By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.
TV Answer Man, I am interested in the Bally Sports Plus app that lets you watch games without a cable subscription. Can anyone subscribe to Bally Sports Plus? Is it available nationally? — Peter, Fairfax, Virginia.
Peter, Diamond Sports, the owner of the Bally Sports regional sports networks (RSNs), has an app called Bally Sports Plus which enables fans to subscribe directly to its Bally Sports broadcasts without a subscription to a pay TV service such as cable or satellite.
The app streams the live games of 16 NBA and 12 NHL teams. (Diamond Sports has the cable/satellite rights to 11 MLB teams but has only secured the streaming rights to five MLB teams thus far. They are the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays.)
The app’s cost is $19.99 a month or $189.99 a year, which could be a good deal for a fan looking to cut the cord.
But can anyone purchase a subscription and watch the games?
The answer is no.
The Bally Sports games are only available in markets where Diamond Sports has the regional rights for a specific team. For instance, in the Detroit market, you can purchase a subscription to watch the Tigers, Pistons and Red Wings, but not the Bally Sports broadcasts of other teams. Similarly, if you live outside a Bally Sports market, you won’t be able to watch any game on the app.
How can you tell if you live in a Bally Sports market?
It’s easy. Go to Bally’s web site, GetMyHomeTeams.com, and type in your zip code. For instance, let’s use a zip code for Santa Monica, California, 90405. When you type in that zip code in the ‘Find Your TV Provider’ box, you’ll see that Bally Sports SoCal is available with the games from the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks.
However, if you type in the zip code of Fairfax, Virginia, 22030, you’ll see that Bally Sports Plus is not available. If you want to watch the out-of-market games, you’ll have to subscribe to a pay package such as MLB.TV, NBA League Pass or ESPN+ which has the NHL Power Play games.
Peter, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
