With the acceleration of cord-cutting and the associated decline of regional sports networks, local television stations are now looking at a “Back to the Future” moment and taking a close look at providing local sports. A recent commentary by Wayne Friedman in Media Post explains:
“With local TV stations' core-advertising still in trouble, major TV stations are going old-school for a remedy: Looking to make deals with big professional sports leagues to air games on regular broadcast/over-the-air TV.
This is due to opportunity. Cable channel-centric, regional sports networks are in financial trouble — including Sinclair's Diamond Sports group (now in bankruptcy) and Warner Bros. Discovery's AT&T Sports Group (looking to exit the business) — due to increasing weak financial industry circumstances.”
The article is worth reading as it explains how TV can regain its advantage in broadcasting sports.
You can see Mr. Friedman’s commentary in Media Post here.