NBA League Pass Price Was Determined By Combining Broadband, Mobile Services

NBA Digital Senior VP & GM Christina Miller said that the NBA League Pass package's price of $169 was "determined based off the decision to combine NBA's television package, along with League Pass Broadband which is available online, and League Pass mobile which streams on mobile devices," according to Matt Moore of CBSSPORTS.com. Miller said, "Last year was $189, but this year the difference is we've created an all-inclusive package for $169. Any-time anywhere, on any screen, you can get the game on. Last year, mobile would have been a $50 standalone. That puts you at $239 vs. $169." She added that the decision to "include the products together, while many fans may only use one of the options, was not made based on data indicating a trend in mobile users specifically of league pass, but market trends across NBA digital towards mobile users in particular." Moore noted the NBA is "extending the free period for those who want to judge whether to purchase the package, extending it from the usual week to two weeks" (CBSSPORTS.com, 12/15). In N.Y., Ken Belson reported NBA.com/LeaguePass earlier in the week did not "mention any discount or, for that matter, any apology to fans for the inconvenience of missing 16 regular-season games." That resulted in fans taking to Twitter "to accuse the league ... of not discounting their service to offset the loss of 16 games." Miller said that the website "had only preliminary information listed that does not highlight any discounts or acknowledge the lockout." The site was scheduled for an update Thursday to "emphasize the value that fans will receive by being able to watch out-of-market games on their televisions at home, on their computers and on their mobile phones." Miller said that the league was going to "begin advertising its League Pass offering in more detail starting Thursday" (NYTIMES.com, 12/14).

MORE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE: SPORTING NEWS' David Steele wrote NBA fans "deserve to be shown just a little love" following the lockout, but the "loud, repeated, ticked-off echo that keeps ringing in your ear the last couple of days is a nation of NBA fans screeching: 'That's it?'" New DirecTV subs "were offered NFL Sunday Ticket for free this season" following the NFL lockout, even though the league did not lose any games. It "wasn't exactly a price-busting extravaganza, but it was a nice gesture." Steele wrote of the NBA, "It's a short-sighted league that spent all summer doing short-sighted things, on full display again. By not cutting fans the kind of break on League Pass that they'll really appreciate, the NBA is blowing off the chance for long-term customer satisfaction for the few extra bucks it can snatch up today" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 12/14).