A new streaming option is coming soon for Royals and Sporting KC fans
There is good news and bad news for Royals and Sporting Kansas City fans who cut the cord.
The Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns Fox Sports Kansas City, is planning a new streaming app that will be ready around the time the Major League Baseball season starts on April 1, Sport Business reported.
The new app will replace the Fox Sports Go app, as part of the rebranding agreement that was reached between Bally’s Corporation and the Sinclair Broadcast Group. The app will have the Bally name.
Bally Sports Kansas City will be the name of the cable channel that soon replaces Fox Sports Kansas City. Bally Sports Kansas City will be available through every cable provider that currently carries FSKC. Cable subscribers also will be able to stream games on the new Bally app.
The Bally app will be a second option for streaming Royals and Sporting Kansas City games, joining the the AT&T TV streaming service.
Royals and Sporting KC games are still not being streamed on YouTube TV, Sling, Hulu, Fubo or Dish Network because those services don’t carry FSKC. Royals and Sporting KC fans who don’t have cable or use those services will have to wait at least a year to stream using the Bally app.
In an earnings call last week, Sinclair president/CEO Christopher Ripley shared a proposed timeline that would allow cord-cutting fans to watch games.
“We are working on a direct-to-consumer product that is expected to launch in 2022 and will allow unauthenticated users the ability to access and even subscribe to certain content from our RSNs as well as other unique content,” Ripley said.
Sinclair and Bally’s plan to make sports viewing more than about the game itself. Their idea is to allow viewers to place bets and more.
“We are in the process of developing a new app which will encourage viewers to actively participate in the sports viewing experience by offering interactive elements such as free-to-play contests, rewards and the ability to engage and interact with other fans,” Ripley said in the call. “The idea is to make watching sports similar to playing a video game.”
That may turn off some traditional sports fans, but the new app will offer some new options that should be appealing.
Ripley said when the first phase of the app will allow viewers to rewind, view a replay and search for statistics.
“Our goal is to reach and engage as many consumers as possible through gamification across our entire enterprise of assets by implementing an array of gamification elements, each aligned with an authentic to, the content and activity in which they are offered. We will engage users while personalizing and customizing their experience for them based on their preferences and habits,” Ripley said.
“We plan to roll out various gamification elements throughout 2021, starting with our sports assets. You should expect to see gaming elements being incorporated into our sports network and digital programming as soon as the third quarter of this year.”
This story was originally published March 4, 2021 at 10:52 AM.
