Now how much would you pay? That’s what some may be struggling to consider on Thursday as the parties that have come together to launch a forthcoming standalone streaming service through a joint venture revealed its “launch price.”
The monthly fee for the “Hulu for Sports” offering to be established by The Walt Disney Company-owned ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery could lead some to question if a monthly cable bill is more cost-efficient, while the mention of a “launch price” could indicate a further increase in the subscription fee. Media observers RBR+TVBR spoke with on Thursday offer differing opinions, but one thing is clear: one big MVPD selling point has been threatened by the OTT universe in a significant way.
Venu Sports is being marketed as a $42.99 per month service, with a seven-day free trial available for those who don’t believe its worth the money.
“Anyone signing up for Venu’s launch price will be able to receive the service for that same price for 12-months from time of sign-up, with the ability to cancel at any time,” Venu notes, indicating that an even-higher monthly subscription fee is on the way.
Venu, which is being sued by vMVPD Fubo for alleged antitrust law violations, is planning a launch in the U.S. in the fall.
What will one get for $515.88 plus taxes and fees each year, based on the introductory price?
Venu promises it will offer “thousands of live sports events from all the major professional sports leagues and top college conferences.” Specifically, Venu will provide access to 14 live sports channels — including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ABC, FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS, and truTV — and an expansive library of on-demand content from the collective companies’ portfolios of sports networks and ESPN+.
Venu CEO Pete Distad commented, “Venu will provide sports fans in the U.S. with a single destination for watching many of the most sought-after games and events. We’re building Venu from the ground up for fans who want seamless access to watch the sports they love, and we will launch at a compelling price point that will appeal to the cord cutter and cord never fans currently not served by existing pay TV packages.”
That said, the decision by the National Basketball Association to end its association with WBD’s TNT in favor of a new arrangement with Amazon Prime Video and a return to NBC after many years could dilute the value of Venu to some sports fans after the 2024-2025 season, the last for TNT under its current deal, which WBD is taking the NBA to court over.
Nevertheless, Venu’s pitch to prospective subscribers is being made, and it is focusing on the following:
- Extensive Live Games and Event Coverage of the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, WNBA, NCAA Division I football and basketball, U.S. and international soccer, combat sports, Grand Slam tennis, championship golf, INDYCAR, NASCAR and F1 auto racing, and more.
- Iconic Sports Studio Shows and Pre/Post Game Programming with ESPN’s SportsCenter, First Take, Get Up!, College GameDay and The Pat McAfee Show, FOX’s NFL Sunday, The Herd with Colin Cowherd, First Things First, and TNT’s Inside the NBA to name a few.
- Robust Library of On-Demand Sports Content with programming that celebrates sports culture and fandom, including ESPN’s 30 for 30 library, ESPN+ Originals, ESPN Films, documentary programming from Fox Sports Films, and more.
Much of this programming is already available to those with a MVPD subscription; Venu is geared to “cord-cutters” and “cord-nevers,” even as some pro sports teams elect to bring their play-by-play coverage to free over-the-air television stations through arrangements with such companies as The E.W. Scripps Co. and Gray Television.
The value proposition for Venu may be of appeal to those seeking access to the PGA Championship and PGA TOUR LIVE; NBA, WNBA, and NHL coverage; Major League Baseball; various top-tier global soccer leagues; college sports from the SEC, ACC, the Big East, Big Ten and Big 12 leagues; boxing and MMA fight coverage; tennis from the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open; and motorsports.
Blackouts will apply due to traditional sports rights agreements.
