NFL Joins Streaming Wars With Subscription Hub NFL+

variety.com:

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorThe NFL for decades has relied on intermediaries like CBS, ESPN or Fox to deliver its best-known product — football games — to the masses.

Now the league is getting ready to try a new play.The NFL is launching NFL+, a stand-alone subscription-based streaming outlet that offers as much professional football as possible without tripping over the boundaries already established by the league’s big-ticket contracts with Disney, Fox, Paramount Global, NBCUniversal and Amazon.

The new venue offers subscribers access to live out-of-market preseason games; live local and primetime regular season and postseason games via phone and tablet only; and live local and national audio for every game.

NFL+ also features on-demand access to shows from NFL Network and the massive NFL Films archive. “The passionate and dedicated football fans are the lifeblood of the NFL and being able to reach and interact with them across multiple platforms is incredibly important to us,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, in a statement. “ We look forward to continuing to grow NFL+ and deepening our relationship with fans across all ages and demographics, providing them access to a tremendous amount of NFL content, including the most valuable content in the media industry: live NFL games.”NFL+ costs $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year, with a premium tier that features game replays and more for $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year.The league enters the streaming wars at a complex moment.