When we started SportsTV Guide in 2003, it was already apparent that streaming content was the future of sports viewing. We’ve literally been predicting that sports fans would visit www.WatchWhatIWantForSports.com to catch the sports they want to enjoy that are now exclusively on regular TV.

This is why the announcement of an aggregated sports streaming app is such big news in the sports broadcast world. But, is that good news for sports bar operators that think they’re ready to commit to streaming?

Overview of the Sports Streaming Super App

Interior shot of an empty sports bar

Our starting point is the announcement that ESPN, FOX and TNT et al have joined their content to create a sports streaming app that can also be paired with Hulu & Disney+. The basic outcome is a way to purchase about 50% of the necessary content to run a sports bar. Unfortunately, it is also not available to commercial viewing locations as is specified by the terms of service for both Hulu and the other component contributors.

So far several of the providers have carved out commercial exceptions, with Peacock Sports Pass being an example of a streaming service available direct to sports bars. The ESPN Suite, including ESPN+, is not available via streaming to public viewing accounts with the exception of a small carve out for select ESPN+ games available on DIRECTV. Additionally, ESPN+ for the UFC isn’t available to commercial operators.

This Leaves Sports Bars with a Choice…

Sports fans at a sports bar watching football on TV

Do you follow the rules and remain a traditional cable/satellite customer or try move over to streaming? We’ll deal with the structural questions first and then address the ethical questions surrounding accessing a residential account for commercial viewing.

First, you’ll need to decide if it’s worth taking on streaming given the costs of conversion that come with it. Consider this: if you offer Wi-Fi at your location, then you already know the limitations of internet connectivity. Now, extrapolate that over the bandwidth demands commensurate with converting to internet-streaming exclusively. Yup, the cost of your internet connection and available bandwidth is just the start of the conversion process.

Next, you’ll need to purchase sufficient devices to provide content to more than one TV. Whether you have a matrix system or a peer network, you’ll need multiple devices which can get pricey out of the gate. This is all, of course, provided you can find a programming partner that makes their content available to commercial viewing location, which leads us to the ethical question… should you just take the stream even if it’s not legally allowed?

While the answer to this question is yours alone to contemplate, we strongly encourage you to consider the ramifications of that choice.

The Ramifications of Illegal Commercial Streaming

Sad fans at a sports bar looking dejected while watching a game on TV.

Here’s a personal anecdote to further my point. In the early 2000s, I was running a sports-themed operation outside of San Francisco. We had both DIRECTV and Comcast as content providers. Comcast provided a free weekend preview of HBO for which they didn’t filter commercial viewing locations. As it turned out, there was a championship boxing event that we had access to without paying for the PPV rights.

Let’s just say, we got a strongly worded letter from the HBO rights holder that threatened a $50,000 penalty for showing the event. Fortunately, we were able to demonstrate that it was made available by Comcast and we were spared any further threat of litigation. However, don’t think for a moment that you will be able to avoid the consequences of showing content that you don’t have the proper authorization to feature.

If you don’t think they’ll come for you, then you’ve never been visited by either BMI or ASCAP, just sayin’.

The Bottom Line

While streaming may seem like an effective method to subvert your cable habit, you’re not doing sufficient analysis. Since currently, you CAN’T get NFL Sunday Ticket without access to DIRECTV, you are somewhat limited in where you can turn to streaming. Add to that the costs of conversion, which are no small amount, and the risk of accessing content without a license and you’ll see that streaming hasn’t quite arrived for our industry.

Be assured when it does, we’ll be the first to let you know how and where you can access it. Until then, your best course is to buy what streaming you can legally and be efficient in the cable/satellite purchasing decisions you make.