Wednesday December 6, 2023

Red Sox First MLB Team With In-Market Streaming Service

  • Boston Red Sox and Bruins broadcaster NESN is launching a streaming service.
  • Fans will be able to watch games for $29.99 per month.
Boston-Red-Sox
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

The Boston Red Sox may start a trend as the first MLB team to offer in-market games through a streaming service.

The team’s longtime broadcaster NESN is launching streaming platform NESN 360, which will show Red Sox and Boston Bruins games, allowing fans to forgo a cable subscription.

  • The service will cost $29.99 per month.
  • It will include live games and certain on-demand games, as well as content unique to the service.
  • Fans who pay for an annual subscription of $329.99 will also receive eight tickets to a 2022 Red Sox game.

Regional Streaming Network

MLB has long been tied to regional sports networks but has sought relationships with streaming services as more and more people move away from cable bundles. 

This year, it began a seven-year deal worth $85 million annually with Apple TV+ for Friday night games, as well as a $30 million per-year deal with Peacock for Sunday morning matchups.

“You’re going to have to have an over-the-top strategy for fans to watch beyond just MLB.tv,” Jon Cohen, Frequency’s senior vice president of business development and distribution, told Front Office Sports. “That’s why getting revenue deals done with Apple and with NBC for Peacock is important. You start building up audiences on those platforms and training them to watch there.

“Unless you start getting it into the market, you don’t allow others to build the audience and the acumen.”

Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NHL Plans To Stage 2024 Draft At $2.3B Vegas Sphere

League becomes first sports entity to stage an event entire at venue.
NHL-Gary-Bettman

NHL's Projected Record Salary Cap Reflects Revenue Surge (and Resilience)

Increased media revenue, rising attendance fuel post-pandemic recovery.
The Australia men's cricket team celebrating winning the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.

Amazon Secures ICC Cricket Broadcast Media Rights in Australia

Prime Video will be Australia's exclusive home for ICC events through 2027.
Apr 13, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Coyotes center Liam O'Brien (38) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the second period against the Vancouver Canucks at Mullett Arena.

Coyotes Closing in on Arena Site in Move Toward Long-desired Stability

NHL team reportedly nearing long-awaited location decision for new venue.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

NCAA Opens Door to Athlete Compensation

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

The College Football Playoff is considering rotating TV networks for the national championship game.

CFP Considers Super Bowl-Like Rotation For National Championship Game

Multiple networks could share rights to the championship game, sources told FOS.
Brett Favre
November 27, 2023

Favre Welfare Case Hold-Up? "AG’s Office Has Not Expressed Interest In Pursuing"

The DOJ interviewed Brett Favre in early 2020.
The future of the Pac-12 rests on a court decision.
November 24, 2023

The Pac-12 Plays Its Final Regular-Season Game. Then A Court Decides Its Fate.

The conference's future rests with a court decision.
Lane Kiffin
November 9, 2023

Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin Lawyers Argue for Dismissal of Player Lawsuit

FOS obtained audio of Lane Kiffin's interaction with the player behind lawsuit.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Wasserman
Multiple - USA Careers
Live Nation
Multiple - USA Careers
Saco Bay PT
Multiple - USA Careers
Eagles Niners

Fox's Telecast Of Eagles-49ers Pulls 27.7M Viewers

Fox's broadcast of 49ers vs Eagles was its most watched Sunday game of season.
December 5, 2023

Seminoles’ CFP Snub Opens New Front in Disney vs. Florida War

Florida lawmakers are already considering legislation to protest the College Football Playoff's exclusion of Florida State.
ESPN Stephen A. Smith
December 5, 2023

Stephen A. Smith to ESPN: ‘I Want To Be Highest-Paid Talent’

With a No. 1 show, Stephen A. Smith wants to become number one in compensation.
Sponsored

NHL’s Chris Foster on Amplifying Content Distribution With Automation

Learn how the NHL is using WSC Sports to increase fan engagement.
English Premier League teams Leeds United and Brighton Hove & Albion in action during a match.
December 4, 2023

Premier League Reasserts Dominance With $8.5B Domestic Rights Deals

Deals achieve small rights fee increase for top European league.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott throws a pass during the first half against the Seattle Seahawks at AT&T Stadium.
December 4, 2023

Amazon Bounces Back With Record Viewership

The Dallas Cowboys’ win over the Seattle Seahawks averaged 15.26 million viewers.
Peyton Manning on the ManningCast
exclusive
December 4, 2023

ESPN’s ManningCast Goes Double: Two MNF Games, Two Brothers, One Epic Show

Peyton and Eli Manning will call two “Monday Night Football” games at the same time on Dec. 11 as ManningCast expands across ESPN.
December 1, 2023

Formula 1's Growth Hits A Speed Bump With U.S. Viewers

Races on ESPN were down 8% from 2022.