Watching the Lightning (Bally, Streaming, TV, etc.)

[Felonious Python]

The missing link in this discussion is that if you leave Bally, you need to not only get on TV, but have in-market streaming.

It's not an either/or, IMO.

 

[TampaIceman]

I still find it hard to believe that Amazon would make that investment and then not use the content to generate revenue via Amazon Prime Video so I am holding out hope they make the hockey package available for a fee so I can drop Spectrum.

 

[Felonious Python]

I still find it hard to believe that Amazon would make that investment and then not use the content to generate revenue via Amazon Prime Video so I am holding out hope they make the hockey package available for a fee so I can drop Spectrum.

Bally Sports+ is $20/month. Pretty pricey, but it's also easier to cancel and resubscribe than cable.

How much lower the price would be with Amazon is an unanswered question.


ESPN+ and a streaming VPN (Surfshark) would be a cheap, legal way to stream.

 

[DMXATF23]

Bally Sports+ is $20/month. Pretty pricey, but it's also easier to cancel and resubscribe than cable.

How much lower the price would be with Amazon is an unanswered question.


ESPN+ and a streaming VPN (Surfshark) would be a cheap, legal way to stream.

The VPN is legal?

 

[Felonious Python]

The VPN is legal?

VPNs are legal in pretty much all democratic nations. If you've seen ads for NordVPN or Surfshark, those are VPNs.

Are VPNs legal? A country-by-country guide. | Proton

Are VPNs blocked or banned in your country? Here’s the updated list of countries that are trying to make VPNs illegal.

protonvpn.com

ESPN+ still wouldn't have the live TNT games, however. I sort of lucked out last season that MAX extended their free sports offer through the end of the season.


You could theoretically sign up for the NHL package in, like, the Bahamas, and get everything, but you'd always need to have access to a Bahamas IP address. Netflix users were getting cheap subscriptions with a Turkish IP address that way.

I haven't really investigated that, as I went with the Disney bundle and got MAX for cheap on Black Friday (a great time for streaming deals, btw).

 

[TampaIceman]

I would go with the Ballys app and drop Spectrum but the few times I have needed to use it the connection was so glitchy I wouldn’t trust having to count on it all season.

 

[Felonious Python]

 

[Felonious Python]

At the moment, the only straightforward ways to stream Bally in the US are Fubo, DirectTV Stream, and Bally Sports+.

Bally Sports+ and Venu would have you completely covered for ~$65/month (at least for now). Cheaper than Fubo or DirectTV Stream.


Venu will include ESPN+, so pair that with a streaming VPN, and that will get you everything as well.

 

[Felonious Python]

 

[Felonious Python]

A judge has put Venu on hold.



Congrats to all political action committees on the upcoming donos.

 

[Felonious Python]

 

[bigdaddio]

After how badly Bally's executed last year I can't believe they did not trigger SLA's in the contract that would allow the Bolts to bail and go elsewhere. So, getting about a month out, where do we stand? Is it Bally's sports or nothing still?

 

[Felonious Python]

After how badly Bally's executed last year I can't believe they did not trigger SLA's in the contract that would allow the Bolts to bail and go elsewhere. So, getting about a month out, where do we stand? Is it Bally's sports or nothing still?

TBL are still with Bally for another year. Bally Sports is even the presenting sponsor for the Thanksgiving game. TBL keeps renewing. It's not like they're stuck with Bally.

I'm figuring that the payments from Bally, even if they're less than they used to be, is still better than going alone.



If/when TBL does leave Bally, they'll be able to learn from all these other teams who have already left their RSNs. It's probably not a safe assumption that Scripps or OTA or a team streaming platform is going to go off without a hitch, and that it's only Bally that has bad luck.

 

[Felonious Python]

Bally claims to have enough money to get out of bankruptcy without Amazon, but if you were planning on getting Bally Sports through Amazon Prime, then this may be an issue.

Amazon may also want to make a new offer for less money. Bally lost a bunch of teams in the off season, so they have less value.

 

[Felonious Python]

I think ESPN may be getting in too late. They should have been ready two years ago. Once you start offering free OTA and streaming, it's hard to go back.