NEW YORK — The San Antonio Spurs have a new streaming home this season, and the company behind it wants fans to know there’s more to it than just watching games.
During an hourlong media showcase in Manhattan on Wednesday, DAZN executives outlined several features accompanying their new direct-to-consumer partnership with the Spurs, including interactive game threads, exclusive programming and subscription options.
The presentation also featured a fireside chat hosted by Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix — an eight-year veteran in the DAZN boxing sphere — who interviewed New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns and former New York Yankees catcher and manager Joe Girardi.
For the local Knicks fans in attendance, Towns and Girardi’s appearances was the highlight of the evening. For Spurs fans, the biggest takeaway was what a subscription will offer.
DAZN will stream all Spurs preseason games and regular-season contests not selected for national television within the team’s home broadcast market this season after it signed an exclusive deal with the team following the shuttering of FanDuel Sports Network. The Spurs are one of eight NBA teams to be exclusively streamed on the service.
Monthly subscriptions begin at $19.99, while season passes start at $119.99. Also available is DAZN’s Ultimate Tier, which costs $24.99 monthly or $139.99 for the season and unlocks alternate camera angles, feeds and multiview capabilities.
All packages will come with DAZN-exclusive content and additional behind-the-scenes content provided by the Spurs, both of which will be available on the team’s “curated hub.”
Per a DAZN executive, the Spurs’ viewing region expands beyond San Antonio into parts of Central, South and West Texas. Of note, fans in that region will be able to purchase a Spurs-specific subscription without paying for a broader sports package.
Fans can also take advantage of a seven-day free trial before committing, with an additional promotion offering 50 percent off their first month expected soon. Additional merchandise promotions will also be available throughout the season.
Beyond live games, DAZN will provide full replays and highlight packages on its site and mobile app. Included in the former will be an option to toggle key-moment spoilers on or off.
One of the company’s most prominent additions is its “Fan Zone,” which allows viewers to participate in live comment threads during games, similar to a YouTube livestream. Interactive polls and trivia were also displayed during Wednesday’s presentation.
After the event, DAZN executives stressed the excitement they felt came with signing a deal with the Spurs this season, who one exeucitve said would be “scary” for years to come.
The assessment matched that of the original announcement in early September.
“The Spurs are an iconic sports brand with deep roots,” DAZN Group CEO Shay Segev said via press release. “DAZN’s partnership with the Spurs is another important step in our strategy to build the leading entertainment destination for sports fans in the United States.”
Still, the Spurs’ departure from cable raises questions about whether local fans will embrace paying separately for games previously available on local TV.
Asked about that concern Wednesday, one DAZN executive called the notion that those broadcasts were previously “free” misguided, pointing to FanDuel Sports Network’s inclusion in higher-priced cable packages. The company instead views its partnership with San Antonio as an opportunity for fans to move away from traditional cable subscriptions.
Polarizing or not, the Spurs have made the switch to streaming.
Fans will now have to decide whether or not to join them.
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