Sports Leagues Making It Harder to Watch Games, Reaching Insulting Level

With no end in sight, fans like 88-year-old Alvin Tarshis are frustrated by the increasing restrictions on accessing live sports content.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 7:57pm

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Alvin Tarshis, an 88-year-old NBA and Knicks fan living in Boca Raton, Florida, has enjoyed the convenience of NBA League Pass in recent years, allowing him to watch most games. However, he has faced increasing restrictions as more games are exclusively aired on ESPN, TNT, the NBA Channel, ABC, and NBC, which are not included in his League Pass subscription.

Why it matters

This story highlights the growing frustration among sports fans, particularly older fans like Alvin, who are finding it increasingly difficult to access live games due to the fragmentation of media rights and the rise of exclusive broadcast deals. As sports leagues seek to maximize their revenue, fans are left with fewer affordable options to follow their favorite teams.

The details

Alvin Tarshis has been a devoted NBA and Knicks fan for decades, and the introduction of NBA League Pass a few years ago was a game-changer for him. However, he has faced limitations as more games are now exclusively aired on national networks like ESPN, TNT, and the NBA Channel, which are not included in his League Pass subscription. This has made it increasingly challenging for him to watch the games he loves.

  • Alvin Tarshis has lived in Boca Raton, Florida since 1997.
  • A few years ago, Alvin started using NBA League Pass to watch most NBA games, including his beloved Knicks.

The players

Alvin Tarshis

An 88-year-old NBA and Knicks fan living in Boca Raton, Florida.

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What they’re saying

“It was clearly understood that if a game was televised on ESPN, TNT, the NBA Channel, ABC or NBC, the game would not be available on League Pass. That was fine because you could still see the game for free on those channels with the exception of the NBA channel, though most fans probably get that one, too.”

— Alvin Tarshis (New York Post)

The takeaway

This story highlights the growing frustration among sports fans, particularly older fans like Alvin, who are finding it increasingly difficult to access live games due to the fragmentation of media rights and the rise of exclusive broadcast deals. As sports leagues seek to maximize their revenue, fans are left with fewer affordable options to follow their favorite teams, raising concerns about the accessibility and affordability of live sports content.