Are Prima Donna Athletes Jacking Up Your Cable Bill?

By Rick Munarriz – May 31, 2013 at 5:07PM

NYSE: DIS

Walt Disney

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Programming costs at ESPN are out of control.

Disney's (DIS 0.18%) 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 1.54%) and Madison Square Garden (MSGN) aren't perfect plays.

Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Walt Disney. The Motley Fool recommends Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Madison Square Garden and Walt Disney. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.