2021 Entertainment and Sports

Google’s YouTube is ending 2021 on a high note – and with more for its subscribers. After reaching a deal to keep YouTube on Roku’s streaming platform, Disney and Google came to terms on Sunday to distribute Disney’s various channels on subscriber-based YouTube TV.

"We appreciate Google's (GOOGL) collaboration to reach fair terms that are consistent with the market, and we're thrilled that our robust lineup of live sports and news plus kids, family and general entertainment programming is in the process of being restored to YouTube TV subscribers across the country," Disney said in a statement Sunday.

The two sides failed on their original attempt to find a deal on Friday. Google decided to play hardball by dropping Disney-owned channels such as ESPN and ABC from its platform. It even decided to offer subscribers a $15 discount while Disney programming was sitting on the sidelines. 

The gambit worked, Disney returned to the negotiating table, and YouTube TV started restoring access to Disney-owned channels – including FX, National Geographic, the ACC and SEC sports networks, and local TV stations that carried Disney’s ABC-TV network.

Unhappy YouTubeTV users will get $15 back

YouTubeTV said it will stand behind the $15 discount it promised to subscribers who were impacted by Disney’s content missing in action from YouTubeTV. 

“For active members who have not yet received that $15 discount on their monthly bill, you will automatically receive a one-time credit on your next bill with no action needed,” YouTubeTV said in a blog post. 

“For members who were impacted and have initiated the cancellation process, we would love to welcome you back. Visit tv.youtube.com/membership and click ‘Add’ to return the Base Plan to your membership. If you resume your membership before you lose access, we will still honor the one-time $15 credit on your bill. We’ll update this website soon with more details.”

Rate hikes may be coming

Cord-Cutter Confidential’s Jerad Newman told ConsumerAffairs that he was surprised the blackout happened in the first place, but he wasn’t surprised that the companies resolved their differences quickly. 

“The only question now is whether the new deal will result in more price hikes to come,” he said.

Newman stated that when streaming companies like Disney and YouTubeTV square off, it often comes down to how much subscribers are forced to pay to get those services.

“Just like on the cable and satellite side, TV networks are constantly pushing for higher carriage fees, while providers such as YouTube TV want to keep prices down to avoid driving customers away,” Newman wrote in a blog post

Even if YouTubeTV got what it wanted, Newman said Disney still holds the cards on what piece of the action it wants for itself. Although YouTubeTV hasn’t raised its rates for more than a year, it’s possible that prices may go up now that it’s added the Hallmark channels and presumably agreed to pay something extra to keep Disney in its line-up.

“Given that Disney’s bundle channels are the most expensive on cable, it’s hard to see YouTube TV’s costs going anywhere but up in the end,” he said.

Love Hulu? Enough to pay another dollar a month? The streaming service hasn’t made a big to-do about it, but beginning October 8, its monthly rate will go up by $1 a month.

That means Hulu’s ad-supported service will shoot up to $6.99 a month, and its ad-free service will increase to $12.99 a month. The price for the Hulu live TV plan and the Disney bundle — which includes Disney+, Hulu with ads and ESPN+ — will stay put at $13.99 a month, most likely because that rate was adjusted (by 18%) in November of 2020.

No thanks to Disney

The streaming service subscription game tends to be follow-the-leader. If Netflix — the master of inching up rates — can raise its prices without suffering a mass exodus of its subscribers, others are likely to follow suit. But Hulu took a gamble in 2019 by lowering its ad-supported tier from $7.99 to $5.99 a month in an effort to counteract Netflix’s price increase that year. 

Things changed after Disney bought a major stake in Hulu, and prices have continued to increase little by little since — not only for Hulu but for Disney's other streaming investments.

Earlier this year, Disney raised the cost of Disney+ by $1 a month, moving the monthly price to $7.99. Then, in July, it raised the price of ESPN+ to $6.99 a month.

