Cutting the cord of cable TV has probably led us straight to digital hell, where half the time we can’t even remember which $10 monthly streaming subscriptions we’re still paying for and which ones we’ve killed off. Actually, shit—while writing this I just remembered I need to cancel my Peacock subscription before it auto-renews next month.
And if you’re trying to watch sports, it’s even worse. You might need four different services just to follow a single team through one season, since broadcasting rights are carved up between networks like vultures fighting over carrion.
But maybe there’s about to be a new new way of doing things: The Dallas Mavericks recently announced that they’ll be creating their own platform, called MavsTV.
For a monthly fee of $14.99 or a season-long price of $124.99, Mavs fans can access this new streaming option for the full NBA season, which is starting up tonight.
“We have been waiting for this moment for a long time,” said Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall in a release. “We are thrilled to offer multiple options for our fans who deserve seamless, enjoyable viewing experiences.”
Technically, teams or regions having their own broadcast network isn’t anything new. The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network (YES) launched in 2002 as the first team-owned regional sports network in baseball, though it’s now majority-owned by Sinclair Broadcasting after several ownership changes, including a period under Fox Sports.
There’s a lot of confusion around this move from Texas residents, but basically, the games will still air locally on WFAA and KFAA. This new platform is for those who don’t get those channels or don’t use the antenna option.
MavsTV will also operate off of the NBA App, which makes me wonder if other teams will follow suit.
The post The Dallas Mavericks Probably Just Changed How We’ll Watch Local Sports Forever appeared first on VICE.
The post The Dallas Mavericks Probably Just Changed How We’ll Watch Local Sports Forever appeared first on VICE.
