Tech companies' superior monetization drives sports rights beyond ESPN's reach
Sports leagues now extract maximum value as tech bidders (Amazon, Apple, Google) can monetize viewers via Prime, services, ads beyond linear TV. Monday Night Football rights rose from $1.1B (2006) to $2.7B (2021). ESPN's differentiated shoulder programming (SportsCenter, highlights) is being commoditized by social media, leaving only live games — where excess profits flow to leagues.