There could be big changes coming to how Americans watch their sports. Bob Iger, the CEO of Walt Disney — the parent company of ESPN — told CNBC's Squawk Box that he sees ESPN becoming an online-only channel sold directly to customers, à la HBO Now. While Iger imagines the shift taking place in five or more years, he added that, "If we end up seeing more erosion in the so-called multichannel [cable and satellite TV] bundle, quality will win out."
Apple-TV-owning sports fans shouldn't celebrate just yet, though. Forbes calculated the hypothetical cost of such a service, and ESPN clocked in at a steep $36.30 a month. HBO Now, by comparison, only costs $15 a month — and Beta Research found that the perceived value of ESPN to its consumers is a mere $1.45 a month. And come on, is the ability to stream the World Series of Poker really worth it?
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