Can TiVo keep the sports dollars flowing?

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Can TiVo keep the sports dollars flowing?

CNN Money has an article about sports being "TiVo-proof", since folks are much more likely to watch it live, so networks can charge more money for advertisers.

That's all well and good, but the premise of the article is brain-dead to me. Networks still see DVR owners as "stealing" their broadcasts if they watch them as recordings, so watching live TV is more profitable to them. But that ignores the possibility that live sports are one of the best reasons to own a TiVo, and I wonder how sports fans live without them. While it's true I'll watch sports nearly live (sometimes I wait 30min for TiVo to record so I can skip the commercials and breaks), it also means I get to pick when I want to do an instant replay. I get to pause video to have arguments with friends whether a foot was in bounds or not, and I can watch a great touchdown pass as many times as I want. While I may skip a few commercials, I'll often watch good ones more than once, since the best commercials often come out during sporting events.

The other major obvious point that networks aren't getting is that a sports-loving DVR owner will watch more sports, not less. That means they're likely to even pay for it, as I'm sure DirecTV has found with their NFL Ticket. Perhaps networks need to dig deep and come up with better ideas than simple advertising, and stop thinking of ways to "TiVo-proof" their broadcasts.

by Matt Haughey October 15, 2004 in News

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*Newsflash* Major Media Comany out of touch with consumer preferences and reality in general.

Sorry. I guess I just don't care what CNN Money thinks. TiVo for sports is great for all the reasons you listed. CNN Money doesn't have a clue.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

-p-

PS Thanks for running PVRBlog. I've been a TiVo owner for about a month now and this site was invaluable before and after my purchase.

Posted by: Patrick Myers at Oct 15, 2004 8:46:19 PM

The other thing that it really ignores about sports broadcasts is that sports can make money with in-game advertising---sponsored pieces of the game, advertising on the playing field, etc.

All that it ever seems to come down to is broadcasters and advertisers being complacent and unwilling to change as the technology changes.

Posted by: Geof at Oct 16, 2004 8:09:43 AM

Talking of brain dead decisions, Cox Cable in San Diego won't allow the subscriber to set up a recording ahead of time on their HD DVR even when the program is not broadcast in HD. I subscribed to the whole season of Fox Sports World's English Premier League soccer which shows PPV games each weekend. These are on Saturdays and Sundays at 7 and/or 8 am, sometimes at 4am Pacific time. Cox tell me that, even though I've paid for all the games in advance, I must get out of bed and physically switch on the TV to record the matches AFTER they've started.

These are LIVE games which Fox put out three days later as repeats in their regular schedule, so why are Cox so terrified of Hollywood that they restrict sports events in the same way they protect movies.

Needless to say, I've cancelled my subscription and will be going back to Dish Network.

Posted by: DAtherton at Oct 18, 2004 2:45:54 AM

They are right in one thing: sports is the only programming I ever watch live anymore, but that is very, very rare.

However, like you pointed out, sports is GREAT to watch on a Tivo. Instant replays when you want it, pausing for discussions, pausing to go and get more to drink and eat or have a smoke... it doesn't get any better. :) Even though I watch sports with the Tivo, it is one of the few times I watch commercials, too, because the commercials are usually good and sometimes i just plain forget to fast forward. :)

They just don't get that PVR is going to be the norm, not the exception. What they are forgetting also is that athletes and others today are paid so much because of TV rights. In fact, they are OVERPAID if the broadcast rights don't bring in the dough. So lower the athlete pay to what it used to be if they are tight for money... I'm sure some of them would have to starve if they only got a few million a year, but hey, we all have to suffer for something we love, right?

Posted by: Mike at Oct 18, 2004 8:43:22 AM

I don't start the sporting events live, but I finish them live. I found myself with a few hours to kill yesterday. Tried to watch a football game live and was bored to tears. (TiVo has officially killed my attention span.)

Bottom line: I can get all the benefits of watching a football in one third of the time.

I have to agree on the advertising. I will rewind to watch a commercial occasionally if it catches my eye. Even though I skip most commercials, I figure I still see every commercial at least once.

Posted by: Pheo at Oct 18, 2004 4:06:41 PM

During the World Hockey Championships in August, I watched every single game on TiVo, and I was constantly rewinding to watch saves again, and looking at break-aways, or two on one situations. I've never had a more enjoyable experience watching a sporting event either!

Posted by: Brian G at Oct 21, 2004 11:10:53 AM

Preach on Brother Haughley. Everyone I know now watches the NFL and big college football matches at someone's house that has a PVR. Its just not an option anymore not to have it. Besides being great for all the reasons that have been said, its great for the host of one of these viewing parties. We can take a break whenever we want to serve food or wait til a chronic straggler arrives. Its an essential part of the viewing experience for me and my friends.

Posted by: Mark Mascolino at Oct 22, 2004 9:15:35 AM

TiVo makes being a Chicago Bears fan just a bit more tolerable. There is nothing like watching a three hour game in an hour. It is amazing how many replays they show in between plays. Plus, since the Bears suck they usually have the C-List announcers, so you don't have to listen to them either. (TiVo also lets you "De-Madden-ize" Monday Night Football.)

TiVo lets me zip through English Premier League matches I already know the outcome of and watch the goals.

Baseball and TiVo are like peanut butter 'n chocolate.

Posted by: Andrew at Oct 27, 2004 7:34:43 PM

Too bad Tivo can't promote the fact that skipping commercials is a Tivo benefit...don't want to upset the advertisers!

Posted by: Todd Lokken at Mar 16, 2006 12:10:22 PM

Can TiVo keep the sports dollars flowing?

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