Every sports fan knows of the excitement and anticipation for the start of their favorite team’s game. Family and friends crowd into the living room and race to turn on the TV, heading to Fox or CBS to be ready for game time. However, when the channel opens up, it’s the news and not the game. That’s because the exciting games are on YouTube TV, Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube or Max, forcing fans to buy another subscription plan just to watch a good sports match. This new norm of games not being on cable television is another way for streaming companies to steal more money from fans, although the leagues claim they do it for everyone else’s convenience.
Sports fans are tired of dropping money on new subscriptions that they might only use to watch one game. The obstacle of reaching out to estranged family members and friends, begging for their username and password to a streaming service, decreases fans’ interest in watching because of the extra effort. This has led to limited people watching primetime games.
The elderly audience, who has worshiped their team for decades, is way more equipped to get to the games on cable. However, sports leagues seem to incorrectly believe it is easier for them to jump through hoops on streaming services and get onto the streaming apps. It is unfair that the excitement of watching games has now turned into taking more time out of their lives to get to the same simple result, the game.
Specifically, the NFL is known to annoy fans through this practice. In recent times, Thursday Night Football is exclusively aired on Amazon Prime Video. Fans are paying about 15 dollars per month to watch a Thursday Night Football Game. On Sundays, several games are played simultaneously, resulting in fans loving the NFL RedZone program. But now, fans cannot even get to see some of the games since they are only on YouTube.
The MLB has taken less extreme measures, but they are still a part of this money-grab strategy. Apple TV only hosts Friday Night Baseball. This expense may seem compelling to fans, but it is just another hurdle to having the simple experience of enjoying a game.
The NBA’s current strategy makes the most sense. Its games are still shown on cable television channels, including ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV, but they are also available on DirecTV Stream, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV. Fans are not restricted to purchasing ridiculous subscriptions but can still watch on these services if they choose.
The NHL has also protected fans from having to watch games only on streaming services. However, since teams play in Canada, games that are played far away are rarely on cable. In this situation, streaming services make sense to allow fans to watch the game.
Arguably one of the best games in college sports, the Penn State White Out, was only available on Peacock. The thrill of the fans in person is an unforgettable experience, but no one should be restricted from watching a Saturday night game full of intensity. The idea of fans needing to spend extra is infuriating. It is selfish of streaming companies to expect die-hard sports fans to adjust to this restricted way of watching games. Some college football games are only available on Paramount Plus and ESPN+ too.
Professional sports have practically ruined the excitement of watching games when fans know that they are emptying their pockets and spending their spare money on unnecessary expenses just to watch a game. As the leagues look to acquire money for their benefit, their fans have to pay the price to watch these spectacular games.
