Comcast Sportsnet Northwest to Stream Trail Blazers Games

The deal will give fans multiple on-line options

The Portland Trail Blazers have expanded their broadcast reach with a deal with partner Comcast Sportsnet Northwest that will enable fans in remote areas of the team’s NBA-approved area to now have the option to pay to get streaming live video of games in areas that Comcast does not broadcast.

The deal involves the NBA, the Portland Trail Blazers and Comcast and will permit the cable company to have a pay-per-view streaming option for fans that are in the parts of the state that Comcast does not have broadcast rights.

The deal, which is free for a trial period that runs from Jan. 1 to Jan.11 after which CSN games will be $2.99 a game or $69.99 for the season. The team has also been streaming the games that have been broadcast by partner KGW/Channel 8 last year and has continued this year. Each game is available for $2.99.

Comcast has had some difficulty in getting some TV providers in the territory to carry its broadcasts including DirecTV, Dish Network and Charter Communications. This will now enable fans in those areas to watch games.

Fans outside of the territory have the option of subscribing to the NBA League Pass that provides TV and streaming access as well as mobile for $169. The league also offers mobile only and streaming only options.

Aside from Portland the Philadelphia 76ers and the Chicago Bulls also stream cable games for their fans. I expect that this will be a tool that other teams will use to fill in gaps in their broadcast map going forward.