Philo has announced a new partnership with Best Buy--yes, "strategic"!--in which the virtual pay TV service will be marketed along with select devices at the brick-and-mortar retail chain.
The San Francisco-based streaming startup said this is its first such retail deal. The announcement also claims that this is the first such tie-up with a streaming service for the national big-box chain, which is a little harder to believe.
Under the agreement, Best Buy shoppers can get a free month of Philo when they purchase select streaming devices, smart TVs and antennas. Or they simply sign up for Philo through Best Buy, they'll get 50% off their first bill.
Philo is the lowest priced virtual MVPD, offering 61 channels for $20 a month, sans ESPN or much sports at all. The service announced in August that it had accumulated 750,000 paid subscribers, up 300% year over year.
“We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Best Buy, and it opens the door to a whole new segment of customers to embrace the future of TV," said Andrew McCollum, CEO of Philo, in a statement. "Complexity is still the biggest barrier for consumers looking to cut the cord and switch to streaming TV, and Best Buy has a long history of helping customers navigate the best tech and entertainment products all in one place.”
