Apr 22, 2019

Sinclair looks set to buy Disney's regional sports networks

Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios

Sinclair Broadcasting is the front-runner to buy a package of regional sports networks being sold by Walt Disney Co., following a bid of around $10 billion, per Fox Business Network. A deal could be announced as early as this week.

Why it matters: This would represent a major reversal of fortunes for Sinclair, which last year was blocked from buying Tribune Media after allegedly lying to the FCC and acting in bad faith with Tribune's board.

The backdrop: Disney, which owns ESPN, agreed to sell the RSNs in order to get regulatory approval for its $52 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets. Other bidders include Major League Baseball (now working with Liberty Media), the BIG3 basketball league and Amazon (which reportedly only wants one RSN, the New York Yankees-centric YES).

The bottom line: "Disney initially sought as much as $20 billion for the entire package... [But] most of the interest came from parties looking to snap up the RSNs at a low-ball price. Industry trends show declining cable profitability due to cord cutting and sports leagues maintaining ownership (rather than the networks), of the all-important digital rights for games to be viewed on wireless devices," write Fox Business' Lydia Moynihan and Charlie Gasparino.

Go deeper: Amazon reportedly bids for Disney's regional sports networks

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Rebecca Falconer, Orion Rummler, Marisa Fernandez

U.S. coronavirus updates: Death toll nears 11,000

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios

Recorded deaths from the novel coronavirus surpassed 10,900 in the U.S. early Tuesday, per Johns Hopkins data. More than 1,000 people in the U.S. have died of coronavirus-related conditions each day since April 1.

Why it matters: U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said on Sunday this week will be "the hardest and saddest week of most Americans' lives" — calling it our "our Pearl Harbor, our 9/11 moment."

Go deeperUpdated 47 mins ago - Health

Axios

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 11:30 p.m. ET: 1,347,803 — Total deaths: 74,807 — Total recoveries: 277,402 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 11:30 p.m. ET: 368,196 — Total deaths: 10,986 — Total recoveries: 19,828 — Map.
Trump administration latest: President Trump's economic adviser Peter Navarro warned White House colleagues in late January the coronavirus could take over half a million American lives and cost close to $6 trillion, memos obtained by Axios show.
2020 update: Wisconsin Supreme Court blocks governor's attempt to delay in-person primary voting delayed until June.
States latest: West Coast states send ventilators to New York and other states with more immediate need — Data suggest coronavirus curve may be flattening in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
World update: U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson moved to intensive care as coronavirus symptoms worsen.
Stocks latest: The S&P 500 closed up 7% on Monday, while the Dow rose more than 1,500 points.
What should I do? Pets, moving and personal health. Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk.
Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

Subscribe to Mike Allen's Axios AM to follow our coronavirus coverage each morning from your inbox.

Keep ReadingUpdated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Jonathan Swan, Margaret Talev

Docs: Navarro memos warning mass death circulated West Wing in January

Image from a memo to President Trump

In late January, President Trump's economic adviser Peter Navarro warned his White House colleagues the novel coronavirus could take more than half a million American lives and cost close to $6 trillion, according to memos obtained by Axios.

By late February, Navarro was even more alarmed, and he warned his colleagues, in another memo, that up to two million Americans could die of the virus.

Driving the news: Navarro's grim estimates are set out in two memos — one dated Jan. 29 and addressed to the National Security Council, the other dated Feb. 23 and addressed to the president. The NSC circulated both memos around the White House and multiple agencies.

Go deeper2 hours ago - Health