ESPN+ and the streaming of sports events–will it complement or cannibalize?

Already in the 19th century, the book industry had begun to experiment with publishing paperback versions. The question early on was whether paperbacks expanded the market, by reaching readers who would not otherwise have purchased the more expensive hardback, or whether it tended to cannibalize sales. The advent of paper books was perhaps the first example of the tension between complementing and cannibalizing a copyright-driven market. A version of this arose in the recent announcement by Disney of ESPN+, which is meant to be a sports-streaming service that will be available for a (modest?) monthly subscription fee. Still, even die-hard sports fans who cannot get enough of televised sports may have missed the launch of the service on April 12th. Usually, when Disney does a launch, one can expect bells, whistles, and a lot more, the better to draw attention to the new offering. Add to that is the fact that ESPN is the most consistently lucrative part of the Disney empire.…

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