Did Speed Channel Have To Die?

[AJFoytForever]

Car and Driver article (including interesting stats and graphics):

http://blog.caranddriver.com/did-the-speed-channel-have-to-die-we-examine-the-economics/

[Grizzlor]

Without a doubt FOX will have vastly more revenue with FS1/2 than SPEED/Fox Soccer, but at what cost? They are going to spend so much on rights fees, you wonder what they will have to extort from cable companies to make it work?

[Jakester]

The article filled in a lot of that detail.

Fox Sports 1 expects to raise subscriber revenue from $0.22/subscriber to around $0.80/subscriber. This would raising subscriber revenue to the vicinity of $884MM/year! Advertising could push total operating revenue into the $1BB/year range. I suspect that would be plenty to pay for the increased rights fees.

I guess the short answer is FS1 will have to 'extort' $0.80 per subscriber from the cable companies....at least a portion of which will ultimately come from subcriber's pockets.

[lkchris]

I was tired of Monster Trucks and 2 Guys' Garage, weren't you?

[cpthornman]

I was tired of Monster Trucks and 2 Guys' Garage, weren't you?

Same. As someone said a while ago "I'm sad to see what that channel once was go."

[mdkiel]

I was tired of Monster Trucks and 2 Guys' Garage, weren't you?

Yes. But I miss WindTunnel and Speed Center.

[Eaglenindy]

Fox Sports 1 has spent more on getting the rights (and production costs) to Big East Basketball (GO BUTLER!!!) than what they spent on rights and production costs on Speed. The revenues from the Big East deal only will surpass what Speed brought in!

[rodneyh]

Article comparing ratings between Speed and FoxSports1

According to Nielsen data, FS1’s first 30 days have shown vast improvement over the now defunct Speed. On a total-day basis, the network has boosted its overall deliveries by 29 percent compared to the year-ago period, while men 18-49 are up 49 percent.

Nightly ratings have improved even more sharply, as overall prime-time viewership is up 102 percent while men 18-49 have soared 180 percent. Last week alone, FS1 averaged 302,000 viewers in prime, marking a 54 percent improvement from the 196,000 viewers Speed reached in the period spanning Sept. 10-16, 2012. Moreover, when compared to FS1’s first full week of operations, the network’s prime-time deliveries are up 92 percent."]According to Nielsen data, FS1’s first 30 days have shown vast improvement over the now defunct Speed. On a total-day basis, the network has boosted its overall deliveries by 29 percent compared to the year-ago period, while men 18-49 are up 49 percent.

Nightly ratings have improved even more sharply, as overall prime-time viewership is up 102 percent while men 18-49 have soared 180 percent. Last week alone, FS1 averaged 302,000 viewers in prime, marking a 54 percent improvement from the 196,000 viewers Speed reached in the period spanning Sept. 10-16, 2012. Moreover, when compared to FS1’s first full week of operations, the network’s prime-time deliveries are up 92 percent.

It will be interesting to see how much they can get on the Subscriber fee. So far, their ratings are about a 1/10th of ESPN's and their $5 charge. It's not like they've tripled or quadrupled Speed's number.

They really are going to have to shove a lot if not all sans-Daytona NASCAR races on the network. That was the smart tact ESPN took by putting premier sports on the channel(BCS Championship Game, British Open, NASCAR, Belmont Stakes when they owned it). Right now, content and ratings don't warrant some .80-1.00 fee. The College football games are lame as evidenced by the ratings. They've been putting their No.1 matchup after ESPN picks through the games on FOX. The Big East will definitely help fee demand but wonder if after the breakup and losing Lousiville, UConn, Pitt, ND, Syracuse demand will really be a regional thing in the East and Midwest.

I live in California, is Fox Sports going to be able demand a $1 a month from subscribers to get one or two more baseball games, UFC, the new Big East, a second Sportscenter, Regis Philbin, etc. Pac-12 I already get it on ABC, ESPN, FOX, and Pac-12 network. A lot of NASCAR racing.

[Patriot]

Article comparing ratings between Speed and FoxSports1



It will be interesting to see how much they can get on the Subscriber fee. So far, their ratings are about a 1/10th of ESPN's and their $5 charge. It's not like they've tripled or quadrupled Speed's number.

They really are going to have to shove a lot if not all sans-Daytona NASCAR races on the network. That was the smart tact ESPN took by putting premier sports on the channel(BCS Championship Game, British Open, NASCAR, Belmont Stakes when they owned it). Right now, content and ratings don't warrant some .80-1.00 fee. The College football games are lame as evidenced by the ratings. They've been putting their No.1 matchup after ESPN picks through the games on FOX. The Big East will definitely help fee demand but wonder if after the breakup and losing Lousiville, UConn, Pitt, ND, Syracuse demand will really be a regional thing in the East and Midwest.

I live in California, is Fox Sports going to be able demand a $1 a month from subscribers to get one or two more baseball games, UFC, the new Big East, a second Sportscenter, Regis Philbin, etc. Pac-12 I already get it on ABC, ESPN, FOX, and Pac-12 network. A lot of NASCAR racing.

The UFC should warrant the dollar right there if they continue to keep putting just below PPV level fights on the network. with the roster as deep as it is.. Hosting a UFC 165 1/2 per se on a Saturday night should kill ratings especially once we get out of CFB season...

Personally I wish it were FOX that would have gone with the diversity angle that NBC went with.. Hosting Non American sports live in essence creates a 24 hour sports network without repeats... I am sure Australian football rights are cheap

[rodneyh]

Interesting the week of Sept 16-22, FS1 could not match Speed from the year before.

Primetime Avg/Total Daily average

FS1 201,000 / 88,000
Speed 253,000 / 117,000

Link