Is Local Sports the hellish new streaming bundle?

Cutting the cable TV cord has probably led us straight to digital hell, where half the time we can’t even remember which $10-a-month streaming subscriptions we’re still paying for and which ones we’ve canceled. Actually, shit – as I’m writing this, I just remembered that I need to cancel my Peacock subscription before it auto-renews next month.

And if you try to watch sports, it’s even worse. You may need four different services to follow a single team for a season, as broadcast rights are split between broadcasters like vultures fighting over carrion.

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But maybe there will be something new soon new How to do it: The Dallas Mavericks recently announced that they would be creating their own platform called MavsTV.

For a monthly fee of $14.99 or a season price of $124.99, Mavs fans can access this new streaming option for the entire NBA season, which begins tonight.

“We have waited a long time for this moment,” Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall said in a press release. “We’re excited to offer multiple options for our fans who deserve a seamless, enjoyable viewing experience.”

Technically speaking, it is nothing new for teams or regions to have their own broadcast network. The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network (YES) was founded in 2002 as baseball’s first team-owned regional sports network. After several ownership changes, including a stint under Fox Sports, it is now majority owned by Sinclair Broadcasting.

There is a lot of confusion among Texas residents about this move, but essentially the games will still be broadcast locally on WFAA and KFAA. This new platform is intended for those who do not receive these channels or do not use the antenna option.

MavsTV will also run on the NBA app, which makes me wonder if other teams will follow suit.