NESN Becomes First RSN To Launch DTC Streaming Service With ‘NESN 360’

NESN will look to introduce new features in coming months, including 4K HDR, cloud DVR, and exclusive live home batting-practice feed

NESN has jumped to the front of the direct-to-consumer pack with the launch of the NESN 360 subscription streaming service. With NESN 360, fans can purchase a direct subscription to NESN’s live programming and VOD content, including live Red Sox and Bruins games. The product is available for purchase now for $29.99/month or $329.99/year with a limited-time promotion of $1 for the first month along with eight tickets to a 2022 Red Sox game of their choosing. 

Launched in partnership with the Red Sox, Bruins, and MLB, NESN 360 allows subscribers to stream NESN’s live feeds and VOD library directly to their computer, iOS, Android, Apple TV, or Roku device. Fans who already have NESN through a participating TV provider will be able to authenticate into the NESN 360 app to access the experience, including live-streamed Red Sox and Bruins games and VOD content.  

“NESN 360 is the latest iteration in NESN’s long history of innovation and providing fans with the best sports-viewing experience,” says NESN President/CEO Sean McGrail. “We believe the direct-subscription option will build on NESN’s reach in the region and will be an excellent complement to the existing, valuable partnerships we have with TV providers to bring NESN to all homes in New England.”

In addition to the live TV programming, NESN 360 will include expanded access to Red Sox content, including highlights, selected on-demand historical Red Sox games and Bruins games, Bruins highlights, exclusive new content, and a library of hundreds of video-on-demand titles, including NESN original shows. Additionally, NESN 360’s video-on-demand library will feature full games of notable 2022 Red Sox season matchups, including nationally broadcast games after they’ve aired. 

In the coming months, NESN will introduce new features and functionality, including 4K HDR and cloud DVR, and will expand its reach with FIRETV and Google TV apps. NESN is also exploring an exclusive live home batting-practice feed in partnership with the Red Sox. 

“We are creating a full, 360 fan experience, combining a premium digital offering with the excitement of the venues and teams,” says NESN Chief Marketing Officer Ahmed Darwish, who joined the RSN from Starz this year to lead the effort. “NESN 360 is already an unparalleled offering, and there is so much more to come.”

Additionally, NESN has invested in original content featuring notable personalities, including baseball-content creators Jared Carrabis and Pitching Ninja. Collaborations are also in progress with other content partners, such as the Boston Globe.

Fans who choose to subscribe directly have both an annual and a monthly subscription option, each with its own limited-time promotion for the launch of the product. The monthly plan will bill $1 for the first month and then $29.99 per month. Annual subscribers will be billed $329.99 per year, which reflects the first month as just $1, and will receive eight tickets to a 2022 Red Sox game, while supplies last. Tickets are subject to availability and must be redeemed by August 31. Fans with an existing participating video provider will receive the same access for no additional cost and can download the new NESN 360 app today to get started. 

The launch of NESN 360 comes on the heels of another major technological leap for NESN, which began producing and broadcasting all home Red Sox games in 4K HDR at the beginning of this season —the first U.S. RSN to do so.

Stay tuned to sportsvideo.org for more in-depth coverage of the launch of NESN 360 and NESN’s 4K HDR productions in the coming weeks.