Utah Jazz Launch $5-Per-Game Streaming Service
In addition to being able to catch Utah Jazz games on independent local TV station KJZZ, fans will be able to see their team on the newly announced Jazz+ service.
Utah’s direct-to-consumer offering will stream 80 regular season games, plus the first round of the playoffs if the team qualifies, for $15.50 a month or $125.50 a year (the pricing partially alludes to the franchise celebrating its 50th season this year, while ESPN and TNT each have an exclusive national game). Viewers will also be able to access single games starting at $5. The service will be available on mobile devices, computers and smart TVs.
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“With Jazz+, we have created 24/7 digital access to the team,” Jazz owner Ryan Smith said in a statement. “We are so excited that all Utahns can be with us for every minute of the action.”
The team is also leaning into digital programming outside the game windows, including a documentary for its 50th season and more lighthearted fare highlighting personalities on and off the court.
“We have an incredibly robust in-house production company, SEG Media, so we’ve been leveraging the expertise of that group and their pulse on content and what fans want to design a suite of content for Jazz+,” Utah chief communications officer Caroline Klein said in an interview. “At launch we’ll have 10 pieces of original content, and we’ll be making updates daily … to make sure the content we are taking the time to produce is what our fans keep coming back for between games.”
Jazz+ will also offer alternative broadcasts, including live commentary from former players, as well as Spanish language presentations.
The team brought in Kiswe to help build its cloud-based video production system, while using the NBA’s fan ID program for consumer signups. The service is only available to viewers in Utah and parts of Idaho and Wyoming, though Jazz president Jim Olson said the team is working to expand its service to nearby regions. Already, Jazz+ will allow fans to watch games while traveling out of town for 30 days at a time. Season-ticket holders will be given free access to Jazz+.
“We want to control the content that’s going out there and that it’s coming directly from us to our fans,” Olson said. “It’s through our app. It’s through our website. It’s us. It’s our product. It’s our service. And that is so that we can represent our brand and connect directly with our fans, and so that experience has been the driving force of how we made decisions.”
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