Streaming Services Still At Odds With Bally Sports, Leaving NBA Fans With Few TV Options

For a second straight season, the NBA has made viewing its games about as easy as finding a Celtics broadcast in China. Numerous streaming services have not been able to agree on a contract with Bally Sports, forcing NBA fans to rely on national broadcasts, which rarely feature small market teams.

That means that a large share of Cleveland, Orlando, Oklahoma City and Sacramento fans will go the entire NBA season without watching their favorite team play, unless they advance to the postseason.

An ever-growing number of Americans have cut the cord and partnered with streaming services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, SlingTV and fuboTV, rather than pay the high costs associated with traditional cable. The problem for cord-cutting NBA fans is that Bally Sports, the regional broadcast provider for 16 NBA teams, is not offered on any of the above-listed streaming services. Bally Sports streams only through DirecTV Stream via a paid add-on.

And, those trying to zig when Bally zags by way of the NBA's League Pass are out of luck. The NBA's local blackout rules prevent fans from watching in-market games via League Pass.

The NBA's commissioner, Adam Silver, recognizes that Bally's limited availability is an issue. “We’re very focused on reshaping the model in terms of the way our games are distributed now so that even if games are on cable or satellite in a local market, that fans who don’t choose to subscribe to a larger bundle aren’t disenfranchised from the league,” said Silver, per the Charlotte Observer.

Silver continued, “There’s no question about it. I think that we have to be mindful of not taking our fans for granted, and that at some point if our product becomes unavailable to them, they’re going to look for alternative ways to entertain themselves.”

Between controversies surrounding Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons, Enes Kanter and the Bally Sports news, #ThisLeague is off to an undesirable start to the season.

 

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