The Powers That Be: Daily Marchand, Round 2!
Dec 6, 2025
Sports media reporter Andrew Marchand from The Athletic reunites with John to dissect the ever-evolving landscape of sports broadcasting. They delve into how the NFL's Thanksgiving matchups are strategically scheduled to skyrocket viewership and Amazon's clever tactics for enhancing Prime memberships. Marchand shares insights on why streamers like YouTube might dominate future NFL rights and unpacks the significance of Netflix hiring ESPN talent. They also discuss MLB's new rights deals and the implications for future media partnerships.
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Thanksgiving Is A Premier Ratings Window
- The NFL now prioritizes top matchups in marquee windows to push record viewership.
- New Nielsen counting and streaming (like Fox on Tubi) amplify those audience spikes.
Black Friday Is A Prime Customer Funnel
- Amazon Prime uses Black Friday sports to build Prime habit and drive holiday commerce.
- They program multiple events to convert viewers into sticky Prime customers, not just sell streams.
League Seeds Streamers To Win Future Bids
- The NFL intentionally feeds top matchups to streamers so deep-pocketed tech partners get addicted.
- That strategy helps ensure long-term big bids when rights re-open late this decade.