Fox Launches A Streaming App, Dončić And RSN Troubles
1. Fox Launches A Streaming App
Whatever you think of Bari Weiss’s The Free Press, they’ve been having a moment as of late, due largely to what they’ve been calling “the vibe shift” of American and global culture to the right.
That “vibe shift” has, I suspect, a lot to do with Fox’s decision to finally launch its own streaming app, one that will combine its NFL-laden sports programming with its fully vibe-shifted news programming. The rationale being that in this brave new world, Fox News is no longer the albatross around the neck of Fox Sports it once may have been.
Well that, and the demise of Venu.
Why It Matters
Fox has long resisted the siren song of subscription streaming, choosing instead to put all its eggs into the Tubi basket. Tubi, of course, being Fox’s very popular FAST service, which, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge, is beating the pants off of every other FAST service, at least in terms of ratings.
Tubi will be given a massive boost by Fox this weekend when the Super Bowl is broadcast on the service, which will also be the only place to see the game in 4K.
So why not just stick with Tubi for news and sports?
Well for starters, Tubi is free and Fox is clearly betting on the fact that it can get millions of consumers to pay for a subscription to its new news and sports service, adding on millions of dollars more in revenue each year.
It also allows them to position Fox News and Fox Sports as premium properties, watched by people paying for the privilege, which would then allow them to charge higher rates for ads and sponsorships.
Then there’s the Venu thing.
Disney is going to launch its own sports package via Fubo, which is a vMVPD, not a dedicated sports app. The difference being the former shows the live broadcast and cable feeds from multiple networks while the latter shows a curated array of games and, possibly, some related shoulder content. (DirecTV has its own sports vMVPD now too.)
Meaning Fox needed a better way to monetize Fox Sports for a mounting army of cord cutter/nevers and if the vibe shift meant that Fox News could come along for the ride even better.
What You Need To Do About It
If you are Fox, keep the price reasonable. The sports part is going to be ad-supported regardless—no one wants to hear announcers droning on during time outs. So that leaves the news and you might as well make that ad-supported too, only with shorter breaks than on cable.
Why? Because at a reasonable price point, you’re likely to get a lot more subscribers, especially fans who are okay ignoring the existence of the news part, because for just $10/month they can watch all the football they want.
If you are one of the other big media companies and your streaming app is struggling, following Fox’s lead and going big on your own news and sports properties is not a bad idea.
If you are a sports fan without any sort of pay TV subscription, and the only thing missing from your perfect sports bundle is Fox Sports, then definitely keep an eye out for the new app.
Which, despite rumors to the contrary, will not be called “Red Pill.”
2. Dončić And RSN Troubles
The unexpected trade of the Mavericks’ Luka Dončić—as well as the unexpected fan backlash—exposes a sizable weakness in the state of sports broadcasting, RSNs (regional sports networks) in particular.
The various leagues, flush with cash from lucrative rights deals, have put all manner of trade-encouraging rules into place designed to enrich players, teams or both.
The result has been an uptick in the number of trades, especially of high profile players.
This is not that big a deal in the NFL where there are 22 starting players (11 on offense and 11 on defense).
But in the NBA, where there are only five starting players, trades can quickly make the team you knew and loved feel like a whole new squad.
That may not be the end of the world if it happens once. But multiple times and fans start to feel less of an emotional connection to a team. And when that happens, they also feel less compelled to subscribe to the team’s RSN, whether that’s via an MVPD or via an app.
Which is a particular challenge for the NBA, given that its fan base is considerably younger than the other leagues and thus less likely to actually subscribe to a pay TV service, making their desire to pay for a dedicated RSN app thanks to the emotional connection they feel with the team even more crucial.
Why It Matters
RSNs are already in somewhat dire straits for reasons that have nothing to do with fan loyalty.
Cord cutting is up, especially among younger fans. Given that most RSNs are still distributed via traditional MVPDs, that results in a solid hit to their bottom line.
Some teams have taken to creating their own streaming apps, but as the sorry fate of Diamond Sports shows, that path is a tricky one and younger audiences may not have the sizable monthly subscription fees that streaming RSNs require. Let alone pricier options like NBA League Pass.
Younger fans also have other options. The explosion of media outlets means that everything from gaming to podcasts to streaming is now competing with live sports. Not to mention a new array of live sports options, everything from the increasingly high profile women’s pro leagues to sports like lacrosse and tennis.
For years, one big advantage leagues like the NBA had was the bond that teams and players formed with local fans. They might not always win, but they were “their guys.”
Which is why a system that allows for multiple major player trades each season is such a recipe for disaster.
I say this from experience as a Nets fan. Back in the 00s, the New Jersey Nets were a solid team, anchored by the trio of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. Fans formed a real attachment to them and to the team. Fast-forward to 2025 and it seems like there’s a new Brooklyn Nets team every year. That may not impact attendance—an NBA game is still an NBA game—but it does ultimately impact loyalty.
Granted this may not be a terrible thing for the leagues themselves. There are, as you may have heard me proclaim previously, two types of fans, at least at a very macro level: fans of a particular sport and fans of a particular team. The former are happy to watch any game, so long as it is a good matchup. The latter are also happy to watch any game—so long as their team is playing in it.
So an increase in basketball fans helps the NBA, but does little to help the actual franchises if that doesn’t translate to an increase in people willing to pay for an RSN subscription or tune in to games on a regular basis.
That, in turn, cuts down on the amount of money teams have to spend on salaries… which just might serve as impetus to cut down on trades and focus on building a franchise.
Stranger things have happened.
What You Need To Do About It
If you are the NBA, think about the long-term effects of all those trades and all those fans who are left feeling unhappy and abandoned.
Especially at a time when they have so many other options.
That means you need to weigh the short-term buzz of blockbuster trades against the long-term consequences of eroding local fan bases. Which, in the long run, may mean something as radical as giving teams incentives to encourage continuity.
If you are an NBA team owner, that goes double for you. A winning team is great, but a beloved team is even better and sells more jerseys. Fans identify with your players, they become part of the community. Don’t be so quick to trade long term profits for short term gains.
If you’re a fan, don’t despair. As sports rights shift and spin in the move to streaming, the value of building a solid franchise may yet return to vogue.
