Sling TV Adds Local ABC Stations to Sling Blue in 8 Markets
Valued Customer:
We’re excited to share that beginning March 1, 2023, Sling Blue and Sling Orange & Sling Blue combo customers in eight markets will gain access to their local ABC owned station to watch fan-favorite shows, local news and live sports, like the NBA Finals, NFL games, “The Good Doctor,” “Grey's Anatomy,” “Station 19,” “Abbott Elementary,” “Will Trent,” “The Bachelor” franchise, and many more. The eight markets are WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and KFSN-TV Fresno, which covers approximately 23% of the U.S.
Sling Blue and Sling Orange & Sling Blue combo customers in five of the six top U.S. markets – Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and San Francisco – will now have access to their local ABC, FOX and NBC stations. And, Sling Blue or Sling Orange & Blue combo customers in Houston will now have both ABC and FOX.
As a result of us offering these three local channels (ABC, FOX, NBC), the monthly cost of Sling Blue, and Sling Orange & Sling Blue combo will increase by $5 per month in those five markets only. The pricing will stay the same for Sling Blue and Sling Orange & Sling Blue combo customers throughout the rest of the country, including in the other three markets (Fresno, Houston, Raleigh) receiving the new local ABC channels. The new pricing for affected new and existing customers will be reflected on their next bill on or after March 1, 2023.
For many years, Sling has been able to absorb the increasing costs of these local broadcast channels. To carry ABC, FOX and NBC, we need to ensure our pricing includes some of the cost of delivering these services. We do not take this decision lightly and value our loyal subscribers. We’ll continue to work to keep prices as low as possible while remaining the most affordable option for streaming live TV.
One way we are providing more value for less, in addition to the new local ABC channels, is to add over 150 channels across our base, free and international services in 2023. This will bring Sling’s channel count to nearly 1,000 and a continued unbeatable value for base services that include top channels such as A&E, AMC, Bravo, CNN, ESPN, NFL Network, TBS, TLC, TNT, USA, and much more. Unlike competitors, we offer consumers the flexibility to choose the service that fits their needs, rather than settling for one or two costly bundles. For this reason, Sling continues to be the best value in live television, delivering top networks and the most popular content at an unparalleled price point.
Customers in a market without local channels can still easily access them for free when they pair their Sling TV service with an HD antenna. In doing so, people typically have access to their local ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC, PBS, Telemundo and Univision channels. And, for customers who want a more seamless experience, it’s easy to integrate local channels into your Sling guide with an AirTV.
I can tell you above all else, Sling remains the best value in live streaming television and we will continue offering innovative features and popular content at a fair price.
On behalf of the entire Sling team, we appreciate you being a Sling customer and look forward to continuing to deliver the best entertainment experience for you.
Gary Schanman
Group President, Sling TV
FAQs
Why did the price of my monthly subscription increase?
As Sling TV continues to improve the quality of our streaming services, keeping prices low is a top priority. Sling doesn’t own the networks you watch – we pay programmers for their channels, and the price of programming continues to rise. Sling Blue and Sling Orange & Blue combo subscribers in five major markets (Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and San Francisco) now have access to three major networks – ABC, FOX and NBC – and to maintain business with the rising programming costs, we need to increase the cost of Sling Blue and Sling Orange & Sling Blue combo in those select markets by $5 a month. Customer value is at the core of Sling’s business and it has chosen to absorb the majority of the cost of local programming, in turn this price increase reflects only a fraction of the total expense to carry the channels. If you are subject to this increase, you will receive an email from the Sling Team.
Please note, the pricing will stay the same for Sling Blue and Sling Orange & Sling Blue combo customers who do not live in the five markets listed above. This means Sling is not increasing prices in the other three markets (Fresno, Houston, Raleigh) where it also added local ABC channels. Additionally, the price for Sling Orange throughout the U.S. remains the same at $40 per month.
How much is the increase? What services (packages) are increasing?
The base price will increase by $5 for only Sling Blue subscribers in select markets - Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and San Francisco.
What additional channels are you giving me because of this increase?
Sling Blue and Sling Orange & Sling Blue combo subscribers in the eight markets will have access to ABC beginning March 1, 2023, in addition to FOX and NBC, which are already available in select markets. Only those in markets with ABC, FOX and NBC will see an increase.
Is Sling TV still the most affordable streaming service?
We fight to keep our prices below the competition, in fact, Sling is at least $25 less expensive than competing services. We’re proud to say that Sling is still the most affordable live streaming option in the industry for accessing top channels such as NBC and FOX, which are available in select markets, A&E, AMC, USA, CNN, FOX News, NFL Network, TNT and FOX Sports 1, and many more.
Will costs for Sling continue to rise?
Price changes are necessary to keep up with the rising costs of programming, but we work hard to reduce the frequency of price changes for our customers. We’re deeply committed to keeping costs low and continually work with programmers to maintain a service you can rely on.
Will other prices go up?
No! All other Sling TV services such as Sling Orange, Extras, pay-per-view content, rentals and all other purchase options will be unaffected by this price update.
Why was I not notified prior to you changing my price?
All affected subscribers, as of January 27, 2023 will receive an email notification 30 days prior to their new invoice.
When will my price change?
Most customers' prices will not change. If you live in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia or San Francisco and subscribe to Sling Blue or Sling Orange & Blue combo, you will see the updated pricing on your next bill on or after March 1, 2023.