MINNEAPOLIS — We’re a generation behind the days of fumbling through the radio dial trying to find a fuzzy, faraway signal to broadcast the Minnesota Gophers game on vacation. Still, the new world of cable, satellite and streaming services and their seemingly ever-changing programming offerings means that finding their local teams on TV has become more of a challenge for some viewers.
From the end of September, Bally Sports North will be offering a subscription solution which they expect will address most of these past challenges. Bally Sports Plus launches September 26, giving viewers direct access to NBA, NHL and collegiate sports.
“We’re really excited. It’s an opportunity for us to truly give consumers more choice in how they access their games,” said Mike Dimond, senior vice president and general manager of BSN. “It’s about reaching people who have either never had access to Bally Sports or who have somehow lost access through their providers – Hulu and Dish Network and so on… They can access the games now and they can.” do directly -consumer base.”
Complaints have been rife in recent years as providers like Hulu, Dish Network, YouTube TV, and others have dropped regional sports networks from their packages. While DirecTV still carried Bally Sports North, many Gophers, Wild and Wolves fans were left without access when they have long-term contracts with an airline that no longer offers regional sports.
The launch of Bally Sports Plus means consumers can buy instant access to BSN programming to stream on a smartphone, tablet or smart TV for $19.99 per month or $189.99 per year. Diamond noted that her launch program will include NBA, NHL and collegiate sports. There is currently no agreement to carry Major League Baseball in the new app, but they are hoping something can be worked out by the time the 2023 Twins season begins.
Temporary Snowbird solution
While the Bally Sports Plus app is tailored for use in a subscriber’s home market, there are some benefits for short-term travelers.
Imagine sitting by a pool in Florida or Arizona in the dead of winter watching the late night wild game on your iPad. With the new app, this scenario is possible for at least a month. Everything available on the Bally Sports North linear channel will be available on the Bally Sports Plus app indefinitely to those in the channel’s normal coverage area (principally Minnesota and the Dakotas).
“Let’s say you’re a snowbird and you fly to Florida in the winter. You can access (local programming) for 30 days. That’s quite an industry standard when you’re taking your device with you,” Dimond said. “On day 31 this device has to come back to that market and then it resets and you have another 30 days.”
For long-term unmarketed access to NHL and NBA games, packages such as NHL Center Ice and NBA League Pass are available for purchase to give buyers access to almost all hockey and baseball games.
It was easier for college hockey fans in the Twin Cities in the 1990s. The Gophers played Friday and Saturday nights, and the Midwest Sports Channel broadcast virtually every game. With the move from the now-defunct WCHA to the Big Ten a decade ago, that was no longer the case. Bally Sports North still carries several Gopher games, but many of the conference competitions are broadcast on Big Ten Network. And for those whose carriers have made program changes, it’s sometimes difficult to find the Gophers on TV. The new app is seen as the solution.
“This is the perfect example of the audience that we want to reach by trying to serve them and give them a choice now,” Diamond said. “We still believe in the cable and satellite bundle and have great partners across the board. But there are others like YouTube and Hulu who have chosen not to broadcast Bally Sports North and this gives those subscribers the ability to access those games directly.”
In addition to NBA, NHL, and college games, the new app features hunting and outdoor shows, poker, and other programs that are popular with some viewers. Dimond also pointed out that all of BSN’s coverage of the annual Hockey Day Minnesota is available to stream via Bally Sports Plus.
With the release of the Big Ten hockey schedule this week, they expect the full Gopher hockey schedule for the 2022-23 season to be announced on both Big Ten Network and Bally Sports North in the coming weeks.