NBA Launches Streaming Service, Making Games More Affordable

By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer
Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

    Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

    Two weeks after tip-off on the 2019-2020 season, the NBA is stepping into a whole new game.

    The National Basketball Association has launched a new streaming service for live and archived games (as well as original shows revolving around the league). At $6.99 per month (or $59.99 annually), it’s a much more affordable option for fans vs. the League Pass streaming service (which runs $17.99 per month).

    Dubbed NBA TV, the service lets fans stream games through their smartphone, tablet or gaming console through a dedicated app or from NBA.com. It won’t show every game in the league, but it will show more than 100 live out of market games, along with the WNBA and NBA Summer League.

    The move by the NBA could put the NFL and Major League Baseball on notice. Both of those leagues have dedicated networks for their sports, but like NBA Pass, they’re pricey. (NFL Sunday Ticket costs $294 per season and MLB TV runs $25 per month.) By offering a cheaper service, even one that pares down the offerings, the NBA could keep fans engaged, instead of seeing them migrate over to the myriad of streaming services launching this month and in the months to come, including Disney+, Apple TV+ and NBCUniversal’s Peacock.

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