Fans struggling to watch Mavs, Stars and Rangers games on Bally Sports may soon have a solution

For those caught in between the battle between Sinclair and streaming services, and left without viewing access to their favorite local sports teams, there could soon be a solution. Of course, it doesn’t come free.

On Wednesday, in a first quarter earnings call, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced initial price points for what it’s calling Bally Sports+, according to a report from The Streamable.

One month of the streaming service will have an initial cost of $19.99 per month, according to the report, and an annual cost of $189.99.

The company said a soft launch of the streaming service is expected this quarter. A previous report from The Dallas Morning News said the launch could happen in June and be available to the public as soon as September.

A direct-to-consumer streaming service, while costly, could cut through the confusion regarding where to watch the Rangers, Mavericks and Stars, all of which have local broadcasting agreements with Sinclair.

For the last couple of years it’s been difficult for cord-cutters to find access to Bally Sports Southwest. It’s unavailable on streaming services like YouTube TV and Hulu. DirectTV Stream, formerly known as AT&T TV Now, has been the only way for those without cable or satellite access to stream the games.

Earlier this year, Sinclair announced renewed contracts with the MLB and NHL for digital streaming rights. According to The Streamable, Sinclair has been having “constructive talks” about adding more local digital streaming agreements with more local teams.

Both the Mavericks and Stars have previously re-negotiated deals that would allow their games to appear on Bally Sports+, but the Rangers, as of February, hadn’t.

Spokespersons for both Bally Sports and the Rangers didn’t immediately respond to inquiries about the current status of digital streaming rights negotiations.

While a direct line to viewing access for local teams sounds attractive, it does represent another potential cost for consumers. According to The Los Angeles Times, the average number of steaming subscriptions per user in the United States increased 51% from the end of 2019, to the beginning of this past April.

Most viewers already have a stable of streaming services. Soon, for the price of $20 a month, direct access to local games will provide the potential for an additional one.

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