TNT loses Champions League Football

[BSF74]

@zulu17  That is true but I assume any wbd sale to paramount would see paramount take the share of the joint venture unless bt have exited by then 

[Brucemeister5]

I find it hard to believe that Paramount’s successful bid for the Champions League UK rights are not part of a bigger plan, rather than offering it as an add-on to their existing app only entertainment pack over here. Even if they don’t succeed in their WBD bid, they will probably try to acquire TNT Sports  separately, as non of the other bidders appear interested in that part of the empire. What about buying Premier Sports too?

I was wondering why Gareth Bale was yet to make an appearance on TNT Sports football coverage so far, when he was announced as Rio Ferdinand’s replacement at the beginning of the season. He turned up on Paramount’s CBS Champions League US coverage the other week instead. I wonder why! 

[zulu17]

@Brucemeister5  Paramount appear to have targeted the  Champions League  in both Uk and Germany  in this auction  - looks like they are focusing on important markets with high profile content rather than looking to simply acquire a large sports portfolio.

Looks like Paramount. Amazon and Sky are happy with the outcome.

[zulu17]

@Brucemeister5  I think Gareth Bale worked the  US  CBS  coverage of game between Liverpool and Real Madrid  which TNT Sports didn't have as it was an Amazon pick here. The obvious big game coming up for TNT Sports to utilize him would be the Real Madrid v Man City game on 10th December.

[Brucemeister5]

@zulu17 Maybe they will use him for that game, but we’re almost at the end of November and he hasn’t been used at all yet, as far as I am aware. When he wasn’t used for the recent Spurs v Man U match I began to wonder what had happened.

[NigelB72]

@zulu17 WBD bought out BT's shares either last year or this year if I recall, so they wholly own TNT Sports.

With regards to Paramount, Netflix & Comcast potentially buying WBD the most likely buyer will be Paramount & Skydance because they're rolling in money due to the Ellison connection. Comcast would need regulatory approval in the US and I can't see Netflix putting a suitable bid together and they could potentially stop physical releases and stick everything on streaming with its **bleep**ty bitrates and heavy compression 

[BSF74]

@NigelB72 I’m not 100% sure that wbd have bought out bt and I can’t find any official online source to confirm it

[NigelB72]

@BSF74 my apologies, they started negotiations in May to buy BT's 50%.... ... Guess that's gonna be put on hold now... 

[Brucemeister5]

@zulu17 Gareth Bale is not doing Real Madrid v Man City, nor, indeed, any other match for TNT Sports again this week.

[zulu17]

@Brucemeister5  Recent article about Gareth Bale in GQ 

https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/gareth-bale-has-a-few-things-to-get-off-his-chest

probably based on interviewing him at Foxhills Golf (surrey)

mentions 

Bale still supports Real Madrid, Cardiff City and Tottenham Hotspur (“I'm not a diehard fan where I've got to watch every game, but I’ll look out for them”) and, after stepping in as a pundit at last summer’s Europa League final, has just been snapped up by TNT Sports as a contributor – as well as CBS Sports Golazo on a more ad-hoc basis. He feels the time is now right to return to the game – and talk about all that happened in his career.