NBA League Pass Goes Cross-Platform With Three-Point Play, Soon To Be iPad-compatible

This season, for the first time, NBA fans will be able to watch out-of-market games on television, broadband, and mobile through a single subscription package. Three-Point Play combines the league’s three NBA League Pass platforms, giving users the ability to access more than 40 live games each week on TV, online, and via iPhone and Android-based mobile devices. And in an effort to spur subscriptions, the league is once again offering a free preview and early-bird pricing for NBA League Pass through Nov. 2.

“We want people to try the product, because we know they will be impressed,” says Bryan Perez, SVP/GM, NBA Digital. “We do this [free preview] every year, and we’ve seen a lot of success with it in the past. Nothing sells the product like the product itself.”

The Three-Point-Play package is available from most major cable, satellite, and telco distributors, and the standalone League Pass services will continue to be available individually.

NBA League Pass TV
Now in its 16th year of existence, NBA League Pass TV features the live RSN feed for every NBA game, except nationally or locally televised games, which are subject to blackout.  League Pass also covers selected games in HD and Stats Central, a channel featuring real-time updates, scores, and stats from every game. The service gives subscribers access to the broadband package and costs $179 through Nov. 2 (individual distributors will set a new price after the early-bird offer).

NBA League Pass Broadband
Entering its third year, the broadband service comprises two packages: a comprehensive all-games-included option ($179.95 through Nov. 2) and the Broadband Choice option ($109.95 through Nov. 2), which allows subscribers to select up to seven teams to watch throughout the season. Viewers can watch live games in full-screen mode or in Mosaic View (three games at once) with full DVR functionality.

“You can watch three games simultaneously,” says Perez. “It just wasn’t practical to go beyond that [with more screens]. Our sport moves so fast that, when you shrink the screen size too much, you can’t really see what’s going on, whereas, with other sports, there’s not as much constant motion.”

Live game and player stats, a full-season on-demand archive of games, an in-depth player tracker, and live home and away audio broadcast feeds are available.

NBA League Pass Mobile
NBA League Pass Mobile ($44.95 through Nov. 2) debuted last year and will offer live streaming of every game, replays of full games up to 48 hours after they conclude, live in-game stats, and on-demand highlights from around the league. The big difference this season is much greater integration with NBA Game Time, the league’s free mobile app.

“On the mobile side, the big difference is, rather than League Pass Mobile being a standalone app, it is now part of our free app on Android and iPhone, NBA GameTime. Last year, they were two separate products. But this year, it’s an in-app upgrade to one of our core free applications. Now, with NBA League Pass Mobile, not only are you getting all these live streams, but you’re also getting all this other content and information from NBA Game Time.”

Fast Break for the iPad
In addition, NBA League Pass will arrive on iPad screens in the not-too-distant future, according to Perez.

“In the next month or so, you will be able watch your League Pass Broadband account on the iPad,” he says. “You’ll be able to log in using your League Pass Broadband account. If you buy the Three-Point Play, you’ll be able to watch on your iPad. The difference is, you’re not watching League Pass Mobile on the iPad; you’re watching League Pass Broadband on the iPad, but, since you have all three products, it doesn’t really matter. It’s the same authentication process.”

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