In one of the most aggressive TV Everywhere initiatives launched yet by a major broadcaster, Fox Sports will make 101 NFL games broadcast on the Fox network available this fall for streaming to subscribers of select pay-TV services.
As you might expect with an agreement that involves an uber-aggressive, multi-tentacled licensor like the National Football League, the gambit is loaded with caveats. With DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) already streaming its NFL Sunday Ticket premium package, subscribers to both DBS services will not be able to authenticate for the games.
And with Verizon (NYSE: VZ) owning the exclusive mobile broadcast rights to the NFL, the streams will not be available on smart phones … or to Verizon FiOS customers.
Those who can watch include customers of Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA), Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC), AT&T U-Verse (NYSE: T), Bright House, Cable One, Cablevision (NYSE: CVC), Cox Communications, Mediacom and Suddenlink.
One more restriction: Viewers will only be able to stream games that are shown in their local Fox market.
For more:
- read this Variety story
- read this TechCrunch story
Related links:
DirecTV to pay around $1.4B to renew NFL Sunday Ticket, report says
NFL Sunday Ticket streaming-only package updates tiers, adds 10 universities to eligibility
Four reasons why TV Everywhere isn't ready for prime time: A simple look at a complex problem