I wonder what keeps the American sports leagues (and/or ESPN) from charging more for public-performance licenses? I can't imagine they're doing it out of goodwill, so they must feel like they can't get UK-level fees out of bars. Maybe carrying a particular league (or even sports at all) is not as much of a "necessity" for American bars, so if they push it too much, bars will just say no thanks? In much of the UK a pub really has to have football, and usually not just any football, but the local club's games (plus "big" games).