Utah Jazz announces new streaming service
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The Utah Jazz want to make it easier for fans to watch games at home.
Driving the news: The team's parent company, Smith Entertainment Group, announced plans Tuesday to launch a new production company, SEG Media, that will feature over-the-air game broadcasts and a paid streaming service in time for the 2023-24 NBA season.
Through a basic antenna, Utahns will be able to view all non-nationally televised Jazz games on KJZZ (channel 14), operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group.
- The streaming service will air every available game and exclusive content starting in October.
- Sinclair's CBS affiliate, KUTV (channel 2), will also show select games and provide "significant" coverage of the team.
Of note: The financial terms of the deal, including the consumer cost of the streaming service, were not revealed Tuesday.
The big picture: In the past year, the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers have started their own streaming service and the Phoenix Suns have announced they also would broadcast games over-the-air and on an exclusive streaming service in an effort to connect with more fans.
What they're saying: "As soon as the window opened last fall for us to rethink our approach to broadcasting, we began exploring all options to provide fans the most reliable access to Jazz games," Ryan Smith, co-owner of the team, said in a statement.
- When Smith acquired the team in 2020, 39% of Utah households had access to watch Jazz games, he said.
- The new approach, he said "allows us to deliver Utah Jazz games to all 3.3 million plus Utahns."