By The Editorial Board
The biggest problem with sports right now is how it’s becoming harder and more expensive than ever for fans to watch their own team play. The culprit? Streaming.
Around 10 or 15 years ago, streaming services started to threaten traditional cable. This first affected television, where you would get fewer eyes on a show because there was an alternative option without ads, Netflix being one of the first players in this new game. This new service would shift how TV was done, as large cable networks would have content on affiliate streaming networks, along with showcasing content on live TV. However, this only made sports more valuable for live TV.
In the age where anything and everything is on-demand, the ability to simply watch live sports has become a luxury. 90% of sports fans who watch sports regularly subscribe to Pay TV.
The problem is that this lucrative sports model is becoming even more lucrative through the extension of streaming. Once upon a time, a fan would know they could watch a game because they had live TV. That is no longer guaranteed. Now, sports are sold across various streaming services, meaning a fan can’t watch their favorite team because it is probably behind a paywall. In the past, to be able to watch all NFL games, one would need a cable subscription and a NFL Sunday ticket (if they wanted to watch out-of-market games). This came out to roughly $400, whereas now, behind gatekeepers such as Peacock, Netflix and Amazon, the NFL will be roughly $722 to stream.
It’s true, the major sports leagues are only selling a relatively small number of games behind streaming services. So, does this really impact the fan experience? The problem with this is that there is no disincentive to stop because it has been proven to make the leagues more money when you factor in a sports fan who has multiple leagues or teams that they watch.
Having to purchase multiple streaming services becomes a necessity. What grinds our gears is that these sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB) have massively profited off the death of traditional cable television. NBA revenue has tripled over the last 11 years — the league had a $24 billion media deal in 2014 compared to the $76 billion deal that is starting next year. However, the money isn’t enough for the leagues to start “taxing” the average fan. You can’t have your cake and eat it too, especially when the fans have brought you to this position.
Now here’s a solution: pay less for sports, but enjoy them communally. You shouldn’t be paying an extra $15-30 per month only to watch a couple of games. Spend that time watching your team at any place, like a restaurant, that plays live sports. Go get some wings and hang out with your friends. Sports, in its existence, was something to be enjoyed by groups of people together — it’s not an exclusive individual hobby.
It might be an outdated take, but it’s a good thing to go outside and interact with those in your proximity. Many people in this day and age feel deprived of community, so try talking to people you don’t know to help those feelings of isolation. This offers such a great experience to share the game we love with others.
Not much in this world is free, but don’t subsidize streaming services. If you are going to spend money, spend it around people and make an experience out of it.
