• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
DEADLINE EXTENDED: The Best Employers in Sports survey is now open through Nov. 13 Learn More

Want to Stream Live Sports? Better Know Your Bundle Options First

  • Comcast’s new StreamSaver bundle adds to a fast-growing number of combined offerings.
  • Each of the new tie-ups leaves out a meaningful amount of sports content.
Miguel Legoas / USA TODAY NETWORK

Another day, another new streaming bundle. 

The pace of repackaging of services isn’t actually quite that fast, but it’s also not that far off, leaving a growing amount of confusion for fans and subscribers.

Comcast said it will now package its Peacock with rival services Netflix and Apple TV+ in a single bundle, called StreamSaver, to be offered to its customers starting later this month, and at a discounted price compared to the combined cost of purchasing the three separately. The offering arrives just days after Warner Bros. Discovery unveiled plans to package its Max along with Disney+ and Hulu in a single bundle set to debut this summer. 

Those packages, meanwhile, follow the previously announced sports-oriented bundle, widely called “Spulu,” (or “Hulu for sports”), that involves WBD, ESPN, and Fox; the separate Disney-specific combination that includes Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu, and debuted in 2019; and a discounted combination of Max and Netflix for Verizon subscribers. 

“We’ve been bundling video successfully and creatively for 60 years,” Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said at the MoffettNathanson Media, Internet & Communications Conference. “And so this is the latest iteration of that, and I think will be a pretty compelling package.”

Pitfalls Abound

Roberts’s remarks are not that surprising. But in each of these instances, the bundles fail to get a fan much closer to getting a truly comprehensive amount of sports content—something that’s already a challenging task as many leagues continue to splinter their rights into smaller chunks in a pursuit to reach consumers in additional places. Among the shortcomings of the various bundles: 

  • StreamSaver: It offers the Premier League, Olympics, an extensive amount of college sports, MLS, Sunday Night Football, and perhaps even more NFL in the future. But it leaves out anything held by ESPN, CBS Sports, Amazon, Fox Sports, WBD, and many smaller outlets.
  • Max-Disney+-Hulu: This package is among the weaker ones on the market as it relates to sports, and could see even more winnowing in that area if TNT Sports fails to retain its NBA rights.
  • “Spulu”: It omits about half of the NFL and significant amounts of college sports and soccer, golf, tennis, and horse racing, among other sports, leading to widespread criticism of its perceived utility.
  • Disney: Not surprisingly, this bundle is by far the most integrated and mature offering, and will be expanded later this year with the development of an ESPN tile within Disney+. But it all remains the work of just one company. 

And regional sports networks—still a meaningful part of overall sports consumption whether it be on cable or over-the-air platforms, and despite the challenges in that sector—are essentially nowhere to be found in any of the new streaming bundles. 

The bulked-up offering around Peacock, however, could represent a boost for that service. Its current subscriber total of 34 million—far less than most of its primary rivals—still makes it arguably something of an underperformer given the breadth of sports it offers by itself. 

With the start of football season—a key driver of sports consumption—a little more than three months away, many of these services will need to finalize pricing and availability details in the coming weeks. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

opinion

McCarthy: Michael Strahan Should Address Anthem Controversy

Strahan has drawn criticism for not putting his hand over his heart during the anthem,

NBA’s Declining Viewership Gets Steph Curry Bump

Last Wednesday’s Warriors-Celtics game averaged 2.14 million viewers.

Bears Revisiting Another Lakefront Location for New Stadium

The site is about 2.5 miles south of Soldier Field.

Chiefs-Bills Clash Could Set Ratings High, and CBS Is Going Big

CBS is set to broadcast “The NFL Today” on-site from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

Can the NBA Cup Help Revive Lagging Viewership?

0:00

Featured Today

Former President Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he exits the putting green with his aide Walt Nauta, left, during the final round of the LIV Golf Bedminster golf tournament at Trump National Bedminster on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023.
opinion

Trump Win Puts Sports Back in the White House

With Trump back in the White House, sports get more political again.
Members of the NY Giants run onto the field to start the game between the New York Giants and the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.
November 8, 2024

The NFL Is Becoming the League With No Borders

Where will the NFL go next? International expansion will only get bigger.
November 5, 2024

NFL Center Connor McGovern Is the Heir to a Potato Empire

The NFL vet’s family provides potatoes for McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and others.
Vanderbilt Commodores fans head to the south end zone as the goal post is taken down by exuberant fans after beating No. 1 Alabama 40-35 at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.
opinion
November 2, 2024

Something New in College Football This Year: Parity

Upsets, surprises. CFB is more fun on the field than the NFL.

Netflix NFL Christmas Doubleheader Will Be Tracked by Nielsen

The move aligns with how Amazon measures “Thursday Night Football” audiences.
November 11, 2024

Tennis Channel Suspends Journalist Jon Wertheim After Hot Mic Comments About Player’s..

He said the comments were “inadvertently” broadcast.
November 11, 2024

DSG’s Future Hangs on Bankruptcy Hearing As MLB Objects to Plan

The bankrupt regional sports network operator will learn whether it will again become a viable company.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
November 11, 2024

Cowboys’ Struggles Could Lead the NFL to Flex Out America’s Team

The perennially popular team is facing a very different reality this season.
November 8, 2024

NBA Ratings Are Dipping and One Legend Has a Theory Why

NBA teams are averaging 37 three-points attempts per game this season.
November 8, 2024

MLB Fires Back at DSG Plan, Raising Doubt Over Long-Term Viability

The league and the Braves say they “have grave concerns” about the company’s future viability.
November 8, 2024

NFL, UEFA Rights Help Paramount+ Add 3.5 Million Subscribers

The streamer’s quarterly revenue grew by 25% compared to 2023.