When will this end? “Given that this is the first price increase for Hulu since their price lowering, we’re hoping it doesn’t raise any further,” commented Dana E. Neuts at Subscription Insider. “However, with more and more people cutting cords with their cable companies, Hulu and Disney are hoping to cash in on that extra dollar per month.”

To the contrary, Jared Newman of Cord Cutter Weekly thinks the hand Disney is playing is both smart for them and good for the consumer.

"Thankfully, Disney is an outlier, running Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ as separate services serving different needs while giving users who want all three a means of getting them at a discount," Newman said.

"That means cord cutters can subscribe to just the ones they want, and Disney can bring more expensive sports coverage to ESPN+ without destroying the value of its other offerings. Those who argue that we have too many streaming services fail to realize that the alternative would be even worse."

Hulu subscribers raise service issues

A dollar a month is not likely to kill Hulu’s subscriber base, but the quality of service might. ConsumerAffairs reviewers have beset Hulu with 52 1-star ratings in the last year, many of which raised concerns about the quality of its streaming service.

“I can't and when I say I can't, I mean, I can't get through a show without Hulu losing connection at least 3 times. This means when I am streaming live, I usually miss about half the show as I have to login again every time which takes forever!” wrote Angela of Texas, commenting on her technical woes with Hulu.

”I have contacted Hulu several times and they have me reboot and clear out the cookies every time which does nothing. To add insult to injury, they recently went up $15 per month on their pricing and are the most expensive app I have, and I can't even watch it most the time.”

Several reviewers beefed about the company's customer service. “Signed up with Verizon free Hulu/Disney/ESPN+ I received all 3. No charges from ESPN or Disney. Hulu is the only company who continues to charge my bank account,” wrote William of North Carolina. 

“I am paying my upgraded Verizon phone bill, I am owed Hulu for free in the contract. Hulu claims I cannot use my email address. They are unable to change anything. The fix Hulu offered was to change my email I’ve used for 20 years and cancel the Disney/ESPN/Hulu from Verizon and start all new with a new account. Hulu, you aren’t that special … canceled the service but I still pay.”

Amazon announced Monday that Amazon Music Unlimited customers in the U.S. and Canada can get up to six months of free Disney+. 

Existing subscribers to Amazon’s ad-free music streaming service can get three months of Disney’s streaming service, while new Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers can activate six months of Disney Plus. Current subscribers to Disney+ aren’t eligible for Amazon’s “Disney+ on Us” promotion.

“Amazon Music customers will now be able to watch films like Disney and Pixar's Luca and Marvel Studios' new series Loki,” the company said in an announcement. “In the coming months, Disney+ will be launching additional new series, including Monsters at Work (July 7th) and Turner & Hooch (July 21st).” 

Disney is releasing new titles on the service every week. The company has said that users can expect 100 new titles from Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic to be added to Disney Plus each year. 

Eligible customers can redeem the promo or and sign up for an Amazon Music Unlimited subscription here. 

Amazon’s music streaming service has a catalog of approximately 75 million songs and podcasts. The service is priced at $8 a month for Prime members or $10 per month for non-Prime members. Alternatively, subscribers can pay $80 for the whole year. 

In the race to have the largest library of streaming content on the planet, Amazon has just pulled into the lead by buying Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s (MGM) immense library of over 4,000 beloved films and 17,000 TV shows. 

With the stroke of a pen on a check for $8.45 billion, Amazon now owns movie classics like12 Angry Men and The Pink Panther, favorites like Rocky and Silence of the Lambs, the rights to upcoming films like House of Gucci starring Lady Gaga and the new James Bond flick “No Time to Die”, and TV series like The Handmaid’s Tale and Fargo.

“The real financial value behind this deal is the treasure trove of IP in the deep catalog that we plan to reimagine and develop together with MGM’s talented team. It’s very exciting and provides so many opportunities for high-quality storytelling,” said Mike Hopkins, Senior Vice President of Prime Video and Amazon Studios. 

Kevin Ulrich, Chairman of the Board of Directors of MGM called it a historic day, adding that the “opportunity to align MGM’s storied history with Amazon is an inspiring combination.”

