How we view sports changing

Cord-cutters prevail

Good morning, all! Hope your week is going well!

You may recall that in 2019 Sinclair Broadcast group plunked down $9.6 billion to buy 21 regional sports networks. It was thought the foray into sports by the owner of numerous TV stations would boost Sinclair’s profile and pump up revenue. Upon further review…

Cord-cutters and a pandemic have combined to dampen Sinclair’s prospects. The company is losing revenue. It’s stock has fallen. Recently, Sinclair cut a deal with Bally’s Corp., gambling that sporting events will revive interest in television programming content with legalized wagering on games.

As I have written in previous newsletters, led by the younger generation, we are consuming our sports on different platforms. In some cases, the TV may serve as a monitor via streaming sports programs. More and more, however, our smartphones and tablets are serving as the principal deliverers of content. Technology is moving in a nanosecond, impacting so many areas, including sports. No better example is in the next story.

PGA Tour cuts major deal with Amazon

On Tuesday, the PGA Tour announced it has launched a new alliance with Amazon, utilizing Amazon Web Services. Soon, golf fans will be able to watch every stroke every golfer makes in a tournament. And if you don’t enjoy the camera angle of a particular golfer’s shot, you can change it via TOURCast. Historians will be able to watch golf videos, dating back to the 1928 LA Open.

This is just the beginning. Look for more innovations, not only in golf but other sports coverage too.

Live, from Watertown, MA

The exhibition baseball season is underway and the Red Sox preseason opener against the Minnesota Twins was televised from sunny Florida on FuboTV. Describing the action were Red Sox broadcasters Dave O’Brien and Jerry Remy. But in years past, when the viewer might say, “What a nice deal those broadcasters have, broadcasting baseball in sunny and warm Florida, while we freeze up north,” such was not the case with the Red Sox telecasters. Due to the virus, they were sequestered in studios located in Watertown, MA. Welcome to 2021, in many cases a continuation of 2020.

Sportscaster Dan’s musings

Here are some random thoughts to wrap up this morning’s newsletter. Don’t you find it interesting that Jackie Bradley Jr. still has not latched on with another big league club?… I would be most surprised if Mickey Callaway returns as pitching coach for the LA Angels…R.I.P. Irv Cross. Described as “the kindest man in the room” by a former CBS colleague, Cross was among those who made watching The NFL Today on CBS a must on Sunday…Can it be 59 years ago yesterday that Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in one game? He did it for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks…and on Mar. 2 1965 one ticket would have gained you entrance to Madison Square Garden to watch an NBA doubleheader: Knicks vs. St. Louis followed by Philadelphia vs. Lakers. Wow!

I hope your week continues to go well and thank you for your support!

SPORTSCASTER DAN