I could easily see buying several individual games during the season to watch compelling match-ups not shown on ESPN, ABC and TNT, or to catch up on favorite Kansas Jayhawks graduates in the league.
A screen shot taken within the PGA Tour Live app showing
A screen shot taken within the PGA Tour Live app showing Rickie Fowler playing on July 30, 2015. (Photo: PGA Tour Live)
Another Net sports service that just teed off is PGA Tour Live, which streams first- and second-round Thursday and Friday play from two highlighted groups of golfers that hit the course before Golf Channel broadcasts begin. The app, initially available on desktop computers and iOS devices, runs $4.99 monthly. Coverage of select holes will be included, too, as well as some additional weekend coverage of some tournaments.
USA TODAY
PGA's new service wades into live streaming
Fissures in the traditional pay-TV model seem to be occurring more frequently and will likely gain in strength. Yahoo is streaming one of the NFL's regular season games, the Oct. 25 matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars, for free on Yahoo apps and websites.
Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood (70) waits to snap the
Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood (70) waits to snap the ball during the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Ralph Wilson Stadium. (Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Sports)
Elsewhere, Sony's PlayStation Vue has made regional sports networks available in cities such as Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia in which it has launched so far.
And online video-subscription service Sling TV, launched in February for $20 monthly, has ESPN and ESPN2, as well as TNT and TBS, which air sports regularly. You can also add a $5 sports package to get ESPNU, ESPNews, the SEC Network and several other sports channels.
Eventually, ESPN will come direct to consumers, Walt Disney CEO Robert Iger told CNBC last week.
ESPN could make its move direct to consumers even sooner than Iger suggests, said Richard Doherty, co-founder of tech research and consulting firm Envisioneering. And surely AT&T has some plans for growing the NFL Sunday Ticket business it gained by acquiring DirecTV. "Fans want it (and) AT&T absolutely can," he said.
But, as I've said before, consumers might want to be careful what they wish for. A piecemeal or a la carte sports TV package could cost more than a traditional pay-TV package, said Forrester analyst James McQuivey.
Each of the leagues is "experimenting with trying to monetize superfans directly, just in case the existing pay-TV infrastructure collapses," he said. "They can't afford to be the last ones left supporting the existing system."
A new age of sports TV is in the works. Whether sports fans will embrace it when it comes remains to be seen. But it's coming.
Cutting the Cord is a regular column covering Net TV and ways to get it. If you have suggestions or questions, contact Mike Snider via e-mail at msnider@usatoday.com. And follow him on Twitter: @MikeSnider.