Cutting the cord is easier than ever for a lot of people, but for sports fans the options can be somewhat more limited. For football fans, however, the transition away from traditional pay TV is about to get a little bit easier.
Both the NFL Network and NFL RedZone are coming soon to Sony’s PlayStation Vue internet TV service, the company announced in a blog post on Monday. It isn’t yet clear if the channels will be available as part of an existing programming package or as a separate add-on, but until now most of the service’s sports channels have been available in the Elite package, which starts at $45 per month.
No official date has been set for when the plans will be available, but the blog post states that the channels will arrive in time for the regular NFL season this fall. Subscribers with the channels will not only be able to view them via PS Vue, but also through the NFL Mobile app for Windows, iOS, and Android, as well as the NFL.com website.
The addition of the NFL Network will bring not only Thursday Night Football, but NFL GameDay Morning, A Football Life, and Timeline, as well as news and other NFL coverage. Meanwhile, RedZone offers game-changing plays and highlights from across the league on Sunday afternoons.
This is a big grab for Sony, as Sling TV doesn’t offer either channel, nor does its parent company, Dish Network. In June, Dish customers lost access to the NFL Network and RedZone when negotiations between Dish and the NFL broke down. So far, the two parties haven’t been able to agree on terms, leaving little hope for Sling TV customers with football season fast approaching.
One area where both PlayStation Vue and Sling TV fall short is local programming, with limited options for both services. Earlier this month, Sony added CBS local broadcast stations in nine new cities: Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Salt Lake City; San Diego; and West Palm Beach, Florida.
