The NFL, MLB, NBA, and other sports leagues seem to be missing a key element in trying to gain new fans. In this clip from "The M&A Show" on Motley Fool Live, recorded on March 18, Fool.com contributors Travis Hoium and Jason Hall discuss a simple solution to what appears to be a growing problem.
Travis Hoium: One of the brilliant things that the NFL has done for decades now is said we want as much of our content as possible on TV that is free, that you can put an antenna on the top of your TV and watch us. You don't have to have cable, you don't have ESPN, you don't have to have a specific streaming service. It is free and available for everyone.
The NBA, I think accidentally got itself stuck right now. I would love to watch the Timberwolves, I can't watch them. I have not been able to watch them for years now because I think there's one cable option that I could pay for, which that specific one is not one I'm going to do.
Jason Hall: I have a friend who is a die-hard Dodgers fan and their regional sports network had a long battle with one of the two major cable providers in the L.A. area. He had two cable companies just so he could watch the Dodgers.
Hoium: Watch the Dodgers. But here's the problem is, my son's almost five years old. He has never ever watched a live basketball game until actually last night because March Madness is on. He is confused by the concept of live commercials during [laughs] events because the only time we ever watch games is like the 10-minute YouTube replay of a basketball game.
You're literally putting at risk the next generation of customers. That's what I think these sports leagues are going to have to start thinking more and more about is not like, how do you monetize my parents' generation more and more. These are the people that are watching baseball games. How do you get my son interested in baseball and if he can't watch a game, he's not going to be interested. That's I think the weird dynamic here.
