Lottery NBA Draft Player Pokes Fun At Sports Streaming Being Overpriced

Anyone who came up in a household with steep cable bills figured they’d never commit the same mistake.

Then came the Age of Streaming: an all-out war between companies to keep their content exclusive, which makes the slate of digital content as expensive or more than the cable days.

From YouTube TV to NFL Sunday Ticket, streaming no longer costs an arm and a leg but also a pair of kidneys and a lung.

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One NBA newcomer who poked fun at the ridiculous price gouging is Amen Thompson, the fourth pick in the draft.

During a news conference Monday, Thompson made a snide remark about NBA League Pass being too overpriced. Thompson’s comment on the league’s streaming service had Houston Rockets reporters shouting “Hallelujah.”

“I always grew up watching basketball. I had [NBA] League Pass every year, it’s a little overpriced but …” Amen said.

WATCH:

"I always grew up watching basketball. I had [NBA] League Pass every year, it's a little overpriced but—"

Rockets 4th overall pick Amen Thompson 😅

(via @KHOU)pic.twitter.com/Y1SDUPGxlf

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 26, 2023

Amen Thompson was preaching to the choir as the room of reporters laughed at the unfortunate reality of expensive streaming. Given Thompson’s nervous chuckle, he probably knows that critique won’t sit well with the NBA.

NBA League Pass charges $20 a month for its unlimited plan, which is too much to watch NBA players hate on the West and take “load management” games off at the last minute.

Streaming has been a pain in the outlet for a long time. Major streaming apps like YouTube TV have been criticized for countless technical issues and often cherry-picking content made available to its subscribers.

Streaming price gouging is a crime against all generations of viewers, and it must be stopped.

Average Price For Streaming Apps (via MoneyGeek)

Netflix

• $9.99/month for
  Basic
• $15.49/month for
  Standard
• $19.99/month for
  Premium

NBA League Pass

• $14.99–$19.99/month

NFL Sunday Ticket

• $349 per year (YouTube TV Add-On)

NHL Center Ice

• $69.99/season

HBO MAX

• $20/month, Ultimate plan with ad-free 4K support
• $16/month, ad-free HD streaming
• $10/month, ad-supported HD streaming

Amazon Prime Video

• $14.99/month

Hulu

• $6.99/month (ads)
• $12.99/month (no ads)
• $69.99/month for
  Hulu with Live TV,
  Disney+ and ESPN
  Plus
• $75.99/month for
  Hulu with no ads,
  Live TV Disney+ and
  ESPN Plus

YouTube TV

• $64.99/month