Sling 2025 • Flexible Passes
Sling 2025 • Flexible Passes
Sling 2025 • Flexible Passes
Pay for the game. Not the month.
Pay for the game.
Not the month.
Pay for the game.
Not the month.
How we built the industry’s first time-based streaming pass and changed the game before kickoff.
How we built the industry’s first time-based streaming pass and changed the game before kickoff.
How we built the industry’s first time-based streaming pass and changed the game before kickoff.
Impact Made
4M+
4M+
Passes Sold
passes sold
$30M+
$30M+
net upsell REVENUE
net upsell revenue
43%
43%
repeat pass
repeat pass
Product
Sling TV
Scope
Website + TV & Mobile Apps
Website + TV & Mobile Apps
Focus
Flexible 1 Day, 3 Day & 7 Day Passes
Role
Sr. Product Designer (Monetization)
Impact made
Impact made
4M+ passes sold till date
4M+ passes sold till date
43% repeat pass purchase
43% repeat pass purchase
30M+ net revenue
30M+ net revenue
600K+ avg. hrs watched/day
600K+ avg. hrs watched/day
Contents
Sling FlExible Passes
Sling FlExible Passes
Sling FlExible Passes
Pay for the game. Not the month.
Pay for the game. Not the month.
Pay for the game.
Not the month.
Project overview
Sling TV is a live TV streaming platform built around flexibility, offering sports, news, and entertainment without the rigidity of traditional cable bundles.
This was a 6-month initiative to introduce a new time-based access model for live TV across website and app. The work spanned two product teams: Acquisition on website and Monetization across website and app, which was my focus.
I led monetization design across the experience, working across user needs, business viability, and platform constraints to help bring a new way to watch from strategy to launch.
Project overview
Sling TV is a live TV streaming platform built around flexibility, offering sports, news, and entertainment without the rigidity of traditional cable bundles.
This was a 6-month initiative to introduce a new time-based access model for live TV across website and app. The work spanned two product teams: Acquisition on website and Monetization across website and app, which was my focus.
I led monetization design across the experience, working across user needs, business viability, and platform constraints to help bring a new way to watch from strategy to launch.
Timeline
Months 1–3: Strategy and feasibility
Months 4–5: Design and development
Month 6: Launch and rollout
Stakeholders
Senior leadership
Acquisition team
Monetization team
Marketing
Programming teams
Device developers
Timeline
Months 1–3: Strategy and feasibility
Months 4–5: Design and development
Month 6: Launch and rollout
Stakeholders
Senior leadership
Acquisition team
Monetization team
Marketing
Programming teams
Device developers
THE SETUP
THE SETUP
THE SETUP
Access over commitment
Access over commitment
Access over commitment
Subscriptions are great, until they ask for too much too soon.
We kept seeing the same pattern. Users showed up with high intent, ready to watch a specific game or event, and dropped off the moment we asked them to commit to a full month. They were not confused or struggling with the flow. They simply were not interested in long-term commitment.
What they wanted was simple.
Access, just long enough to care.
Subscriptions are great, until they ask for too much too soon.
We kept seeing the same pattern. Users showed up with high intent, ready to watch a specific game or event, and dropped off the moment we asked them to commit to a full month. They were not confused or struggling with the flow. They simply were not interested in long-term commitment.
What they wanted was simple.
Access, just long enough to care.
Subscriptions are great, until they ask for too much too soon.
We kept seeing the same pattern. Users showed up with high intent, ready to watch a specific game or event, and dropped off the moment we asked them to commit to a full month. They were not confused or struggling with the flow. They simply were not interested in long-term commitment.
What they wanted was simple.
Access, just long enough to care.
THE SHIFT
THE SHIFT
THE SHIFT
Designing for what people actually want
Designing for what people actually want
Designing for what people actually want
Instead of pushing harder on subscriptions, we stepped back and met users where they already were.
We introduced time-based passes, 1 Day, 3 Day, and 7 Day, designed around intent rather than commitment. Users could pick a window, watch what they came for, and leave when they were done.
No long-term decision. No unnecessary friction. No mental math.
Instead of pushing harder on subscriptions, we stepped back and met users where they already were.
We introduced time-based passes, 1 Day, 3 Day, and 7 Day, designed around intent rather than commitment. Users could pick a window, watch what they came for, and leave when they were done.
No long-term decision. No unnecessary friction. No mental math.
Instead of pushing harder on subscriptions, we stepped back and met users where they already were.
We introduced time-based passes, 1 Day, 3 Day, and 7 Day, designed around intent rather than commitment. Users could pick a window, watch what they came for, and leave when they were done.
No long-term decision. No unnecessary friction. No mental math.
THE TURN
THE TURN
THE TURN
Asking better questions
Asking better questions
Asking better questions
We did not start with the right question. Like most teams, we began with the safe ones. How do we increase subscriptions? How do we reduce friction in checkout?
Both valid, but not quite the problem.
The behavior we were seeing was not confusion. It was avoidance.
Users were not struggling to subscribe. They were choosing not to.
That forced a shift in thinking.
What if commitment is the very thing they are trying to avoid? What if we design around that instead of against it?
That reframing led us to a more honest question:
We did not start with the right question. Like most teams, we began with the safe ones. How do we increase subscriptions? How do we reduce friction in checkout?
Both valid, but not quite the problem.
The behavior we were seeing was not confusion. It was avoidance.
