You will have to pay up to watch Tiger and Phil duel for $9 million; Fox could reportedly buy back the RSNs it is selling to Disney; the next MLB Opening Day will be the earliest yet.
Tiger-Phil Match Airing on PPV
Turner Sports announced Wednesday that it will produce the Tiger Woods–Phil Mickelson head-to-head match on Thanksgiving weekend, with coverage available only via pay-per-view on DirecTV, AT&T U-verse and Turner’s over-the-top service B/R Live. Previous reports had TNT airing the match, but the network will only carry unspecified segments after the fact.
HBO’s 24/7 reality series will chronicle the lead-up to the event, which according to ESPN is set for Black Friday. In a change from the original plan, Woods and Mickelson will battle for $9 million, rather than $10 million.
Fox Could Buy Back RSNs
21st Century Fox could attempt to buy back the 22 regional sports networks it is selling to Disney, according to industry site The Information. Multiple previous reports indicated that Fox had no interest in keeping the RSNs, which Disney agreed to divest in order to win justice department approval for its $71 billion acquisition of most 21st Century Fox assets.
Disney CEO Bob Iger said earlier this month that the company has already begun conversations with potential bidders on the RSNs, which must be sold within 90 days of closing. [The Information via Sports Business Daily 8.22]
MLB Opening Day Earliest Ever
The 2019 Major League Baseball schedule will begin March 28, marking the earliest Opening Day on record. That does not include special overseas openers, including next year’s A’s-Mariners series in Japan March 20-21. With the NCAA Tournament pushed back a week this season, Opening Day will coincide with the Sweet Sixteen.
Next season will include eight overseas games, including four in Mexico City and a two-game Red Sox-Yankees series in London. [ESPN.com 8.22]
