Some random coffee cloud thoughts:
Yep...Streaming is cutting into "traditional" cable and satellite. And inventory is being shuffled around. NBC is shutting down its cable sports channel....moving some stuff to USA.
Comcast owns NBC and this was probably the result of a direct order from the parent company.
Of course, Comcast does not want to pay for the ACCN and that is part of their feud with Disney...I would think that Comcast is feeling some threat from the Disney + streaming channel (subscriptions greater than predicted)...but when Comcast's contract with Disney is up, they may have little choice if they want Disney/ABC offerings.
In two years Comcast is going to have to negotiate with Disney. There are 48 channels in the Disney family. Therefore Comcast is going to have to take the ACC network whether they want it or not. And if they don’t want that network they don’t get any of the 48 channels Disney has. That includes ESPN, of course.
NBC and the Irish....Notre Dame's contract expires with NBC in two years. Does Notre Dame want to be the only college sports broadcast by NBC? Will people hunt for their games on a channel not usually viewed for college sports?
ESPN....they have gone all-in on college football...now owning the SEC, ACC, and one half of the Big Ten...and the Big 12, American, Sunbelt, CUSA, MAC, MWC, and PAC 12 are covered by the mothership.
Disney/ESPN has been moving towards the streaming future while balancing the income derived from current linear channels.