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National Football League

CBS Sports President Sean McManus Seeks Financial Balance for NFL Broadcasts

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

CBS Sports president Sean McManus has a daunting task ahead of him: re-establishing the network's glory in the ultra-competitive TV sports world while making financial ends meet. With a five-year, $4 billion dollar deal for the AFC, McManus must provide high-quality product while navigating the challenges of a multi-billion dollar contract. Despite concerns from Wall Street and Madison Avenue experts, McManus is confident that CBS will at least break even.

Key Takeaways:

  • CBS outbid NBC for the AFC contract in January 1999, with a five-year, $4 billion dollar deal.
  • The network will face significant financial challenges, with some predicting major personnel layoffs within a year.
  • CBS will have to overcome the financial handicap of having only two strong markets (New York and Boston) among the top 10, compared to Fox's eight strong markets.
  • McManus is using the Fox experience as a financial model, citing its ability to turn a profit despite initial losses on the NFC contract.
  • CBS has spent millions redesigning its graphics, acquiring new digital camera units, and constructing a new studio set to improve its coverage.
  • The network will feature a two-man broadcasting booth, highlighted by Phil Simms and Greg Gumble.
  • McManus is the prototypical network TV sports president, with a background in sales, production, and negotiating TV rights.
  • CBS president Sean McManus believes that the network will benefit from the deal, citing the Fox experience as a successful example of a network benefiting from sports broadcasting.

Statistics:

  • $4 billion: The value of the five-year AFC contract won by CBS Sports.
  • 5 years: The length of the AFC contract.
  • 1999: The year CBS outbid NBC for the AFC contract.
  • $4 billion (Fox): The initialdeal for the NFC contract that Fox made in 1993.
  • $4 billion (CBS): The value of the five-year AFC contract won by CBS Sports.
  • 1993: The year Fox lost the NFL franchise to CBS.
  • 1977: The year Sean McManus began his career as a production assistant at ABC Sports.
  • 1984: The year the last AFC team won the Super Bowl.

Sources:

  • "Rocky Mountain News" Broadcasting Critic Sean McManus is quoted in the article, discussing the potential challenges and benefits of the CBS deal.
  • Dick Ebersol, NBC Sports president, is quoted in the article, expressing concerns about the financial implications of the deal for CBS.
  • The article references the Fox experience, noting that despite initial losses, the network benefited from the contract due to its impact on the Fox network and the structure of the company.

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