NESN Nation Takes Different Swing at Sports FAST Channel
New England sports outlet NESN thinks it can tackle new viewers with a free, ad-supported outlet that shows more than just clips, archived studio shows and old games.
The primary broadcaster of games from the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins, NESN is launching NESN Nation, a FAST channel that CEO David Wisnia believes will lure viewers to its telecasts by providing something other outlets don't: original programming.
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'We are launching this initiative as another way to create unique storytelling about what matters to our fans and our viewers,' he says in a recent interview. 'We are looking to reach viewers not only inside the region we cover, but also nationwide.'
NESN, backed by both Fenway Sports Group and Delaware North, is grappling with new disruption in the world of regional sports coverage. So-called regional sports networks have long commanded top affiliate fees from cable and satellite systems, but as more consumers choose streaming venues and even direct-subscription options, economic support for those linear assets has eroded. Last year, for example, YES Network and MSG Networks, both of which showcase New York sports, launched a digital joint venture that streams games from the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Brooklyn Nets and New York Yankees.
NESN Nation will sport more than 30 hours of live and original programming each week, including live games, live gameday content, live press conferences, interviews, game and sports betting analysis, features, documentaries and video podcasts, as well as content from NESN's library. The FAST channel will serve up four live Red Sox games from Spring Training in February and March, as well as live streams of the 'Morning Skates' and 'Pregame Skates' studio shows. 'Unobstructed Views,' a commentary-driven game coverage alternative will also appear on NESN Nation, as will a weekly three-hour block of Livepool FC coverage that features match highlights, recaps, and analysis plus behind the scenes content produced by the team.
'We are going to have a wide variety of stuff distinguishing us from the rest of the FAST channels,' says Wisnia, who joined NESN as president and CEO in September after working at Alvarez & Marsal, a global management consulting firm, where he was a managing director, specializing in media and entertainment operations and strategy. He succeeded Sean McGrail, who is retiring after 40 years at NESN.
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