Topic: CBSS sports channel 174

[dshoe]

dshoe, what is CBS's deal? When they dropped the College in CBS Sports Network and added names like Jim Rome and Doug Gottlieb I thought they were going to make an attempt to get on basic cable and in more households like ESPN, NBCSN, and Fox Sports 1. However it seems they're content to play 4th string showing bull riding and women's lacrosse.

When the network was CSTV they made a fundamental decision in gaining distribution, when their distribution efforts slowed at around 30 million they accepted what we called a "hunting license" deal with certain cable companies......particularly Comcast and Time Warner which has backfired on them in terms of expansion.  Essentially, when they couldn't get a national deal done, they opted to clear individual systems in markets where they had product, once they cleared those markets, it was difficult for them to get more national deals done........that's in part, how the CUSA deal with CSS came about........bit of an oversimplification, but should give some context. CBS simply inherited those deals.

ESPNU on the other hand declined to go that route, opting instead to wait until they could get the National deals done......made for slower growth, but dramatically raised the upper limit on full digital distribution.

I think everyone since (NBC-SN and Fox) have learned from those models

[Herdmeister]

When the network was CSTV they made a fundamental decision in gaining distribution, when their distribution efforts slowed at around 30 million they accepted what we called a "hunting license" deal with certain cable companies......particularly Comcast and Time Warner which has backfired on them in terms of expansion.  Essentially, when they couldn't get a national deal done, they opted to clear individual systems in markets where they had product, once they cleared those markets, it was difficult for them to get more national deals done........that's in part, how the CUSA deal with CSS came about........bit of an oversimplification, but should give some context. CBS simply inherited those deals.

ESPNU on the other hand declined to go that route, opting instead to wait until they could get the National deals done......made for slower growth, but dramatically raised the upper limit on full digital distribution.

I think everyone since (NBC-SN and Fox) have learned from those models

Dan, it sure is great having you on this board..