Users were not struggling to subscribe. They were choosing not to.
That forced a shift in thinking.
What if commitment is the very thing they are trying to avoid? What if we design around that instead of against it?
That reframing led us to a more honest question:
We did not start with the right question. Like most teams, we began with the safe ones. How do we increase subscriptions? How do we reduce friction in checkout?
Both valid, but not quite the problem.
The behavior we were seeing was not confusion. It was avoidance.
Users were not struggling to subscribe. They were choosing not to.
That forced a shift in thinking.
What if commitment is the very thing they are trying to avoid? What if we design around that instead of against it?
That reframing led us to a more honest question:
How might we let users show up, watch what matters, and leave on their own terms, in a way that also works for the business?
How might we let users show up, watch what matters, and leave on their own terms, in a way that also works for the business?
How might we let users show up, watch what matters, and leave on their own terms, in a way that also works for the business?
From that point on, we focused less on pushing commitment, and more on meeting intent, building a model that works for users and scales for the business.
From that point on, we focused less on pushing commitment, and more on meeting intent, building a model that works for users and scales for the business.
From that point on, we focused less on pushing commitment, and more on meeting intent, building a model that works for users and scales for the business.
UNDER THE HOOD
UNDER THE HOOD
UNDER THE HOOD
Simple on the surface. Complex underneath
Simple on the surface. Complex underneath
Simple on the surface. Complex underneath
What looks simple on the surface required rethinking the system underneath.
Instead of selling a subscription, we had to build a model where access starts instantly, works seamlessly across devices, and ends automatically without any user action. That meant redesigning how entitlement, expiry, and playback behave together across the entire experience.
The goal was clarity:
Buy access → watch instantly → it ends automatically.
What looks simple on the surface required rethinking the system underneath.
Instead of selling a subscription, we had to build a model where access starts instantly, works seamlessly across devices, and ends automatically without any user action. That meant redesigning how entitlement, expiry, and playback behave together across the entire experience.
The goal was clarity:
Buy access → watch instantly → it ends automatically.
What looks simple on the surface required rethinking the system underneath.
Instead of selling a subscription, we had to build a model where access starts instantly, works seamlessly across devices, and ends automatically without any user action. That meant redesigning how entitlement, expiry, and playback behave together across the entire experience.
The goal was clarity:
Buy access → watch instantly → it ends automatically.
GO LIVE
GO LIVE
GO LIVE
Launched fast. Landed big.
Launched fast. Landed big.
Launched fast. Landed big.
We timed the launch around football season, when viewership peaks and user intent is at its highest.
But a new access model needed more than visibility, it needed clarity. We surfaced passes across high-intent moments like search and game-day entry points, while clearly differentiating 1, 3, and 7 day options so users could quickly understand and choose.
Simple idea. Right timing. Clear choices.
We timed the launch around football season, when viewership peaks and user intent is at its highest.
But a new access model needed more than visibility, it needed clarity. We surfaced passes across high-intent moments like search and game-day entry points, while clearly differentiating 1, 3, and 7 day options so users could quickly understand and choose.
Simple idea. Right timing. Clear choices.
We timed the launch around football season, when viewership peaks and user intent is at its highest.
But a new access model needed more than visibility, it needed clarity. We surfaced passes across high-intent moments like search and game-day entry points, while clearly differentiating 1, 3, and 7 day options so users could quickly understand and choose.
Simple idea. Right timing. Clear choices.
WHAT HAPPENED
WHAT HAPPENED
WHAT HAPPENED
Big wins. Even bigger smiles.
Big wins. Even bigger smiles.
Big wins. Even bigger smiles.
What started as a bet quickly became a meaningful growth lever.
What started as a bet quickly became a meaningful growth lever.
What started as a bet quickly became a meaningful growth lever.
More importantly, this was not a one-time interaction. Users came back when it mattered, and when the moment was right, some chose to stay.
When you respect user intent, they return, and some eventually choose to commit on their own terms.
More importantly, this was not a one-time interaction. Users came back when it mattered, and when the moment was right, some chose to stay.
When you respect user intent, they return, and some eventually choose to commit on their own terms.
More importantly, this was not a one-time interaction. Users came back when it mattered, and when the moment was right, some chose to stay.
When you respect user intent, they return, and some eventually choose to commit on their own terms.
Impact data as of March, 2026
WHAT’S NEXT
WHAT’S NEXT
WHAT’S NEXT
This is just the beginning
This is just the beginning
This is just the beginning
This work opened up a new way of thinking about access, pricing, and engagement across the platform.
It showed that growth does not always come from pushing harder on commitment. Sometimes, it comes from meeting users at the right moment, with the right level of access.
This work opened up a new way of thinking about access, pricing, and engagement across the platform.
It showed that growth does not always come from pushing harder on commitment. Sometimes, it comes from meeting users at the right moment, with the right level of access.
This work opened up a new way of thinking about access, pricing, and engagement across the platform.
It showed that growth does not always come from pushing harder on commitment. Sometimes, it comes from meeting users at the right moment, with the right level of access.
More Projects
More Projects
More Projects
Looks like you'd like to see more
Looks like you'd like to see more
Looks like you'd like to see more
Are you still watching? Get in touch
© 2026 Saumya Ghai
Are you still watching? Get in touch
© 2026 Saumya Ghai
Are you still watching? Get in touch
© 2026 Saumya Ghai
Are you still watching? Get in touch
© 2026 Saumya Ghai