NFL

The Beginning of an Era in Sports Broadcasting

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Sports broadcasters for any sport provide a service that is most appreciated by the new sports fan or those who need some help being guided through the game.

A broadcaster will present information such as starting lineups, in-game stats, and will point out scenarios and strategies the viewer may miss.  However, for those fans who know exactly what they are watching and don’t need any guidance, some broadcasters come off as awkward or annoying.

Announcers such as Joe Buck and Cris Collinsworth have a history of not being a fan favorite because of their monotone voices and lack of joy and charisma.  Former players Bill Russell and Mark Johnson, while phenomenal athletes during their time, were off-cue and not exactly a fans first choice.  And finally, how could anyone forget Bill Russell who did everything from rubbing dirt on himself to taking off his shirt on-air.

To make matters even worse, anyone watching the game while these individuals are announcing can’t do anything about it.  Nobody wants to sit in a silent room while watching the game.

The simple and easy solution I propose is to subscribe to “ESPN+“.  While ESPN may be outdated in many aspects of announcing, this new idea will revolutionize the fan experience and cater to everyone’s needs.  This new streaming service from was recently released on April 12 and offers a lineup of content and live sporting events for just $4.99/month.

How it works and what you get

The first step is to download the ESPN app via your iPad or smartphone or you can log onto ESPN.com and purchase the subscription.  As I said before, you only pay $4.99/month to receive all of the benefits.

With your 5 bucks, you get an array of content among thousands of live sporting events such as the following:

  • MLB – more than 180 games
  • NHL – more than 180 games
  • Boxing – year-round
  • MLS – more than 250 games
  • College Sports – multiple sports such as football, baseball, basketball, and hockey to name a few.
  • PGA – 50 days of coverage
  • Rugby and Cricket – international

Furthermore, the ESPN+ app will provide users with a platform that lets them do everything that revolves around sports.  Any question you have will be solved through this app.

  • Scores, news, highlights
  • live streaming
  • on-demand video library
  • ESPN audio

Believe me when I say that coming from a hardcore sports fan myself that this app will be a game-changer to how to consumer watches sports.  ESPN+ could even save you from an expensive cable bill that you don’t want to pay any more.  If you’re like me, all I use cable or is sporting events and with this app, I would save nearly $95.

Do you all plan on using this app?

Does it satisfy all your sports broadcasting needs or do you think something else should be added?

No cable? No problem, sports fans

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Just like many of you, I have stopped paying my ridiculous cable bill since I don’t watch 75% of the channels.  Furthermore, I am not going to pay the full bill for only watching 25% of the channels.  In regard to sports, this applies to all of us fans because we obviously have no outlet to watch events such as the Stanley Cup, NBA Final, or even the Superbowl.

To make the matter more of a problem than it is, we have no source to find day-to-day information of our favorite team or breaking news in general.  But don’t worry, I have a couple solutions that will help you keep up with any trade deadline, player injuries, or major trade that happens in the league as well as where to watch the game.

Streaming

Streaming is the best answer for your gameday problem when trying to watch the game.  In the United States, 85% of Millenials (born in 1981-1996) have a smartphone so it would make sense that there would be some sort of app made to resolve this problem.  Well I’m here to tell you there is and you should be using it.  Most, if not all, NFL games are broadcasted on NBC, CBS, and FOX networks.  All of these media outlets provide an app with a monthly purchase that lets you legally stream any game.  The NHL provides the same service in the NHL-tv and you are able to watch any game in the league during the season. Both of these options are far cheaper than having cable.

Applications

While your problem of watching the game itself is solved as I stated above, there is still the problem of keeping up with statistics, injury updates, scheduling, roster changes, and any breaking news that happens in the league.  My #1 suggestion would be to make an account and download the Bleacher Report app.  Through this app, you can follow any major news in the league or with a specific team.  WHy you should make an account is for the reason of following specific teams.  You can follow any and every team in any league from the NFL to rugby teams overseas.  Even better, you can receive notifications for just about all aspects of sports.  When a game will be played, in-game scoring, updated minute-by-minute gameplay and much more are all things Bleacher Report can do.  And to top it all off, everything is free.

How do you feel about cable? Do you feel the same as I do and want a cheaper approach? Do applications like Bleacher Report or cable networks satisfy all your sports needs? Let me know in the comments.