NBA to allow live streaming of local games

[magicmamma]

Sorry guys, the Magic organization has betrayed you. According to Jerry Greene of the O.Sen.:

Earlier this week I mentioned the NBA's plans to allow live Internet streaming of games to local markets via team Web sites. Not so fast, my friends. Turns out Sun Sports and FSN Florida saw this coming and got the assurance from the Magic that their exclusive TV deal would not be hurt by this.

"Through our relationship with the NBA and the Magic, we hold all rights to local live game video including streaming and television," said Cathy Weeden, Sun Sports & FSN Florida VP and general manager. "As the NBA determines video streaming is permissible in team markets, there must also be agreements with our cable and satellite distributors before it would be available locally."

So, if I am reading this correctly, the stalemate between FSN Florida and Bright House Networks remains at Square One.

[Optimus_Steel]

The cable companies are smart, they are prepared for all this. The true fans are the one that are hurt.

[Just Plain Mark]

I wouldn't be too confident if I were FSN. Look at what the NBA got Seattle to give up in terms of its lease agreement and the penalties for breaking it. When the NBA leans on these guys, I think they'll change their tune. I think the NBA already got their attention,

Turns out Sun Sports and FSN Florida saw this coming and got the assurance

So they were/are worried and did the little bit they could to get some comfort.

The NBA knew that there were already exclusive provider agreements in place when they announced this, so they've likely got a strategy to address the local cable providers (incentives and threats of suit, loose regulation of who can actually view the streams, etc)

[craig01]

Except that Orlando is the only market in this putrid situation. I can see the NBA leaning on the Magic to get this done, but I can't see the Magic convincing FSN to allow/agree to this. Especially under the circumstances.

In every other market, the local affiliate would rarely be affected because most that have a TV would rather watch that instead of a stream, but in this market, I can't see FSN giving up something without a major pay off or fight.

[Magic.City.23.]

That's so gay. If the NBA can charge us for league pass and provide us with any game, why cant they provide us with local games for free via the internet? They can. FSN just has stick up their ass here imo. The NBA should be able to provide these games if they want to because, in essense, It's no different then watching the damn game on league pass, except it's being streamed....... GTFO fsn. nobody even watches that dumb channel anyways.

[CourtsideTV]

Remember we had a link to watch all NBA games for free. I hope it still "works"

[magicmamma]

Hmm. I don't know the legal considerations here, but even though the Magic gave up the right to stream their games, the NBA didn't. That would suggest to me that the NBA could stream the games to us.