Weekly Rewind
Embracing on-demand: Speaking of TV networks, this Reuters story sums up their ongoing efforts to be more like Netflix by streaming full seasons of shows on-demand. Previously, networks’ rights agreements with TV studios didn’t allow for full-season streaming (or “stacking rights” in Hollywood jargon). Now, those networks are becoming more insistent on carrying full seasons instead of just a handful of recent episodes. As such, catch-up TV will become much easier this year through cable boxes and streaming apps.
While this is mainly beneficial to cable subscribers right now, the shift will likely benefit streaming TV bundles such as Sling TV and PlayStation Vue as well. In the long term, it prepares networks for a massive shift in viewing habits, away from antiquated concepts like DVR and toward convenient on-demand access to everything.
NFL on PlayStation Vue: Sling TV already announced its NFL Network/Redzone pricing, and now it’s Sony’s turn. To get the NFL’s channels on PlayStation Vue, you’ll need the Core or Elite plan, respectively priced at $35 and $45 per month in areas that don’t get live local channels, and $10 more per month in areas that do. With either plan, Redzone costs $40 extra for the full season.
How does that compare to Sling TV? Let’s do the math:
With Sling, NFL Network is part of the $25 per month Blue bundle, while Redzone lives in the $5 per month Sports Extra add-on. That’s a lot cheaper than any of Sony’s offerings, but it doesn’t include ESPN for Monday Night Football. For that, you’ll need to add the Orange bundle for another $15 per month. At that point, Vue’s Core bundle is just a little cheaper–provided you don’t live in an area with live local channels. Either way, you’ve got a couple solid options for complete NFL coverage without cable.
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