Streaming gets more expensive

The unexpected COVID-19 outbreak that forced people to stay at home was a boon to streaming services. As people grew fond of all they found on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, and other platforms, entertainment moguls figured that consumers wanted more.

There’s certainly lots of money to be had in streaming services. A recent study from ResearchNester predicts that global video streaming revenue will grow from 17.5 billion in 2020 to nearly 55 billion by 2028.

And where does that revenue come from? The consumer. After adding 26 million new subscribers worldwide in the first half of the 2020 pandemic, Netflix decided that if it raised its prices a dollar or two a month, that would make its bottom line even fatter. 

On Thursday, the company raised the prices of its standard and premium plans to $13.99 (from $12.99) and $17.99 (from $15.99) per month, about the same jump in price it took in 2019. Hulu also tweaked its prices in late 2020, increasing the cost of its live streaming option from $54.99 to $64.99 per month. Google’s YouTubeTV also raised its rates from $50 per month to $65.95 per month last July. 

Maybe it’s time for an audit of all your streaming services. “These rate increases can add up over time without you noticing, as all of them rely on ‘evergreen’ automatic payments and yearly renewals via your credit card. That means if you want to cancel, you have to go out of your way to opt out of renewal,” said Lifehacker’s Mike Winters.

“The danger comes in the fact that it’s easy to overlook these increases over time, which can be substantial—just look at Hulu’s live TV plan, which has gone up by $25 per month over the last few years. That’s a lot of money if you aren’t paying attention to what you’re being charged.”

COVID-19 lockdowns over the last year have significantly impacted consumers’ behavior. Recent studies have found that more time at home during the pandemic has led to both positive and negative outcomes; some consumers have experienced personal growth during this time, while others have relied heavily on alcohol.

Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Bristol found another way that consumers passed time during lockdown orders: online gambling. According to their findings, regular gamblers were much more likely to participate in online gambling while at home over the last year when compared to before the pandemic. 

“This study provides unique real-time insights into how people’s attitudes and gambling behavior changed during lockdown, when everyone was stuck inside and unable to participate in most social activities,” said researcher Alan Emond. “The findings reveal that although many forms of gambling were restricted, a minority of regular gamblers significantly increased their gambling and betting online. As with so many repercussions of the pandemic, inequalities have been exacerbated and particularly vulnerable groups were worse affected.” 

Analyzing pandemic gambling trends

The researchers first analyzed responses from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), which started before the pandemic, and had participants answer questions about their gambling habits and other lifestyle behaviors. Based on those responses, the researchers conducted two more surveys about gambling during the pandemic, which included data on more than 2,600 adults. 

Overall, the trend was clear: participants were gambling more during the pandemic than before it. While in-person betting decreased, online betting on games like bingo or poker surged during lockdown orders. Those who were regular gamblers prior to the pandemic were more than six times as likely to increase their betting during the pandemic. 

The researchers learned that men were more likely than women to gamble, and many engaged in some form of online betting at least once per week. Financial troubles made participants more likely to engage in online gambling during lockdown orders. 

It’s also important to note that as gambling increased, alcohol consumption also increased. Heavy drinking at least once a week was linked with an increase in online gambling among all of the study participants. The researchers worry about the impact that both gambling and alcohol can have on consumers’ physical and mental well-being, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The strong link between binge drinking and regular gambling is of particular concern, as they are both addictive behaviors, which can have serious health and social consequences,” Emond said. “With the wider availability of gambling through different online channels, vulnerable groups could get caught in a destructive cycle. A public health approach is needed to minimize gambling harms.” 

The room at the top of the streaming world just got a little more crowded. AT&T and Discovery have announced a decision to take WarnerMedia’s premium entertainment, sports, and news assets and combine them with Discovery's nonfiction and sports businesses to create a premier, stand-alone global entertainment company.

