Ishbia said.
"What happens is you always end up making money. It always works out.

"We're going to have more fans than ever before. We're going to have more
people who will have eyeballs on Devin Booker and Deandre [Ayton] and Kevin
Durant, Chris [Paul] and cheer the team on. And more people buying
merchandise because they're bigger fans."

The shift comes in the wake of Diamond Sports Group, Bally Sports Arizona's
parent company, filing for bankruptcy in March. The network missed a payment
to the Arizona Diamondbacks that was due April 1. The Minnesota Twins and
Cleveland Guardians have also missed payments from Diamond subsidiaries,
leading Major League Baseball to seek to void the rights deals so the teams
could take over their broadcasts.

太陽新老闆Mat Ishbia說:「我們並不專注於賺錢。我們專注在贏球、成功與照顧球迷、照顧社群。你做這些事情永遠最後都可以讓你賺錢。這永遠有效。」

「我們將會有史上最多的球迷。我們將會有更多人將他們的注意力放在Devin Booker、
Deandre Ayton、Kevin Durant與Chris Paul身上並為了球隊歡呼。然後就會有更多人買我們的商品因為他們是我們的大粉絲。」

這個轉變來自於Bally Sport Arizona母公司Diamon Sports Group三月的破產。這家電視台4/1也未能支付應該要給亞歷桑納響尾蛇的轉播金。明尼蘇達雙城隊與克里夫蘭守護者也同樣未能從Diamond的子公司收取應獲得的金額並造成了MLB球隊必須探尋終止轉播合約的方法才能轉播比賽。

The Suns got all their scheduled payments from Bally Sports Arizona before
their contract expired at the end of the first round of the playoffs. But theregional sports network's financial situation likely played a role in the
Suns' decision.

Diamond Sports Group released a statement Friday saying the move by the Suns
and Mercury constituted a breach of contract and violated bankruptcy law -- aposition Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein disputed.

"This is an improper effort by the Suns to change their broadcasting partner
without permitting Diamond to exercise our contractual rights," Diamond
Sports Group said.

Said Bartelstein in a statement: "Diamond's position is totally inaccurate.
We are moving forward with this deal and could not be more excited about whatit means for our fans and our future."

太陽隊在合約結束前(季後賽第一輪)已經收到了BSA排程的所有錢。但這家地方體育電視台的資金現狀應該是促使太陽做出這個決定的原因之一。

Diamond Sports Group星期五也是出了一則聲明控訴太陽與水星違約並委反了破產法--而這聲明也遭太陽CEO Josh Bartelstein駁斥。

Diamond Sports Group說:「太陽與水星未經過Diamond同意更換轉播合作夥伴的行為是不當的。」

Bartelstein則在聲明中表示:「Diamond所處的位置是不準確的。我們要向前看且這對於我們的未來與粉絲來說有令人興奮的意義。」

As more local media rights deals expire in the near term, other NBA, MLB and
NHL teams might find themselves in the same situation as the Suns and Mercuryand consider shifting their games away from the cable model. Suns games had
been on cable television in some form since 1981.

"We need to reimagine these relationships," NBA commissioner Adam Silver saidabout regional sports networks on "The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media
Podcast" last week. "In terms of the fundamentals of the business, everyone
sees what's happening in the television market. You've had a dramatic declinein the number of television homes."

Ishbia, who bought a controlling stake in the Suns and Mercury in February ata $4 billion valuation, said he believes appealing to more fans will increasevalue in other areas, including sponsorship deals. He consulted with the NBA
league office and some other owners before making a decision to go this path.

"The media world is changing," Ishbia said. "And we think in Phoenix we're
going to be the leaders starting off with a new way of thinking about it, a
new way of doing it."

Ishbia said a price point for the streaming option, designed for younger
viewers who might not own televisions, has not been determined. But the
Mercury, who are soon to make their season debut and welcome back Brittney
Griner, will have their games streamed for free this season.

在這幾年隨著越來越多的地方轉播合約到期，其他NBA、MLB、NHL球隊也將會發現他們與太陽和水星處於類似的情況並開始拋棄有線電視轉播。太陽自1981年以來就會在有線電視上轉播他們的比賽了。

NBA主席Adam Silver也在Podcast上表示:「我們必須重新思考這些關係。從商業的角度來看，大家都有觀察到電視市場正在發生的情況。安裝電視的家庭數正在劇烈下降。」

今年二月花了40億美金買下太陽與水星的Ishbia說他認為吸引更多粉絲能增進包含贊助合約等其他領域的收入。他聽取了NBA聯盟與一些其他老闆的意見才做出的這個決定。

Ishbia說:「媒體世界正在改變，而我們認為鳳凰城將會成為其中的領先者並開啟一種全新的思路與經營模式。」

Ishbia說設計給沒有電視的年輕觀眾的串流選項收費還沒決定好。但即將開季的並迎回球星Brittney Griner的水星隊這季將會免費轉播。

心得:

太陽算是因為現況開出了第一槍@@
以後地方電視台的轉播可能只會越來越少

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阿謝謝 最近我的自動選字都怪怪的@@

謝謝