NBA League Pass Review

Genres and channels

There are a number of features available with an NBA League Pass subscription. For example, those who opt for the Premium + NBA TV plan, which results in an annual cost of $154.99, will be able to access full length and condensed game replays.

This feature means that archives are made available for non-blacked out games 15 minutes after the game is over. The archives for nationally blacked out games will come online 3 hours after the game has been completed. Finally, the archives for locally blacked out games will make their debut on the platform 3 days after the game has ended.

There are also classic games available. The NBA League Pass site claims that people will be able to relive some of the most memorable times in NBA history, such as Michael Jordan perfecting clutch shots and Magic Johnson delivering outstanding passes. This access to historic matchups will let basketball fans see how these moments changed the game.

This subscription will provide access to every NBA Finals game which has aired between 2000 and 2019. The feature allows basketball fans to binge on demand with every Finals series which aired over the last two decades.

Finally, there are exclusive NBA TV shows to be viewed. Available both live and on demand, there are studio shows, documentaries, player interviews and more. This means that there are hours of entertainment to be had regardless of whether there are live events airing.

Top NBA League Pass shows and movies

NBA Gametime Live – 8 seasons of a show where viewers can watch the latest news, scores and highlights – plus analysis from the best in the industry.

Inside the NBA –  A show which has been airing since 1989. The Emmy Award winning title looks at each NBA telecast on TNT after the event and analyses it, plus there are interviews and more.

Hardwood Classics – A show which has been airing since 1999 and has top ratings from viewers. It features commentary and interviews on the best games in NBA and WNBA history.

NBA Inside Stuff – Originally airing on NBC, this NBA TV show focuses on a behind the scenes look at professional basketball and the off-court personalities of those who feature in the NBA.

The Starters – A show which has been airing since 2006. Originally began as The Basketball Jones when it existed as videos and podcasts. An hour long show which focuses on fan insights about games each weekday on NBA TV.

Shaqtin’ a Fool – This series has been airing since 2011, and provides a weekly look from the show Inside the NBA. The title of this show is a play on the phrase ‘actin’ a fool.’

NBA Action – This TV show has been airing since 1990. It features news, analysis, statistics, interviews and the top ten plays of the week.

Manute Bol: Basketball Warrior – Focuses on the seven foot seven center player and his journey from Sudan to the NBA. Also examines how Bol dedicates his life to those in his homeland who have been persecuted by the civil war.

The Doctor – A 2013 documentary which looks at the life of Julius Erving, a former American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association player who was also a Hall of Fame inductee.

Streaming library

The streaming library available with NBA League Pass is simple and intuitive to navigate. The app or desktop version of the system will vary slightly in appearance depending on the device being used. For example, those on PlayStation devices can scroll through a grid list of available titles, while those who have NBA League Pass as an add-on will need to enable it on their device to begin streaming content.

A user’s profile photo will be available in the top right hand corner of the screen, and this can be clicked on to access account settings. The Games section shows which events are coming up over the next few weeks, with the team logos and scores shared. The scores can be toggled on or off according to user preference.

The options available in the side menu include Live, Calendar, Videos and Teams. Users can decide whether they want to watch a live event, on-demand content, check the calendar for upcoming events relevant to their interests or make a note of when their team is next playing.

Streaming quality

It may be possible to stream content in 4K with NBA League Pass if a subscription has been purchased through a third party which supports this resolution. However, there are no official reports on the video quality resolution supported which could be found at the time of writing.

In the NBA help center, the service states that the NBA app provides the highest quality video streams depending on what the download bandwidth of the user’s internet connection is. They do also specify that this is done up to a maximum of 3MB.

To explain further, NBA describes how the video player uses adaptive bandwidth technology to check the internet connection being used on a regular basis. To this end, the app will deliver the highest quality picture as the content streams. It is worth bearing in mind that the picture quality will change if the bandwidth available also fluctuates.

The help center recommends that people close down applications which consume significant bandwidth before streaming a title or event. Examples of such apps include file sharing applications. A similar situation is found with using real time applications such as VoIP and downloading large files, so this should be refrained from until NBA streaming is complete.

Customer support

There is a contact page available for NBA content users. There is a section where people can submit general comments and questions relating to the NBA, NBA G League and WNBA.

For NBA League Pass Support, there is an email address contact as well as a support ticket system. These modes of contact are to be used for questions which relate to account changes, technical difficulties, cancelation and refunds, blackouts, activation and billing.

There is a US based and international based support site, which comprises a searchable database of the most commonly asked questions. Trending topics typically include questions about how to cancel a subscription, supported devices, technical problems and the difference between subscription types. Users can filter according to the NBA App, NBA League Pass, NBA TV or technical support.

Free trial

The free trials available with NBA League Pass are subject to change, depending on what promotion or offer is being run. For example, at the time of writing, premium subscriptions do not have a free trial available, but this may change in the future.

Those who use a free trial with NBA League Pass will typically be able to claim seven days. If a user does not want to continue with their plan after this time frame, they will need to cancel before the trial expires or risk getting charged.

Plans and pricing

There are four different kinds of subscription for users to choose from if they want to gain access to the NBA League Pass. Firstly, there is the NBA TV Live TV option, which provides access to NBA TV games and around the clock NBA coverage access. This plan costs either $29.99 a year or $6.99 a month.

There is also the NBA League Pass Premium, which is All Teams and No Commercials. This allows users to watch hundreds of games from the league without having to deal with commercials. The price for this one is annual and costs $124.99.

Those who want a standard NBA League Pass with All Teams will be able to pay $99.99 a year for access to hundreds of games from around the league. Alternatively, the NBA Team Pass provides out of market games for a favourite team at a price of $59.99 a year.

The NBA League Pass Premium, NBA League Pass and NBA Team Pass all come with the option to purchase with the NBA TV Add-On.

Competitors

There are not any other providers which offer access to NBA basketball on such an exclusive and in-depth level. Those who live and breathe the sport will definitely benefit from a subscription to this service. However, if there are sports fans considering NBA League Pass who tend to spend more time watching a range of sports, a different service may be more suitable. For example, ESPN+ covers multiple sports, plus offers exclusive UFC event access. Sling TV and fuboTV have some sports channels, so these can be compared to find out which have the channels of your preference. Furthermore, there are league passes out there for other sports which may be more suitable. Ultimately, some may not want to pay a separate subscription just for basketball content, but others may prefer to subscribe to this option and no other live or on demand streaming services.

Is NBA League Pass worth it?

There is certainly plenty to enjoy for those who have enjoyed the NBA League for a while and want to enjoy a next level experience. If the free trial can be obtained, this can provide a nice introduction to the service and help to inform users of whether they would like to pay for the content. There is also a monthly subscription available for those who want to just spend a few dollars and find out what the NBA League Pass is all about.

By paying annually, users do not have to worry about getting money taken from their account each month, and there is no contract involved despite a measure which may seem similar to that of a cable bill. As the user can cancel at any time, they will not need to worry about being charged after their subscription expires.

With a wealth of live and on demand content, NBA League Pass is sure to provide users with hours of entertainment. The access to classic games and other NBA titles with select subscriptions means that restrictions such as live games not being available will be easier to handle. As the platform has a slick interface, decent subscription costs and unparalleled access to the sport, we feel safe in recommending NBA League Pass to users.