This news may sound vaguely familiar to some. And it is. Less than three years ago, AT&T's WarnerMedia announced its intent to launch a new streaming service by late 2019. But if the key addition of Discovery doesn’t give Disney and NBC/Universal a run for their money, nothing will. The result will be a massive “pure play” content portfolio containing more than 100 brands: HBO, Warner Bros., Discovery, DC Comics, CNN, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Food Network, the Turner Networks, TNT, TBS, Eurosport, Magnolia, TLC, Animal Planet, and more. 

It’s a heavy price for the two companies to pay, but one that could have a huge payoff. In an announcement, Discovery CEO David Zaslav -- who will run the new venture -- said the new company will start with $55 billion in debt and that the company revenue goal for its first full year of business -- 2023 -- is budgeted at $52 billion. 

Investors who own stock in either company will also see some shifting around. If you’re an investor in AT&T, your new stock will represent 71% of the new company whereas Discovery shareholders will own 29% of the new company. 

What consumers can hope to gain

The new company starts out with a lot of shareable content -- some 200,000 hours of “iconic programming,” according to the companies. While Zazlav didn’t show all his cards, he suggested that consumers should see more original content from “under-represented storytellers and independent creators,” as well as a sizable investment in family-friendly nonfiction video content.

"During my many conversations with [AT&T’s CEO John Stankey], we always come back to the same simple and powerful strategic principle: these assets are better and more valuable together. We believe everyone wins... [including] consumers with more diverse choices,” Zaslav said. 

“We will build a new chapter together with the creative and talented WarnerMedia team and these incredible assets built on a nearly 100-year legacy of the most wonderful storytelling in the world. That will be our singular mission: to focus on telling the most amazing stories and have a ton of fun doing it.”

The price of a Disney+ subscription is set to go up on March 26, so consumers who want to save a little money may want to sign up now. The monthly cost of a Disney+ subscription will soon go up by $1 to $8 per month, or $80 upfront for an entire year. 

The pricing changes will also affect the Disney Bundle, which gives consumers access to  Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. The price of the package will increase from $12.99 per month to $13.99 per month, or from $18.99 per month to $19.99 per month for the plan that includes an ad-free Hulu experience.

The company said at the end of last year that it would have to raise prices in order to recoup the losses it’s incurred from investing in new content. Over the past year, Disney+ has debuted a number of new shows like WandaVision, The Mandalorian, and new Marvel and Star Wars content. It has also added new releases like Soul and added classics like Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. 

Disney announced this week that Cruella and Black Widow will be released in May and July, respectively, on Disney+ as $30 Premier Access titles. The one-time $30 Premier Access fee lets consumers watch brand new movies as many times as they want as long as they remain a Disney+ subscriber. 

Following an extended period of being closed to the public due to the pandemic, Regal Cinemas has announced that it will reopen around 500 of its U.S. locations on April 2. 

“Regal is thrilled to welcome our guests back to the movies in April,” Regal wrote on Twitter. “Select theatres will be opening April 2, in time for ‘Godzilla vs. Kong.’ Additional theatres will be opening in the weeks to follow.”

The movie theater chain said it will have a number of health and safety measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as limiting attendance to between 25 percent and 50 percent. Some other changes that the company said it will implement include:

• Operating at limited capacity and requiring guests to wear masks;

• Increasing fresh air intake by 50 percent to 100 percent to help air circulate throughout auditoriums;

• Leaving two seats between parties in theaters to help with social distancing; 

• Changing concession stand procedures to include reduced menu offerings and social distancing between registers; and 

• Allowing guests to make food and drink purchases via the Regal app.

Welcoming moviegoers back

Regal, which is owned by Cineworld, made the decision to shutter its theaters six months ago as COVID-19 restrictions went into effect. But with many businesses reopening, the chain says it’s ready to fulfill its vital role in communities across the U.S.

"We have long-awaited this moment when we can welcome audiences back to our Regal theatres and restore our essential role within the communities we serve," said Mooky Greidinger, Chief Executive Officer of Cineworld. 

