By The Sinclair Broadcast Group
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI) reported Friday that Hulu has decided to drop Sinclair’s 21 regional sports network brands (RSN), YES Network and Marquee, depriving its subscribers of the excitement of watching their favorite local sports teams.
While Sinclair attempted to come to an amicable and fair agreement, Hulu was not willing to provide the RSNs reasonable compensation for their valuable local sports content.
Starting today, the FOX Regional Sports Networks are no longer available on Hulu and consumers will have to look elsewhere to access the content. Sinclair’s RSNs can be viewed on most major cable platforms as well as DirectTV and AT&T Now.
“While we offered Hulu a deal consistent with terms agreed to by other distributors, the streaming service refused to accept these fair and market-based terms,” said Barry Faber, Sinclair’s president of distribution and network relations. “It is unfortunate that Hulu has chosen to take away some of the most popular sports programming on TV from millions of subscribers.”
Hulu, owned by Disney, which also owns ESPN, was forced to sell the RSNs by the Department of Justice due to competitive reasons with ESPN. Hulu still carries ESPN and also agreed to carry another of its owner’s content, Comcast RSNs, but is refusing to carry Sinclair RSNs.
RSNs that will no longer be offered on Hulu include FOX Sports Arizona, FOX Sports Ohio, Sports Time Ohio, FOX Sports Detroit, FOX Sports Wisconsin, FOX Sports North, FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports Indiana, FOX Sports Tennessee, FOX Sports Carolinas, FOX Sports Southeast, FOX Sports South, FOX Sports Florida, FOX Sports Sun, FOX Sports New Orleans, FOX Sports Oklahoma, FOX Sports Southwest and FOX Sports San Diego, Fox Sports West and Fox Sports Prime Ticket, YES Network, and Marquee. At the end of September, Hulu accounted for approximately four million Sinclair RSN subscribers.
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See also:
* SportsPro: Hulu Drops Sinclair-Owned RSNs Amid Distribution Standoff.
“U.S. firm becomes latest streamer to drop Fox Sports-branded regional networks.”
* Bloomberg: Diamond Sports Bonds Slide After Hulu Drops Sinclair’s Network.
“Hulu LLC dropped regional sports coverage provided by Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc.’s Diamond Sports, dealing another setback to the network as its bonds sank to record lows.”
* ClutchPoints: Hulu Joins YouTube In Kicking Sinclair-Owned Fox Sports Channels To The Curb.
“Other streaming services who similarly made a move to drop RSNs from their live TV packages include Dish Network, which did it last year, and Fubo TV, which made the move back in January.”
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Previously in Sinclair:
* Item: Former Trump Aide Joins Sinclair.
* Trump’s FCC Chair Continues To Shaft The Public, Offer Major Handouts To Big Media.
* Trump-Friendly Sinclair’s Takeover Of Tribune TV Stations Brought To You By Trump’s FCC Chairman.
* Jonathan Pie, TV Reporter! Make The Air Fair.
* ‘Maybe The Worst FCC I’ve Ever Seen.’
* A Pair Of Decades-Old Policies May Change The Way Rural America Gets Local News.
* Tribune’s Disastrous Sale To Sinclair.
* Lawmakers Demand Answers About FCC’s Favoritism Toward Sinclair.
* Can Anyone Stop Trump’s FCC From Approving A Conservative Local News Empire?
* Sinclair’s Flippant FCC Ruling.
* FCC Presses Sinclair For Answers On Tribune Merger.
* Trump FCC Eliminates Local Broadcast Main Studio Requirement In A Handout To Sinclair That Will Harm Local Communities.
* Trump’s FCC Chairman Announces Plan To Scrap Media Ownership Limits Standing In Way Of Tribune-Sinclair Mega-Merger.
* Lisa Madigan et al. vs. Sinclair-Tribune.
* Local TV News Is About To Get Even Worse.
* Trump’s Secret Weapon Against A Free Press.
* With Massive Handouts To Sinclair, FCC Clears Path To New Wave Of Media Consolidation.
* Trump FCC Opens Corporate Media Merger Floodgates.
* FCC Wraps New Gift For Sinclair.
* FCC Inspector General Investigating Sinclair Rulings.
* Behind Sinclair’s ‘Project Baltimore.’
* Don’t Be Fooled By Sinclair’s Shell Games.
* Free Press Sues The FCC For Dramatic Reversal Of Media Ownership Limits That Pave Way For Media Mergers.
* Thanks, Tribune Media, All You Did Was Weaken A Country.
* Sinclair-Fox Station Deal Enabled By FCC Is Dangerous For Democracy.
* The Sinclair Sham.
* Debunking The Broadcast Industry’s Claims About Sinclair’s Tribune Takeover.
* Surprise FCC Move Maims Sinclair-Tribune Merger.
* Sinclair Makes Last Ditch Effort To Salvage Tribune Merger. Will FCC Bite?
* Sinclair-Tribune Deal On Life Support.
* Sinclair-Tribune Deal Is Dead.
* Tribune Media Lawsuit: Belligerent Sinclair Blew A Sure Thing.
* Tribune Executives Will Get Bonuses After Sinclair Deal Collapses.
* FCC Investigating Sinclair’s Lies In Failed Attempt To Take Over Tribune Media.
* Sinclair, ABC Light AOC On Fire.
* The FCC’s $48 Million Fine Against Sinclair Is Far Too Small For Such A Dishonest Broker.
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See also:
* Sinclair Broadcast Group Solicits Its News Directors For Its Political Fundraising Efforts.
* FCC Plans To Fine Sinclair $13.3 million Over Undisclosed Commercials.
* Sinclair’s New Media-Bashing Promos Rankle Local Anchors.
* Sinclair’s Latest “Must-Run” Segment Defends Tear-Gassing Refugees.
* Nexstar-Tribune Deal Is Bad News For Communities And Local Media.
* Dear FCC: Further Weakening Media-Ownership Limits Isn’t The Answer.
* Free Press To FCC: Revoke Sinclair’s Licenses If They Lied To You.
* Sinclair Broadcast Group To Acquire 21 Regional Sports Networks From Disney At A Valuation Of $10.6 Billion.
* Sinclair’s Cubs Network Names Complicit GM.
* Sinclair Completes Acquisition Of Regional Sports Networks From Disney.
* Sinclair Rampage Continues: Acquires 20% Interest In YES Network.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on October 23, 2020