Why Millions of Live TV Streaming Customers Will Not Be Able ToWatch 2020–21 NBA Games
The NBA 2020–21 Season opens this week and there are 10.8 Million live TV Streaming customers that will not be able to watch their local NBA Team Game. This situation was created when Sinclair Broadcast Group (NASDAQ:SBGI / Twitter: @WeAreSinclair), that has faced criticism in the past over monopolistic local market agreement business practices did not reach agreement with live TV Streaming leading providers Hulu, YouTube TV and others. In August 2019, Sinclair purchased Fox Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) for $10.6 Billion and in October 2020, after the NBA 2019–20 Finals the agreement was terminated.
Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley has since announced that it has partnered with Bally’s Corporation (NYSE: BALY) and plans to rename the 21 Fox Regional Sports Networks to Bally’s Sports Network, integrate content into its 190 television stations and eventually position Bally’s to capture a share of the $50 Billon U.S. sports betting and iGaming market. Sinclair also owns its own Streaming Platform STIRR which is currently free but Ripley has hinted that it will market directly to Live TV Streaming customers in 2021.
Meanwhile a look on Redit.com there are hundreds of comments by early adopter streaming customers that are not so satisfied with Sinclair. As the 2020–21 NBA Pre-Season started last week, Sinclair/Fox Sports responded to angry streaming customers on Twitter that “Hulu and YouTube TV touts they have live sports but they have raised your bill and dropped Fox Sports [Sun]. Time to make the switch and get what you are paying for! AT&T TV is a great streaming option.”
Is AT&T TV a great streaming option? You must subscribe to the AT&T TV Now Max package ($80/month/60+ channels/2 streams) to get the regional sports channels to watch your NBA game. YouTube TV customers ($65/month/85+ channels / 3 streams and Hulu ($65/month/60+ channels / 2 streams). The actual cost comparison is in the details with YouTube TV providing 3 streams and 6 user accounts. There is also an increasing number of lesser known competitors in the streaming space including fuboTV, Philo, Sling TV and T-Mobile TVision.
So here we are in the peak of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the NBA 2020–21 Season starts this week and because of Sinclair’s pricing and local market business practices that in only May 2020 resulted in a $48 Million FCC Fine for a Deceptive Bid for Tribune Stations — this NBA Fan, Season Ticket Holder will not be able to go to the game; watch the game on YouTube TV; or go to the local bar to watch the game. That all said, I am a Techie/Technologist and although I have given up on a last minute Sinclair/YouTube/Hulu agreement, I will be looking for other options to watch the game live. A last resort, “Alexa listen to tonight’s Miami Heat Game on the radio.”
