As streaming continues to increase its footprint in the sports broadcasting landscape, Bally Sports continues to struggle.
On Thursday, the largest collection of Regional Sports Networks (RSN) reported that its app was suffering what marked its third outage in four days.
“We have been notified there is a streaming issue with the app,” the Bally Sports Help account on X posted at 7:32 p.m. ET on Thursday. “The operations team is working to resolve this as quickly as we can to get you back in the game. We will update you when service has been restored.”
We have been notified there is a streaming issue with the app. The operations team is working to resolve this as quickly as we can to get you back in the game. We will update you when service has been restored.
— BallySportsHelp (@ballysportshelp) November 2, 2023
After periodically providing updates throughout the night, the account posted at 10:44 p.m. ET that all issues had seemingly been fixed.
The streaming issue from earlier has now been fixed. We are seeing stability across all our devices. We’re truly sorry for the inconvenience.
— BallySportsHelp (@ballysportshelp) November 3, 2023
Bally’s issues — which thus far have only affected users on its app and website, but not customers using cable or satellite — began on Monday and continued with outages on Wednesday and Thursday. Many customers have noticed that the app’s interface now requires users signing in with their cable provider to also register for an account, which appears to indicate that the company is attempting to put guardrails in place to crack down on password sharing.
Suffice it to say, Bally’s streaming struggles have left many fans frustrated, including NBA and NHL fans who have been unable to watch their favorite teams for the better part of the past week. While the cost of a standalone subscription to the Bally Sports app varies by region, most cost $19.99 a month or $189.99 for a full year, according to the Bally Sports website.
Earlier this year, Diamond Sports Group, which operates the 19 Bally Sports Regional Networks, filed for bankruptcy. On Thursday, the New York Post reported that Diamond’s parent company, Sinclair Broadcasting, is eyeing a potential purchase to regain control of the subsidiary.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.