NBA League Pass to Cut Price by 60%, Down to $100 for 2022-23 Season
The upcoming basketball season just got a little more exciting — and inexpensive — for the most die-hard NBA fans as in a recent renewal notice email, NBA League Pass announced that it would be cutting prices dramatically for the 2022-23 season. The out-of-market package allows fans to watch games not available nationally or in their respective region and has become a lifeline for hoops fans who live away from their favorite teams, or just can’t get enough of the Association’s action.
The League Pass standard subscription option, which added access to NBA TV last season, cost $230 in 2021-22, but will now only run $99.99 for the entire season, first reported by Sportico. In addition, fans can opt to pay a monthly rate of $15 per month, just in case their favorite team fades down the stretch.
The service’s premium tier allows fans to watch on multiple devices at the same time and does not include commercials. Last year, it came with a $280 price tag for the full season, but for 2022-23, it will only cost $129.99. These moves follow League Pass dropping its standard price to just $49.99 in January.
Both NBA League Pass plans allow fans to choose a game’s home or away feed and include in-stream advanced stats. After every game, the service provides access to full-length and 10-minute condensed replays. For games that are blacked out in certain regions, fans are able to watch on-demand access three days after the live broadcast.
Despite seeing a 30% increase in subscriptions last season, League Pass is seemingly lowering its price in order to stay more in line with other streaming services. ESPN+ upped its subscription rates by 43% earlier this month, but still only comes in at $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually.
Last year, ESPN+ added 75+ exclusive NHL games that don’t air on linear TV, along with the entire NHL out-of-market package, formerly known as NHL.TV. Earlier in 2022, the streamer became the home of PGA Tour LIVE and will stream its first exclusive NFL game later this year. It also broadcasts daily out-of-market MLB games.
So while it is not exactly an apples-to-apples streaming comparison, it does appear that Disney’s price structure might have played a role in the logistics of the NBA’s decision, especially since ESPN and ABC are one of the league’s primary media partners.
Major League Baseball’s League Pass equivalent MLB.TV comes with a $24.99 per month price tag, but regularly lowers the price throughout the season.
Last month, the NFL launched its own streaming service exclusively for mobile devices called NFL+. While it doesn’t carry exclusive games and had a pretty rocky rollout, it only costs $5 per month. Additionally, both the recently soft-launched Bally Sports+ and DAZN currently charge $19.99 per month, while NESN’s Boston-area in-market streamer runs $29.99.
By dramatically reducing its price for the upcoming season, NBA League Pass is keeping itself competitive in an increasingly crowded streaming sports market.
NBA League Pass
For basketball fans, NBA League Pass offers the opportunity to follow one team or the entire league with every game (blackout restrictions apply). Prices and features vary greatly, depending on what you’d like to watch.