Battling in the small-but-super-competitive realm of virtual pay TV operators focused on live sports programming, indie operator Vidgo has announced a new promotion to offer new and existing Sony smart TV users a 30-day free trial of its 150-channel, $79.95-a-month Premium tier.
The promotion, which has already started, is being highlighted within the Sony TV displays at more than 400 Best Buy brick-and-mortar locations nationwide. The promotion will also surface via the Bravia TV OS homepage on all Sony TVs shipped starting in 2015.
Vidgo is also receiving prominent tile placement of its app icon next to the usual connected-TV app staples like Netflix within Bravia TV.
In addition to a full complement of right-leaning channels (One America News, Newsmax, and Fox News Channel), privately backed Vidgo delivers perhaps the most robust selection of college conference-focused regional sports networks in the vMVPD ecosystem, not to mention ESPN, and FS1 and FS2, as well as major broadcast networks ABC and Fox.
Conspicuously absent at this time of year across Vidgo's four packages — which also include the $64.95-a-month, 110-channel Plus offering — are CBS, as well as Turner Networks channels TNT and TBS.
Since these networks will carry March Madness, the coveted NCAA men's college basketball tournament, starting March 14, Vidgo's aggressive promotion precedes what is undoubtedly a tough subscriber month for a vMVPD that doesn't disclose customer metrics, but does nonetheless heavily market itself around viewing access to live sports.
Luckily, Vidgo’s promotional partner, Sony, ranked as the No. 3 shipper of smart TVs to the U.S. last year, controlling 9.5% of the market, according to Omdia.
“We couldn't be more excited to partner with Sony, a global leader and innovator, to include Vidgo prominently on their Sony smart TV homepage, making it easier than ever to access Vidgo’s 40,000 titles live, linear and on-demand,” Derek Mattsson, CEO of Vidgo, said in a statement. ■