"With the health and safety of our customers, staff, and communities as our top priority, we continue to take all the necessary precautions and abide by our CinemaSafe guidelines to confidently provide a safe and comfortable experience. With capacity restrictions expanding to 50% or more across most U.S. states, we will be able to operate profitably in our biggest markets."

The National Football League (NFL) has reached a multi-year deal with Amazon for exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football games on Amazon Prime, beginning with the 2023 season.

The league’s first-ever exclusive deal with a streaming service further blurs the line between broadcast television and streaming video.

Under the terms of the deal, which runs for 10 years, Prime will be the exclusive outlet for 15 Thursday Night Football games each season, along with one pre-season game. All games will air on Prime Video as part of a Prime membership.

“NFL games are the most-watched live programming in the United States, and this unprecedented Thursday Night Football package gives tens of millions of new and existing Prime members exclusive access to must-watch live football on Prime Video,” said Mike Hopkins, senior vice president of Prime Video and Amazon Studios. 

The NFL and Amazon began a relationship in 2017 when Prime simulcast some Thursday night NFL games. Last season, Amazon had exclusive broadcast rights to one Thursday night game, a late-season match-up between the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals, which drew an estimated 11.2 million viewers.

Other media deals

The Amazon deal was one of many the league announced with other, more traditional broadcast outlets. The $100 million package ties up the NFL for 11 years with CBS, ESPN/ABC, Fox, and NBC. 

"These new media deals will provide our fans even greater access to the games they love.  We're proud to grow our partnerships with the most innovative media companies in the market," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "Along with our recently completed labor agreement with the NFLPA, these distribution agreements bring an unprecedented era of stability to the league and will permit us to continue to grow and improve our game."

Most of the other deals continue existing relationships. However, the new agreement gives ABC rights to televise two Super Bowls while continuing its existing exclusive agreement with ESPN to broadcast Monday Night Football.

After previously stating that it wouldn’t do so, AT&T announced on Wednesday that it will begin counting time spent streaming content from HBO Max toward monthly data caps. The company informed customers that it would no longer offer “Data Free TV” on its video apps beginning March 25.  

The decision was made after a federal court upheld California’s net neutrality law, which prohibits "zero rating" or sponsored data streaming. AT&T said California’s law will extend beyond state borders since “a state-by-state approach to ‘net neutrality’ is unworkable.” 

“We regret the inconvenience to customers caused by California’s new ‘net neutrality’ law,” the company wrote in a blog post. “Given that the Internet does not recognize state borders, the new law not only ends our ability to offer California customers such free data services but also similarly impacts our customers in states beyond California.”

As a result of the change, customers will have to be connected to Wi-Fi in order to avoid having the content watched on HBO Max counted toward their data limits. 

AT&T added that it “strongly advocate[s]” for Congress to adopt federal legislation that provides “clear, consistent and permanent net neutrality rules for everyone to follow” and makes internet access available and affordable to all Americans.

AMC Theatres feels it’s safe to come out of the pandemic woods and reopen. 

A year after closing all of its locations due to COVID-19 concerns and six months after claiming it was on shaky ground financially, the movie theatre chain announced on Thursday that it will have 98 percent of its U.S. locations open by this Friday, March 19. By March 26, the company says it should have 99 percent of its theatres open to the public.

Moviegoer health is priority #1

At the top of its reopening checklist, the company is putting an emphasis on moviegoers’ health, and it feels like it has all the safety measures in place to meet that challenge. The company’s efforts in that regard include a slate of Safe & Clean policies and protocols developed in consultation with Clorox and with faculty at the Harvard University School of Public Health. 

One of the more important additions emphasized in the company’s announcement is the upgrade of its air filtration system. The upgrade includes MERV-13 air filters, which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says can trap smaller particles like viruses.

Here are some other health-conscious additions that returning moviegoers will find:

• Social distancing & automatic seat blocking in each auditorium

• Mandatory mask wearing

• Easy availability of disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer

AMC is also taking a hard line on employee health. Managers and crew members will have their temperatures checked before they begin their shift. If anyone has a fever or coronavirus-like symptoms, they will be required to self-quarantine until they are symptom-free for at least 72 hours.

