The NBC Sports app is now available to download on most, if not all Android TV devices.
Previously, the NBC Sports app was resigned to mobile devices although a new version of the app recently surfaced on the Google Play Store. Up until now, that new version has remained without the option to install on Android TV products, even though the new listing came with what clearly looked to be TV interface screenshots.
That has now changed with the app having fully becoming available along with the option to install on your favorite Android TV device. At present, the listing is showing support for all major Android TV units, including the NVIDIA SHIELD TV, Xiaomi Mi Box, as well as TVs that are powered by Android TV.
This will be a big win for sports fan as although they can access live and on-demand NBC and NBCSN content through a live TV provider’s app on Android TV devices, the dedicated app is a different proposition altogether.
The app not only provides a central place to find all the NBC-related sports content but it also offers more content than you’ll find going through a traditional live TV provider’s app. This also goes for greater access to more live TV content in general.
Possibly more importantly, the app also populates NBC Sports Gold content as well. NBC Sports Gold is different to typical NBC content as it requires a standalone subscription. Therefore although you can access NBC content through your live TV service on Android TV, that’s not the same as accessing NBC Sports Gold content. In addition to the NBC-branded channels, you’ll also get access to the Golf Channel, Olympic Channel, and Telemundo Deportes from within the new app.
This app will essentially now service all of your NBC sports needs without device owners having to switch from app to app. It is a true one-stop solution for the network’s sports content and that’s big news for sports fans in the U.S.
Not only is the one-stop nature interesting as it offers fuller access to all the sports content, but equally, the same app caters to different subscribers. As while you do need a subscription to a live TV service to access NBC and NBCSN, you don’t need one for NBC Sports Gold. That’s something you can buy as a standalone service, and even just purchase passes for specific sports pass – such as the Ice skating pass which lets you tune into the 2019 World Figure Skating Championships that’s currently underway in Japan.
If you don’t subscribe to the standalone NBC Sports Gold service, or any of its related passes, nor have access to NBC content in general, then this app is unlikely to hold much weight for you. There is some content that’s accessible without the need for either an NBC or Sports Gold subscription, but it is largely short clip-based highlights.
To download the NBC Sports app, either search for it in the Google Play Store app on the Android TV device or send the app directly to your device from the web version of the Google Play Store (link).