The ESPN Cash Cow

Quartz:

JP Morgan analysts look at these numbers and come to a succinct conclusion: “We see little threat to disrupting ESPN’s advertising and affiliate revenue streams or leverage in the market.”
If there is a threat, it may come from ESPN’s current business partners. Large US sports leagues have shown increasing interest in their own video streaming services.
But even large scale disruptions to the US television business—such as the possible alliance of Apple with Comcast to create a new live streaming service—won’t be enough to dislodge ESPN. That’s because to gain traction with US consumers, such services will also have to have access to the live-sporting events that ESPN offers. ESPN will simply start collecting affiliate fees from those new streaming services.
ESPN, which by some estimates accounts for about 40% of operating income of its megalith parent Disney, will continue to be a cash cow for some time. In other words, score.

$5 per subscriber per month?  40% of Disney's operating income?  That is amazing.  I guess I'm partly to blame.  The only reason I have satellite TV is for the sports.