Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly targeting the fall for Max subscribers to stream live sports airing across TBS and TNT.
Per CNBC, WBD is aiming for October and the start of the MLB Postseason for its launch of live sports streaming. Subscribers will be able to stream live MLB, NBA, NHL, and March Madness games airing on WBD’s networks, along with content from Bleacher Report.
The live sports content is expected to exist under the Bleacher Report brand, as the company’s B/R Live service was years ago. B/R Live was launched in 2018 with “thousands” of live events, many of which were from the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. The B/R Live app was eventually folded into the Bleacher Report app, A pre-merger Turner Sports opted out of its deal with UEFA during the pandemic in 2020, leading to current rightsholder CBS Sports absorbing the Champions League and Europa League matches that were a major selling point of B/R Live.
Streaming live sports on Max will require subscribing to another tier, as hinted as last week by WBD CEO David Zaslav. Pricing for the new tier is currently unknown.
WBD’s rights deal with the NHL includes both streaming and simulcast rights for Max, while discussions with MLB and the NBA about streaming games from TBS and TNT are ongoing. No MLB games would be Max-exclusive, while any Max-exclusive NBA games would need to be negotiated in the league’s next media rights deal.
On the bright side, this is another option for cord-cutters, who were often out of luck when it came to streaming games on WBD networks without a cable, satellite, or streaming service subscription. On the downside, this won’t be included as part of the $9.99 or $15.99 per month Max subscribers are already paying, and they’ll have to crack open their wallet a little more in order to watch live sports.
[CNBC]
