By now you may have heard about how ESPN will be offering video clips on Verizon’s VCast mobile network. ESPN made a go at being an MVNO but it just didn’t work out for the company. I think the deal with Verizon Wireless is a great move as Verizon has an ultra-reliable network and the VCast service seems well-liked.
But I do have a concern about this agreement. It seems more and more that content is not only king but emperor. Being a Sirius subscriber, I am aware of content such as Howard Stern that is available on Sirius and not XM.
So I wonder as service providers such as Verizon also roll out IPTV, will they also have exclusive content deals? It is possible and even likely.
I see research focusing on how IPTV providers will take away market share from cable companies but if content providers strike exclusive deals, how many households will need both services? This is an area of the market we will likely see more focus on once some exclusive content deals are signed – with the MSOs or IPTV providers.
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