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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 7 September 2018
Fans rejoice: Subscription-free streaming for NFL games

By ANICK JESDANUN Apple TV and Roku, as well
Associated Press as on laptops and desktop
NEW YORK (AP) — The good computers. The network
news for football fans: It's apps will stream games on
going to be much easier phones, too, something not
to watch NFL games online available before because
this year. of Verizon's exclusivity.
The league is finally drop- Cable-like online streaming
ping a requirement that packages offer yet another
viewers sign in with a cable option for TVs. Only two ma-
or satellite subscription, jor ones have all five foot-
in hopes of expanding its ball networks: PlayStation
online audience at a time Vue for $50 a month, and
when TV ratings are declin- DirecTV Now for $55. Sling
ing . Though there are re- TV offers budget-conscious
strictions — no free stream- fans NBC, Fox and NFL Net-
ing on smart TVs, for in- work for $25. Sling TV and
stance — the move marks others offer four networks
a significant departure for for $40 or $45. Some of the
sports. Other major profes- over-the-air stations might
sional leagues still require not be available in your
TV subscriptions for home- market, especially outside
town teams. In this Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, photo a phone screen is displayed during the second half of a pre- big cities, so check before
The NFL regular season season NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Jets in Philadelphia. subscribing.
starts Thursday. Associated Press As for NFL RedZone, a
"We think people will still channel that switches from
want to watch on the big- The NFL has been inching NFL Network. Now, any on those subscription-free game to game to show key
gest screen possible," said toward subscription-free wireless customer can get streams. Distributors such as plays and scoring, you can
Brian Rolapp, the league's games in recent years. It them on both phones and Verizon get the rest. subscribe on phones for $5
chief business and media made a deal with Twitter, tablets. The one restriction: The subscription-free a month. But if you want to
officer. then Amazon, to stream a Seven games that are ex- games will be available on watch on other devices,
But as more people drop handful of games online . clusive to the NFL Network the NFL app and the Veri- you need to first subscribe
cable or satellite subscrip- This year, Amazon will offer channel can be viewed zon-owned Yahoo Sports, to a cable, satellite or on-
tions — or never sign up in 11 Thursday night games only on phones, not tablets. Tumblr and AOL apps in line package, then pay ex-
the first place — the NFL for free on its Twitch app or Online football streaming, the U.S. On iPhones and tra.
needs to be flexible in or- on its Prime Video app with estimated by NFL officials iPads, the games can also Once a game ends, it's
der to reach them, Rolapp a $119-a-year Prime sub- at 2 percent to 3 percent be streamed on the Safari available for streaming
said. Even those who can scription. of overall viewership, isn't web browser. through the NFL Game
watch on TV are preferring Last season, Verizon cus- enough yet to offset de- TV networks will still stream Pass service, which costs
phones, he said. tomers got subscription- clines in television viewer- games through their apps, $100 for the season. And
"If you don't get to that free access on phones to ship. But the NFL believes but you'll typically have to for out-of-market games —
younger demographic, whatever CBS or Fox was every viewer counts. A key sign in with a cable or satel- those not televised by your
who aren't conditioned to broadcasting regionally element in getting the tele- lite subscription. That's how local CBS or Fox station —
go to the television, you do on Sunday afternoons, plus vision networks on board: you can get games on DirecTV offers the NFL Sun-
run the risk of losing them," all the nationally televised The networks get to sell the smart TVs, including stream- day Ticket starting at nearly
he said. games on NBC, ESPN and majority of ads appearing ing-TV devices such as $300 for the season. q

Latest Pelecanos book about transformative power of reading

By BRUCE DESILVA ing by for books, she hopes misses the action, rob drug gles with which side of the
Associated Press he's OK. dealers and pimps on the law to live his life on. As
"The Man Who Came Up- Michael, it turns out, was re- side. Readers of previous Orzanian begins to have
town" (Mulholland Books), leased because the witness Pelecanos novels such qualms about his crimes. As
by George Pelecanos against him refuses to testi- as "Hell to Pay" might miss Anna, reconnecting with
Anna Byrne, a prison li- fy. Returning to his support- the action, too, since the Michael on the outside,
brarian in Washington, is ive mother's home, he dis- first half of "The Man Who wrestles with her vaguely
good at selecting books covers the neighborhood is Came Uptown" is filled with dissatisfying marriage and
that keep prisoners enter- being gentrified, finds a job descriptions of his charac- a magnetic attraction to
tained, but seldom does washing dishes, vows to go ters' daily lives and their the young reader.
she succeed in introducing straight and spends every D.C. neighborhoods. This is a book about love of
an inmate to literature that idle moment reading. The first sign of conflict oc- family, about the stresses
makes him think differently The witness recanted be- curs more than 130 pag- that can lure almost any-
about life. cause Phil Orzanian, a pri- es in. Orzanian needs a one into crime and about
But Michael Hudson, await- vate detective working on wheelman for a robbery, how hard it can be for
ing trial for driving the get- the case, threatened him contacts Michael and calls someone like Michael to
away car in an armed rob- and his family. Orzanian is in a favor for springing him. make it on the outside.
bery, is such an inmate — a a devoted family man, but Even then, this remains a But most of all, it is a book This cover image released by
Mulholland Books shows "The
young man she's turned he's ethically challenged. quiet, almost pensive book about the transformative Man Who Came Uptown," by
into an avid reader. So He and Thaddeus Ward, as Michael continues to powers of friendship and George Pelecanos.
when Michael stops com- an aging former cop who read obsessively and strug- reading.q Associated Press