Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is going to great lengths to help fans stream games through a new agreement with DirecTV.
Since DirecTV Stream is the only streaming platform with Bally Sports Southwest, Cuban is offering a subsidy to cord-cutting fans who still want to watch the team. The first 10,000 DirecTV Stream subscribers who sign up for the Choice package and above will receive a monthly $50/month credit for each month of maintained service, up to five months.
The offer was first extended to Club Maverick Members and is now available to all MFFLs (Mavs Fans For Life) until December 28, 2021.
The deal comes out to $2.5 million in monthly costs for Cuban, who explained on Twitter that it’s coming out of his own pockets.
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The agreement underscores the current issues with accessing regional sports networks like the Bally Sports channels owned by Sinclair. Last year, the Bally Sports RSNs (formerly Fox Sports) were dropped by both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV. Sinclair has now begun planning a Bally Sports direct-to-consumer streaming app.
“DirecTV Stream is already the streaming service that gives fans across the country the most access to watch their hometown teams,” said DirecTV CMO Vince Torres in a news release. “Knowing that, and given our long-standing relationship with the Mavs, collaborating with Mark Cuban on an opportunity that gives passionate Mavs fans a chance to see their favorite team play on our platform and creates more exposure for DirecTV Stream, is a no-brainer.”