With all of its regionals that have team deals now live-streaming NBA games in-market, Fox Sports Net has begun to promote the pro hoops TV Everywhere experience with local marketing activities.
Fox Sports Wisconsin last week tipped off promotional support for the availability of live-streaming of Milwaukee Bucks contests to authenticated subscribers, according to a Fox Sports spokeswoman. Similarly, Fox Sports Indiana, home to the NBA Pacers, this week will initiate a marketing campaign alerting viewers that they can access streamed simulcasts of the RSN’s coverage at Fox Sports Go.com or through Android or iOS-supported devices. Upon signing on with Fox Sports Go, authenticated subscribers can then watch the NBA team that is available through their pay-TV package.
After testing the technology with a number of distributors and a handful of clubs last season, all 17 of Fox Sports Net's regional sports networks with NBA team deals are now streaming the contests, as well as pre- and post-game fare, in-market, including YES Network.
As part of the Fox Sports Go offering, the RSN, which televises Brooklyn Nets games, launched the service to Time Warner Cable customers on Oct. 29 with the team's 2014-15 season opener against the Boston Celtics (pictured). Cablevision subscribers gained streaming entry last week. YES is also streaming encores of the team’s telecasts, Nets Magazine, The Michael Kay Show and some college basketball.
Like the other FSN regionals, the YES simulcasts feature commercials from the telecasts themselves. Fox Sports originally included “slates” in the pods. The spokeswoman said the company is working on integrating dynamic ad insertion to the mix, with an eye toward streaming distinct spots during the second half of the season.
The six Comcast SportsNet regionals that have launched NBA in-market streaming are running separate ads from the RSNs’ TV schedules.
MSG Network has announced it will commence streaming New York Knicks games in December.
DirecTV Sports Networks president Patrick Crumb in a recent interview said his group has reached an agreement with the NBA for in-market streaming, and hopes to offer TVE service for the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets sometime later this season.
Thus far, Fox Sports has inked NBA TVE deals for its RSNs with Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Cox and Cablevision, AT&T U-verse, Suddenlink, Wide Open West and MidContinent Cable. Negotiations continue with other key distributors: Comcast, DirecTV, Dish Network and Verizon FiOS.
The addition of Time Warner Cable has bolstered the TVE streaming presence for a number of NBA teams, including Milwaukee. FSN Wisconsin is now running promos for the service during pre-, post- and in-game Bucks telecasts. Announcements are also delivered over the public address at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, where Fox Sports Girls have also demonstrated how the Fox Sports Go app works.
A similar plan will be executed for the Pacers this week and then be extended to various RSNs over the course of the season, according to the Fox spokeswoman.
