Some channels saw subscriber numbers rise, including Disney outside the U.S., Disney XD in the U.S. and internationally, and Disney Junior in the U.S. ESPN subscriber count was -3.2%, and while this is a Nielsen and not paid subscriber number it is likely somewhat weaker than expectations although we caution the difficulty of extrapolating from a Nielsen number to a paid one.
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Jackson said that based on the average carriage fees per-subscriber for ESPN ($6.61), ESPN2 ($0.83), SEC Network ($0.63) and ESPNU ($0.22), the sports network is losing as much as $650 million every year in affiliate fees compared to earnings made two years ago.
ESPN’s main rival, Fox Sports Net, boasted about 89 million subscribers in its fiscal year ended July 30, down from 91 million subscribers in the previous 12-month period, according to its regulatory filings. (DIS) has lost three million subscribers at its sports network ESPN within a year. Time Warner Inc. has also recently reported a slide in subscribers as viewers migrate to services like Netflix and HBO Go for their programming. The company will also be paying $1.4 billion starting 2016 to the National Basketball Association.
Out of the 28 analysts polled by TipRanks, 14 rate Walt Disney Company stock a Buy, while 14 rate the stock a Hold.
However, Walt Disney Co. still has its shares up 26%. Disney’s media networks, which include ESPN, the Disney Channel and ABC, recorded a 27 percent increase in revenue to $1.8 billion. And Disney is keeping them interested by releasing the new Star Wars episode “The Force Awakens”. Subscriber losses at the most profitable multichannel network, coupled by huge video customer losses for pay-TV operators, sent stocks cratering throughout the pay-TV and media sectors.
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The movie is expected to make $200 in the opening weekend. After all, this is the business they have always been successful in and are more likely to keep up with the good work and good movies.
