ESPN collects hundreds of millions of dollars in rights fees from cable subscribers, before selling a single advertisement.
In The Game to Show the Games, Morgan Wick exposes how this lucrative revenue stream and the competition between media conglomerates has become a billion-dollar boon for sports leagues across the nation and the world, and how this has shaken up the rest of the television industry.
Wick's Chapter titles highlight the story:
Chapter 1: Rags to Riches
Chapter 2: Follow the Leader
Chapter 3: Printing Money
Chapter 4: Big Man on Campus
Chapter 5: King of Sports
Chapter 6: All Sports are Local
Chapter 7: Fighting For Scraps
Chapter 8: Breaking Free
With The Game to Show the Games Morgan Wick has shined a light on the behind-the-scenes battles that have raged between billionaires, as they jockey for position in the high-stakes 'game' to dominate sports television.
ESPN may have begun as a plucky underdog, happy at first to braodcast local Connnecticut sports, but it didn't take long for it to become king of the jungle. Now it pulls the strings, and makes ther media giants jealous.
Whether you're an avid sports fan, an active sports hater, or just someone wondering why your cable bill is so high, The Game to Show the Games is a must-read.
