"Give Bill Simmons $10M to start his own sports venture..."

...despite that stupid idea, this is a fairly interesting column about Comcast/NBC merger's impact on sports.

http://www.danshanoff.com/2009/12/comcast-nbc-online-sports-juggernaut.html

 

Saw this today. I'd make a run.

Here's the top-line: The sports-media monster that comes from Comcast-NBCU has the potential to be the biggest alternative to ESPN in the history of sports media. Note how I avoid using "competitor," because I'm coming at this from a consumer/fan perspective: More choice is a good thing. No one will ever replace ESPN, but this might offer another comprehensive high-end option.

 

This can work if they go about it the right way and don't follow the plan Fox used in any way.

I've wanted to do this myself for as long as I can remember. Sadly, I'm about $400 million short on cash and it appears too late.

 

The only flaw in Shanoff's plan, at least that I can find, is that he is assuming guys like Magary and the Yahoo network of bloggers have a big enough following and a big enough brand name that it will make a noticeable dent. As much as I like some of Yahoo's bloggers, I doubt their target audience is all that concerned about the name on the post. It's more about the content delivery, and Yahoo's fantasy sports dominance lends itself that. NBC needs a niche that forces people to go to them, and then it can keep them by having that top-shelf talent. Maybe that is Simmons, or maybe it is making every sport you televise available, free of charge, through an ESPN360.com-like venture.

 

Shanoff?
I. Won't. Click. The. Link.

 

Look at the sports properties and distribution in play here.

Don't you try and maximize the potential if the bones are there in terms of programming and distribution?