That is the problem right there. Sports fans will pay $80 for the service but would watch little else. The value of everything else is about $10 at the very top so it makes the cost of the sports channel $70 + $10.
This business model is dying so its just a matter of time until things get divided up. i.e. last year I watched premier league football for $20 a month for the duration of the football season. If Sky have got this back, then unlike Ratkin, I will not be paying $80+ per month to watch one game of football per week. Sometimes you need to protest and if more people did, change would happen sooner.