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A broader streaming offering
Iger said he had become more certain in his thinking about when ESPN will launch its complete direct-to-consumer offering. He declined to say when that will happen. Iger's comments about finding a strategic partner suggest he believes ESPN may function better in a streaming environment if paired with other companies' sports content. CNBC reported earlier this year that ESPN wants to be a hub for all live sports programming if it can agree to partnerships with other media companies. ESPN became the crown jewel of Disney's asset portfolio in the early 2000s by charging increasingly exorbitant amounts to pay-TV providers for the right to carry the network. The popularity of its sports programming, including "Monday Night Football," allowed it to this. But in the traditional cable TV business model, ESPN made money per cable subscriber — whether a person watched or not. In a streaming world, only intentional sports fans would buy a service. That increases the importance of putting as much quality programming on the platform as possible — especially if it's priced more higher than entertainment streaming services.
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