"When over-the-top (OTT) streaming providers like YouTube TV, FuboTV, and DirecTV first entered the market, they promised to give viewers more flexibility to pick and choose the channels they wanted - like NESN, the official broadcaster of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins - all while saving money on their cable bill in the process. Instead, these OTT providers and the broadcast rights holders keep raising their prices and getting into contract fights,"
"Even traditional cable providers like Comcast Xfinity aren't immune to these battles; earlier this year, the company announced that NESN and NBC Sports Boston (the home of the Boston Celtics) would only be available in its priciest Ultimate TV package. How is a budget-conscious Boston sports fan supposed to cope? Beyond investing in a radio and letting the play-by-play announcers paint you a verbal picture, it's all a matter of priorities."
Watching every Patriots, Celtics, Bruins, and Red Sox game on TV has become difficult without expensive cable. Over-the-top streaming providers initially promised flexible, cheaper access to local regional networks like NESN but have raised prices and entered contract disputes with rights holders. Protracted carriage battles, such as the Disney-YouTube TV stalemate that removed ESPN and FX, have left subscribers without channels for weeks. Traditional cable providers also restrict access by placing NESN and NBC Sports Boston in premium packages. Budget-conscious fans must prioritize which teams to watch, consider services like NESN 360 or Peacock, or rely on radio broadcasts.
Read at Boston.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]