The National Football League is dipping it’s lead foot into the streaming service universe. The NFL plans to introduce a standalone streaming service in July.
The service, called NFL Plus, will enable those who subscribe to view live games that are available in their broadcast area on a mobile phone or tablet.
If this sounds familiar, you’ve been paying attention. NESN just launched NESN 360 at the beginning of June with a similar idea: live games in your area plus other content.
However, the intent with NFL Plus might differ in short-term and long-term goals. While the NFL does already have it’s own network, packages galore with the all of the major broadcast networks and now another streaming deal with Amazon to carry games, it appears this venture is being launched with an eye to the future revenue that is increasingly digital from partners like Amazon. It could help maintain leverage for the NFL when it is time to negotiate future rights such as those of NFL Sunday Ticket, whose rights are up for bidding again after the 2022 season.
As far as other ways, and more current ones, that NFL Plus could be used by the actual consumer involve ways you may have watched last season. Yahoo Sports did have the rights to deliver in-market games to laptops and tablets last season. The NFL had deals in place also with various cellular providers to stream live action to mobile phones. Those granted rights have expired.