Changes at the concession stand

AMC isn’t letting down its guard anywhere, including the concession stand. Moviegoers will have to verbally request condiments like ketchup, mustard, relish, buttery popcorn topping, and salt, but napkins, cup lids, and straws are available to grab and go.

The company is also changing how drink and popcorn refills are managed. Customers will have to ask the concessions crew for a new cup to refill their drink or a new tub to refill their popcorn. 

The day after the Super Bowl, there is as much “water cooler” chatter about the commercials as there is about the game. This year, there will be fewer commercials to talk about.

A number of companies that traditionally make commercials for the big game have announced that they will forego ads during this year’s telecast. Instead, they’ll be redirecting that spending toward an assortment of public-spirited causes.

Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser beer, a fixture during the game’s commercial breaks for over three decades, is sitting out the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It released this YouTube video on Monday announcing its decision and explained that it will use the money it would have spent on the expensive advertisements to support an Ad Council campaign to provide information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

“A key learning from 2020 is that we must prioritize humanity and purpose,” said Marcel Marcondes, U.S. CMO, Anheuser-Busch. 

Marcondes says any ads the company airs won’t be for its flagship product. Instead, he says the messages will be designed to ”provoke us to think about what matters most in life.”

Concern about the optics

Industry analysts say major brands are being careful not to damage their images. The optics of splashy, celebratory ads might not play so well with the public against a backdrop of a pandemic that has thrown millions out of work, closed thousands of businesses, and claimed the lives of more than 400,000 Americans.

Pepsi has said it will not air the number of commercials it has in past years. However, the soft drink giant remains the sole sponsor of the Super Bowl halftime show.

Rival Coca-Cola will also take a seat on the bench. It released a statement to CNBC, saying it had decided to focus on “investing in the right resources.” Coke has also been a victim of the pandemic, seeing its sales suffer over the last 10 months since a huge amount of its product is sold through bars and restaurants.

Fewer car ads

In recent years, Hyundai has been a regular sponsor of the most-watched sporting event of the year. But not in 2021.

A company spokesperson said the decision was likely for this year only and was "based on marketing priorities, the timing of upcoming vehicle launches, and where we felt it was best to allocate our marketing resources."

Audi is also taking a hiatus from advertising during this year’s game. In a statement, it said it is taking 2021 to “focus on new endeavors.”

The game’s newest sponsor, Little Caesar’s pizza, is also calling a timeout. The company, which aired its first Super Bowl commercial last year, said it doesn’t have a new message to share.

AT&T has announced that it’s merging AT&T TV Now and AT&T TV in an effort to bring “more value and simplicity” to its streaming service offerings. 

“AT&T TV Now has merged with AT&T TV to bring you the best live and on-demand experience,” the company said in an update on its website. 

Although the telecom and media giant has stopped allowing new sign-ups for AT&T TV Now, existing users will be able to continue using the service without disruptions or price changes.  

AT&T TV Now was designed to replace the company’s “DirecTV Now” satellite service, which launched in November 2016. The “skinny bundle” offering was initially priced at $35 per month and offered cord-cutters more than 100 channels. However, AT&T raised the price over time, and many early adopters stopped using the service. 

Going forward, the telecom’s AT&T TV offering -- which is more similar to traditional cable than AT&T TV Now -- will be offered with a month-to-month payment option. Current contracts will remain in effect, but customers can move to the month-to-month plan once their current contract expires. 

Prices for the non-contractual options start at $70 per month. That price gets customers an Entertainment package that includes ESPN, CNN, and FX, as well as local broadcast channels and 20 hours of cloud DVR. For $10 extra per month, the company will add additional DVR storage. 

Consumers can also choose to sign up for a two-year contract. Doing so drops the price of the Entertainment package’s first-year price to $60 per month. In the second year, that price increases to $93 per month.