A subscription to HBO Max and unfettered access to some of the greatest shows in TV history starts at $14.99 per month. A monthly subscription to Apple TV+ is $4.99; Netflix costs $9.99. In other words, consumers can purchase enough streaming content to last a two-year pandemic for the relatively affordable price of $30 per month.
That’s how much it will cost those same consumers to stream the 23-27 Red Sox.
NESN launched its own streaming app Wednesday, “NESN 360,” which offers the same live feed that NESN and NESN+ carry. There is an additional library of other NESN offerings and original programming. Is anybody hankering for “Sox Appeal?”
Current NESN subscribers can download the app for free, so that’s where the real value lies. But then again, it's hard to see people who already have NESN also subscribing to "NESN 360." Crazily, the product is also only available to people living in New England.
NESN is the first regional sports network to launch its own standalone streaming service.
“This is another opportunity for us to make sure fans have the ability to watch the teams they love,” said NESN president Sean McGrail, via the Globe. “There are changes in the media landscape, there’s no question about it, and this is a way of responding to make sure we have unilateral access for all of New England, and all of the people who are fans of our teams to get access to those products.”
It’s a smart idea overall: cord-cutting is tanking the value of cable and linear TV. The number of cord-cutters nationwide is expected to reach 55.1 million this year.
Presenting Red Sox and Bruins diehards with the option to stream games is an innovative concept.
But presumably, people get rid of cable to save some cash. Adding “NESN 360” to a bundle of Netflix, Hulu and HBO Max is not cheap.
Then again, “NESN 360” may be all Boston sports fans need. I can’t wait to start binging “Dining Playbook.”
