Disney's (DIS +2.30%) ESPN stunned the market by announcing hundreds of layoffs last week. The undisputed champ of sports programming is struggling to keep up with escalating programming costs, as pro leagues demand higher fees to air their games.
This may come as a surprise to folks that are already paying more than $5 a month for ESPN, even if they don't care for sports. There's no way around it. ESPN is bundled in most cable packages.
It's not as if investors can cash in on soaring pro salaries by buying into the teams. There aren't many publicly traded opportunities and, in this video, longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz explains why Manchester United (MANU +1.80%) and Madison Square Garden (MSG +0.00%) aren't perfect plays.
