Sling TV Creating Rewards Program for Subscribers; Winners Could Get as Much as $5,000 for Watching TV
The new rewards program is a novel way for Sling to offer customers a big incentive for engaging with the service.
Have you ever sat back on your couch, flipped on the tube, and wished there was some way to get paid for all of the hours you spend watching TV? Odds are that the vast majority of television audiences have wished, however idly, that they could make some money just for watching their favorite channels, and the live TV streaming service Sling TV is tapping into that desire. Sling has announced the launch of a new rewards program that will include cash prizes simply for watching TV.
- A select number of Sling subscribers have been invited to participate in phase one of its new rewards program.
- Winners will receive one of over 30 cash prizes, in amounts rising to $5,000 for the grand prize winner.
- Sling’s rewards will expand to all subscribers in the coming months.
What Do Subscribers Have to Do to Enter Sling’s Rewards Program?
There’s no need for current Sling subscribers to do anything to sign up for the service’s new rewards program, Sling rewards are already slowly rolling out to customers. Phase one of the program will only be available to a select group of subscribers by invitation, though Sling rewards will make their way to all Sling TV viewers “soon,” according to the announcement of the program’s creation. It won’t matter what plan they are signed up for, all Sling Orange, Blue, and Orange and Blue customers will eventually be eligible for Sling rewards.
The first phase of the program will end on Feb. 19, and audiences will be able to win one of more than 30 cash prizes. Those subscribers eligible for phase one will be invited via email or in-app notification, and the grand prize winner will take home a bounty of $5,000! Two other winners will receive $2,000 each; three will get $1,000 each; and the remaining 26 winners will each get $500, slightly more than the cost of a full year of Sling TV service.
To win rewards, viewers who have been invited to participate in phase one of Sling’s program must watch their service for 30 minutes a day. Any channel will do as long as you’re watching through your Sling subscription. One thirty-minute viewing period equals 10 entries, and customers who watch for a second day in a row will win 20 entries. The longer your viewing streak, the more entries into Sling’s rewards program you get; viewers who extend their streak to a week will win 70 entries on their seventh day in a row of watching!
“Sling is the most flexible streaming service on the market. We designed it to put our customers in control of their entertainment,” DISH group president Gary Schanman said. “We’re obsessed with making Sling the best and most fun experience possible. That’s why we launched our first-ever rewards program. There are lots of different ways to earn entries and compete for thousands of dollars in prizes. Who wouldn’t want to get paid to watch the TV they love!”
Why is Sling Creating This New Rewards Program?
It’s hard to say for sure why Sling chose now to reveal its new rewards program. A recent announcement by YouTube TV that it had surpassed 8 million customers likely wasn’t the instigating factor, as Sling has clearly had this rewards program in the works for some time; however, it certainly helps to steal some thunder from YouTube TV and its parent company Google. Sling TV last publicly reported its subscriber number in August of 2023, when it had 2 million customers.
The rewards program has a low threshold for participation, so there’s a good chance it will bring a good influx of new customers to Sling TV, which is always a goal. Sling offers plans starting at $40 each, and they include popular cable channels like ESPN, TNT, FX, CNN, and many others. Customers who watch a lot of TV every day will be smart to at least consider a Sling subscription now that it’s literally paying customers to stream their favorite channels.
Sling customers are getting used to features that its competitors in media are not offering. For example, Sling Freestream, the free ad-supported companion streaming platform to Sling TV is now testing a DVR feature, the first free streaming platform to offer a recording option. Only paid Sling subscribers are being allowed to test DVR on Sling Freestream for the present, but it could roll out to all Freestream viewers in the future.
This rewards program is a first in the live TV streaming world, and if it’s successful more streamers might pile onto the trend. YouTube TV has officially solidified its position as the live TV service to chase, and now its competitors like Sling TV have to find methods of boosting engagement and encouraging new subscriptions. A rewards program like the new one from Sling could be just the ticket, and subscribers who are not invited to the first phase of Sling’s rewards will see the program become available soon.
Sling TV
Sling TV is a live TV streaming service that helps users save money with the option of two distinct plans. The $40/month “Sling Orange” plan offers about 30 channels, including Disney Channel and ESPN. The $40/month “Sling Blue” plan offers about 40 channels, including Fox and NBC local channels.