Sling TV and Dish Network to Lose Access to MASN and NBC Regional Sports Networks
Steaming Drama Continues: Two Services Drop Regional Sports Networks
In a recent turn of events, Sling TV and its parent company Dish Network have announced that they're ditching support for the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network and NBC regional sports networks.
Here's the lowdown: Sling TV is giving up NBC Sports Washington, NBC Sports Bay Area, and NBC Sports California, while Dish Network is saying goodbye to the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. This move affects customers across ten states and Washington D.C.
Just like in previous instances, the companies are blaming skyrocketing RSN rates. In a statement, Dish TV's group president, Brian Neylon, openly expressed their offer for an a la carte RSN system. This system would allow customers to pay for only the channels they watch without burdening all users. Unfortunately, Neylon admitted that the offer went unanswered.
Neylon didn't mince words when he dubbed the current RSN model as "fundamentally broken." He pointed out that the model forces almost all customers to pay for RSNs, when only a small percentage of customers actually watch them. As the cost of these channels continues to surge, Neylon reasoned that it no longer makes sense to keep them in their TV lineup.
In response, a spokesperson for the NBC Regional Sports Networks maintained that they offered fair market terms for continued distribution. They claimed that DISH and Sling turned down these terms and have ultimately dropped the networks. A list of distributors continuing to air the RSNs can be found on each network's website.
We've seen a similar song and dance in the past with services like YouTube TV, Fubo TV, and Hulu. While it's hard to tell whether every customer subscribing to these services is there for the regional sports coverage, the frequency of such channel drops sure makes cutting the cord a real hassle for sports enthusiasts who do subscribe for their sports coverage.
Insights: Streaming services like Sling TV have faced issues with sports networks in the past. In 2019, they removed regional Fox Sports Networks due to a dispute with Sinclair Broadcast Group. When a streaming service drops a channel, it's usually due to disagreements over carriage fees or contract terms. Customers could face limitations in sports coverage and may need to consider alternative services. Sling TV users have previously encountered challenges with regional sports networks, with options like purchasing additional sports packages or using external devices like AirTV or Tablo to access local content. If Sling TV drops support for NBC Regional Sports Networks or similar channels in the future, it would align with broader industry trends of negotiations over carriage fees affecting channel availability.
- The tech industry's future seems uncertain as streaming services grapple with the increasingly high rates of technology like regional sports networks (RSNs).
- It's highly unlikely that Sling TV will reconsider the drop of NBC Regional Sports Networks, given their previous stance on the broken RSN model.
- In the ever-evolving landscape of streaming technology, many services might follow Sling TV's lead and challenge RSNs for fairer channels rates.
- As the frequency of such channel drops on streaming services continues, it becomes increasingly challenging for sports enthusiasts to find reliable technology channels at reasonable rates.
