Yet another sports streaming app is approaching the marketplace thanks to the Warner Bros. Discovery split. TNT Sports will soon have its own standalone streamer, according to Gunnar Wiedenfels, the incoming CEO of Discovery Global.
In case you need a refresher, Discovery Global is the new company that will take on TNT Sports and other cable channels from the WBD universe. They have already made it clear that they view sports as a significant part of their strategy moving forward. It’s a similar setup to the NBC Universal split that has seen Versant spun off as a new company housing sports through cable channels like USA and Golf Channel.
As The Wrap notes, Wiedenfels all but confirmed a new TNT Sports app as its own standalone direct-to-consumer streaming platform in a conference call with investors on Wednesday. But the devil is in the details for sports fans hoping to simplify their streaming lives.
Warner Bros. Discovery Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiedenfels teased that a TNT Sports app is in the works ahead of the company’s split next year.
The direct-to-consumer streaming platform will also be available as a bundle, the Discovery Global CEO-elect said on a Wednesday investor conference call.
“We’re working on creating our our own TNT Sports app, which is going to be available as a streaming product,” he said. “But importantly, also as a bundle option, internally with discovery+, or not-so internally anymore with HBO Max, but we are also open to other partners in the industry.”
One of the knock-on effects of the WBD split is that consumers may now be forced to consider yet one more streaming platform to add to the never-ending list of content providers. With the existing setup, all WBD content is under one roof at HBO Max. That’s great if you enjoy both sports under the TNT umbrella and entertainment programs seen on HBO and others. If you want to scroll through old Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes alongside NASCAR in-car cameras, you can do it all for one price! There’s a reason why it ranks fairly highly in streaming platform rankings for sports fans.
However, this quote from Widenfels suggests that two separate apps will be needed in the near future, one for sports and one for entertainment. Here’s guessing that you won’t get either one for a discount or at the same rate you did when it was all under one roof at HBO Max, when it’s all said and done.
It’s yet another blow for sports fans, who are nearly reaching a breaking point with an endless supply of apps, platforms, and bundles to try to piece together something that can satisfy their interests without their head exploding from the never-ending calculus.
In case you were wondering, even with just ten different streaming platforms, there are 3,628,800 combinations possible. Good luck.
About Matt Yoder